UJeremiya 25

1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya mayelana labantu bonke bakoJuda, ngomnyaka wesine kaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakoJuda (kwakungumnyaka wokuqala kaNebhukadirezari, inkosi yeBhabhiloni),

This is the word that came to Jeremiah about all the people of Judah. It came in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah. That was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

2 alikhulumayo uJeremiya umprofethi kubo bonke abantu bakoJuda, lakubo bonke abahlali beJerusalema, esithi:

Jeremiah the prophet proclaimed this to all the people of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

3 Kusukela emnyakeni wetshumi lantathu kaJosiya, indodana kaAmoni, inkosi yakoJuda, kuze kube lamuhla, sekuyiminyaka engamatshumi amabili lantathu, ilizwi leNkosi lifikile kimi, njalo ngilikhulumile kini, ngivuka ngovivi ngikhuluma; kodwa kalilalelanga.

He said, “For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah until this day, Yahweh's words have been coming to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.

4 Futhi iNkosi ithumile kini zonke izinceku zayo, abaprofethi, ivuka ngovivi ibathuma; kodwa kalilalelanga, kalibekanga indlebe yenu ukuthi lizwe;

Yahweh sent out all his servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or paid any attention.

5 besithi: Phendukani khathesi ngulowo lalowo endleleni yakhe embi, lebubini bezenzo zenu, lihlale elizweni iNkosi elinike lina laboyihlo kusukela nininini kuze kube nininini;

These prophets said, 'Let each man turn from his wicked way and the corruption of his practices and return to the land that Yahweh gave in ancient times to your ancestors and to you, as a permanent gift.

6 njalo lingalandeli abanye onkulunkulu ukubasebenzela lokubakhonza, lingangithukuthelisi ngomsebenzi wezandla zenu; khona ngingayikulenzela okubi.

So do not walk after other gods to worship them or bow down to them, and do not provoke him with the work of your hands so that he does you harm.'

7 Kodwa kalingilalelanga, itsho iNkosi, ukuze lingithukuthelise ngomsebenzi wezandla zenu, kuze kube kubi kini.

But you have not listened to me—this is Yahweh's declaration—so you have provoked me with the work of your hands to do harm to you.

8 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Ngenxa yokuthi lingawalalelanga amazwi ami,

So Yahweh of hosts says this, 'Because you did not listen to my words,

9 khangela, ngizathuma, ngilande zonke izinsapho zenyakatho, itsho iNkosi, lakuNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni inceku yami, ngibalethe bamelane lalelilizwe bamelane labakhileyo balo, bamelane lazo zonke lezizizwe inhlangothi zonke, ngibatshabalalise, ngibenze babe yisesabiso, babe ngokuncifelwayo, babe zincithakalo ezilaphakade.

see, I am about to send out a command to gather all the peoples of the north—this is Yahweh's declaration—with Nebuchadnezzar my servant, king of Babylon, and bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all the nations around you. For I will set them apart for destruction. I will turn them into a horror, an object for hissing, and an unending desolation.

10 Futhi ngizaphelisa ngisuse kubo ilizwi lentokozo lelizwi lenjabulo, ilizwi lomyeni lelizwi likamakoti, umsindo wamatshe okuchola, lokukhanya kwesibane.

I will put an end to the sound of joy and sound of gladness, the sound of the groom and the sound of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp.

11 Lelizwe lonke leli lizakuba lunxiwa libe yisesabiso; lalezizizwe zizasebenzela inkosi yeBhabhiloni iminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa.

Then all of this land will become a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

12 Kuzakuthi-ke iminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa isiphelele ngijezise inkosi yeBhabhiloni lalesosizwe, itsho iNkosi, ngobubi babo, lelizwe lamaKhaladiya, ngilenze libe ngamanxiwa laphakade.

Then it will happen when seventy years have been completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans—this is Yahweh's declaration—for their iniquity and make it an unending desolation.

