UJeremiya 49
1 Mayelana labantwana bakoAmoni itsho njalo iNkosi: UIsrayeli kalamadodana yini? Kalayo indlalifa yini? Kungani uMilkomu esidla ilifa lakoGadi, labantu bakhe behlala emizini yayo?
[This message is] about the Ammon people-group. This is what Yahweh says: “There are [RHQ] plenty of Israeli people left to occupy [the land of the tribe of] Gad. So, why are [RHQ] [the people who worship the god] Molech living in those towns?
2 Ngakho khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho ngizakwenza ukuthi kuzwakale umkhosi wempi eRaba yabantwana bakoAmoni; njalo izakuba yinqumbi yencithakalo, lamadodakazi ayo atshiswe ngomlilo; loIsrayeli adle ilifa labadla ilifa lakhe, itsho iNkosi.
There will be a time when I will sound the battle-cry [for their enemies] to attack [their capital city], Rabbah. [Then] it will become a heap of ruins, and [all] the nearby towns will be burned. Then [the people of] Israel will again possess the land that the Ammon people-group took away from them.
3 Qhinqa isililo, Heshiboni, ngoba iAyi ichithiwe; khalani, madodakazi eRaba, libhince amasaka, lilile, liye le lale ezintangweni; ngoba uMilkomu uzahamba ekuthunjweni, abapristi bakhe leziphathamandla zakhe ndawonye.
You people of Heshbon [city] [MTY], wail, because Ai [town nearby] will be destroyed. You people of Rabbah [city], weep; put on (rough clothing/sackcloth) [to show you are mourning]; run back and forth [in confusion] inside the city walls, because [your god] Milcom, along with its priests and officials, will be taken away (in exile/to other countries).
4 Uzincomelani ngezihotsha? Isihotsha sakho siyageleza, ndodakazi ehlehlela nyovane, ethemba amagugu ayo, usithi: Ngubani ozakuza kimi?
You are [RHQ] very proud of your very fertile valleys, [but they will soon be ruined]. You rebellious people, you trusted in your wealth, and you said, ‘Certainly no [RHQ] army will be able to attack us!’
5 Khangela, ngizakwehlisela phezu kwakho uvalo, itsho iNkosi, uJehova wamabandla, luvela kubo bonke abakuhanqileyo; njalo lizaxotshwa, ngulowo lalowo phambi kwakhe; njalo kakho ozabutha ozulayo.
But listen to this: 'I, the Commander of the armies of angels, will cause you to become terrified. You will all be forced to flee [to other countries], and no one will be able to bring you together [again].'
6 Kodwa emva kwalokho ngizabuyisa ukuthunjwa kwabantwana bakoAmoni, itsho iNkosi.
But some day I will enable the Ammon people-group to return to their land. [That will surely happen, because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
7 Mayelana leEdoma, itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kakuselanhlakanipho yini eThemani? Icebo liphelile yini kwabaqedisisayo? Inhlakanipho yabo isinyamalele yini?
[This message is] about the Edom people-group. This is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: “It seems that [RHQ] there are no wise people in Teman [district in Edom]! There are no people left who can give others [good] advice. The people who were wise [PRS] have disappeared.
8 Balekani, buyelani emuva, hlalani endaweni ejulileyo, bahlali beDedani; ngoba ngizakwehlisela inhlupheko kaEsawu phezu kwakhe, isikhathi sokumhambela kwami.
You people of Dedan [city in the south of Edom], turn and flee and hide in deep [caves], because when I cause the Edom people-group to experience disaster, I will punish you, too.
9 Uba abavuni bamavini befika kuwe bebengayikutshiya yini umkhothozo? Uba amasela efika ebusuku, azaphanga aze anele?
Those who harvest grapes always [RHQ] leave some on the vines. When thieves come at night, they surely [RHQ] steal only as much as they want.
10 Kodwa mina ngimhlubule uEsawu, ngizembule indawo zakhe zensitha, ukuze angabi lakho ukucatsha; inzalo yakhe ichithiwe, labafowabo, labomakhelwane bakhe, yena kasekho.
But I will cause everything in Edom to be destroyed, and there will be nothing left, and there will be no place for people to hide. [Many of] [HYP] the children, their relatives and their neighbors, will die, and Edom will not exist any more.
11 Tshiya izintandane zakho, mina ngizazilondoloza ziphila, labafelokazi bakho kabathembele kimi.
But I will protect the orphans, and the widows [also] will [be able to] depend on me [to help them].”
12 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, labo okugwetshwa kwabo kwakungeyisikho ukunatha inkezo bazayinatha lokuyinatha, wena-ke nguwe yini ozayekelwa ungajeziswanga ngokupheleleyo? Kawuyikuyekelwa ungelacala, kodwa isibili uzanatha.
And this is [also] what Yahweh says: “If those who do not deserve to suffer [MET] must suffer, you people of Edom must [RHQ] suffer much more [DOU]! You will not escape being punished.
