UJeremiya 26
1 Ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda kwafika lelilizwi livela eNkosini lisithi:
In the beginning of the reign of king Sedekias, there came this word concerning Aelam.
2 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Mana egumeni lendlu yeNkosi, ukhulume kuyo yonke imizi yakoJuda, efikayo ukuzakhonza endlini yeNkosi, wonke amazwi engikulaya ukuthi uwakhulume kubo; unganciphisi lalizwi.
FOR EGYPT, AGAINST THE POWER OF PHARAO NECHAO KING OF EGYPT, who was by the river Euphrates in Charmis, whom Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon struck in the fourth year of Joakim king of Juda.
3 Mhlawumbe bazalalela, baphenduke ngulowo lalowo endleleni yakhe embi, ukuze ngizisole ngokubi ebengicabanga ukukwenza kubo ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zabo.
Take up arms and spears, and draw near to battle;
4 Uzakuthi-ke kibo: Itsho njalo INkosi: Uba lingayikungilalela, ukuthi lihambe ngomlayo wami engiwubeka phambi kwenu,
and harness the horses: mount, you horsemen, and stand ready in your helmets; advance the spears, and put on your breastplates.
5 ukuthi lilalele amazwi enceku zami abaprofethi engibathume kini, yebo ngivuka ngovivi ngibathuma, kodwa kalilalelanga,
Why do they fear, and turn back? even because their mighty men shall be slain: they have utterly fled, and being hemmed in they have not rallied, says the Lord.
6 ngizakwenza-ke lindlu ibe njengeShilo, ngenze lumuzi ube yisiqalekiso kuzo zonke izizwe zomhlaba.
Let not the swift flee, and let not the mighty man escape to the north: the [forces] at Euphrates are become feeble, and they have fallen.
7 Ngakho abapristi labaprofethi labo bonke abantu bamuzwa uJeremiya ekhuluma lamazwi endlini yeNkosi.
Who is this [that] shall come up as a river, and as rivers roll [their] waves?
8 Kwathi uJeremiya eseqedile ukukhuluma konke iNkosi eyayimlaye ukuthi akukhulume ebantwini bonke, abapristi labaprofethi labo bonke abantu bambamba besithi: Uzakufa lokufa!
The waters of Egypt shall come up like a river: and he said, I will go up, and will cover the earth, and will destroy the dwellers in it.
9 Kungani uprofetha ngebizo leNkosi usithi: Lindlu izakuba njengeShilo, lomuzi lo uzakuba lunxiwa, ungabi lamhlali? Bonke abantu basebembuthanela uJeremiya endlini yeNkosi.
Mount you the horses, prepare the chariots; go forth, you warriors of the Ethiopians, and Libyans armed with shields; and mount, you Lydians, bend the bow.
10 Kwathi iziphathamandla zakoJuda sezizwile lezizinto, zenyuka zivela endlini yenkosi zafika endlini yeNkosi, zahlala emnyango wesango elitsha lendlu yeNkosi.
And that day [shall be] to the Lord our God a day of vengeance, to take vengeance on his enemies: and the sword of the Lord shall devour, and be glutted, and be drunken with their blood: for the Lord [has] a sacrifice from the land of the north at the river Euphrates.
11 Abapristi labaprofethi basebekhuluma kuzo iziphathamandla lakubo bonke abantu besithi: Umuntu lo ufanele isigwebo sokufa, ngoba uprofethe emelene lalumuzi, njengoba lizwile ngendlebe zenu.
Go up to Galaad, and take balm for the virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain have you multiplied your medicines; there is no help in you.
12 Wasekhuluma uJeremiya kuzo zonke iziphathamandla lakubo bonke abantu esithi: INkosi yangithuma ukuprofetha ngimelene lalindlu ngimelene lalumuzi wonke amazwi eliwezwileyo.
The nations have heard your voice, and the land has been filled with your cry: for the warriors have fainted fighting one against another, [and] both are fallen together.
13 Ngakho-ke lungisani indlela zenu lezenzo zenu, lilalele ilizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu; khona iNkosi izazisola ngobubi ebukhulume imelene lani.
THE WORDS WHICH THE LORD SPOKE by Jeremias, concerning the coming of the king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt.
