< UJeremiya 51 >
1 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela ngizavusela iBhabhiloni lalabo abahlala enhliziyweni yalabo abangivukelayo umoya ochithayo.
Thus says the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind;
2 Ngithume eBhabhiloni abelayo, abazakuyela, bathulule ilizwe layo, ngoba bazamelana layo bevela inhlangothi zonke ngosuku lobubi.
And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.
3 Kakuthi otshokayo agobise idandili lakhe emelene loligobisayo, njalo emelene loziphakamisayo ebhatshini lakhe lensimbi; njalo lingawayekeli amajaha ayo, lilitshabalalise ibutho layo lonke.
Against him that bends let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifts himself up in his brigandine: and spare all of you not her young men; destroy all of you utterly all her host.
4 Ngokunjalo ababuleweyo bazakuwa elizweni lamaKhaladiya, labagwazwe ezitaladeni zayo.
Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.
5 Ngoba uIsrayeli kayikutshiywa, loJuda nguNkulunkulu wabo, yiNkosi yamabandla, lanxa ilizwe labo ligcwele icala koNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
For Israel has not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.
6 Balekani liphume phakathi kweBhabhiloni, likhulule ngulowo lalowo umphefumulo wakhe; lingaqunywa esiphambekweni sayo; ngoba lesi yisikhathi sempindiselo yeNkosi, ophindisela impindiselo kuyo.
Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.
7 IBhabhiloni yayiyinkezo yegolide esandleni seNkosi, eyayidakisa umhlaba wonke; izizwe zanatha okwewayini layo; ngenxa yalokho izizwe zahlanya.
Babylon has been a golden cup in the LORD's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
8 IBhabhiloni yahle yawa, yephuka; qhinqani isililo ngayo, lithathele ubuhlungu bayo ibhalisamu, mhlawumbe ingelatshwa.
Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: wail for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
9 Besingayelapha iBhabhiloni, kodwa kayelaphekanga; itshiyeni, asihambeni ngulowo lalowo aye elizweni lakhe; ngoba isigwebo sayo sifinyelele emazulwini, siphakanyisiwe kwaze kwafika esibhakabhakeni.
We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reachs unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
10 INkosi ikhuphe ukulunga kwethu; wozani, silandise eZiyoni umsebenzi weNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu.
The LORD has brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
11 Lolani imitshoko, liqoqe izihlangu; iNkosi ivusile umoya wamakhosi amaMede; ngoba icebo layo limelene leBhabhiloni ukuyichitha; ngoba lokho kuyimpindiselo yeNkosi, impindiselo yethempeli layo.
Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.
12 Phakamisani isiboniso phezu kwemiduli yeBhabhiloni, liqinise ukulinda, libeke abalindi, lilungise abacathami, ngoba iNkosi isikucebile, futhi izakwenza lokho ekukhulume ngabahlali beBhabhiloni.
Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD has both devised and done that which he spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 Wena ohlala emanzini amanengi, owande ngamagugu, ukuphela kwakho sekufikile, isilinganiso senzuzo yakho embi.
O you that dwell upon many waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, and the measure of your covetousness.
14 INkosi yamabandla ifungile ngomphefumulo wayo yathi: Isibili ngizakugcwalisa ngabantu njengamacimbi, njalo bazahlabelela umkhosi ngawe.
The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill you with men, as with caterpillars; and they shall lift up a shout against you.
15 Wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe, walimisa ilizwe ngenhlakanipho yakhe, langokuqedisisa kwakhe wendlala amazulu.
He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out the heaven by his understanding.
16 Lapho ekhupha ilizwi lakhe, kulokuhlokoma kwamanzi amanengi emazulwini, ukhuphula inkungu ivela emkhawulweni womhlaba, enze imibane kanye lezulu, akhuphe umoya eziphaleni zakhe.
When he utters his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he makes lightnings with rain, and brings forth the wind out of his treasures.
17 Wonke umuntu uyisiphukuphuku kalalwazi; wonke umkhandi wegolide uyangiswa yisithombe esibaziweyo, ngoba isithombe sakhe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa siyinkohliso, njalo kakulamoya kuzo.
Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
18 Ziyize, umsebenzi wezinkohliso; ngesikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwazo zizabhubha.
They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
19 Isabelo sikaJakobe kasinjengazo; ngoba yena nguye umbumbi wakho konke, loIsrayeli uyintonga yelifa lakhe; iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe.
The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.
20 Wena uyinduku yami yempi, izikhali zempi; ngoba ngawe ngizaphahlaza izizwe, langawe ngichithe imibuso,
You are my battle axe and weapons of war: for with you will I break in pieces the nations, and with you will I destroy kingdoms;
21 langawe ngiphahlaze ibhiza lomgadi walo, langawe ngiphahlaze inqola lomkhweli wayo,
And with you will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with you will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;
22 langawe ngiphahlaze indoda lowesifazana, langawe ngiphahlaze ixhegu lomutsha, langawe ngiphahlaze ijaha lentombi,
With you also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with you will I break in pieces old and young; and with you will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;
23 langawe ngiphahlaze umelusi lomhlambi wakhe, langawe ngiphahlaze umlimi lesipani sakhe, langawe ngiphahlaze ababusi lezinduna.
