UJeremiya 51
1 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela ngizavusela iBhabhiloni lalabo abahlala enhliziyweni yalabo abangivukelayo umoya ochithayo.
The LORD says: “Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against those who dwell in Lebkamai, a destroying wind.
2 Ngithume eBhabhiloni abelayo, abazakuyela, bathulule ilizwe layo, ngoba bazamelana layo bevela inhlangothi zonke ngosuku lobubi.
I will send to Babylon strangers, who will winnow her. They will empty her land; for in the day of trouble they will be against her all around.
3 Kakuthi otshokayo agobise idandili lakhe emelene loligobisayo, njalo emelene loziphakamisayo ebhatshini lakhe lensimbi; njalo lingawayekeli amajaha ayo, lilitshabalalise ibutho layo lonke.
Against him who bends, let the archer bend his bow, also against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail. Don’t spare her young men! Utterly destroy all her army!
4 Ngokunjalo ababuleweyo bazakuwa elizweni lamaKhaladiya, labagwazwe ezitaladeni zayo.
They will fall down slain in the land of the Kasdim, and thrust through in her streets.
5 Ngoba uIsrayeli kayikutshiywa, loJuda nguNkulunkulu wabo, yiNkosi yamabandla, lanxa ilizwe labo ligcwele icala koNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, by his God, by the LORD of Hosts; though their land is full of guilt 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 middle of Babylon! Everyone save his own life! Don’t be cut off in her iniquity, for it is the time of the LORD’s vengeance. He will render to her a recompense.
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, who made all the earth drunk. The nations have drunk of her wine; therefore the nations have gone mad.
8 IBhabhiloni yahle yawa, yephuka; qhinqani isililo ngayo, lithathele ubuhlungu bayo ibhalisamu, mhlawumbe ingelatshwa.
Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed! Wail for her! Take balm for her pain. 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 is not healed. Forsake her, and let’s each go into his own country; for her judgment reaches to heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
10 INkosi ikhuphe ukulunga kwethu; wozani, silandise eZiyoni umsebenzi weNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu.
‘The LORD has produced our righteousness. Come, and let’s 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 the arrows sharp! Hold the shields firmly! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it; for 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 a standard against the walls of Babylon! Make the watch strong! Set the watchmen, and prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both purposed and done that which he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 Wena ohlala emanzini amanengi, owande ngamagugu, ukuphela kwakho sekufikile, isilinganiso senzuzo yakho embi.
You who dwell on many waters, abundant in treasures, your end has come, 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 locusts, and they will 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. By his understanding he has 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.
When he utters his voice, there is a roar of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and brings the wind out of his treasuries.
17 Wonke umuntu uyisiphukuphuku kalalwazi; wonke umkhandi wegolide uyangiswa yisithombe esibaziweyo, ngoba isithombe sakhe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa siyinkohliso, njalo kakulamoya kuzo.
“Every man has become stupid and without knowledge. Every goldsmith is disappointed by his image, for his molten images are falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
18 Ziyize, umsebenzi wezinkohliso; ngesikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwazo zizabhubha.
They are vanity, a work of delusion. In the time of their visitation, they will 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 these, for he formed all things, including 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,
“You are my battle ax and weapons of war. With you I will break the nations into pieces. With you I will destroy kingdoms.
21 langawe ngiphahlaze ibhiza lomgadi walo, langawe ngiphahlaze inqola lomkhweli wayo,
With you I will break in pieces the horse and his rider.
22 langawe ngiphahlaze indoda lowesifazana, langawe ngiphahlaze ixhegu lomutsha, langawe ngiphahlaze ijaha lentombi,
With you I will break in pieces the chariot and him who rides therein. With you I will break in pieces man and woman. With you I will break in pieces the old man and the youth. With you I will break in pieces the young man and the virgin.
23 langawe ngiphahlaze umelusi lomhlambi wakhe, langawe ngiphahlaze umlimi lesipani sakhe, langawe ngiphahlaze ababusi lezinduna.
With you I will break in pieces the shepherd and his flock. With you I will break in pieces the farmer and his yoke. With you I will break in pieces governors and deputies.
24 Njalo ngizayiphindisela iBhabhiloni labo bonke abahlali beKhaladiya konke okubi kwabo abakwenzileyo eZiyoni emehlweni enu, itsho iNkosi.
