Jeremiah 14
1 This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuJeremiya mayelana lendaba zembalela.
2 “Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
UJuda uyalila, lamasango akhe adangele; amnyama kuze kube semhlabathini, lokukhala kweJerusalema kwenyukile.
3 The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads.
Njalo izikhulu zakhe zithuma abancinyane bazo emanzini; bafika emithonjeni, bangatholi manzi; babuyele inkonxa zabo zingelalutho, belenhloni, beyangekile, bembomboze ikhanda labo.
4 The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
Ngoba umhlabathi udabukile, ngoba kungekho izulu elizweni, abalimi balenhloni, bambomboza ikhanda labo.
5 Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
Yebo impala layo iyazala egangeni, ikutshiye, ngoba kungelatshani.
6 Wild donkeys stand on barren heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of pasture.”
Labobabhemi beganga bayema emadundulwini, baphembele umoya njengemigobho; amehlo abo ayaphela, ngoba kungelatshani.
7 Although our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, act for the sake of Your name. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against You.
Lanxa izono zethu zifakaza zimelana lathi, Nkosi, yenza ngenxa yebizo lakho; ngoba ukuhlehlela nyovane kwethu kunengi, sonile kuwe.
8 O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are You like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays but a night?
Wena themba likaIsrayeli, uMsindisi wakhe ngesikhathi sembandezelo, kungani uzakuba njengowezizweni elizweni, lanjengesihambi esiphambukela eceleni ukulala ubusuku?
9 Why are You like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? Yet You are among us, O LORD, and we are called by Your name. Do not forsake us!
Kungani uzakuba njengomuntu odidekileyo, njengeqhawe elingelakusindisa. Kanti wena uphakathi kwethu, Nkosi, lebizo lakho libizwe phezu kwethu; ungasitshiyi.
10 This is what the LORD says about this people: “Truly they love to wander; they have not restrained their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; He will now remember their guilt and call their sins to account.”
Itsho njalo iNkosi ngalababantu: Ngokunjalo bathanda ukuzula, kabazinqandanga inyawo zabo; ngakho iNkosi kayithokozi ngabo, khathesi izakhumbula ububi babo, izihambele izono zabo.
11 Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people.
INkosi yasisithi kimi: Ungakhulekeli lababantu kube kuhle.
12 Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
Lapho bezila ukudla, kangiyikuzwa ukukhala kwabo; lalapho benikela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla, kangiyikuthokoza ngabo; kodwa ngizabaqeda ngenkemba langendlala langomatshayabhuqe wesifo.
13 “Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”
Ngasengisithi: Hawu, Nkosi Jehova! Khangela, abaprofethi bathi kubo: Kaliyikubona inkemba, kaliyikuba lendlala, kodwa ngizalinika ukuthula okuqinisekileyo kulindawo.
14 “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.
INkosi yasisithi kimi: Abaprofethi baprofetha amanga ngebizo lami. Kangibathumanga, njalo kangibalayanga, njalo kangikhulumanga kibo; baprofetha kini umbono wamanga, lokuhlahlula, lokuyize, lenkohliso yenhliziyo yabo.
15 Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end!
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi mayelana labaprofethi abaprofetha ebizweni lami, ngoba mina ngingabathumanga, kanti bathi: Inkemba lendlala kakuyikuba khona kulelilizwe: Ngenkemba langendlala labobaprofethi bazaqedwa.
16 And the people to whom they prophesy will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil upon them.
Labantu, abaprofetha kibo, bazakuba ngabaphoselwa ezitaladeni zeJerusalema ngenxa yendlala lenkemba; njalo kungekho obangcwabayo, bona, omkabo, lamadodana abo, lamadodakazi abo; ngoba ngizathululela ububi babo phezu kwabo.
17 You are to speak this word to them: ‘My eyes overflow with tears; day and night they do not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow, a severely grievous wound.
Ngakho uzakutsho lelilizwi kibo elokuthi: Amehlo ami kawehlise inyembezi ebusuku lemini, zingakhawuli, ngoba intombi emsulwa yabantu bami yephukile ngokwephuka okukhulu, ukutshaywa okubuhlungu kakhulu.
18 If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’”
Uba ngiphumela emaphandleni, khangela-ke, ababulewe ngenkemba. Njalo uba ngingena emzini, khangela-ke, abagulayo ngendlala. Yebo, bobabili umprofethi lompristi babhodabhoda elizweni kodwa bengazi.
19 Have You rejected Judah completely? Do You despise Zion? Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We hoped for peace, but no good has come, and for the time of healing, but there was only terror.
Usumalile isibili uJuda yini? Umphefumulo wakho unengwa yiZiyoni yini? Usitshayeleni njalo singabi lokwelatshwa? Salindela ukuthula, kodwa kakubanga lokuhle; lesikhathi sokwelatshwa, kodwa khangela, uvalo.
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.
Siyazi, Nkosi, ukukhohlakala kwethu lobubi babobaba, ngoba sonile kuwe.
21 For the sake of Your name do not despise us; do not disgrace Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us; do not break it.
Ungasideleli, ngenxa yebizo lakho, ungayangisi isihlalo sobukhosi sodumo lwakho; khumbula, ungasephuli isivumelwano sakho lathi.
22 Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.
Kukhona yini phakathi kokuyize kwabezizwe okunganisa izulu? Kumbe amazulu anganika izihlambo yini? Akusuwe yini, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu wethu? Ngakho sizalindela kuwe; ngoba nguwe owenze zonke lezizinto.
