Jeremiah 10
1 Hear the word that the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel.
Zwana okutshiwo nguThixo kuwe, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli.
2 This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them.
UThixo uthi: “Lingazifundi izindlela zezizwe kumbe ukwethuswa yizibonakaliso zasemkhathini, lanxa nje izizwe zisethuswa yizo.
3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman.
Ngoba imikhuba yabantu iyize, bagamula isihlahla ehlathini, ingcwethi isibaze ngetshizela yayo.
4 They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter.
Bayasicecisa ngesiliva langegolide, basibethele ngesando langezipikili ukuze singanyikinyeki.
5 Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”
Njengezinto zokwethusa endimeni yamajodo, izithombe zabo azikhulumi, kumele zithwalwe ngoba azingeke zihambe. Lingazesabi, azingeke zenze okubi, lokuhle azingeke zikwenze.”
6 There is none like You, O LORD. You are great, and Your name is mighty in power.
Kakho ofana lawe, wena Thixo, wena umkhulu, lebizo lakho lilamandla amakhulu.
7 Who would not fear You, O King of nations? This is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.
Ngubani ongeke akwesabe, wena Nkosi yezizwe? Lokhu kukufanele. Phakathi kwabantu bonke abahlakaniphileyo bezizwe lakuyo yonke imibuso yabo, kakho onjengawe.
8 But they are altogether senseless and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood!
Bonke kabalangqondo njalo bayizithutha, bafundiswa yizithombe zezigodo eziyize.
9 Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz— the work of a craftsman from the hands of a goldsmith. Their clothes are blue and purple, all fashioned by skilled workers.
Isiliva esikhandiweyo siyalethwa sivela eThashishi legolide livela e-Ufazi. Okwenziwe yingcwethi lomkhandi wegolide kugqokiswa okuluhlaza lokuyibubende, njalo konke kwenziwe zingcitshi.
10 But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and eternal King. The earth quakes at His wrath, and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
Kodwa uThixo unguNkulunkulu oqotho, unguNkulunkulu ophilayo, iNkosi yanininini. Lapho ethukuthele, umhlaba uyagedezela, izizwe azingeke zimelane lolaka lwakhe.
11 Thus you are to tell them: “These gods, who have made neither the heavens nor the earth, will perish from this earth and from under these heavens.”
“Batshele lokhu uthi, onkulunkulu laba, abangawenzanga amazulu lomhlaba, bazabhubha emhlabeni langaphansi kwamazulu.”
12 The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.
Kodwa uNkulunkulu wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe, wamisa umhlaba ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe, njalo wendlala lamazulu ngokuqedisisa kwakhe.
13 When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He generates the lightning with the rain and brings forth the wind from His storehouses.
Lapho evungama, amanzi asemazulwini ayahlokoma, wenza amayezi aphakame evela emikhawulweni yomhlaba. Uthumela umbane ulezulu njalo akhuphe umoya eziphaleni zakhe.
14 Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.
Abantu bonke kabalangqondo njalo kabalalwazi, wonke umkhandi wegolide uyangiswa yizithombe zakhe. Izithombe zakhe azenzayo ziyinkohliso, kazilamphefumulo phakathi kwazo.
15 They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment they will perish.
Ziyize, izinto zenhlekisa nje, lapho ukwahlulelwa kwazo sekufikile, zizabhubha.
16 The Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the Maker of all things, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance— the LORD of Hosts is His name.
Lowo oyiNgxenye kaJakhobe kafani lalaba, ngoba unguMenzi wezinto zonke, kubalwa lo-Israyeli, isizwe selifa lakhe, ibizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
17 Gather up your belongings from this land, you who live under siege.
Qoqani impahla yenu ukuba lisuke elizweni, lina elihlezi livinjezelwe.
18 For this is what the LORD says: “Behold, at this time I will sling out the inhabitants of the land and bring distress upon them so that they may be captured.”
Ngoba uThixo uthi, “Ngalesisikhathi ngizabaphosela phandle labo abahlala kulelilizwe, ngizabehlisela usizi ukuze bathunjwe.”
19 Woe to me because of my brokenness; my wound is grievous! But I said, “This is truly my sickness, and I must bear it.”
Maye mina ngenxa yokulimala kwami! Inxeba lami kalelapheki! Ikanti ngazitshela ngathi, “Lo ngumkhuhlane wami, njalo kumele ngiwubekezelele.”
20 My tent is destroyed, and all its ropes are snapped. My sons have departed from me and are no more. I have no one left to pitch my tent or set up my curtains.
Ithente lami lidiliziwe, izintambo zalo zonke ziqumekile. Amadodana ami asukile kimi njalo kawasekho, kakho oseleyo ukuba angimisele ithente lami, loba ongangilungisela amakhetheni ami.
21 For the shepherds have become senseless; they do not seek the LORD. Therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.
Abelusi kabalangqondo njalo kabambuzi uThixo, ngakho kabaphumeleli, njalo lemihlambi yabo yonke ihlakazekile.
22 Listen! The sound of a report is coming— a great commotion from the land to the north. The cities of Judah will be made a desolation, a haunt for jackals.
Lalelani! Umbiko uyeza, ukuxokozela okukhulu okuvela elizweni lenyakatho! Kuzakwenza amadolobho akoJuda achitheke, abe yizikhundla zamakhanka.
23 I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.
Ngiyazi, Oh Thixo, ukuthi ukuphila komuntu akusikho kwakhe, umuntu akusikho kwakhe ukuthi aqondise izinyathelo zakhe.
24 Correct me, O LORD, but only with justice— not in Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.
Ngiqondise Thixo, kodwa kube ngokulunga, kungabi ngolaka lwakho, hlezi ungenze ngibe yize.
25 Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You, and on the families that do not call on Your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have consumed him and finished him off; they have devastated his homeland.
Yehlisela ulaka lwakho phezu kwezizwe ezingakwamukeliyo, phezu kwabantu abangakhuleki ebizweni lakho. Ngoba bamdlile uJakhobe, bamdlile waphela bachitha lelizwe lakhe.