“I will render to Babylon and to all the inhabitants of the Kasdim for 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, destroying mountain,” says the LORD, “which destroys all the earth. I will stretch out my hand on you, roll you down from the rocks, and will make you a burned mountain.
26 Njalo kabayikuthatha kuwe ilitshe libe ngelengonsi, lelitshe libe ngelezisekelo; ngoba uzakuba ngamanxiwa aphakade, itsho iNkosi.
They won’t take a cornerstone from you, nor a stone for foundations; but you will be desolate forever,” 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 up a standard in the land! Blow the shofar among the nations! Prepare the nations against her! Call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz! Appoint a marshal against her! Cause the horses to come up as the swarming locusts!
28 Lungisani izizwe ukumelana layo, amakhosi amaMede, induna zayo, lababusi bayo bonke, lelizwe lonke lombuso wayo.
Prepare against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, its governors, and all its deputies, 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.
The land trembles and is in pain; for the purposes of the LORD against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without 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 stopped fighting, they remain in their strongholds. Their might has failed. They have become as women. Her dwelling places are set on fire. Her bars are broken.
31 Isigijimi sizagijima ukuhlangana lesigijimi, lombiki ukuhlangana lombiki, ukutshela inkosi yeBhabhiloni ukuthi umuzi wayo uthunjiwe kusukela ekucineni,
One runner will run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter.
32 lamazibuko abanjiwe, lamaxhaphozi atshiswe ngomlilo, lamadoda empi ethukile.
So the passages are seized. They have burned the reeds with fire. The men of war are frightened.”
33 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Indodakazi yeBhabhiloni injengebala lokubhulela; kuyisikhathi sokuyinyathela; kuseyisikhatshana, lesikhathi sesivuno sizafika kuyo.
For the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel says: “The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden. Yet a little while, and the time of harvest comes for her.”
34 UNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni ungidlile, ungichobozile; wangibeka ngaba yimbiza engelalutho, wangiginya njengomgobho, wagcwalisa isisu sakhe ngezibondlo zami, wangixotsha.
“Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me. He has crushed me. He has made me an empty vessel. He has, like a monster, swallowed me up. He has filled his mouth with my delicacies. He has cast me out.
35 Udlakela lwami lolwenyama yami kube phezu kweBhabhiloni, utsho umhlalikazi weZiyoni; legazi lami libe phezu kwabahlali beKhaladiya, itsho iJerusalema.
May the violence done to me and to my flesh be on Babylon!” the inhabitant of Zion will say; and, “May my blood be on the inhabitants of Kasdim!” will Jerusalem say.
36 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizalumela udaba lwakho, ngiphindisele impindiselo yakho; ngomise ulwandle lwayo, ngenze umthombo wayo wome.
Therefore the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your cause, and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry.
37 LeBhabhiloni izakuba ngamadundulu, indawo yokuhlala yemigobho, isesabiso, lento yokuncifelwa, kungelamhlali.
Babylon will become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.
38 Bazabhonga kanyekanye njengamabhongo ezilwane, bahwabhe njengemidlwane yezilwane.
They will roar together like young lions. They will growl as lions’ cubs.
39 Ekutshisekeni kwabo ngizabenzela amadili, ngibadakise ukuze bathokoze, balale ubuthongo obulaphakade, bangavuki, itsho iNkosi.
When they are inflamed, I will make their feast, and I will make them drunk, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake up,” says the LORD.
40 Ngizabehlisa njengamawundlu ekuhlatshweni, njengezinqama kanye lezimpongo.
“I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with male goats.
41 Ithunjwe njani iSheshaki; yebo, lubanjiwe udumo lomhlaba wonke! IBhabhiloni isibe njani yisesabiso phakathi kwezizwe!
“How Sheshach is taken! How the praise of the whole earth is seized! How Babylon has become a desolation among the nations!
42 Ulwandle lukhukhumele phezu kweBhabhiloni, isibekelwe ngobunengi bamagagasi alo.
The sea has come up on Babylon. She is covered with the multitude of its waves.
43 Imizi yayo isingamanxiwa, ilizwe elomileyo, lenkangala, ilizwe okungahlali muntu kulo, okungadluli kulo indodana yomuntu.