13 Ngehlisele phezu kwalelolizwe wonke amazwi ami engawakhuluma ngimelene lalo, konke okubhaliweyo kulolugwalo, uJeremiya akuprofethayo ngazo zonke izizwe.

Then I will carry out against that land all the words that I had spoken, and everything written in this book that Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations.

14 Ngoba izizwe ezinengi lamakhosi amakhulu zizabasebenzisa bona uqobo; njalo ngizabaphindisela njengokwenza kwabo lanjengokomsebenzi wezandla zabo.

For also many other nations and great kings will make slaves out of these nations. I will repay them for their deeds and the works of their hands.'”

15 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli kimi: Thatha inkezo yewayini yalolulaka esandleni sami, wenze zonke izizwe engikuthuma kuzo ziyinathe.

For Yahweh, God of Israel, said this to me, “Take this cup of the wine of fury from my hand and make all the nations to which I am sending you drink it.

16 Njalo zizanatha, zidiyazele, zihlanye, ngenxa yenkemba engizayithuma phakathi kwazo.

For they will drink and then stagger about and rant madly before the sword that I am sending out among them.”

17 Ngasengithatha inkezo esandleni seNkosi, nganathisa zonke izizwe iNkosi eyayingithume kizo,

So I took the cup from Yahweh's hand, and I made all the nations to which Yahweh had sent me drink it:

18 iJerusalema, lemizi yakoJuda, lamakhosi ayo, leziphathamandla zayo, ukubenza babe yincithakalo, babe yisesabiso, babe yinto yokuncifelwa, babe yisiqalekiso, njengalamuhla;

Jerusalem, the cities of Judah and her kings and officials—to turn them into ruins and something terrifying, and into an object for hissing and cursing, as they are at this present day.

19 uFaro inkosi yeGibhithe, lezinceku zakhe, leziphathamandla zakhe, labantu bakhe bonke;

Other nations also had to drink it: Pharaoh king of Egypt and his servants; his officials and all his people;

20 labo bonke abaxubeneyo, lawo wonke amakhosi elizwe leUzi, lawo wonke amakhosi elizwe lamaFilisti, leAshikeloni, leGaza, leEkhironi, lensali yeAshidodi;

all people of mixed heritage and all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of the land of Philistia—Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;

21 iEdoma, loMowabi, labantwana bakoAmoni;

Edom and Moab and the people of Ammon.

22 lawo wonke amakhosi eTire, lawo wonke amakhosi eSidoni, lamakhosi ezihlenge ezingaphetsheya kolwandle;

The kings of Tyre and Sidon, the kings of the coasts on the other side of the sea,

23 iDedani, leTema, leBuzi, labo bonke abaqunywe ezingonsini;

Dedan, Tema, and Buz with all the ones who cut the hair on the sides of their heads, they also had to drink it.

24 lamakhosi wonke eArabhiya, lamakhosi wonke abantu abaxubeneyo abahlala enkangala;

All the kings of Arabia and all the kings of people of mixed heritage who live in the wilderness;

25 lamakhosi wonke eZimri, lamakhosi wonke eElamu, lamakhosi wonke eMede;

all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes;

26 lawo wonke amakhosi enyakatho, aseduze lakhatshana, omunye lomunye, layo yonke imibuso yomhlaba, esebusweni bomhlaba; lenkosi yeSheshaki izanatha emva kwabo.

all the kings of the north, the ones close by and the ones far away—everyone with his brother and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the surface of the earth, all of them had to drink the cup from Yahweh's hand. Finally, the king of Babylon will also drink from that cup.

27 Ubususithi kibo: Itsho njalo INkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Nathani lidakwe, lihlanze, liwe, lingasukumi, ngenxa yenkemba engizayithuma phakathi kwenu.

Yahweh said to me, “Now you must say to them, 'Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: Drink and become drunk, then vomit, fall down, and do not rise before the sword that I am sending among you.'

