Jeremiah 2
1 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi lisithi:
2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says Jehovah, I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, how thou went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
Hamba uyememezela endlebeni zeJerusalema usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngiyakukhumbula, umusa wobutsha bakho, uthando lokuganwa kwakho, ukungilandela kwakho enkangala, elizweni elingahlanyelwanga.
3 Israel was holiness to Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase. All who devour him shall be held guilty. Evil shall come upon them, says Jehovah.
UIsrayeli wayeyibungcwele eNkosini, izithelo zokuqala zesivuno sayo; bonke abamudlayo bazakuba lecala, ububi buzabehlela, itsho iNkosi.
4 Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.
Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, ndlu kaJakobe, lensendo zonke zendlu kaIsrayeli.
5 Thus says Jehovah: What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and have become vain?
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Yibubi bani oyihlo ababuthola kimi, ukuze baye khatshana lami, balandele okuyize, babe yize?
6 Nor did they say, Where is Jehovah who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that none passed through, and where no man dwelt?
Njalo kabatshongo ukuthi: Ingaphi iNkosi eyasenyusa elizweni leGibhithe, eyasikhokhela enkangala, elizweni elilamagwadule lelilemigodi, elizweni lokoma, lelethunzi lokufa, elizweni umuntu angalidabulanga, lalapho okungahlalanga muntu khona?
7 And I brought you into a plentiful land, to eat the fruit of it and the goodness of it. But when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
Njalo ngaliletha elizweni elivundileyo, ukuze lidle izithelo zalo lokuhle kwalo; kodwa selingenile lalingcolisa ilizwe lami, lenza ilifa lami laba yisinengiso.
8 The priests did not say, Where is Jehovah? And those who handle the law did not know me. The rulers also transgressed against me. And the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
Abapristi kabatshongo ukuthi: Ingaphi iNkosi? Lalabo abaphatha umlayo kabangazanga; lababusi baphambuka bemelene lami; labaprofethi baprofetha ngoBhali, balandela izinto ezingasiziyo.
9 Therefore I will yet contend with you, says Jehovah, and I will contend with your son's sons.
Ngakho ngisezaphikisana lawe, itsho iNkosi, njalo ngizaphikisana labantwana babantwana benu.
10 For pass over to the isles of Kittim, and see, and send to Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there has been such a thing.
Ngoba dlulelani ezihlengeni zeKhithimi libone, lithumele eKedari, linakane kuhle, libone ukuthi kukhona into enjengale yini?
11 Has a nation changed its gods, which yet are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.
Isizwe sake santshintsha yini onkulunkulu baso, abangeyisibo onkulunkulu? Kodwa abantu bami bantshintshile uDumo lwabo ngalokho okungasizi lutho.
12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid. Be ye very desolate, says Jehovah.
Mangalani kakhulu, mazulu, ngalokhu, lethuke, lichitheke kakhulu, itsho iNkosi.
13 For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Ngoba abantu bami benzile izinto ezimbi ezimbili; bangidelile mina mthombo wamanzi aphilayo, ukuthi bazigebhele izikhongozelo, izikhongozelo ezidabukileyo, ezingegcine manzi.
14 Is Israel a servant? Is he a homebred one? Why has he become a prey?
UIsrayeli uyisigqili yini? Kumbe esizelwe ekhaya yini? Kungani waba yimpango?
15 The young lions have roared upon him, and yelled, and they have made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.
Amabhongo ezilwane abhongele phezu kwakhe, akhupha ilizwi lawo, enza ilizwe lakhe laba yincithakalo; imizi yakhe itshisiwe ingelamhlali.
16 The sons also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of thy head.
Futhi abantwana beNofi leThahaphanesi badlele enkanda yakho.
17 Have thou not procured this to thyself, in that thou have forsaken Jehovah thy God when he led thee by the way?
Kawuzenzelanga lokhu yini, ngokuthi udele iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ngesikhathi ikukhokhela endleleni?
18 And now what have thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or what have thou to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
Khathesi-ke ulani lendlela yeGibhithe, ukuthi unathe amanzi eSihori? Futhi ulani lendlela yeAsiriya, ukuthi unathe amanzi omfula?
19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee. Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou have forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, says the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
Ububi bakho buzakulaya, lokuhlehlela kwakho nyovane kuzakukhuza. Ngakho yazi ubone ukuthi kuyinto embi lebabayo ukuthi uyidelile iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, lokuthi ukungesaba kakukho kuwe, itsho iNkosi uJehova wamabandla.
20 For from old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds. And thou said, I will not serve, for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou bowed thyself, playing the harlot.
Ngoba kwasendulo ngephula ijogwe lakho, ngaqamula izibopho zakho; wasusithi: Kangiyikukhonza; kodwa phezu kwalo lonke uqaqa oluphakemeyo langaphansi kwaso sonke isihlahla esiluhlaza wazulazula njengesifebe.