Her cities have become a desolation, a dry land, and a desert, a land in which no man dwells. No son of man passes by it.
44 Njalo ngizajezisa uBheli eBhabhiloni, ngikhuphe emlonyeni wakhe lokho akuginyileyo; lezizwe kazisayikujulukela kuyo; yebo, umduli weBhabhiloni uwile.
I will execute judgment on Bel in Babylon, and I will bring out of his mouth that which he has swallowed up. The nations will not flow any more to him. Yes, the wall of Babylon will fall.
45 Phumani phakathi kwayo, bantu bami, likhulule ngulowo lalowo umphefumulo wakhe ekuvutheni kolaka lweNkosi.
“My people, go away from the middle of her, and each of you save yourselves from the LORD’s fierce anger.
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.
Don’t let your heart faint. Don’t fear for the news that will be heard in the land. For news will come one year, and after that in another year news will come, 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 execute judgment on the engraved images of Babylon; and her whole land will be confounded. All her slain will fall in the middle of her.
48 Kuzakuthi-ke amazulu lomhlaba lakho konke okukukho kuhlabelele ngeBhabhiloni, ngoba abachithi bazayifikela bevela enyakatho, itsho iNkosi.
Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is therein, will sing for joy over Babylon; for the destroyers will come to 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 the slain of all the land will fall at Babylon.
50 Lina eliphunyukileyo enkembeni, hambani, lingemi; khumbulani iNkosi lisekhatshana, leJerusalema ivele enhliziyweni yenu.
You who have escaped the sword, go! Don’t stand still! Remember the LORD from afar, 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. Confusion has covered our faces, for strangers have 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, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will execute judgment on her engraved images; and through all her land the wounded will 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 the sky, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet destroyers will come to her from me,” says the LORD.
54 Kulomsindo wokukhala ovela eBhabhiloni, lokufohlela okukhulu elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
“The sound of a cry comes from Babylon, and of great destruction from the land of the Kasdim!
55 Ngoba iNkosi ichithile iBhabhiloni, yabhubhisa kuyo ilizwi elikhulu. Lapho amagagasi abo ahlokoma njengamanzi amanengi, umsindo wawo uzakhupha ilizwi.
For the LORD lays Babylon waste, and destroys out of her the great voice! Their waves roar like many waters. The 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.
For the destroyer has come on her, even on Babylon. Her mighty men are taken. Their bows are broken in pieces, for the LORD is a God of retribution. He will surely repay.
57 Ngizadakisa-ke iziphathamandla zayo, lezihlakaniphi zayo, ababusi bayo, lenduna zayo, lamaqhawe ayo; njalo bazalala ubuthongo obulaphakade, bangavuki, itsho iNkosi, obizo layo nguJehova wamabandla.
I will make her princes, her wise men, her governors, her deputies, and her mighty men drunk. They will sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake up,” 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.
The LORD of Hosts says: “The wide walls of Babylon will be utterly overthrown. Her high gates will be burned with fire. The peoples will labor for vanity, and the nations for the fire; and they will 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 Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was chief quartermaster.
60 UJeremiya wasebhala egwalweni konke okubi okuzakwehlela iBhabhiloni, wonke lamazwi abhaliweyo emelene leBhabhiloni.
Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come on Babylon, even all these words that are written concerning Babylon.
61 UJeremiya wasesithi kuSeraya: Lapho usufikile eBhabhiloni, ubone ufunde wonke lamazwi.
Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “When you come to Babylon, then see that you 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 say, ‘LORD, you have spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, that no one will dwell in it, neither man nor animal, but that it will be desolate forever.’
63 Kuzakuthi-ke usuqedile ukulufunda lolugwalo, ubophele ilitshe kulo, uluphosele phakathi kweYufrathi,
It will be, when you have finished reading this book, that you shall bind a stone to it, and cast it into the middle of the Euphrates.
64 ubususithi: Ngokunjalo iBhabhiloni izatshona, ingabe isavumbuluka, ngenxa yobubi engizayehlisela bona; njalo bazadinwa. Kuze kube lapha ngamazwi kaJeremiya.
Then you shall say, ‘Thus will Babylon sink, and will not rise again because of the evil that I will bring on her; and they will be weary.’” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