28 Kuzakuthi-ke lapho besala ukuthatha inkezo esandleni sakho ukuthi banathe, uthi kibo: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Lizanatha isibili.

Then it will happen that if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, you will say to them, 'Yahweh of hosts says this: You must certainly drink it.

29 Ngoba khangela, ngiyaqala ukwenza okubi emzini obizwa ngebizo lami, lina-ke belizakuba ngabangelacala isibili yini? Kaliyikuba ngabangelacala; ngoba ngizabizela inkemba phezu kwabo bonke abakhileyo bomhlaba, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.

For see, I am about to bring disaster on the city that is called by my name, and should you yourselves be free from punishment? You will not be free, for I am calling a sword against all the inhabitants of the land!—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts.'

30 Wena-ke profetha wonke lamazwi umelene labo, uthi kubo: INkosi izabhonga iphezulu, iphumise ilizwi layo isendaweni yayo engcwele; izabhonga kakhulu phezu kwendawo yayo yokuhlala, imemeze iphendule njengabanyathela izithelo zevini, imelene labo bonke abakhileyo bomhlaba.

You must prophesy all these words against them, and say to them, 'Yahweh will roar from the heights and he will shout with his voice from his holy dwelling, and he will roar mightily against his fold; and he will shout, like those who tread the grapes against all those who live on the earth.

31 Umsindo uzafika emkhawulweni womhlaba; ngoba iNkosi ilempikisano lezizwe, izakwehlulela yonke inyama; abakhohlakeleyo izabanikela enkembeni, itsho iNkosi.

The sound of battle will resound to the ends of the earth, for Yahweh brings charges against the nations, and he brings judgment on all flesh, and the wicked ones he will put to the sword—this is Yahweh's declaration.'

32 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Khangela, ububi buzaphuma esizweni busiya esizweni, lesivunguzane esikhulu sizavuswa sisuka ezinhlangothini zomhlaba.

Yahweh of hosts says this, 'See, disaster is going out from nation to nation, and a great storm is beginning from the farthest parts of the earth.

33 Langalolosuku ababuleweyo beNkosi bazasukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba baze bafike komunye umkhawulo; kabayikulilelwa, kabayikubuthwa, kabayikungcwatshwa; bazakuba ngumquba phezu kobuso bomhlaba.

Then those killed by Yahweh will on that day extend from one end of the earth to the other; they will not be mourned, gathered, or buried. They will be like dung on the ground.

34 Qhinqani isililo, belusi, likhale, lizibhuqe emlotheni, zikhulu zomhlambi; ngoba izinsuku zokuhlatshwa lezokuhlakazeka kwenu zigcwalisekile, njalo lizakuwa njengesitsha esiloyisekayo.

Wail, shepherds, and shout for help! Roll about in the dust, you leaders of the flock, for the days of your slaughter have come; you will be scattered when you fall like fine pottery.

35 Lokubaleka kuzaphela kubelusi, lokuphunyuka kuzikhulu zomhlambi.

There is no refuge for the shepherds, there will be no escape for the leaders of the flock.

36 Kuzakuba lelizwi lokukhala kwabelusi lokuqhinqa isililo kwezikhulu zomhlambi; ngoba iNkosi izachitha idlelo labo.

Hear the cries of the shepherds and the wails of the leaders of the flock, for Yahweh is destroying their pastures.

37 Lezibaya ezilokuthula zizachithwa ngenxa yokuvutha kolaka lweNkosi.

So the peaceful pastures will be devastated because of Yahweh's fierce anger.

38 Itshiyile ubhalu lwayo njengesilwane esitsha, ngoba ilizwe labo seliyincithakalo ngenxa yokuvutha komcindezeli, langenxa yokuvutha kolaka lwayo.

Like a young lion, he has left his den, for their land will become a horror because of the oppressor's anger, because of his angry wrath.'”