UJeremiya 31
1 Ngalesosikhathi, itsho iNkosi, ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wensapho zonke zakoIsrayeli; bona-ke bazakuba ngabantu bami.
At that time, saith Jehovah, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, And they shall be my people.
2 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Abantu babaseleyo benkemba bathola umusa enkangala; ngitsho uIsrayeli, lapho ngisiyamphumuza.
Thus saith Jehovah: The people, escaped from the sword, hath found favor in the wilderness; I will go and give rest to Israel.
3 INkosi yabonakala kimi ikhatshana isithi: Yebo, ngikuthandile ngothando olulaphakade, ngakho-ke ngikudonsile ngothandolomusa.
Jehovah appeared to me from afar, [[saying, ]] With an everlasting love do I love thee, Therefore have I kept mercy for thee.
4 Ngizabuya ngikwakhe, wakheke, wena ntombi emsulwa yakoIsrayeli; uzabuya uvunuliswe ngezigujana zakho, uphume phakathi kokugida kwabathokozayo.
Again will I build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel! Again shalt thou adorn thy tabrets, And go forth in the dance of them that make merry.
5 Uzabuya uhlanyele izivini phezu kwezintaba zeSamariya; abahlanyeli bazahlanyela, badle izithelo.
Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria; The planters shall plant, and eat the fruit.
6 Ngoba kuzakuba khona usuku abazamemeza ngalo abalindi entabeni yakoEfrayimi besithi: Sukumani, senyuke siye eZiyoni, eNkosini uNkulunkulu wethu.
For the day is coming when the watchmen shall cry upon Mount Ephraim, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion, To Jehovah, our God.
7 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Mhlabeleleni uJakobe ngentokozo, limemezele phakathi kwenhloko yezizwe; zwakalisani, dumisani, lithi: Nkosi, sindisa abantu bakho, insali yakoIsrayeli.
For thus saith Jehovah: Sing with gladness for Jacob, And shout for the head of the nations! Publish ye, praise ye, and say: Jehovah, thou hast saved thy people, The remnant of Israel.
8 Khangelani, ngizabaletha bevela elizweni lenyakatho, ngibabuthe emaceleni omhlaba; phakathi kwabo kukhona iziphofu labaqhulayo, abesifazana abakhulelweyo lababelethayo ndawonye; bazabuya lapha belibandla elikhulu.
Behold, I will bring them from the land of the North, And gather them from the extremities of the earth; And with them shall be the blind and the lame, The woman with child, and she that is in travail with child together; A great company shall return thither.
9 Bazabuya belokukhala, ngizabakhokhela belokuncenga; ngizabahambisa emifuleni yamanzi ngendlela eqondileyo, abangayikukhubeka kuyo; ngoba nginguyise kaIsrayeli, loEfrayimi ulizibulo lami.
They shall come with weeping, And amid supplications will I lead them; I will conduct them to streams of water, In a straight way, in which they shall not stumble. For I have become a father to Israel, And Ephraim is my first-born.
10 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, lina zizwe, lilimemeze ezihlengeni ezikhatshana, lithi: Yena owachitha uIsrayeli uzambutha, amgcine, njengomelusi umhlambi wakhe.
Hear the word of Jehovah, O ye nations, And proclaim it in the distant coasts, and say: “He that scattered Israel will gather him, And will guard him, as a shepherd his flock.”
11 Ngoba iNkosi imhlengile uJakobe, yamhlawulela emsusa esandleni solamandla kulaye.
For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, And ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 Ngakho bazakuza bahlabelele ekuphakameni kweZiyoni, bagelezele kokuhle kweNkosi, ngamabele, langewayini elitsha, langamafutha, langamazinyane ezimvu, lenkomo; lomphefumulo wabo ube njengesivande esithelelweyo, kabasayikubuya babe losizi.
And they shall come and sing upon the height of Zion; They shall exult in the bounty of Jehovah, The corn, and the new wine, and the oil, And the young of the flock, and of the herd; And they shall be as a well-watered garden, And they shall languish no more.
13 Khona intombi izathokoza ekugideni, lamajaha labadala kanyekanye; ngoba ngizaphendula ukulila kwabo kube yintokozo, ngibaduduze, ngibathokozise, bangabi losizi.
Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, And the young men and old men together, For I will change their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and cheer them after their sorrow.
