< 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?
Of the children of Ammon. The LORD says: “Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in its cities?
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.
Therefore behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and it will become a desolate heap, and her daughters will be burnt with fire; then Israel will possess those who possessed him,” says the LORD.
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.
“Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! Cry, you daughters of Rabbah! Clothe yourself in sackcloth. Lament, and run back and forth amongst the fences; for Malcam will go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
4 Uzincomelani ngezihotsha? Isihotsha sakho siyageleza, ndodakazi ehlehlela nyovane, ethemba amagugu ayo, usithi: Ngubani ozakuza kimi?
Why do you boast in the valleys, your flowing valley, backsliding daughter? You trusted in her treasures, saying, ‘Who will come to me?’
5 Khangela, ngizakwehlisela phezu kwakho uvalo, itsho iNkosi, uJehova wamabandla, luvela kubo bonke abakuhanqileyo; njalo lizaxotshwa, ngulowo lalowo phambi kwakhe; njalo kakho ozabutha ozulayo.
Behold, I will bring a terror on you,” says the Lord, GOD of Armies, “from all who are around you. All of you will be driven completely out, and there will be no one to gather together the fugitives.
6 Kodwa emva kwalokho ngizabuyisa ukuthunjwa kwabantwana bakoAmoni, itsho iNkosi.
“But afterward I will reverse the captivity of the children of Ammon,” says the LORD.
7 Mayelana leEdoma, itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kakuselanhlakanipho yini eThemani? Icebo liphelile yini kwabaqedisisayo? Inhlakanipho yabo isinyamalele yini?
Of Edom, the LORD of Armies says: “Is wisdom no more in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom vanished?
8 Balekani, buyelani emuva, hlalani endaweni ejulileyo, bahlali beDedani; ngoba ngizakwehlisela inhlupheko kaEsawu phezu kwakhe, isikhathi sokumhambela kwami.
Flee! Turn back! Dwell in the depths, inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau on him when I visit him.
9 Uba abavuni bamavini befika kuwe bebengayikutshiya yini umkhothozo? Uba amasela efika ebusuku, azaphanga aze anele?
If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves came by night, wouldn’t they steal until they had enough?
10 Kodwa mina ngimhlubule uEsawu, ngizembule indawo zakhe zensitha, ukuze angabi lakho ukucatsha; inzalo yakhe ichithiwe, labafowabo, labomakhelwane bakhe, yena kasekho.
But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he will not be able to hide himself. His offspring is destroyed, with his brothers and his neighbours; and he is no more.
11 Tshiya izintandane zakho, mina ngizazilondoloza ziphila, labafelokazi bakho kabathembele kimi.
Leave your fatherless children. I will preserve them alive. Let your widows trust in me.”
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.
For the LORD says: “Behold, they to whom it didn’t pertain to drink of the cup will certainly drink; and are you he who will altogether go unpunished? You won’t go unpunished, but you will surely drink.
13 Ngoba ngifungile ngami uqobo, itsho iNkosi, ukuthi iBhozira izakuba ngokwesabekayo, ibe lihlazo, ibe lunxiwa, ibe yisiqalekiso; lemizi yayo yonke izakuba ngamanxiwa aphakade.
For I have sworn by myself,” says the LORD, “that Bozrah will become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse. All its cities will be perpetual wastes.”
14 Ngizwile umbiko ovela eNkosini, lesithunywa sithunywe phakathi kwezizwe, sisithi: Buthanani, lize limelane layo, lisukumele impi.
I have heard news from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent amongst the nations, saying, “Gather yourselves together! Come against her! Rise up to the battle!”
15 Ngoba khangela, ngizakwenza ube mncinyane phakathi kwezizwe, udeleleke phakathi kwabantu.
“For, behold, I have made you small amongst the nations, and despised amongst men.
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.
As for your terror, the pride of your heart has deceived you, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill, though you should make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there,” says the LORD.
17 IEdoma layo izakuba yinto eyesabekayo; wonke odlula kuyo uzamangala kakhulu, ancife ngenxa yenhlupheko yonke yayo.
“Edom will become an astonishment. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and will hiss at all its plagues.
18 Njengokuchithwa kweSodoma leGomora, labomakhelwane bayo, itsho iNkosi; kakulamuntu ozahlala khona, kakulandodana yomuntu ezahlala khona njengowezizwe.
As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and its neighbour cities,” says the LORD, “no man will dwell there, neither will any son of man live therein.
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?
“Behold, he will come up like a lion from the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation; for I will suddenly make them run away from it, and whoever is chosen, I will appoint him over it. For who is like me? Who will appoint me a time? Who is the shepherd who will stand before 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.
Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he has taken against Edom, and his purposes that he has purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they will drag them away, the little ones of the flock. Surely he will make their habitation desolate over them.
21 Ngomsindo wokuwa kwabo umhlaba uyazamazama; ukukhala, umsindo wakho wezwakala eLwandle oluBomvu.
The earth trembles at the noise of their fall; there is a cry, the noise which is heard in the Red Sea.
22 Khangela, uzakwenyuka andize ngesiqubu njengokhozi, elulele impiko zakhe phezu kweBhozira; lenhliziyo yamaqhawe eEdoma ngalolosuku izakuba njengenhliziyo yowesifazana ohelelwayo.
Behold, he will come up and fly as the eagle, and spread out his wings against Bozrah. The heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
23 Mayelana leDamaseko. IHamathi leArpadi kuyangekile, ngoba bazwile umbiko omubi; bancibilika, kulokunqineka elwandle, kungeke kube lokuthula.
Of Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are confounded, for they have heard evil news. They have melted away. There is sorrow on the sea. It can’t be quiet.
24 IDamaseko isibuthakathaka, itshibilike ukuze ibaleke, lokwethuka kuyibambile, ukucindezelwa losizi kuyibambile njengobelethayo.
Damascus has grown feeble, she turns herself to flee, and trembling has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her, as of a woman in travail.
25 Kawutshiywanga njani umuzi wodumo, umuzi wentokozo yami!
How is the city of praise not forsaken, the city of my joy?
26 Ngakho amajaha awo azawela ezitaladeni zawo, lawo wonke amadoda empi azabhujiswa ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
Therefore her young men will fall in her streets, and all the men of war will be brought to silence in that day,” says the LORD of Armies.
27 Ngizaphemba-ke umlilo emdulini weDamaseko, ozaqothula izigodlo zikaBenihadadi.
“I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it will devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.”
28 Mayelana leKedari njalo mayelana lemibuso yeHazori owayitshayayo uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Sukumani, lenyukele eKedari, lichithe amadodana empumalanga.
Of Kedar, and of the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck, The LORD says: “Arise, go up to Kedar, and destroy the children of the east.
29 Bazathatha amathente abo lemihlambi yabo, amakhetheni abo lempahla yabo yonke lamakamela abo bazazithwalela khona; bamemeze kibo bathi: Uvalo enhlangothini zonke.
They will take their tents and their flocks. they will carry away for themselves their curtains, all their vessels, and their camels; and they will cry to them, ‘Terror on every side!’
30 Balekani, lizulazule kakhulu, lihlale ngokujula, lina bahlali beHazori, itsho iNkosi; ngoba uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni waceba icebo emelene lani, wacabanga umcabango emelene lani.
Flee! Wander far off! Dwell in the depths, you inhabitants of Hazor,” says the LORD; “for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has taken counsel against you, and has conceived a purpose against you.
31 Sukumani, lenyuke limelene lesizwe esonwabileyo, esihlala ekuvikelekeni, itsho iNkosi, esingelamasango, esingelamigoqo, esizihlalele sodwa.
Arise! Go up to a nation that is at ease, that dwells without care,” says the LORD; “that has neither gates nor bars, that dwells alone.
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.
Their camels will be a booty, and the multitude of their livestock a plunder. I will scatter to all winds those who have the corners of their beards cut off; and I will bring their calamity from every side of them,” says the LORD.
33 LeHazori izakuba yindawo yokuhlala yamakhanka, unxiwa kuze kube nininini; kakuyikuhlala muntu khona, lendodana yomuntu kayiyikuhlala kuyo njengowezizwe.
Hazor will be a dwelling place of jackals, a desolation forever. No man will dwell there, neither will any son of man live therein.”
34 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuJeremiya umprofethi limelene leElamu ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaZedekhiya, inkosi yakoJuda, lisithi:
The LORD’s word that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
35 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Khangela, ngizakwephula idandili leElamu, induna yamandla abo.
“The LORD of Armies says: ‘Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.
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 on Elam the four winds from the four quarters of the sky, and will scatter them towards all those winds. There will be no nation where the outcasts of Elam will not come.
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.
I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before those who seek their life. I will bring evil on them, even my fierce anger,’ says the LORD; ‘and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.
38 Ngizamisa-ke isihlalo sami sobukhosi eElamu, ngichithe kuyo inkosi leziphathamandla, itsho iNkosi.
I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from there king and princes,’ says the LORD.
39 Kodwa kuzakuthi ekucineni kwezinsuku ngibuyise ukuthunjwa kukaElamu, itsho iNkosi.
‘But it will happen in the latter days that I will reverse the captivity of Elam,’ says the LORD.”

< UJeremiya 49 >