Ndayidzo ngekwe Bhabhiloni
1 Dama lakalebgwa ndi Yahwe ngekwe Bhabhiloni nenge shango ye Bakhaladiya ndi Jeremiya nlebesambeli likati,
2 “Lebani pakati kwe zwitjaba kakale muzibise!
Misani tjilakidzo mulizibise,
musilisumbike ngono muti,
Bhabhiloni yatogwa,
Bheli wabhatisiwa shoni,
Merodaki watemeka mafupa.
3 Ngoti kwadwa itjaba ku bunandzwa tjawon'nginilila,
tjawothukudza shango iye.
Akutjina ungagala muili,
kose bathu ne phuka banowotizha.
4 “Mu mazhuba iyawo, nge tjibaka itjetjo,”
koleba Yahwe,
“bathu be Iziraela ne bathu be Juda banowoshangana,
banowotebula mishodzi kushaka Yahwe Ndzimu wabo.
5 Banowobhuzwa zila inoyenda ku Ziyoni,
ngono bakashanduka bakalinga ku ili.
Banowozha bakazwipa kuna Yahwe,
mu tjidumano tjisingapele,
tjisowofa tjakanganika.
6 “Bathu bangu babe bali pkhwizi dzakalashika,
balisi badzo bakadzitungamilila ntome,
bedzishandusa kulimwe dombo bedziyisa kulimwe,
dzakapungayila kudwa mulimwe dombo kunoti ku matuthu,
dzakakangang'wa danga ladzo.
7 Bose bakadziwana bakadzija,
zwita zwabo zwakati, ‘Atina nlandu,
ngoti bakatjinyila Yahwe, bugalo gwabo gwe lebeswa,
Yahwe ibo kugalabgwe kwa bobatategulu babo.’
8 “Tizhani mudwe mu Bhabhiloni,
bhudani mu shango ye Bakhaladiya,
munge mbudzi ndume dzakatungamila ngubi.
9 Bonani ndowodzonga azhisa nshanganyila
we zwitjaba zwikulu kudwa ku shango ye bunandzwa,
kuwobhayana ne Bhabhiloni.
Banowomazubuyanana nge magalo abo kubhayana nayo,
zowodwa ku bunandzwa ngono zowoitola.
Misebe yabo inowobe inga nyambi dze babhayani,
basingabgwilile bakalembedza maboko.
10 Ndizo Khaladiya inowotolegwa,
bose banoitolela banowotola bakagutshika,”
koleba Yahwe.11 “Nenguba mungashatha, nenguba mungapululudza,
imwi munotola thaka yangu,
nenguba mungatamba tamba se phulu mu bushwa,
mukafula se mbizi ndume,
12 mme benyu banowobhakhwa nge shoni kwazo,
iye wakamuzwala unowolengudzika.
Unowobe ntukununu mu zwitjaba,
kabe ikaka, shango yakawomelela, tjilambanyika.
13 Ngekwe bushongola gwa Yahwe aitowogagwa,
koga inowobe yakathukudzika kwazo.
Bose banopinda paili banowokaabala,
bakazunguza misholo ngekwe mabanga ayo wose.
14 “Imani zubuyanana kupoteleka Bhabhiloni,
imwi mose makabhata matati.
Muipose! Musitjibe misebe,
ngoti yakatjinyila Yahwe.
15 Muipose kudwa mbizho dzose,
yamilidza maboko,
matizhilo ayo awa,
makuma ayo apkhwanyika.
Ngoti ikoko ndiko kuzwibgwilizila kwa Yahwe,
muibgwilizile,
muithamile tjayakathama ku bamwe.
16 Peleledzani badzwali be Bhabhiloni,
ne ntjeli wakabhata sikili mu nsi we kuvuna.
Ngekwe thumo le ntshambilidzi,
mmwe ne mmwe ngaabgwilile ku bathu bakanyi kukwe,
mmwe ne mmwe ngaatizhile ku shango iye.
17 “Iziraela i ngubi yakapalala,
iyo yakatatiwa ne shumba.
We kutanga kuija,
yakabe ili mambo we Asiriya,
we bupelo kupupuna mafupa ayo,
yakabe ili Nebukadineza mambo we Bhabhiloni.”
