UJeremiya 51
1 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela ngizavusela iBhabhiloni lalabo abahlala enhliziyweni yalabo abangivukelayo umoya ochithayo.
Thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will awaken against Babylon, and against those that dwell in the midst of my opponents, a destroying wind;
2 Ngithume eBhabhiloni abelayo, abazakuyela, bathulule ilizwe layo, ngoba bazamelana layo bevela inhlangothi zonke ngosuku lobubi.
And I will send out unto Babylon fanners, and they shall fan her, and shall empty out her land; for they shall be against her round about on the day of trouble.
3 Kakuthi otshokayo agobise idandili lakhe emelene loligobisayo, njalo emelene loziphakamisayo ebhatshini lakhe lensimbi; njalo lingawayekeli amajaha ayo, lilitshabalalise ibutho layo lonke.
Let the archer come against any one that bendeth his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his armor: and spare ye not her young men: destroy ye utterly all her host.
4 Ngokunjalo ababuleweyo bazakuwa elizweni lamaKhaladiya, labagwazwe ezitaladeni zayo.
And the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are pierced through, in her streets.
5 Ngoba uIsrayeli kayikutshiywa, loJuda nguNkulunkulu wabo, yiNkosi yamabandla, lanxa ilizwe labo ligcwele icala koNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
For not widowed are Israel and Judah of their God, of the Lord of hosts; for the land of those was filled with guiltiness 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 ye out of the midst of Babylon, and save ye every man his life: perish not for her iniquity; for this is a time of vengeance unto the Lord; a recompense is he paying out unto her.
7 IBhabhiloni yayiyinkezo yegolide esandleni seNkosi, eyayidakisa umhlaba wonke; izizwe zanatha okwewayini layo; ngenxa yalokho izizwe zahlanya.
A golden cup hath Babylon been in the hand of the Lord, that made drunken all the earth: of her wine have nations drunk; therefore are the nations rendered mad.
8 IBhabhiloni yahle yawa, yephuka; qhinqani isililo ngayo, lithathele ubuhlungu bayo ibhalisamu, mhlawumbe ingelatshwa.
Suddenly is Babylon fallen and broken: wail ye for her; fetch balm for her wound, perhaps 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 was not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one unto his own country; for her punishment reacheth unto the heavens, and it is lifted up even to the skies.”
10 INkosi ikhuphe ukulunga kwethu; wozani, silandise eZiyoni umsebenzi weNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu.
The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us relate 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; fill the quivers: the Lord hath awakened the spirit of the kings of Media; for against Babylon is his intention, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance for his temple.
12 Phakamisani isiboniso phezu kwemiduli yeBhabhiloni, liqinise ukulinda, libeke abalindi, lilungise abacathami, ngoba iNkosi isikucebile, futhi izakwenza lokho ekukhulume ngabahlali beBhabhiloni.
Against the walls of Babylon lift up the standard, strengthen the watch, set up the watchmen, make ready the ambushes; for the Lord hath both intended and done what he had spoken against the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 Wena ohlala emanzini amanengi, owande ngamagugu, ukuphela kwakho sekufikile, isilinganiso senzuzo yakho embi.
O thou that dwellest upon many waters, great in treasures, thy end is come, the full measure of thy selfish robbery.
14 INkosi yamabandla ifungile ngomphefumulo wayo yathi: Isibili ngizakugcwalisa ngabantu njengamacimbi, njalo bazahlabelela umkhosi ngawe.
Sworn hath the Lord of hosts by himself, Surely I will fill thee with men, as with locusts: and they shall lift up the battle-cry against thee.
15 Wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe, walimisa ilizwe ngenhlakanipho yakhe, langokuqedisisa kwakhe wendlala amazulu.
He made the earth by his power, he established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he stretched out the heavens.
16 Lapho ekhupha ilizwi lakhe, kulokuhlokoma kwamanzi amanengi emazulwini, ukhuphula inkungu ivela emkhawulweni womhlaba, enze imibane kanye lezulu, akhuphe umoya eziphaleni zakhe.
At the sound when he giveth a multitude of waters in the heavens, and causeth clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth; when he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth 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.
Then standeth every man as brutish without knowledge; ashamed is every goldsmith because of the graven image; for falsehood is his molten work, and there is no breath therein.
18 Ziyize, umsebenzi wezinkohliso; ngesikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwazo zizabhubha.
They are vanity, the work of deception: in the time of their punishment shall they vanish.
19 Isabelo sikaJakobe kasinjengazo; ngoba yena nguye umbumbi wakho konke, loIsrayeli uyintonga yelifa lakhe; iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe.
Not like these is the portion of Jacob; for He is the former of all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: The Lord of hosts is his name.
