UJeremiya 32
1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini emnyakeni wetshumi kaZedekhiya, inkosi yakoJuda, owawungumnyaka wetshumi lesificaminwembili kaNebhukadirezari.
This is the Lord's message that came to Jeremiah in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah's reign, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign.
2 Ngoba ngalesosikhathi ibutho lenkosi yeBhabhiloni layivimbezela iJerusalema; uJeremiya umprofethi wayevalelwe-ke egumeni lentolongo, elalisendlini yenkosi yakoJuda.
This was when the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem. Jeremiah the prophet was imprisoned in the guard's courtyard, part of the king of Judah's palace.
3 Ngoba uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda wayemvalele esithi: Kungani wena uprofetha usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngiwunikela lumuzi esandleni senkosi yeBhabhiloni, njalo izawuthumba;
Zedekiah king of Judah had put him in prison, telling him: “Why do you have to prophesy like this? You say the Lord is saying, ‘Look, I'm going to hand over this city to the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.
4 loZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda kayiyikuphunyuka esandleni samaKhaladiya, kodwa uzanikelwa isibili esandleni senkosi yeBhabhiloni, lomlomo wakhe uzakhuluma lomlomo wayo, lamehlo akhe abone amehlo ayo;
Zedekiah king of Judah won't escape from the Babylonians. He will be captured and taken to the king of Babylon to speak with him personally and see him face to face.
5 izakhokhela-ke uZedekhiya imuse eBhabhiloni, abe khona ngize ngimhambele, itsho iNkosi; lanxa lisilwa lamaKhaladiya, kaliyikuphumelela.
He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he'll remain until I deal with him, declares the Lord. You won't be successful if you fight against the Babylonians.’”
6 UJeremiya wasesithi: Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi lisithi:
Jeremiah answered, “The Lord gave me a message, saying:
7 Khangela, uHanameli indodana kaShaluma umalumakho uzafika kuwe esithi: Zithengele insimu yami eseAnathothi, ngoba nguwe olelungelo lokuhlenga ukuthi uthenge.
Your cousin Hanamel, son of Shallum, is coming to tell you, ‘Why don't you buy my field in Anathoth because you have the right to redeem it and buy it?’
8 Kwasekufika kimi uHanameli indodana kamalumami, njengokutsho kweNkosi, egumeni lentolongo, wasesithi kimi: Ake uthenge insimu yami eseAnathothi eselizweni lakoBhenjamini, ngoba ulelungelo lelifa, ulohlengo; zithengele yona. Ngasengisazi ukuthi yilizwi leNkosi.
Just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel arrived to see me in the guard's courtyard and asked me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin because you have the right of family ownership to redeem it. You should buy it for yourself.’” This convinced me that this was a message from the Lord.
9 Ngasengiyithenga insimu kuHanameli indodana kamalumami, eseAnathothi, ngamlinganisela imali engamashekeli ayisikhombisa lenhlamvu ezilitshumi zesiliva.
So I bought the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel. I weighed out seventeen shekels of silver to pay him.
10 Ngasengibhala incwadi, ngayiphawula, ngenza abafakazi bafakaze, ngalinganisa imali ngesikali.
I signed the deed and sealed it, had it witnessed, and weighed out the silver using the scales.
11 Ngasengithatha incwadi yokuthenga enanyekiweyo njengokomthetho lezimiso, levulekileyo,
Then I took the deed of sale, both the sealed original containing the terms and conditions, and the unsealed copy,
12 nganika incwadi yokuthenga kuBharukhi indodana kaNeriya, indodana kaMahaseya, phambi kwamehlo kaHanameli indodana kamalumami, laphambi kwamehlo abafakazi ababephawule incwadi yokuthenga, phambi kwamehlo awo wonke amaJuda ayehlezi egumeni lentolongo.
and handed them to Baruch son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah. I did this in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, the witnesses who had signed the deed of sale, and all the people of Judah who were sitting there in the guard's courtyard.
13 Ngasengilaya uBharukhi phambi kwamehlo abo ngisithi:
I gave Baruch these instructions in front of them,
14 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Thatha lezizincwadi, le incwadi yokuthenga, zombili enanyekiweyo lale incwadi evulekileyo, uzifake embizeni yebumba, ukuze zihlale insuku ezinengi.
“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Put these deeds of sale, the sealed original and the open copy, in a clay jar so they can be kept safe for a long time.
15 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Kuzabuya kuthengwe izindlu lamasimu lezivini kulelilizwe.
For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: The time will come when once again houses, fields, and vineyards will be bought in this country.”