14 Njalo ngizasuthisa umphefumulo wabapristi ngamanono, labantu bami bazasuthiswa ngokuhle kwami, itsho iNkosi.
And I will satisfy the priests with fatness, And my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, saith Jehovah.
15 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ilizwi lezwakala eRama, ukulila, ukukhala inyembezi okubuhlungu kakhulu; uRasheli ekhalela abantwana bakhe, esala ukududuzwa ngabantwana bakhe, ngoba bengasekho.
Thus saith Jehovah: A voice hath been heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel, weeping for her children, Refuseth to be comforted, because they are no more.
16 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Bamba ilizwi lakho ekukhaleni, lamehlo akho ezinyembezini; ngoba kulomvuzo womsebenzi wakho, itsho iNkosi, ngoba bazabuya bevela elizweni lesitha.
Thus saith Jehovah: Refrain thy voice from weeping, And thine eyes from tears, For thy labor shall be rewarded, saith Jehovah; They shall come again from the land of the enemy.
17 Kukhona-ke ithemba enzalweni yakho, itsho iNkosi; ngoba abantwana bakho bazabuyela emngceleni wakibo.
There is hope for thy future days, saith Jehovah; Thy children shall come again to their border.
18 Ngizwile lokuzwa uEfrayimi ezililelaesithi: Ungilayile, njalo ngalaywa njengethole elingathambanga; ngiphenduka, njalo ngizaphendula; ngoba uyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wami.
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself: “Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, Like a steer not broken. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, For thou, O Jehovah, art my God!
19 Isibili emva kokuphenduka kwami, ngazisola, lemva kokufundiswa kwami ngatshaya phezu kwethangazi lami; ngaba lenhloni, njalo ngayangeka, ngoba ngathwala ihlazo lobutsha bami.
Surely, after I returned, I repented, And after I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea, I was confounded, Because I bore the reproach of my youth.”
20 UEfrayimi uyindodana yami eligugu yini, ungumntwana wami othokozisayo yini? Ngoba selokhu ngakhuluma ngimelene laye, ngisamkhumbula ngoqotho; ngenxa yalokho imibilini yami iyakhala ngaye; isibili ngizakuba lesihawu kuye, kutsho iNkosi.
Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a beloved child? For as often as I speak of him, I do earnestly remember him still. My heart beateth for him; I will have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah.
21 Zibekele izitshengiso zendlela, uzimisele izinsika zeziqondiso, ubeke inhliziyo yakho kumgwaqo omkhulu, indlela owahamba ngayo; phenduka, ntombi emsulwa yakoIsrayeli, uphendukele kule imizi yakini.
Set thee up waymarks; Raise thee pillars; Have regard to the highway, the way that thou goest! Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these thy cities!
22 Koze kube nini uzulazula, ndodakazi ehlehlela nyovane? Ngoba iNkosi idale into entsha emhlabeni: Owesifazana uzahanqa indoda.
How long wilt thou wander about, O rebellious daughter? Behold, Jehovah createth a new thing in the earth: The woman shall protect the man.
23 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Bazabuya batsho lelilizwi elizweni lakoJuda lemizini yakho, lapho ngibuyisela ukuthunjwa kwabo: Kwangathi iNkosi ingakubusisa, khaya lokulunga, ntaba yobungcwele.
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Again shall they say in the land of Judah, And in the cities thereof, when I bring back their captives, “May Jehovah bless thee, O habitation of justice, O holy mountain!”
24 Njalo kuzahlala kulo uJuda layo yonke imizi yakhe ndawonye, abalimi labahamba lemihlambi.
And Judah shall dwell in it, and all his cities together, Husbandmen, and they that go forth with their flocks.
25 Ngoba ngisuthise umphefumulo okhatheleyo, ngigcwalise wonke umphefumulo ophela amandla.
For I will refresh him that is thirsty, And I will satisfy him that languisheth.
26 Ngasengiphaphama, ngabona; lobuthongo bami babumnandi kimi.
Upon this I awoke, and beheld, And my sleep was sweet to me.
27 Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho ngizahlanyela indlu kaIsrayeli lendlu kaJuda ngenhlanyelo yabantu lenhlanyelo yenyamazana.
Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, That I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah. With the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.
28 Kuzakuthi-ke njengalokho ngibalindile ukuthi ngisiphune lokuthi ngidilize lokuthi ngichithe lokuthi ngibhubhise lokuthi ngenze okubi, ngokunjalo ngizabalinda ukuze ngakhe ngihlanyele, itsho iNkosi.
