Jeremiah 11
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini, lisithi:
2 “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
Zwanini amazwi alesisivumelwano, likhulume ebantwini bakoJuda lakubahlali beJerusalema.
3 and say to them, the LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘Cursed is the man who does not hear the words of this covenant,
Njalo uthi kibo: Itsho njalo INkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Uqalekisiwe umuntu ongalaleli amazwi alesisivumelwano,
4 which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace,’ saying, ‘Obey my voice and do them, according to all which I command you; so you shall be my people, and I will be your God;
engawalayela oyihlo ngosuku engibakhupha ngalo elizweni leGibhithe, esithandweni sensimbi, ngisithi: Lalelani ilizwi lami, liwenze njengakho konke engililaya khona; ngalokho lizakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu,
5 that I may establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey,’ as it is today.” Then I answered, and said, “Amen, LORD.”
ukuze ngimise isifungo engasifunga kuboyihlo ukuthi ngibanike ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju, njengalamuhla. Ngasengiphendula ngathi: Ameni, Nkosi.
6 The LORD said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Hear the words of this covenant, and do them.
INkosi yasisithi kimi: Memezela wonke lamazwi emizini yakoJuda lezitaladeni zeJerusalema, usithi: Zwanini amazwi alesisivumelwano, liwenze.
7 For I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and protesting, saying, “Obey my voice.”
Ngoba ngafakaza lokufakaza kuboyihlo ngosuku engabakhuphula ngalo elizweni leGibhithe, kuze kube lamuhla, ngivuka ngovivi ngifakaza, ngisithi: Lalelani ilizwi lami.
8 Yet they did not obey, nor turn their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of their evil heart. Therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not do them.’”
Kodwa kabalalelanga, kababekanga indlebe yabo, kodwa bahamba, ngulowo lalowo ngobulukhuni benhliziyo yabo embi. Ngakho ngizaletha phezu kwabo wonke amazwi alesisivumelwano, engabalaya ukuthi bawenze, kodwa kabawenzanga.
9 The LORD said to me, “A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
INkosi yasisithi kimi: Kutholakele ugobe phakathi kwabantu bakoJuda, laphakathi kwabahlali beJerusalema.
10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
Sebebuyele eziphambekweni zabokhokho babo, abala ukuzwa ilizwi lami; bona balandela abanye onkulunkulu ukuze babakhonze; indlu yakoIsrayeli lendlu yakoJuda zisephulile isivumelwano sami engasenza laboyise.
11 Therefore the LORD says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on them which they will not be able to escape; and they will cry to me, but I will not listen to them.
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizaletha okubi phezu kwabo, abangeke baphume kukho; lapho bekhala kimi, kangiyikubezwa.
12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to which they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
Khona imizi yakoJuda labahlali beJerusalema bezahamba bakhale kubonkulunkulu ababatshisela impepha, kodwa kabayikubasindisa lokubasindisa ngesikhathi sobubi babo.
13 For according to the number of your cities are your gods, Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense to Baal.’
Ngoba njengenani lemizi yakho babenjalo onkulunkulu bakho, Juda, lanjengenani lezitalada zeJerusalema limisile amalathi kulokhu okuyangisayo, amalathi okutshisela uBhali impepha.
14 “Therefore do not pray for this people. Do not lift up cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble.
Ngakho wena ungabakhulekeli lababantu, futhi ungabaphakamiseli ukukhala kumbe umkhuleko, ngoba kangiyikuzwa ngesikhathi sokukhala kwabo kimi ngenxa yenhlupheko yabo.
15 What has my beloved to do in my house, since she has behaved lewdly with many, and the holy flesh has passed from you? When you do evil, then you rejoice.”
Othandekayo wami ulani endlini yami, lokhu enze amanyala labanengi, lenyama engcwele isiyedlule kuwe yini? Lapho usenza okubi, kulapho uthokoza.
16 The LORD called your name, “A green olive tree, beautiful with goodly fruit.” With the noise of a great roar he has kindled fire on it, and its branches are broken.
INkosi yabiza ibizo lakho ngokuthi: Isihlahla somhlwathi esiluhlaza esihle ngezithelo ezinhle; ngomsindo wenhlokomo enkulu izasithungela ngomlilo, lengatsha zaso zephuke.
17 For the LORD of Armies, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done to themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense to Baal.
Ngoba iNkosi yamabandla, eyakuhlanyelayo, ikhulumile okubi ngawe, ngenxa yobubi bendlu yakoIsrayeli lobendlu yakoJuda, abakwenzileyo bemelene labo ngokwabo ukungicunula ngokutshisela uBhali impepha.
18 The LORD gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it. Then you showed me their doings.
INkosi yasingazisa ukuthi ngazi; wasungitshengisa izenzo zabo.
19 But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter. I did not know that they had devised plans against me, saying, “Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit, and let’s cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.”
Kodwa mina nganginjengewundlu kumbe inkabi kusiwa ekuhlatshweni; ngoba ngangingazi ukuthi baceba amacebo bemelene lami, besithi: Asichithe isihlahla lesithelo saso; asimqume asuke elizweni labaphilayo, ukuze ibizo lakhe lingabe lisakhunjulwa.
20 But, LORD of Armies, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, I will see your vengeance on them; for to you I have revealed my cause.
Kodwa, wena Nkosi yamabandla, umahluleli olungileyo, ohlola izinso lenhliziyo, kangibone impindiselo yakho kibo; ngoba ngembule udaba lwami kuwe.
21 “Therefore the LORD says concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy in the LORD’s name, that you not die by our hand’—
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi ngamadoda eAnathothi, adinga impilo yakho, esithi: Ungaprofethi ngebizo leNkosi, ukuze ungafi ngesandla sethu.
22 therefore the LORD of Armies says, ‘Behold, I will punish them. The young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die by famine.
Ngakho itsho njalo INkosi yamabandla: Khangela, ngizawajezisa; amajaha azakufa ngenkemba, amadodana awo lamadodakazi awo azakufa ngendlala,
23 There will be no remnant to them, for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.’”
njalo kakuyikuba lensali kuwo; ngoba ngizaletha okubi phezu kwamadoda eAnathothi, ngomnyaka wempindiselo yawo.
