UJeremiya 18
1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini lisithi:
This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
2 Sukuma, wehlele endlini yombumbi, lapho-ke ngizakuzwisa amazwi ami.
Go down right away to the potter's house. I will give you my message there.
3 Ngasengisehlela endlini yombumbi, khangela-ke wayesenza umsebenzi emavilini.
I went down to the potter's house and saw him working at his potter's wheel.
4 Njalo imbiza ayeyenza ngebumba yonakala esandleni sombumbi; wasebuya wenza ngayo enye imbiza njengoba kwakuqondile emehlweni ombumbi ukwenza.
But the pot that he was making from the clay went wrong. So he made it into something different as he thought best.
5 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:
The Lord's message came to me, saying,
6 Ndlu kaIsrayeli, ngingeze ngenza kini njengalo umbumbi yini? itsho iNkosi. Khangela, njengebumba esandleni sombumbi, linjalo lina esandleni sami, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli.
People of Israel, declares the Lord, can't I deal with you just like this potter does with his clay? I hold you in my hand just like clay in the potter's hand, people of Israel.
7 Ngesikhatshana ngizakhuluma ngesizwe langombuso ukuthi ngizakusiphuna, ngikudilize, ngikuchithe;
At one time it could happen that I announce that a nation or a kingdom is going to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.
8 uba lesosizwe engikhulume ngimelene laso siphenduka ebubini baso, ngizazisola ngokubi ebengicabanga ukuthi ngizakwenza kiso.
However, if that nation I warned gives up its evil ways, then I will change my mind regarding the disaster I was about to bring.
9 Langesikhatshana ngizakhuluma ngesizwe langombuso, ukwakha lokukuhlanyela;
At another time I could announce that I'm going to build up and give power to a nation or a kingdom.
10 uba kusenza okubi emehlweni ami, kungalaleli ilizwi lami, khona ngizazisola ngokuhle ebengisithi ngizakwenzela okuhle ngakho.
But if it does evil in my sight and refuses to listen to my voice, then I will change my mind regarding the good I had planned for it.
11 Ngakho khathesi ake ukhulume ebantwini bakoJuda lakubahlali beJerusalema, usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangelani, ngilibumbela okubi, ngilicebela icebo. Phendukani khathesi, ngulowo lalowo endleleni yakhe embi, lenze indlela zenu lezenzo zenu zibe zinhle.
So tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: Watch out! I am preparing disaster for you, and working out a plan against you. All of you, give up your evil ways. Live right and act right!
12 Kodwa bathi: Kakulathemba; kodwa sizalandela awethu amacebo, senze, ngulowo lalowo inkani yenhliziyo yakhe embi.
But they'll say, “We just can't! We'll do whatever we want. Each of us will stubbornly follow our own evil thinking.”
13 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Buzani khathesi phakathi kwabahedeni, ngubani owake wezwa izinto ezinje? Intombi emsulwa yakoIsrayeli yenzile into eyesabekayo kakhulu.
Consequently this is what the Lord says: Ask around the nations—has anybody ever heard anything like this? Virgin Israel has acted really badly.
14 Umuntu angatshiya yini iliqhwa elikhithikileyo leLebhanoni elivela edwaleni leganga? Angatshiywa yini amanzi aqandayo ageleza evela kwezinye indawo?
Does the snow of Lebanon ever disappear from its rocky mountain-tops? Do its cool waters that flow from such distant sources ever dry up?
15 Kodwa abantu bami bangikhohliwe, batshisela okuyize impepha, babenza bakhubeka ezindleleni zabo, emikhondweni yasendulo, ukuthi bahambe ezindledlaneni, endleleni engabuthelelwanga;
But my people have rejected me! They burn incense to useless idols which trip them up, making them leave the old roads in order to walk down unmade paths instead of the highway.
16 besenza ilizwe labo libe lunxiwa, ukuncifelwa njalonjalo; wonke owedlula khona uzamangala kakhulu, anikine ikhanda lakhe.
They have turned their country into a horrific wasteland, a place that will always be treated with contempt. People passing by will be shocked, shaking their heads in disbelief.
17 Ngizabahlakaza njengomoya wempumalanga phambi kwesitha; ngizabatshengisa umhlana, hatshi ubuso, ngosuku lwengozi yabo.
Like a strong wind from the east I will scatter them before the enemy. I will turn my back on them and not look at them when their time of trouble comes.
18 Basebesithi: Wozani simcebele amacebo uJeremiya; ngoba umthetho kawuyikuphela kumpristi, lokweluleka kohlakaniphileyo, lelizwi kumprofethi. Wozani simtshaye ngolimi, singananzi lawaphi amazwi akhe.
Some people decided, “We need a plan to deal with Jeremiah. There'll still be priests to explain the law, there'll still be wise people to give advice, and there'll still be prophets to give prophecies. Let's organize a smear campaign against him so we don't have to listen to a word he says.”
19 Nginakekela, Nkosi, ulalele ilizwi labaphikisana lami.
Lord, please pay attention to what's happening to me! Listen to what my accusers are saying!
20 Kuyavuzwa okubi esikhundleni sokuhle yini? Ngoba bagebhele umphefumulo wami umgodi. Khumbula ukuthi ngema phambi kwakho ukubakhulumela okuhle, ukuphambula ulaka lwakho kibo.
Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they have dug a pit to trap me! Remember how I stood before you to plead on their behalf, to stop you being angry with them?
21 Ngakho nikela abantwana babo endlaleni, ubanikele emandleni enkemba; labafazi babo balahlekelwe ngabantwana, babe ngabafelokazi, lamadoda abo abulawe yikufa, amajaha abo atshaywe ngenkemba empini.
But now may their children starve; may they be killed by the sword. May their wives lose their children and their husbands; may their husbands die from disease; may their young men be killed in battle.
22 Kakuzwakale ukukhala endlini zabo, lapho uzahle ulethe iviyo phezu kwabo; ngoba begebhe umgodi ukungibamba, bafihlela inyawo zami imijibila.
May cries of agony be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring invaders to attack them, because they dug a pit to capture me and hid traps to catch me as I walk along.
23 Kanti wena, Nkosi, uyawazi wonke amacebo abo bemelene lami ukungibulala. Ungathetheleli isiphambeko sabo, lesono sabo ungasicitshi sisuke phambi kwakho; kodwa kabawiswe phambi kwakho, bana lokwenza labo ngesikhathi sokuthukuthela kwakho.
But Lord, you know about all their plots to try and kill me. Don't forgive their wickedness; don't wipe away their sin. Bring them down! Deal with them when you're angry!