16 Ngasengikhuleka eNkosini, senginike uBharukhi indodana kaNeriya incwadi yokuthenga, ngisithi:
After I had given the deed of sale to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:
17 Hawu Nkosi Jehova! Khangela, nguwe owenze amazulu lomhlaba ngamandla akho amakhulu langengalo yakho eyeluliweyo; kakuladaba olunzima kakhulu kuwe;
“Ah, Lord God! You created the heavens and the earth by your great strength and power. Nothing is too hard for you!
18 owenza uthandolomusa kwabayizinkulungwane, uphindisela isiphambeko saboyise kusifuba sabantwana babo emva kwabo; uNkulunkulu omkhulu, olamandla, iNkosi yamabandla libizo layo;
You give your trustworthy love to thousands, but you punish the sins of the fathers the consequences affect their children too., Great and powerful God whose name is the Lord Almighty,
19 omkhulu ngeseluleko, lolamandla ngokwenza; ngoba amehlo akho avulekele zonke indlela zamadodana abantu, ukunika ngulowo lalowo ngokwendlela zakhe, lanjengesithelo sezenzo zakhe;
you are the one who is supremely wise and who does incredible things. You watch what everyone does, and you reward them according to the way they live and what their actions deserve.
20 owamisa izibonakaliso lezimangaliso elizweni leGibhithe, kuze kube lamuhla, lakoIsrayeli laphakathi kwabantu; wasuzenzela ibizo njengalamuhla.
You carried out signs and miracles in Egypt, and you still do so today, both here in Israel and among all people everywhere. As a result you gained a great reputation, and this is still true today.
21 Wabakhupha abantu bakho uIsrayeli elizweni leGibhithe ngezibonakaliso, langezimangaliso, langesandla esilamandla, langengalo eyeluliweyo, langokwesabeka okukhulu;
You led your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and miracles, with your great power and strength that terrified people.
22 wabanika lelilizwe, owafunga kuboyise ukubanika lona, ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju.
You gave them this land that you had promised to give their forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.
23 Basebengena badla ilifa lalo, kodwa kabalilalelanga ilizwi lakho, kabahambanga ngomlayo wakho, kabakwenzanga konke owabalaya khona ukuthi bakwenze; ngakho ubehlisele bonke lobububi.
They came and took it over, but they didn't do what you said or follow your laws. They didn't do everything you ordered them to do, which is why you've brought all this disaster down on them.
24 Khangela amadundulu; afikile emzini ukuwuthumba, lomuzi unikelwe esandleni samaKhaladiya alwa emelene lawo; ngenxa yenkemba lendlala lomatshayabhuqe wesifo; lalokho owakukhulumayo kwenzakele; khangela-ke, uyakubona.
Look at the siege ramps piled up against the city to capture it! Through war and famine and disease, the city will be taken by the Babylonians who are attacking it. You can see that everything you said would happen has happened.
25 Kanti, wena Nkosi Jehova, uthe kimi: Zithengele insimu ngemali, wenze abafakazi bafakaze; ngoba umuzi unikelwe esandleni samaKhaladiya.
Yet, Lord God, you have told me, ‘Buy yourself the field with silver in front of witnesses, even though the city has been handed over to the Babylonians!’”
26 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi kuJeremiya lisithi:
Then Lord gave Jeremiah this message:
27 Khangela, ngiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wayo yonke inyama; kambe, kukhona loba yini okunzima kakhulu kimi?
Look! I am the Lord, the God of everyone. Is anything too hard for me to do?
28 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngiwunikela lumuzi esandleni samaKhaladiya, lesandleni sikaNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni, ozawuthumba.
So this is what the Lord says: Listen! I'm going to hand over this city to the king of Babylon and the Babylonians, and they will capture it.
29 LamaKhaladiya alwa emelene lalumuzi azangena, awuthungele lumuzi ngomlilo, awutshise kanye lezindlu obekunikelelwa phezu kwazo impepha kuBhali, lobekuthululelwa phezu kwazo iminikelo yokunathwayo kwabanye onkulunkulu, ukuze bangithukuthelise.
The Babylonians who are attacking the city are going to come and set fire to it. They will burn it down, including the houses belonging to the people who made me angry by burning incense to Baal on their rooftops, and by pouring out drink offerings in worship of other gods.
30 Ngoba abantwana bakoIsrayeli labantwana bakoJuda bebesenza okubi kuphela emehlweni ami, kusukela ebutsheni babo; ngoba abantwana bakoIsrayeli bangizondisile kuphela ngesenzo sezandla zabo, itsho iNkosi.
From their earliest days all the people of Israel and of Judah have ever done has been evil in my sight. In fact all they've even done is to make me angry through their actions, declares the Lord.