14 Kodwa mina, khangela, ngisesandleni senu; yenzani kimi njengokulungileyo lanjengokuqondileyo emehlweni enu.
Proclaim [it] at Magdol, and declare [it] at Memphis: say you, Stand up, and prepare; for the sword has devoured your yew tree.
15 Kodwa yazini isibili ukuthi uba lingibulala, isibili lizakwehlisela igazi elingelacala phezu kwenu laphezu kwalumuzi laphezu kwabakhileyo bawo; ngoba ngeqiniso iNkosi ingithume kini ukuthi ngikhulume wonke la amazwi endlebeni zenu.
Therefore has Apis fled from you? your choice calf has not remained; for the Lord has utterly weakened him.
16 Iziphathamandla labo bonke abantu basebesithi kubapristi lakubaprofethi: Lumuntu kafanele isigwebo sokufa, ngoba ukhulumile kithi ebizweni leNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu.
And your multitude has fainted and fallen; and each one said to his neighbor, Let us arise, and return into our country to our people, from the Grecian sword.
17 Kwasekusukuma abanye babadala belizwe, bakhuluma kulo lonke ibandla labantu, besithi:
Call you the name of Pharao Nechao king of Egypt, Saon esbeie moed.
18 UMika umMorashethi waprofetha ensukwini zikaHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, wakhuluma kibo bonke abantu bakoJuda esithi: Itsho njalo INkosi yamabandla: IZiyoni izalinywa njengensimu, leJerusalema ibe zinqumbi, lentaba yendlu ibe zindawo eziphakemeyo zegusu.
[As] I live, says the Lord God, he shall come as Itabyrion among the mountains, and as Carmel that is on the sea.
19 UHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda layo wonke uJuda bambulala isibili yini? Kayesabanga yini iNkosi, wancenga ubuso beNkosi, njalo iNkosi yazisola ngokubi eyayikukhulume imelene labo? Ngalokho senza ububi obukhulu simelene lemiphefumulo yethu.
O daughter of Egypt dwelling [at home], prepare you stuff for removing: for Memphis shall be utterly desolate, and shall be called Woe, because there are no inhabitants in it.
20 Kwakukhona njalo umuntu owaprofetha ebizweni leNkosi, uUriya indodana kaShemaya oweKiriyathi-Jeyarimi, owaprofetha ngalumuzi langalelilizwe njengokwamazwi wonke kaJeremiya.
Egypt is a fair heifer, [but] destruction from the north is come upon her.
21 Kwathi inkosi uJehoyakhimi lawo wonke amaqhawe akhe lazo zonke iziphathamandla zakhe besizwa amazwi akhe, inkosi yadinga ukumbulala; kwathi uUriya ekuzwa, wesaba, wabaleka, waya eGibhithe.
Also her hired [soldiers] in the midst of her are as fatted calves fed in her; for they also have turned, and fled with one accord: they stood not, for the day of destruction was come upon them, and the time of their retribution.
22 Inkosi uJehoyakhimi yasithuma amadoda eGibhithe, uElinathani indodana kaAkhibhori, lamanye amadoda kanye laye eGibhithe,
Their voice is as [that] of a hissing serpent, for they go upon the sand; they shall come upon Egypt with axes, as men that cut wood.
23 basebemkhipha uUriya eGibhithe, bamletha enkosini uJehoyakhimi, owambulala ngenkemba, waphosela isidumbu sakhe emangcwabeni abantwana babantu.
They shall cut down her forest, says the Lord, for [their number] can’t at all be conjectured, for it exceeds the locust in multitude, and they are innumerable.
24 Kodwa isandla sikaAhikhamu indodana kaShafani sasiloJeremiya, ukuze bangamnikeli esandleni sabantu ukuthi bambulale.
The daughter of Egypt is confounded; she is delivered into the hands of a people from the north.
Behold, I [will] avenge Ammon her son upon Pharao, and upon them that trust in him.
But fear not you, my servant Jacob, neither be you alarmed, Israel: for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be at ease, and sleep, and there shall be no one to trouble him.
Fear not you, my servant Jacob, says the Lord; for I am with you: she [that was] without fear and in luxury, has been delivered up: for I will make a full end of every nation among whom I have thrust you forth; but I will not cause you to fail: yet will I chastise you in the way of judgment, and will not hold you entirely guiltless.
