UJeremiya 21
1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini lapho inkosi uZedekhiya ethuma kuye uPashuri indodana kaMalikiya, loZefaniya indodana kaMahaseya, umpristi, isithi:
The word which came unto Jeremiah from YHWH, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,
2 Ake usibuzele eNkosini, ngoba uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni ulwa emelene lathi; mhlawumbe iNkosi ingasenzela njengokwezimangaliso zayo zonke, ukuze enyuke asuke kithi.
Inquire, I pray thee, of YHWH for us; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that YHWH will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.
3 UJeremiya wasesithi kubo: Lizakutsho njalo kuZedekhiya:
Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:
4 Itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Khangelani, ngizaphendulela emuva izikhali zempi ezisezandleni zenu, elilwa ngazo lenkosi yeBhabhiloni lamaKhaladiya, abalivimbezeleyo ngaphandle komduli, ngibaqoqe ngaphakathi kwalumuzi.
Thus saith YHWH Elohim of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.
5 Njalo mina ngizakulwa lani ngesandla eseluliweyo, langengalo elamandla, langentukuthelo, langokufutheka, langolaka olukhulu.
And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.
6 Njalo ngizatshaya abakhileyo balumuzi, umuntu kanye lesifuyo; bazakufa ngomatshayabhuqe wesifo omkhulu.
And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.
7 Kuthi emva kwalokhu, itsho iNkosi, uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, lenceku zakhe, labantu, labaseleyo phakathi kwalumuzi kumatshayabhuqe wesifo, enkembeni, lendlaleni, ngizabanikela esandleni sikaNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni, lesandleni sezitha zabo, lesandleni salabo abadinga impilo yabo. Njalo uzabatshaya ngobukhali benkemba; kayikubayekela, kayikuhawukela, kayikuba lomusa.
And afterward, saith YHWH, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.
8 Njalo kulababantu uzakuthi: Itsho njalo INkosi: Khangelani, ngibeka phambi kwenu indlela yokuphila lendlela yokufa.
And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith YHWH; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
9 Osala kulumuzi uzakufa ngenkemba langendlala langomatshayabhuqe wesifo; kodwa ophumayo, awele kumaKhaladiya alivimbezelayo, uzaphila, lempilo yakhe izakuba yimpango kuye.
He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
10 Ngoba ngimisile ubuso bami bumelene lalumuzi ngokubi, hatshi ngokuhle, itsho iNkosi; uzanikelwa esandleni senkosi yeBhabhiloni, iwutshise ngomlilo.
For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith YHWH: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
11 Lamayelana lendlu yenkosi yakoJuda, zwanini ilizwi leNkosi:
And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the word of YHWH;
12 Wena ndlu kaDavida, itsho njalo INkosi: Yehlulelani isahlulelo ekuseni, lophule ophangiweyo esandleni somcindezeli, hlezi ulaka lwami luphume njengomlilo, lutshise, ukuthi kungabi khona ocitshayo, ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zenu.
O house of David, thus saith YHWH; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
13 Khangela, ngimelene lawe, wena mhlali wesigodi, dwala legceke, itsho iNkosi; lina elithi: Ngubani ozakwehla amelane lathi? Kumbe ngubani ozangena endaweni zethu zokuhlala?
Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith YHWH; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?
14 Kodwa ngizalijezisa njengokwesithelo sezenzo zenu, itsho iNkosi, ngiphembe umlilo ehlathini lakho, ozaqeda konke inhlangothi zonke zakho.
But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith YHWH: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.