20 Wena uyinduku yami yempi, izikhali zempi; ngoba ngawe ngizaphahlaza izizwe, langawe ngichithe imibuso,
Thou art a hammer unto me, weapons of war; and I strike down with thee nations, and I destroy with thee kingdoms;
21 langawe ngiphahlaze ibhiza lomgadi walo, langawe ngiphahlaze inqola lomkhweli wayo,
And I strike down with thee the horse and his rider; and I strike down with thee the chariot and its rider;
22 langawe ngiphahlaze indoda lowesifazana, langawe ngiphahlaze ixhegu lomutsha, langawe ngiphahlaze ijaha lentombi,
And I strike down with thee man and woman; and I strike down with thee the aged and the lad; and I strike down with thee the young man and the virgin:
23 langawe ngiphahlaze umelusi lomhlambi wakhe, langawe ngiphahlaze umlimi lesipani sakhe, langawe ngiphahlaze ababusi lezinduna.
And I strike down with thee the shepherd and his flock; and I strike down with thee the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and I strike down with thee governors and rulers.
24 Njalo ngizayiphindisela iBhabhiloni labo bonke abahlali beKhaladiya konke okubi kwabo abakwenzileyo eZiyoni emehlweni enu, itsho iNkosi.
But [now] will I repay unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes, saith 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 thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth; and I will stretch out my hand over thee, and I will roll thee down from the rocks, and will render thee a burnt mountain.
26 Njalo kabayikuthatha kuwe ilitshe libe ngelengonsi, lelitshe libe ngelezisekelo; ngoba uzakuba ngamanxiwa aphakade, itsho iNkosi.
And they shall not take from thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but everlasting ruins shalt thou be, saith 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.
Lift ye up a standard in the land, blow ye the cornet among the nations, make ready against her nations, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint against her a commander; cause the horses to come up like the hairy locusts.
28 Lungisani izizwe ukumelana layo, amakhosi amaMede, induna zayo, lababusi bayo bonke, lelizwe lonke lombuso wayo.
Make ready against her the nations with the kings of Media, its governors, and all its rulers, and all the land of their dominion.
29 Lelizwe lizazamazama libe lobuhlungu, ngoba ngalinye lamacebo eNkosi lima limelene leBhabhiloni, ukwenza ilizwe leBhabhiloni libe yincithakalo engelamhlali.
And the earth quaketh and trembleth; for every one of the purposes of the Lord is fulfilled against Babylon, to change the land of Babylon into a desolate country 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 sit still in [their] strongholds; their might is vanished; they are become as women: they have burnt 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 runner shall run to meet another runner, and one messenger to meet another messenger, to tell unto the king of Babylon that his city is captured at all ends,
32 lamazibuko abanjiwe, lamaxhaphozi atshiswe ngomlilo, lamadoda empi ethukile.
And that the passages have been seized, and that they have burnt the reeds with fire, and that 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 hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, the daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor, at the time they thresh therein; but yet a little while more, when the time of harvest shall come for her.
34 UNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni ungidlile, ungichobozile; wangibeka ngaba yimbiza engelalutho, wangiginya njengomgobho, wagcwalisa isisu sakhe ngezibondlo zami, wangixotsha.
“Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon devoured me, he crushed me, he set me down as an empty vessel, he swallowed me up like a huge serpent, he filled his belly with my delicacies: he drove 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,” will the inhabitress of Zion say; and “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” will Jerusalem say.
36 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizalumela udaba lwakho, ngiphindisele impindiselo yakho; ngomise ulwandle lwayo, ngenze umthombo wayo wome.
Therefore thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will contend in thy cause, and execute vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and cause her springs to fail.
37 LeBhabhiloni izakuba ngamadundulu, indawo yokuhlala yemigobho, isesabiso, lento yokuncifelwa, kungelamhlali.
And Babylon shall become ruinous heaps, a dwelling-place for monsters, an astonishment, and a derision, without an inhabitant.
38 Bazabhonga kanyekanye njengamabhongo ezilwane, bahwabhe njengemidlwane yezilwane.
Together like lions shall they roar: they shall yell like the lions' whelps.
39 Ekutshisekeni kwabo ngizabenzela amadili, ngibadakise ukuze bathokoze, balale ubuthongo obulaphakade, bangavuki, itsho iNkosi.
When they are heated will I prepare their drinking-feasts, and I will make them drunken, in order that they may be joyful, and [then] sleep a perpetual sleep, and not awake again, saith the Lord.
40 Ngizabehlisa njengamawundlu ekuhlatshweni, njengezinqama kanye lezimpongo.
I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like wethers with he-goats.
41 Ithunjwe njani iSheshaki; yebo, lubanjiwe udumo lomhlaba wonke! IBhabhiloni isibe njani yisesabiso phakathi kwezizwe!
How is Sheshach captured! and how is conquered the praise of the whole earth! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
42 Ulwandle lukhukhumele phezu kweBhabhiloni, isibekelwe ngobunengi bamagagasi alo.
The sea is come up over Babylon: with the multitude of its waves is she covered.
