UJeremiya 18
1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini lisithi:
The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Sukuma, wehlele endlini yombumbi, lapho-ke ngizakuzwisa amazwi ami.
Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 Ngasengisehlela endlini yombumbi, khangela-ke wayesenza umsebenzi emavilini.
Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 Njalo imbiza ayeyenza ngebumba yonakala esandleni sombumbi; wasebuya wenza ngayo enye imbiza njengoba kwakuqondile emehlweni ombumbi ukwenza.
And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make it.
5 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:
Then the word of the LORD 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.
O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel.
7 Ngesikhatshana ngizakhuluma ngesizwe langombuso ukuthi ngizakusiphuna, ngikudilize, ngikuchithe;
At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
8 uba lesosizwe engikhulume ngimelene laso siphenduka ebubini baso, ngizazisola ngokubi ebengicabanga ukuthi ngizakwenza kiso.
If that nation, against which I have pronounced, shall turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.
9 Langesikhatshana ngizakhuluma ngesizwe langombuso, ukwakha lokukuhlanyela;
And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
10 uba kusenza okubi emehlweni ami, kungalaleli ilizwi lami, khona ngizazisola ngokuhle ebengisithi ngizakwenzela okuhle ngakho.
If it shall do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.
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.
Now therefore come, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a plot against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.
12 Kodwa bathi: Kakulathemba; kodwa sizalandela awethu amacebo, senze, ngulowo lalowo inkani yenhliziyo yakhe embi.
And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination 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 saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
14 Umuntu angatshiya yini iliqhwa elikhithikileyo leLebhanoni elivela edwaleni leganga? Angatshiywa yini amanzi aqandayo ageleza evela kwezinye indawo?
Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?
15 Kodwa abantu bami bangikhohliwe, batshisela okuyize impepha, babenza bakhubeka ezindleleni zabo, emikhondweni yasendulo, ukuthi bahambe ezindledlaneni, endleleni engabuthelelwanga;
Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
16 besenza ilizwe labo libe lunxiwa, ukuncifelwa njalonjalo; wonke owedlula khona uzamangala kakhulu, anikine ikhanda lakhe.
To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shake his head.
17 Ngizabahlakaza njengomoya wempumalanga phambi kwesitha; ngizabatshengisa umhlana, hatshi ubuso, ngosuku lwengozi yabo.
I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back, 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.
Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
19 Nginakekela, Nkosi, ulalele ilizwi labaphikisana lami.
Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
20 Kuyavuzwa okubi esikhundleni sokuhle yini? Ngoba bagebhele umphefumulo wami umgodi. Khumbula ukuthi ngema phambi kwakho ukubakhulumela okuhle, ukuphambula ulaka lwakho kibo.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy 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 deliver their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.
22 Kakuzwakale ukukhala endlini zabo, lapho uzahle ulethe iviyo phezu kwabo; ngoba begebhe umgodi ukungibamba, bafihlela inyawo zami imijibila.
Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have dug a pit to take me, and hid 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.
Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thy anger.