And it shall be that as I have watched over them To pluck up, and to pull down, and to overthrow, And to destroy, and to afflict, So will I watch over them To build, and to plant, saith Jehovah.
29 Ngalezonsuku kabasayikuthi: Oyise badlile izithelo zevini ezimunyu, amazinyo abantwana asetshelela.
In those days they shall no more say, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge.”
30 Kodwa ngulowo lalowo uzafela ububi bakhe; wonke umuntu odla izithelo zevini ezimunyu, amazinyo akhe azatshelela.
But every one shall die for his own iniquity; Every man that eateth sour grapes, His teeth shall be set on edge.
31 Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho ngizakwenza isivumelwano esitsha lendlu kaIsrayeli lendlu kaJuda;
Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, That I will make with the house of Israel, And with the house of Judah, a new covenant;
32 kungeyisikho njengesivumelwano engasenza laboyise mhla ngibamba isandla sabo ukubakhupha elizweni leGibhithe, osivumelwano sami bona abasephulayo, lanxa mina ngangingumyeni wabo, itsho iNkosi.
Not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, In the day when I took them by the hand To bring them out of the land of Egypt; Which covenant of mine they broke, And I rejected them, saith Jehovah.
33 Kodwa yilesi isivumelwano engizasenza lendlu kaIsrayeli emva kwalezonsuku, itsho iNkosi: Ngizafaka umlayo wami emibilini yabo, ngiwubhale enhliziyweni yabo, ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, labo babe ngabantu bami.
But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, saith Jehovah, I will put my law into their inward parts, And upon their hearts will I write it; And I will be their God, And they shall be my people.
34 Kabasayikufundisa-ke, ngulowo lalowo umakhelwane wakhe, langulowo lalowo umfowabo, esithi: Yazi iNkosi; ngoba bonke bazangazi, kusukela komncinyane wabo kuze kufike komkhulu wabo, itsho iNkosi; ngoba ngizathethelela isiphambeko sabo, lesono sabo kangisayikusikhumbula.
And they shall teach no more, Every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, Saying, “Know ye Jehovah!” For they shall all know me, From the least of them even to the greatest of them, saith Jehovah; For I will forgive their iniquity, And I will remember their sin no more.
35 Itsho njalo iNkosi, enika ilanga libe yikukhanya emini, izimiso zenyanga lezezinkanyezi zibe yikukhanya ebusuku, enyakazisa ulwandle ukuze amagagasi alo ahlokome; iNkosi yamabandla libizo layo.
Thus saith Jehovah, Who made the sun for a light by day, And the ordinances of the moon and stars for a light by night, Who stirreth up the sea, so that the waves thereof roar, Jehovah of hosts is his name:
36 Uba lezozimiso zingasuka phambi kwami, itsho iNkosi, inzalo yakoIsrayeli layo izaphela ekubeni yisizwe phambi kwami zonke insuku.
If these ordinances shall depart from before me, Then shall the race of Israel also cease from being a nation before me forever.
37 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Uba engalinganiswa amazulu phezulu, zihlolwe izisekelo zomhlaba phansi, lami ngizayala yonke inzalo yakoIsrayeli ngenxa yakho konke abakwenzileyo, itsho iNkosi.
Thus saith Jehovah: If the heavens above can be measured, Or the foundations of the earth beneath searched out, Then will I cast off all the race of Israel For all which they have done, saith Jehovah.
38 Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho umuzi uzakwakhelwa iNkosi, kusukela emphotshongweni kaHananeli kuze kufike esangweni leNgonsi.
Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, That the city shall be built to Jehovah From the tower of Hananeel to the corner-gate.
39 Lentambo yokulinganisa isezaphuma maqondana layo kuze kube soqaqeni lweGarebi, iphendukele ngaseGowa.
And the measuring line shall go forth over against it even to the hill Gareb, And extend itself to Goath.
40 Lesihotsha sonke sezidumbu lesomlotha, lawo wonke amasimu kuze kufike esifuleni seKidroni, kuze kufike engonsini yeSango lamabhiza ngempumalanga, kuzakuba yibungcwele beNkosi. Kakuyikusitshunwa kakusayikudilizwa kuze kube nininini.
And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, And all the fields to the brook Kidron, Even to the corner of the horsegate toward the East, Shall be holy to Jehovah. No more shall it be plucked up, Or thrown down, forever.