21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed. How then have thou turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?
Kube kanti mina ngakuhlanyela, ulivini elihle, inhlanyelo ethembekileyo ngokupheleleyo. Pho, usuphenduke njani waba lugatsha olonakeleyo lwevini lemzini kimi?
22 For though thou wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, says the lord Jehovah.
Ngoba lanxa ugeza ngesoda, uzithathele isepa enengi, kanti ububi bakho bube lichatha phambi kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
23 How can thou say, I am not defiled; I have not gone after the Baalim? See thy way in the valley. Know what thou have done, a swift dromedary traversing her ways,
Ungatsho njani ukuthi: Kangingcolanga, kangilandelanga oBhali? Bona indlela yakho esigodini, wazi ukuthi wenzeni, kamela elisikazi elilejubane elizulazula ezindleleni zalo.
24 a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that sniffs up the wind in her desire. In her time of estrus who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves. In her month they shall find her.
Ungubabhemi weganga owejwayele inkangala, ophembela umoya enkanukweni yenhliziyo yakhe. Ngubani ongamvimbela enkanukweni yakhe? Bonke abamdingayo kabayikuzidinisa; ngenyanga yakhe bazamthola.
25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou said, It is in vain. No, for I have loved strangers, and after them I will go.
Nqanda unyawo lwakho ekungabini ngolungelasicathulo, lomphimbo wakho ekomeni; kodwa wena wathi: Kakulathemba; hatshi; ngoba ngathanda abemzini, njalo ngizabalandela.
26 As the thief is shamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel shamed, they, their kings, their rulers, and their priests, and their prophets,
Njengesela lilenhloni lapho selibanjiwe, ngokunjalo indlu kaIsrayeli ilenhloni, bona, amakhosi abo, iziphathamandla zabo, labapristi babo, labaprofethi babo,
27 who say to a block of wood, Thou are my father, and to a stone, Thou have brought me forth. For they have turned their back to me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
besithi esigodweni: Wena ungubaba; lelitsheni: Wena wangizala. Ngoba baphendulele umhlana kimi, hatshi-ke ubuso; kodwa ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka kwabo bazakuthi: Sukuma, usisindise!
28 But where are thy gods that thou have made thee? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble. For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
Kodwa bangaphi onkulunkulu bakho ozenzele bona? Kabasukume uba bengakusindisa ngesikhathi sobubi bakho; ngoba njengenani lemizi yakho bangako onkulunkulu bakho, Juda.
29 Why will ye contend with me? Ye have all transgressed against me, says Jehovah.
Liphikisanelani lami? Lonke liphambekile kimi, itsho iNkosi.
30 In vain I have smitten your sons. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a destroying lion.
Ngibatshayile abantwana benu ngeze; kabemukelanga ukuqondiswa; inkemba yenu ibadlile abaprofethi benu, njengesilwane esichithayo.
31 O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why do my people say, We have broken loose. We will come no more to thee?
Wena sizukulwana, lina bonani ilizwi leNkosi. Bengiyinkangala yini kuIsrayeli? Kumbe ilizwe lobumnyama obunzima yini? Batsholoni abantu bami ukuthi: Sizulazulile; kasisayikuza kuwe?
32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
Intombi ingazikhohlwa yini iziceciso zayo, kumbe umakoti amabhanti akhe? Kanti abantu bami bangikhohliwe insuku ezingelanani.
33 How thou trim thy way to seek love! Therefore even the wicked women thou have taught thy ways.
Kungani ulungisa indlela yakho ekudingeni uthando? Ngakho ubafundisile labo ababi izindlela zakho.
34 Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor. Thou did not find them breaking in. But it is because of all these things.
Lezigqokweni zakho kutholakala igazi lemiphefumulo yabayanga abangelacala; kawubatholanga befohlela phakathi, kodwa phezu kwakho konke lokhu.
35 Yet thou said, I am innocent. Surely his anger is turned away from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee because thou say, I have not sinned.
Kanti wena uthi: Ngoba kangilacala, isibili intukuthelo yakhe izaphenduka isuke kimi. Khangela, ngizakwehlulelana lawe, ngoba uthi: Kangonanga.
36 Why do thou gad about so much to change thy way? Thou shall be ashamed of Egypt also, as thou were ashamed of Assyria.
Kungani uzulazula kangaka ukuntshintsha indlela yakho? Uzayangiswa yiGibhithe layo, njengoba wayangiswa yiAsiriya.
37 Thou shall also go forth from there with thy hands upon thy head. For Jehovah has rejected those in whom thou trust. And thou shall not prosper with them.
Yebo, uzaphuma usuka lapha, lezandla zakho ziphezu kwekhanda lakho, ngoba iNkosi iwalile amathemba akho, njalo kawuyikuphumelela ngawo.