43 Imizi yayo isingamanxiwa, ilizwe elomileyo, lenkangala, ilizwe okungahlali muntu kulo, okungadluli kulo indodana yomuntu.
Her cities are become desolate places, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein not any man shall dwell, and through which no son of man shall pass along.
44 Njalo ngizajezisa uBheli eBhabhiloni, ngikhuphe emlonyeni wakhe lokho akuginyileyo; lezizwe kazisayikujulukela kuyo; yebo, umduli weBhabhiloni uwile.
And I will inflict punishment on Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth what he hath swallowed up out of his mouth; and nations shall not assemble together like a stream unto him any more; yea, the wall of Babylon also is fallen.
45 Phumani phakathi kwayo, bantu bami, likhulule ngulowo lalowo umphefumulo wakhe ekuvutheni kolaka lweNkosi.
Go ye out of the midst of her, my people, and save ye every man his life from the fierceness of the 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 so that your heart may not faint, and ye fear at the report that is heard in the land: when the report cometh in one year, and after that in another year cometh another report, and when violence [be done] in the land, [by] 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, days are coming, when I will inflict punishment on the graven images of Babylon, and her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fail in the midst of her.
48 Kuzakuthi-ke amazulu lomhlaba lakho konke okukukho kuhlabelele ngeBhabhiloni, ngoba abachithi bazayifikela bevela enyakatho, itsho iNkosi.
And then shall the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, sing because of Babylon; for from the north shall come unto her the destroyers, saith the Lord.
49 Njengalokhu iBhabhiloni yenza bawe ababuleweyo bakoIsrayeli, ngokunjalo ababuleweyo bomhlaba wonke bazakuwa eBhabhiloni.
Also Babylon is destined to fall, O ye slain ones of Israel, also at Babylon fall the slain of all the land.
50 Lina eliphunyukileyo enkembeni, hambani, lingemi; khumbulani iNkosi lisekhatshana, leJerusalema ivele enhliziyweni yenu.
[But] ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember afar off the Lord, and let Jerusalem rise up in your heart.
51 Siyangekile ngoba sizwile ihlazo; inhloni zisibekele ubuso bethu, ngoba abezizwe sebefikile ezindaweni ezingcwele zendlu yeNkosi.
“We had been made ashamed, because we had heard reproach: confusion had covered our faces; because strangers were 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.
Therefore, behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will inflict punishment on her graven images: and through all her land shall groan the deadly wounded.
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 should destroyers come unto her, saith the Lord.
54 Kulomsindo wokukhala ovela eBhabhiloni, lokufohlela okukhulu elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
A sound of a painful cry cometh from Babylon, and of a great breach 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 wasteth Babylon, and destroyeth out of her the loud noise; but their waves roar like great waters, the noise of their voice is sent forth;
56 Ngoba umchithi wehlela phezu kwayo, phezu kweBhabhiloni, amaqhawe ayo azathunjwa, amadandili awo ephukile; ngoba iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wezimpindiselo, uzayivuza sibili.
Because the destroyer is come over her, over Babylon, and her mighty men are caught, every one of their bows is broken; for the God of recompenses, the Lord, will 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 drunken her princes, and her wise men, her governors, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not awake again, saith the King, The Lord of hosts is his name.
58 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Imiduli ebanzi yeBhabhiloni izadilizwa ngokupheleleyo, lamasango ayo aphakemeyo athungelwe ngomlilo, labantu batshikatshikele ize, lezizwe zitshikatshikele umlilo, zikhathale.
Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Every one of the broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burnt with fire; so that nations shall have labored in vain, and the people for the fire, and so shall they have wearied themselves.
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 Serayah the son of Neriyah, the son of Machseyah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah unto Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Serayah was chief chamberlain.
60 UJeremiya wasebhala egwalweni konke okubi okuzakwehlela iBhabhiloni, wonke lamazwi abhaliweyo emelene leBhabhiloni.
And Jeremiah wrote down all the evil that should come upon Babylon in one book, namely, all these words that are written concerning Babylon.
61 UJeremiya wasesithi kuSeraya: Lapho usufikile eBhabhiloni, ubone ufunde wonke lamazwi.
And Jeremiah said to Serayah, As thou comest to Babylon, see to it, that thou 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.
And thou shalt say, O Lord, thou thyself hast spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, so that there shall not be in it an inhabitant, either man or beast; but that it shall become a desolate place for ever.
63 Kuzakuthi-ke usuqedile ukulufunda lolugwalo, ubophele ilitshe kulo, uluphosele phakathi kweYufrathi,
And it shall be, when thou hast finished reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and throw it into the midst of the Euphrates;
64 ubususithi: Ngokunjalo iBhabhiloni izatshona, ingabe isavumbuluka, ngenxa yobubi engizayehlisela bona; njalo bazadinwa. Kuze kube lapha ngamazwi kaJeremiya.
And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again from the evil that I will bring upon her: and her people shall be wearied. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