18 Ndizo Yahwe Masimbawose, Ndzimu we Iziraela bakati,
“Ndowoloba shamu mambo we Bhabhiloni ne shango iye,
koga sekwa ndakaloba shamu mambo we Asiriya.
19 Koga ndowobgwiliza Iziraela ku mafulo ayo,
unowofula mu Karimeli ne Bhashani,
Yemula iye inowogutshika,
mu matombo e Ifureimi ne Giliyadi.
20 Mu mazhuba iyawo, nge tjibaka itjetjo,”
koleba Yahwe.
“Kowoshakiwa nlandu we Iziraela,
ngono unowosheteka,
ngekwe tjibi tje Juda,
akuna tjinowowanika,
ngoti ndowozwiibhatigwa iye wandinosiya ali limbelimbe.
21 “Nginililani shango ye Merathayimu,
na ibabo banogala mu Pekodi.
Ubabhaye, ubapeleledze tjose,
kojalo Yahwe.Thama tjimwe ne tjimwe tjandakudwa.
22 Nsindo we ngwa umu shango,
ne golomodzo gulugulu!
23 Yavunika kakale yathubugwa seni,
hamuli ye shango yose!
Bhabhiloni yathukudzika seni,
pakati kwe zwitjaba!
24 Ndakakubigila bhuzhu iwe Bhabhiloni,
ngono wakabhatshigwa usathu waziba,
wakang'wa ukasungwa,
ngoti wakanyanyayidzana na Yahwe.
25 Yahwe bazhula ng'umba ye babulayi babo,
badusa zwibhayano zwe kugwadzamoyo kwabo,
ngoti She Yahwe Masimbawose bana nshingo wabakafanila kuwoshinga,
mu shango ye Bakhaladiya.
26 Mun'kubunganile kudwa mbizho dzose,
Pkhwanyani muzhule matula ayo,
muakubunganye muthame matuluthulu e mathunde.
Muikolomole tjoselele,
musiisiyile ndodwa ne limbelimbe.
27 Bulayani mikono yayo,
ngaiyende kunobhayiwa!
Yee mme wee bapalala ngoti zhuba lazha,
tjibaka tjabo kuti balobgwe shamu.
28 Hwililani batizhi ne basiya kudwa mu Bhabhiloni,
bazha ku Ziyoni banobika beti,
‘Yahwe Ndzimu wedu babgwilizila,
babgwilizila ngekwe Ng'umba yabo.’
29 “Danani babhayani be misebe bapose Bhabhiloni,
ibabo banopeta matati.
Ikombeni yose,
kushete wapudzumuka.
Ngailipile mishingo yayo,
muithame koga sekwa yakathama.
Ngoti yakazwikudza mbeli kwa Yahwe,
Nyengemali we Iziraela.
30 Ndizo bazhuzha bayo banowowa mu dzizila,
babhayani bayo bose banowolobesiwa mu zhuba ilelo,”
kojalo Yahwe.31 Bona ndobhayana nawe, iwe unozwikudza,
kojalo She Yahwe Masimbawose,
ngoti zhuba ilelo lazha,
zhuba landinowokuloba shamu.
32 Unozwikudza unowokuthiwa kawa,
kukasheta ungammilidza,
ndowobhatidza moto mu mizi iye mikulu,
ngono unowoja kose kwakaipoteleka.
33 “Yahwe Masimbawose bakati,
“Bathu be Iziraela bakatshambilidziwa,
kose ne bathu be Juda bo,
bose bakabatola bakabasunga,
banolamba kubaletja bakayenda.
34 Koga Ndzutunuli wabo nde wakasima,
Yahwe Masimbawose ndilo zina labo.
Nge malebeswa unowobalebelekela,
kuti ndizo azhise kunyaluluka mu shango yabo,
koga azhise kusanyaluluka ku bagali be Bhabhiloni.
35 “Thumo ngali bhayane ne Bakhaladiya,”
kojalo Yahwe,
“Libhayane ne bagali be Bhabhiloni,
libhayane ne makulukota ne balume bayo bakatjenjela!
36 Thumo ngalibhayane ne balebesambeli bayo be manyepkhwa,
kuti ndizo babe zwilengwe.
Thumo ngalibhayane ne babhayani bayo,
kuti ndizo babulawe!