13 Ngoba ngifungile ngami uqobo, itsho iNkosi, ukuthi iBhozira izakuba ngokwesabekayo, ibe lihlazo, ibe lunxiwa, ibe yisiqalekiso; lemizi yayo yonke izakuba ngamanxiwa aphakade.
I, Yahweh, have solemnly promised, using my own name, that [your chief city] Bozrah will become a place that people will be horrified about. It will be a heap of ruins. People will make fun of it and use its name when they curse people. All the nearby towns and villages will be a ruins forever.”
14 Ngizwile umbiko ovela eNkosini, lesithunywa sithunywe phakathi kwezizwe, sisithi: Buthanani, lize limelane layo, lisukumele impi.
I heard this message from Yahweh: “I have sent an ambassador to [many] nations, [to tell them to] gather together to attack Edom. They must prepare for battle!”
15 Ngoba khangela, ngizakwenza ube mncinyane phakathi kwezizwe, udeleleke phakathi kwabantu.
[And Yahweh says to the people of Edom, ] “I will cause your nation to become very unimportant among the [other] nations. They will all despise your country.
16 Ukwesabeka kwakho kukukhohlisile, ukuziqhenya kwenhliziyo yakho, wena ohlala ezingoxweni zamadwala, obamba izingqonga zoqaqa. Loba usenza isidleke sakho sibe phezulu njengokhozi, ngizakwehlisa usuka khona, itsho iNkosi.
You have caused [people of other nations] to be terrified, and you [MTY] have been very proud, but you have deceived yourselves. You live in caves in the rock cliffs; [you think that you are safe there because] you live high up there. But even if you make your homes as high up as the eagles’ nests, I will cause you to come [crashing] down.
17 IEdoma layo izakuba yinto eyesabekayo; wonke odlula kuyo uzamangala kakhulu, ancife ngenxa yenhlupheko yonke yayo.
Edom will become a place about which people are horrified; people who pass by will be horrified and will (gasp/be shocked) when they see the destruction.
18 Njengokuchithwa kweSodoma leGomora, labomakhelwane bayo, itsho iNkosi; kakulamuntu ozahlala khona, kakulandodana yomuntu ezahlala khona njengowezizwe.
Edom will be destroyed as [completely as] Sodom and Gomorrah and the nearby towns were destroyed [long ago]. [As a result, ] no one will live there [any more] [DOU].
19 Khangela, njengesilwane esivela ekukhukhumaleni kweJordani uzakwenyuka emelene lendawo yokuhlala okungapheliyo, kodwa ngizahle ngimgijimise asuke kuyo; njalo ngubani okhethiweyo engingammisa emelene layo? Ngoba ngubani onjengami? Ngubani-ke ozangibizela ukulandisa? Njalo nguwuphi lowomelusi ongema phambi kwami?
I will come to Edom [suddenly] like [SIM] a lion comes out of the jungle and [leaps on the sheep that are] eating in the good pastureland. I will quickly chase the people of Edom from their land. And [then] I will appoint for them a leader whom I will choose; [I can do that] because there is no one [RHQ] like me who can object to what I do. No ruler can oppose me.
20 Ngakho, zwanini icebo leNkosi elicebe imelene leEdoma, lemicabango yayo eyicabange emelene labahlali beThemani: Isibili abancinyane bomhlambi bazabadonsa; isibili izachitha indawo yabo yokuhlala phezu kwabo.
Listen to what I have planned to do to the people of Teman [town] and [the rest of] Edom: Even the little children will be dragged away, and I will completely get rid of the people [MET] who live there.
21 Ngomsindo wokuwa kwabo umhlaba uyazamazama; ukukhala, umsindo wakho wezwakala eLwandle oluBomvu.
When Edom is destroyed, the noise [will be extremely great], with the result that the earth will shake, and the wailing of the people will be heard [as far away as] the Red Sea.
22 Khangela, uzakwenyuka andize ngesiqubu njengokhozi, elulele impiko zakhe phezu kweBhozira; lenhliziyo yamaqhawe eEdoma ngalolosuku izakuba njengenhliziyo yowesifazana ohelelwayo.
Look! The enemy troops will swoop/rush down over Bozrah like an eagle spreads its wings when it swoops down [to seize an animal]. On that day, [even the strongest] warriors of Edom will [be afraid] like [SIM] a woman who is about to give birth.”
23 Mayelana leDamaseko. IHamathi leArpadi kuyangekile, ngoba bazwile umbiko omubi; bancibilika, kulokunqineka elwandle, kungeke kube lokuthula.
[This message is] about Damascus. [This is what Yahweh says]: “[The people in the nearby cities of] Hamath and Arpad are confused, because they have heard bad news [about Damascus]. They are very anxious and restless, like [SIM] a sea in a big storm.
24 IDamaseko isibuthakathaka, itshibilike ukuze ibaleke, lokwethuka kuyibambile, ukucindezelwa losizi kuyibambile njengobelethayo.
