UJeremiya 18
1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini lisithi:
The word that has been to Jeremiah from YHWH, saying,
2 Sukuma, wehlele endlini yombumbi, lapho-ke ngizakuzwisa amazwi ami.
“Rise, and you have gone down [to] the potter’s house, and there I cause you to hear My words”;
3 Ngasengisehlela endlini yombumbi, khangela-ke wayesenza umsebenzi emavilini.
and I go down [to] the potter’s house, and behold, he is doing a work on the stones,
4 Njalo imbiza ayeyenza ngebumba yonakala esandleni sombumbi; wasebuya wenza ngayo enye imbiza njengoba kwakuqondile emehlweni ombumbi ukwenza.
and the vessel that he is making is marred, as clay in the hand of the potter, and he has turned and he makes it another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.
5 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:
And there is a word of YHWH 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.
“O house of Israel, am I not able to do to you as this potter?” A declaration of YHWH. “Behold, as clay in the hand of the potter, So [are] you in My hand, O house of Israel.
7 Ngesikhatshana ngizakhuluma ngesizwe langombuso ukuthi ngizakusiphuna, ngikudilize, ngikuchithe;
The moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, To pluck up and to break down, and to destroy,
8 uba lesosizwe engikhulume ngimelene laso siphenduka ebubini baso, ngizazisola ngokubi ebengicabanga ukuthi ngizakwenza kiso.
And that nation has turned from its evil, Because I have spoken against it, Then I have relented of the calamity that I thought to do to it.
9 Langesikhatshana ngizakhuluma ngesizwe langombuso, ukwakha lokukuhlanyela;
And the moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant,
10 uba kusenza okubi emehlweni ami, kungalaleli ilizwi lami, khona ngizazisola ngokuhle ebengisithi ngizakwenzela okuhle ngakho.
And it has done evil in My eyes, So as not to listen to My voice, Then I have relented of the good That I have spoken of doing to 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.
And now, speak now to men of Judah, And against inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said YHWH: Behold, I am framing calamity against you, And devising a scheme against you; Please turn back, each from his evil way, And amend your ways and your doings.”
12 Kodwa bathi: Kakulathemba; kodwa sizalandela awethu amacebo, senze, ngulowo lalowo inkani yenhliziyo yakhe embi.
And they have said, “It is incurable, For we go after our own plans, And each of us does the stubbornness of his evil heart.”
13 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Buzani khathesi phakathi kwabahedeni, ngubani owake wezwa izinto ezinje? Intombi emsulwa yakoIsrayeli yenzile into eyesabekayo kakhulu.
Therefore, thus said YHWH: “Now ask among the nations, Who has heard such things? The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.
14 Umuntu angatshiya yini iliqhwa elikhithikileyo leLebhanoni elivela edwaleni leganga? Angatshiywa yini amanzi aqandayo ageleza evela kwezinye indawo?
Does snow of Lebanon Cease from the rock of the field? Will the cold strange [waters] that are flowing be forsaken?
15 Kodwa abantu bami bangikhohliwe, batshisela okuyize impepha, babenza bakhubeka ezindleleni zabo, emikhondweni yasendulo, ukuthi bahambe ezindledlaneni, endleleni engabuthelelwanga;
But My people have forgotten Me, they make incense to a vain thing, And they cause them to stumble in their ways—paths of old, To walk in paths—a way not raised up,
16 besenza ilizwe labo libe lunxiwa, ukuncifelwa njalonjalo; wonke owedlula khona uzamangala kakhulu, anikine ikhanda lakhe.
To make their land become a desolation, A continuous hissing, Everyone passing by it is astonished, And bemoans with his head.
17 Ngizabahlakaza njengomoya wempumalanga phambi kwesitha; ngizabatshengisa umhlana, hatshi ubuso, ngosuku lwengozi yabo.
I scatter them before an enemy as with an east wind, I show them the neck and not the face, In the day of their calamity.”
18 Basebesithi: Wozani simcebele amacebo uJeremiya; ngoba umthetho kawuyikuphela kumpristi, lokweluleka kohlakaniphileyo, lelizwi kumprofethi. Wozani simtshaye ngolimi, singananzi lawaphi amazwi akhe.
And they say, “Come, And we devise schemes against Jeremiah, For law does not perish from the priest, Nor counsel from the wise, Nor the word from the prophet, Come, and we strike him with the tongue, And we do not attend to any of his words.”
19 Nginakekela, Nkosi, ulalele ilizwi labaphikisana lami.
Give attention, O YHWH, to me, And listen to the voice of those contending with me.
20 Kuyavuzwa okubi esikhundleni sokuhle yini? Ngoba bagebhele umphefumulo wami umgodi. Khumbula ukuthi ngema phambi kwakho ukubakhulumela okuhle, ukuphambula ulaka lwakho kibo.
Is evil repaid instead of good, That they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember my standing before You to speak good of them, To turn back Your wrath from 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.
Therefore, give up their sons to famine, And cause them to run on the sides of the sword, And their wives are bereaved and widows, And their men are slain by death, Their young men [are] struck by sword in battle,
22 Kakuzwakale ukukhala endlini zabo, lapho uzahle ulethe iviyo phezu kwabo; ngoba begebhe umgodi ukungibamba, bafihlela inyawo zami imijibila.
A cry is heard from their houses, For You suddenly bring a troop against them, For they dug a pit to capture me, And they have hidden snares for my feet.
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.
And You, O YHWH, You have known, All their counsel against me [is] for death, You do not cover over their iniquity, Nor blot out their sin from before You, And they are made to stumble before You, Work against them in the time of Your anger!