37 Thumo ngalibhayane ne mbizi nenge koloyi dzayo dze mbizi,
ngalibhayane ne be njudzi dzipoga pakati kwayo,
kuti ndizo basale benga bakadzi,
Thumo ngalibhayane ne thundu yayo,
kuti ndizo itogwe.
38 Kuwomelela kube mu vula dzidze,
kuti ndizo dzipkhwe!
Ngoti i shango ye zwifano,
banoshanganyiwa misholo ne midzimu yakabezhiwa.
39 “Ndizo phuka dze shango ne phele dzowogala ko,
fukumudzi dzowogala muili,
Akutjowofa kwabe ne nthu nge kusingapele,
tjizekugwana kuyenda ku tjizekugwana akuna unowogala ko.
40 Kowonga tjibaka Ndzimu pawakakolomola Sodoma ne Gomora,
kose nenge mizi mikulu yakabe yakabapoteleka,”
koleba Yahwe.41 “Bonani, bathu banodwa ku bunandzwa,
itjaba tjikulu na bomambo banjinji,
badzongeka mikumbulo kudwa ku phelelo dze shango.
42 Bamile zubuyanana nge matati ne makanu,
bakasima mimoyo abana ngoni.
Nsindo wabo unonga kusuma kwe gungwa,
bakatatha mbizi,
banozha se balume bakazwilulwamisila ngwa,
kubhayana nawe, iwe nkololokadzi we Bhabhiloni!
43 Mambo we Bhabhiloni wahwa mbiko ngekwabo,
ngono watemeka mafupa,
kupaluka moyo kwan'kulila,
zogwadza zwinonga zwe nkadzi ali mu zwibhayo zwe kutshibama.
44 “Bonani koga se shumba idwa mu ishaka tje Jorodani,
izha kuwobhata pkhwizi mu danga lakasima,
ndowotata Bhabhiloni mu shango yayo tjinyolotjo.
Ndiani wakashalugwa wandingabigila ikoku kene?
Ndiani unonga imi kakale ndiani ungalingisana nami kene?
Nlisi ndiani ungama kalingisana nami kene?
45 Ndizo ke ihwani Yahwe tjabalongolosela Bhabhiloni,
tjabaalakana kutjithamila shango ye Bakhaladiya,
Zwitjetjana zwe mbudzi ne pkhwizi zowotogwa,
unowothukudza mafulo abo ngekwabo.
46 Nge nsindo wekuwa kwe Bhabhiloni shango inowotetema,
tjililo tjayo tjowohwika pakati kwe zwitjaba.”
Babylon's Capture
1 This is the message that the Lord gave me about the city of Babylon and its people:
2 “Tell the news to the nations! Proclaim it!
Give the signal and announce the news!
Do not keep it a secret!
Babylon has fallen!
Her god Marduk has been shattered!
Babylon's idols are put to shame;
her disgusting images are crushed!
3 “A nation from the north has come to attack Babylonia and will make it a desert. People and animals will run away, and no one will live there.”
Israel's Return
4 The Lord says, “When that time comes, the people of both Israel and Judah will come weeping, looking for me, their God. 5 They will ask the way to Zion and then go in that direction. They will make an eternal covenant with me and never break it.
6 “My people are like sheep whose shepherds have let them get lost in the mountains. They have wandered like sheep from one mountain to another, and they have forgotten where their home is. 7 They are attacked by all who find them. Their enemies say, ‘They sinned against the Lord, and so what we have done is not wrong. Their ancestors trusted in the Lord, and they themselves should have remained faithful to him.’
8 “People of Israel, run away from Babylonia! Leave the country! Be the first to leave! 9 I am going to stir up a group of strong nations in the north and make them attack Babylonia. They will line up in battle against the country and conquer it. They are skillful hunters, shooting arrows that never miss the mark. 10 Babylonia will be looted, and those who loot it will take everything they want. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Babylon's Fall
11 The Lord says, “People of Babylonia, you plundered my nation. You are happy and glad, going about like a cow threshing grain or like a neighing horse, 12 but your own great city will be humiliated and disgraced. Babylonia will be the least important nation of all; it will become a dry and waterless desert. 13 Because of my anger no one will live in Babylon; it will be left in ruins, and all who pass by will be shocked and amazed.