The people of Damascus have become very weak, and [they all] have (panicked/fled [because] they are very afraid). The people are anguished and in pain like [SIM] a woman [experiences] who is about to give birth.
25 Kawutshiywanga njani umuzi wodumo, umuzi wentokozo yami!
That famous city, that I was [previously] pleased with, will be abandoned.
26 Ngakho amajaha awo azawela ezitaladeni zawo, lawo wonke amadoda empi azabhujiswa ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
Its young men will fall in the streets. Its soldiers will all be killed in one day.
27 Ngizaphemba-ke umlilo emdulini weDamaseko, ozaqothula izigodlo zikaBenihadadi.
And I, the Commander of the armies of angels, will start a fire to burn the walls that surround Damascus, and the palaces of [King] Ben-Hadad will be burned down.”
28 Mayelana leKedari njalo mayelana lemibuso yeHazori owayitshayayo uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Sukumani, lenyukele eKedari, lichithe amadodana empumalanga.
[This is a message] about the Kedar [people-group] and the kingdom of Hazor which [the army of] Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon attacked. This is what Yahweh says: “[I will cause an army to] advance to attack Kedar and destroy those people who live east [of Judah].
29 Bazathatha amathente abo lemihlambi yabo, amakhetheni abo lempahla yabo yonke lamakamela abo bazazithwalela khona; bamemeze kibo bathi: Uvalo enhlangothini zonke.
Their tents and their flocks [of sheep] will be captured. The curtains [in their tents] and their camels and their other possessions will be taken away. [Everywhere] men will shout, ‘We are terrified [because terrible things are happening] all around us!’
30 Balekani, lizulazule kakhulu, lihlale ngokujula, lina bahlali beHazori, itsho iNkosi; ngoba uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni waceba icebo emelene lani, wacabanga umcabango emelene lani.
So [I, ] Yahweh, say, ‘Run away [quickly]! You people who live in Hazor, go and hide in deep [caves], because King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon wants to attack you [with his army]; he is planning to destroy you!’
31 Sukumani, lenyuke limelene lesizwe esonwabileyo, esihlala ekuvikelekeni, itsho iNkosi, esingelamasango, esingelamigoqo, esizihlalele sodwa.
But I say [to Nebuchadnezzar], ‘Go up and attack that nation whose people feel secure; they do not have allies [who will help them] and do not have [walls with] gates that have bars in them.
32 Lamakamela abo azakuba yimpango, lemihlambi yezifuyo zabo izakuba yimpango; njalo ngizabachithachitha kuyo yonke imimoya, abaphoselwe engonsini, ngilethe inkathazo yabo evela inhlangothi zonke zaso, itsho iNkosi.
Your troops will seize their camels and [other] livestock. I will scatter in every direction [IDM] those people who live in remote places (OR, who cut their hair short). I will cause them to experience disasters from every direction.
33 LeHazori izakuba yindawo yokuhlala yamakhanka, unxiwa kuze kube nininini; kakuyikuhlala muntu khona, lendodana yomuntu kayiyikuhlala kuyo njengowezizwe.
Hazor will become a place where jackals/wolves live, and it will be deserted forever. No one will live there again; no one will settle there [DOU].’”
34 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuJeremiya umprofethi limelene leElamu ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaZedekhiya, inkosi yakoJuda, lisithi:
I received this message from Yahweh when King Zedekiah was starting to rule Judah.
35 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Khangela, ngizakwephula idandili leElamu, induna yamandla abo.
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: “The men of Elam are famous (archers/men who shoot arrows well); that is how they have made their country very powerful. But I will get rid of them [MET].
36 Ngilethele iElamu imimoya emine evela emikhawulweni emine yamazulu, ngibahlakazele kuyo yonke leyomimoya; njalo kakuyikuba khona isizwe lapho abaxotshiweyo beElamu abangayikufika khona.
I will bring their enemies from all directions [IDM, DOU], and they will scatter the people of Elam in all directions. The people of Elam will be exiled to every nation on the earth [LIT, HYP].
37 Ngoba ngizakwenza abeElamu besabe phambi kwezitha zabo laphambi kwalabo abadinga impilo yabo, ngibehlisele okubi, ukuvutha kolaka lwami, itsho iNkosi, ngithume inkemba emva kwabo, ngize ngibaqede.
Because I am very angry with the people of Elam, I will enable their enemies to smash Elam; I will cause the people of Elam to experience great disasters. I will enable their enemies, who want to kill them, to pursue them [and kill them] with swords until I completely get rid of all of them.
38 Ngizamisa-ke isihlalo sami sobukhosi eElamu, ngichithe kuyo inkosi leziphathamandla, itsho iNkosi.
I, Yahweh, will judge them there [MTY], and [then] I will get rid of their king and [his] officials.
39 Kodwa kuzakuthi ekucineni kwezinsuku ngibuyise ukuthunjwa kukaElamu, itsho iNkosi.
But some day, I will enable the people of Elam to return to their land. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