31 Ngoba lumuzi ubukimi ngokolaka lwami langokwentukuthelo yami, kusukela ngosuku abawakha ngalo kuze kube lamuhla, ukuze ngiwususe ebusweni bami;
This city has been such a source of anger and frustration from the time it was built right up till now. So I'm going to get rid of it,
32 ngenxa yabo bonke ububi babantwana bakoIsrayeli lobabantwana bakoJuda abakwenzayo ukungithukuthelisa, bona, amakhosi abo, iziphathamandla zabo, abapristi babo, labaprofethi babo, labantu bakoJuda, labahlali beJerusalema.
because of all the evil things the people of Israel and Judah did that made me angry—their kings, and officials, their priests and prophets, all of those living in Judah and Jerusalem, everyone
33 Basebengiphendulela umhlana, hatshi-ke ubuso; lanxa ngibafundisile ngivuka ngovivi ngibafundisa; kanti kabalalelanga ukwemukela ukulaywa.
They have turned their backs on me. They wouldn't even look at me. Even though I kept on trying to teach them, they refused to listen or accept instruction.
34 Kodwa bamisa izinengiso zabo endlini, obizo lami libizwa kuyo, ukuze bayingcolise.
They have put their disgusting idols in my Temple, making it unclean.
35 Basebesakha indawo eziphakemeyo zikaBhali ezisesihotsheni sendodana kaHinomu, ukuthi badabulise amadodana abo lamadodakazi abo emlilweni aye kuMoleki, engingabalayanga khona lokungafikanga enhliziyweni yami, ukuthi benze lesisinengiso, ukuze benze uJuda one.
They have built pagan shrines to Baal in the Valley of Hinnom so they could sacrifice their sons and daughters by burning them in the fire. This is something I never commanded. I never even thought of such a thing—doing something so awful and making the people of Judah guilty of sin.
36 Khathesi-ke, ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, mayelana lomuzi lo elithi ngawo: Unikelwe esandleni senkosi yeBhabhiloni ngenkemba langendlala langomatshayabhuqe wesifo:
Now about this city. You are correctly saying, “It's going be handed over to the king of Babylon through war and famine and disease.” However, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says:
37 Khangelani, ngizabaqoqa bevela emazweni wonke lapho engibaxotshele khona ekuthukutheleni kwami langokufutheka kwami langolaka olukhulu; njalo ngizababuyisa kulindawo, ngibenze bahlale bevikelekile.
I promise to gather my people from all the lands where I exiled them because they made me so very angry. I will bring them back here and they will live in safety.
38 Yebo, bazakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo.
They will be my people, and I will be their God.
39 Ngizabanika inhliziyonye lendlelanye, ukuze bangesabe zonke insuku, kube kuhle kubo lakubantwana babo emva kwabo.
I will make sure they think the same way and act in harmony, so that they will always honor me so all will be good for them and their descendants.
40 Njalo ngizakwenza labo isivumelwano esilaphakade, ukuze ngingaphenduki ekubalandeleni, ukuthi ngibenzele okuhle, ngifake ukungesaba enhliziyweni yabo, ukuze bangaphenduki basuke kimi.
I will make an everlasting agreement with them: I'm never going to stop doing them good and I will help them to respect me so that they won't ever abandon me.
41 Yebo, ngizathokoza ngabo ukubenzela okuhle, ngibahlanyele ngobuqotho kulelilizwe, ngenhliziyo yami yonke langomphefumulo wami wonke.
I will be delighted to treat them well, and I will commit myself with the whole of my being to helping them to grow as a nation in this land.
42 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Njengoba ngehlisele phezu kwalababantu bonke lobububi obukhulu, ngokunjalo ngizabehlisela konke okuhle engikukhulumileyo ngabo.
This is what the Lord says: Just as certainly as I have brought this whole disaster down on my people, so I'm going to give to them all the good things I have promised.
43 Amasimu azathengwa-ke kulelilizwe elithi ngalo: Liyinkangala engelamuntu lenyamazana, linikelwe esandleni samaKhaladiya.
Fields will once again be bought in this country that you're describing, saying, “It's been completely destroyed—no people or animals are left. It's been handed over to the Babylonians.”
44 Bazathenga amasimu ngemali, babhale izincwadi, baphawule, benze abafakazi bafakaze, elizweni lakoBhenjamini lemaphandleni eJerusalema lemizini yakoJuda lemizini yezintaba lemizini yesihotsha lemizini yeningizimu; ngoba ngizabuyisa ukuthunjwa kwabo, itsho iNkosi.
People will buy fields with silver again, deeds will be signed, sealed, and witnessed. This will happen here in the land of Benjamin, in the areas surrounding Jerusalem, and in all the towns of Judah—including the towns of the hill country, the foothills, and the Negev—because I will bring the people back from exile, declares the Lord.