14 “Archers, line up for battle against Babylon and surround it. Shoot all your arrows at Babylon, because it has sinned against me, the Lord. 15 Raise the war cry all around the city! Now Babylon has surrendered. Its walls have been broken through and torn down. I am taking my revenge on the Babylonians. So take your revenge on them, and treat them as they have treated others. 16 Do not let seeds be planted in that country nor let a harvest be gathered. Every foreigner living there will be afraid of the attacking army and will go back home.”
Israel's Return
17 The Lord says, “The people of Israel are like sheep, chased and scattered by lions. First, they were attacked by the emperor of Assyria, and then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia gnawed on their bones. 18 Because of this, I, the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, will punish King Nebuchadnezzar and his country, just as I punished the emperor of Assyria. 19 I will restore the people of Israel to their land. They will eat the food that grows on Mount Carmel and in the region of Bashan, and they will eat all they want of the crops that grow in the territories of Ephraim and Gilead. 20 When that time comes, no sin will be found in Israel and no wickedness in Judah, because I will forgive those people whose lives I have spared. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
God's Judgment on Babylonia
21 The Lord says, “Attack the people of Merathaim and of Pekod. Kill and destroy them. Do everything I command you. I, the Lord, have spoken. 22 The noise of battle is heard in the land, and there is great destruction. 23 Babylonia hammered the whole world to pieces, and now that hammer is shattered! All the nations are shocked at what has happened to that country. 24 Babylonia, you fought against me, and you have been caught in the trap I set for you, even though you did not know it. 25 I have opened the place where my weapons are stored, and in my anger I have taken them out, because I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, have work to do in Babylonia. 26 Attack it from every side and break open the places where its grain is stored! Pile up the loot like piles of grain! Destroy the country! Leave nothing at all! 27 Kill all their soldiers! Slaughter them! The people of Babylonia are doomed! The time has come for them to be punished!”
( 28 Refugees escape from Babylonia and come to Jerusalem, and they tell how the Lord our God took revenge for what the Babylonians had done to his Temple.)
29 “Tell the archers to attack Babylon. Send out everyone who knows how to use the bow and arrow. Surround the city and don't let anyone escape. Pay it back for all it has done, and treat it as it has treated others, because it acted with pride against me, the Holy One of Israel. 30 So its young men will be killed in the city streets, and all its soldiers will be destroyed on that day. I, the Lord, have spoken.
31 “Babylonia, you are filled with pride, so I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, am against you! The time has come for me to punish you. 32 Your proud nation will stumble and fall, and no one will help you up. I will set your cities on fire, and everything around will be destroyed.”
33 The Lord Almighty says, “The people of Israel and of Judah are oppressed. All who captured them are guarding them closely and will not let them go. 34 But the one who will rescue them is strong—his name is the Lord Almighty. He himself will take up their cause and will bring peace to the earth, but trouble to the people of Babylonia.”
35 The Lord says,
“Death to Babylonia!
Death to its people,
to its rulers, to its people of wisdom.
36 Death to its lying prophets—
what fools they are!
Death to its soldiers—
how terrified they are!
37 Destroy its horses and chariots!
Death to its hired soldiers—
how weak they are!
Destroy its treasures;
plunder and loot.
38 Bring a drought on its land
and dry up its rivers.
Babylonia is a land of terrifying idols
that have made fools of the people.
39 “And so Babylon will be haunted by demons and evil spirits, and by unclean birds. Never again will people live there, not for all time to come. 40 The same thing will happen to Babylon that happened to Sodom and Gomorrah, when I destroyed them and the nearby towns. No one will ever live there again. I, the Lord, have spoken.
41 “People are coming from a country in the north,
a mighty nation far away;
many kings are preparing for war.
42 They have taken their bows and swords;
they are cruel and merciless.
They sound like the roaring sea,
as they ride their horses.
They are ready for battle against Babylonia.
43 The king of Babylonia hears the news,
and his hands hang limp.
He is seized by anguish,
by pain like a woman in labor.
44 “Like a lion coming out of the thick woods along the Jordan up to the green pasture land, I, the Lord, will come and make the Babylonians run away suddenly from their city. Then the leader I choose will rule the nation. Who can be compared to me? Who would dare challenge me? What ruler could oppose me? 45 So listen to the plan that I have made against the city of Babylon and to what I intend to do to its people. Even their children will be dragged off, and everyone will be horrified. 46 When Babylon falls, there will be such a noise that the entire earth will shake, and the cries of alarm will be heard by the other nations.”