UJeremiya 28
1 Kwasekusithi ngalowomnyaka, ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngomnyaka wesine, ngenyanga yesihlanu, uHananiya indodana kaAzuri umprofethi owayengoweGibeyoni wakhuluma kimi endlini yeNkosi emehlweni abapristi labantu bonke, esithi:
When Zedekiah had been the King of Judah for more than three years, late in the (summer/hot season), Azzur’s son Hananiah, a prophet from Gibeon [city], spoke to me in the [courtyard of the] temple, while [all] the priests and other people were listening. He said,
2 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, isithi: Ngilephulile ijogwe lenkosi yeBhabhiloni.
“This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says: ‘I will cause the king of Babylon to stop ruling/controlling [MET] [all of you].
3 Kusesephakathi kweminyaka emibili yezinsuku ngizabuyisela kulindawo izitsha zonke zendlu yeNkosi, uNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni azisusa kulindawo wazisa eBhabhiloni.
(Within two years/Before two years have ended), I will cause to be brought bring back to this temple all the valuable things that King Nebuchadnezzar’s [soldiers] took from this temple and took to Babylon.
4 Futhi uJekoniya indodana kaJehoyakhimi inkosi yakoJuda, labo bonke abathunjwa bakoJuda, abaya eBhabhiloni, ngizababuyisela kulindawo, itsho iNkosi; ngoba ngizalephula ijogwe lenkosi yeBhabhiloni.
And I will also cause King Jehoiachin to be brought back here, and all the [other] people who were captured and taken to Babylon. The king of Babylon has [forced you to do what he wants, like someone] puts a yoke [on the neck of an ox to force it to do what he] wants [MET] it to do. But I will cause that to end. [That will happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.’”
5 Wasekhuluma uJeremiya umprofethi kuHananiya umprofethi emehlweni abapristi lemehlweni abantu bonke ababemi endlini yeNkosi;
I replied to Hananiah in front of [all] the priests and other people who were standing outside the temple.
6 uJeremiya umprofethi wasesithi: Ameni! INkosi kayenze njalo, iNkosi kayiqinise amazwi akho owaprofethileyo, ukuthi ibuyise izitsha zendlu yeNkosi, labo bonke abathunjwa, kusuke eBhabhiloni kuze kulindawo.
I said, “(Amen/May that happen)! I desire/hope that what you have predicted will happen. I hope/desire that Yahweh will do everything that you have said! I hope/desire that he will cause [men from Babylon] to bring back from Babylon [all] the valuable things that were in this temple, and all the people who were taken [to Babylon].
7 Kodwa ake uzwe lelilizwi engilikhuluma endlebeni zakho lendlebeni zabo bonke abantu:
But now listen to what I say to you while all these people are listening.
8 Abaprofethi ababephambi kwami lababephambi kwakho kwasendulo baprofetha bemelene lamazwe amanengi bemelene lemibuso emikhulu, ngempi langobubi langomatshayabhuqe wesifo.
Many years ago, those who were prophets before you and I [became prophets] spoke messages about many nations and great kingdoms. They predicted/prophesied that wars and disasters and plagues/diseases would occur in those nations.
9 Umprofethi oprofetha ngokuthula, lapho ilizwi lomprofethi selifikile, lowomprofethi uzakwaziwa ukuthi iNkosi imthumile ngeqiniso.
[So now you or] any other prophet who predicts that things will go well [for us must show that your message is correct. Only] if what you predict actually happens will we know that you were truly appointed by Yahweh.”
10 Umprofethi uHananiya waselisusa ijogwe entanyeni kaJeremiya umprofethi, walephula.
Then Hananiah took the yoke off my neck and broke it.
11 UHananiya wasekhuluma emehlweni abantu bonke esithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngokunjalo ngizalephula ijogwe likaNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni ngilisuse entanyeni yezizwe zonke kusesephakathi kweminyaka emibili yezinsuku. UJeremiya umprofethi wasehamba ngendlela yakhe.
Then he said this to all the people who were there: “This is what Yahweh says: ‘Just like Hananiah has broken this yoke, within two years I will cause King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to [stop forcing the people to do what he wants, which has been like] a heavy yoke on all their necks [MET].’” After Hananiah said that, I left the temple area.
12 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi kuJeremiya, emva kokuthi uHananiya umprofethi esephulile ijogwe elisusa entanyeni kaJeremiya umprofethi, lisithi:
[Soon] after Hananiah had broken the yoke that was around my neck, Yahweh gave this message to me:
13 Hamba uyetshela uHananiya usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Wephulile amajogwe esigodo; kodwa uzawenza amajogwe ensimbi endaweni yawo.
“Go and say this to Hananiah: ‘Yahweh says that you have broken a wooden yoke, but that he will replace it with an iron yoke.
14 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Ngigaxile ijogwe lensimbi entanyeni yazo zonke lezizizwe ukuze zisebenzele uNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni; futhi zizamsebenzela, njalo ngimnikile lezinyamazana zeganga.
I have forced the people of all these nations to [become slaves of] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. That is [like] [MET] an iron yoke around their necks. I have put everything, even wild animals, under his control.’”
15 UJeremiya umprofethi wasesithi kuHananiya umprofethi: Ake uzwe, Hananiya; iNkosi kayikuthumanga, kodwa wena wenza lababantu ukuthi bathembe amanga.
Then I [went to] Hananiah and said to him, “Hananiah, listen [to this]: Yahweh has not appointed you; instead, [you have told] lies to the people, and they have believed your lies.
16 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizakuxotsha ebusweni bomhlaba; lonyaka uzakufa, ngoba ukhulumile ukuhlamuka umelene leNkosi.
Therefore, this is what Yahweh says: ‘You will [soon] die. Before the end of this year, you will die, because you have rebelled against Yahweh.’”
17 Wafa-ke uHananiya umprofethi ngalowomnyaka ngenyanga yesikhombisa.
Hananiah died two months later.