I will also break in pieces with you the shepherd and his flock; and with you will I break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen; and with you will I break in pieces captains and rulers.
24 Njalo ngizayiphindisela iBhabhiloni labo bonke abahlali beKhaladiya konke okubi kwabo abakwenzileyo eZiyoni emehlweni enu, itsho iNkosi.
And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, says the LORD.
25 Khangela, ngimelana lawe, wena ntaba echithayo, itsho iNkosi, echitha umhlaba wonke; ngizakwelulela isandla sami kuwe, ngikugiqe usuke emadwaleni, ngikwenze ube yintaba yokutshiswa.
Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, says the LORD, which destroys all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon you, and roll you down from the rocks, and will make you a burnt mountain.
26 Njalo kabayikuthatha kuwe ilitshe libe ngelengonsi, lelitshe libe ngelezisekelo; ngoba uzakuba ngamanxiwa aphakade, itsho iNkosi.
And they shall not take of you a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but you shall be desolate for ever, says the LORD.
27 Phakamisani isiboniso elizweni, livuthele uphondo phakathi kwezizwe, lilungise izizwe ukumelana layo, liyibizele ndawonye imibuso yeArarathi, iMini, leAshikenazi; libeke umlawuli webutho emelene layo, lenyuse amabhiza njengentethe ezimaxhakaxhaka.
Set all of you up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillars.
28 Lungisani izizwe ukumelana layo, amakhosi amaMede, induna zayo, lababusi bayo bonke, lelizwe lonke lombuso wayo.
Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion.
29 Lelizwe lizazamazama libe lobuhlungu, ngoba ngalinye lamacebo eNkosi lima limelene leBhabhiloni, ukwenza ilizwe leBhabhiloni libe yincithakalo engelamhlali.
And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
30 Amaqhawe eBhabhiloni ayekele ukulwa, ahlala ezinqabeni, amandla awo aphelile, sebengabesifazana; bathungele indawo zayo zokuhlala, imigoqo yayo yephukile.
The mighty men of Babylon have ceased to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might has failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwelling places; her bars are broken.
31 Isigijimi sizagijima ukuhlangana lesigijimi, lombiki ukuhlangana lombiki, ukutshela inkosi yeBhabhiloni ukuthi umuzi wayo uthunjiwe kusukela ekucineni,
One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken at every quarter,
32 lamazibuko abanjiwe, lamaxhaphozi atshiswe ngomlilo, lamadoda empi ethukile.
And that the passages are stopped, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.
33 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Indodakazi yeBhabhiloni injengebala lokubhulela; kuyisikhathi sokuyinyathela; kuseyisikhatshana, lesikhathi sesivuno sizafika kuyo.
For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come.
34 UNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni ungidlile, ungichobozile; wangibeka ngaba yimbiza engelalutho, wangiginya njengomgobho, wagcwalisa isisu sakhe ngezibondlo zami, wangixotsha.
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me, he has crushed me, he has made me an empty vessel, he has swallowed me up like a dragon, he has filled his belly with my delicates, he has cast me out.
35 Udlakela lwami lolwenyama yami kube phezu kweBhabhiloni, utsho umhlalikazi weZiyoni; legazi lami libe phezu kwabahlali beKhaladiya, itsho iJerusalema.
The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.
36 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizalumela udaba lwakho, ngiphindisele impindiselo yakho; ngomise ulwandle lwayo, ngenze umthombo wayo wome.
Therefore thus says the LORD; Behold, I will plead your cause, and take vengeance for you; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.
37 LeBhabhiloni izakuba ngamadundulu, indawo yokuhlala yemigobho, isesabiso, lento yokuncifelwa, kungelamhlali.
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.
38 Bazabhonga kanyekanye njengamabhongo ezilwane, bahwabhe njengemidlwane yezilwane.
They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions' whelps.
39 Ekutshisekeni kwabo ngizabenzela amadili, ngibadakise ukuze bathokoze, balale ubuthongo obulaphakade, bangavuki, itsho iNkosi.
In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, says the LORD.
40 Ngizabehlisa njengamawundlu ekuhlatshweni, njengezinqama kanye lezimpongo.
I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.
41 Ithunjwe njani iSheshaki; yebo, lubanjiwe udumo lomhlaba wonke! IBhabhiloni isibe njani yisesabiso phakathi kwezizwe!
How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
42 Ulwandle lukhukhumele phezu kweBhabhiloni, isibekelwe ngobunengi bamagagasi alo.
The sea has come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
43 Imizi yayo isingamanxiwa, ilizwe elomileyo, lenkangala, ilizwe okungahlali muntu kulo, okungadluli kulo indodana yomuntu.
Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwells, neither does any son of man pass thereby.
44 Njalo ngizajezisa uBheli eBhabhiloni, ngikhuphe emlonyeni wakhe lokho akuginyileyo; lezizwe kazisayikujulukela kuyo; yebo, umduli weBhabhiloni uwile.
And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he has swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
45 Phumani phakathi kwayo, bantu bami, likhulule ngulowo lalowo umphefumulo wakhe ekuvutheni kolaka lweNkosi.
My people, go all of you out of the midst of her, and deliver all of you every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.
46 Njalo hlezi inhliziyo yenu ibe buthakathaka, lesabe ngombiko ozwakala elizweni; ngoba kuzafika umbiko ngomunye umnyaka, lemva kwalokho umbiko ngomnyaka olandelayo, lodlakela elizweni, lombusi avukele umbusi.
And lest your heart faint, and all of you fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.
47 Ngakho khangela, insuku ziyeza lapho engizahambela izithombe ezibaziweyo zeBhabhiloni; lelizwe lonke layo lizayangeka, lababuleweyo bayo bonke bawele phakathi kwayo.
Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.
48 Kuzakuthi-ke amazulu lomhlaba lakho konke okukukho kuhlabelele ngeBhabhiloni, ngoba abachithi bazayifikela bevela enyakatho, itsho iNkosi.
Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, says the LORD.
49 Njengalokhu iBhabhiloni yenza bawe ababuleweyo bakoIsrayeli, ngokunjalo ababuleweyo bomhlaba wonke bazakuwa eBhabhiloni.
As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth.
50 Lina eliphunyukileyo enkembeni, hambani, lingemi; khumbulani iNkosi lisekhatshana, leJerusalema ivele enhliziyweni yenu.
All of you that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the LORD far off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.
51 Siyangekile ngoba sizwile ihlazo; inhloni zisibekele ubuso bethu, ngoba abezizwe sebefikile ezindaweni ezingcwele zendlu yeNkosi.
We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame has covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD's house.
52 Ngakho khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho engizahambela izithombe zayo ezibaziweyo; lakulo lonke ilizwe layo kuzabubula ogwaziweyo.
Wherefore, behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will do judgment upon her graven images: and through all her land the wounded shall groan.
53 Loba iBhabhiloni ingaphakamela emazulwini, njalo loba ingaqinisa ukuphakama kwamandla ayo, kube kanti abachithi bazayifikela bevela kimi, itsho iNkosi.
Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, says the LORD.
54 Kulomsindo wokukhala ovela eBhabhiloni, lokufohlela okukhulu elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
A sound of a cry comes from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans:
55 Ngoba iNkosi ichithile iBhabhiloni, yabhubhisa kuyo ilizwi elikhulu. Lapho amagagasi abo ahlokoma njengamanzi amanengi, umsindo wawo uzakhupha ilizwi.
Because the LORD has spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered:
56 Ngoba umchithi wehlela phezu kwayo, phezu kweBhabhiloni, amaqhawe ayo azathunjwa, amadandili awo ephukile; ngoba iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wezimpindiselo, uzayivuza sibili.
Because the spoiler has come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of recompences shall surely requite.
57 Ngizadakisa-ke iziphathamandla zayo, lezihlakaniphi zayo, ababusi bayo, lenduna zayo, lamaqhawe ayo; njalo bazalala ubuthongo obulaphakade, bangavuki, itsho iNkosi, obizo layo nguJehova wamabandla.
And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, says the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
58 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Imiduli ebanzi yeBhabhiloni izadilizwa ngokupheleleyo, lamasango ayo aphakemeyo athungelwe ngomlilo, labantu batshikatshikele ize, lezizwe zitshikatshikele umlilo, zikhathale.
Thus says the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.
59 Ilizwi uJeremiya umprofethi alilaya uSeraya indodana kaNeriya, indodana kaMahaseya, ekuhambeni kwakhe loZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda ukuya eBhabhiloni emnyakeni wesine wokubusa kwakhe. Njalo uSeraya wayeyisiphathamandla sokuthula.
The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince.
60 UJeremiya wasebhala egwalweni konke okubi okuzakwehlela iBhabhiloni, wonke lamazwi abhaliweyo emelene leBhabhiloni.
So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon.
61 UJeremiya wasesithi kuSeraya: Lapho usufikile eBhabhiloni, ubone ufunde wonke lamazwi.
And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When you come to Babylon, and shall see, and shall read all these words;
62 Ubususithi: Nkosi, wena ukhulumile ngalindawo ukuthi uzayiquma, ukuze kungabi khona umhlali kiyo, kusukela emuntwini kusiya enyamazaneni, kodwa ibe zincithakalo phakade.
Then shall you say, O LORD, you have spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever.
63 Kuzakuthi-ke usuqedile ukulufunda lolugwalo, ubophele ilitshe kulo, uluphosele phakathi kweYufrathi,
And it shall be, when you have made an end of reading this book, that you shall bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates:
64 ubususithi: Ngokunjalo iBhabhiloni izatshona, ingabe isavumbuluka, ngenxa yobubi engizayehlisela bona; njalo bazadinwa. Kuze kube lapha ngamazwi kaJeremiya.
And you shall say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.