Jeremiah 2
1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi,
2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
“Hamba umemezele iJerusalema lisizwa uthi: Lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Ngiyakukhumbula ukuzinikela kwasebutsheni bakho, ukungithanda kwakho njengomlobokazi ungilandela enkangala, phakathi kwelizwe elingahlanyelwanga.
3 Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her found themselves guilty; disaster came upon them,’” declares the LORD.
U-Israyeli wayengcwele kuThixo, eyizithelo zakuqala zesivuno sakhe, bonke abamtshwabadelayo baba lecala, behlelwa yincithakalo,’” kutsho uThixo.
4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel.
Zwana ilizwi likaThixo, we ndlu kaJakhobe, lani lonke sendo lwendlu ka-Israyeli.
5 This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?
UThixo uthi: “Yibubi bani okhokho benu ababubona kimi, baze bedukele khatshana kangaka lami? Balandela izithombe eziyize, labo ngokwabo baba yize.
6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
Kababuzanga ukuthi, ‘Ungaphi uThixo, owasikhupha elizweni laseGibhithe wasikhokhela emagangeni alugwadule phakathi kwelizwe lezinkangala lezindonga, ilizwe lokoma lobumnyama, ilizwe elingahanjwa muntu lelingelamuntu ohlala kulo?’
7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable.
Ngaliletha elizweni elivundileyo ukuba lidle izithelo zalo lezilimo ezinhle. Kodwa lina lafika langcolisa ilizwe lami, lenza ilifa lami langakhwabitheki.
8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.
Abaphristi kababuzanga ukuthi, ‘Ungaphi UThixo?’ Labo abaphatha umthetho abangazanga; abakhokheli bangihlamukela. Abaphrofethi baphrofetha ngoBhali balandela izithombe eziyize.
9 Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.
Ngakho-ke ngilethesa amacala futhi,” kutsho uThixo. “Labantwana babantwana benu ngizabethesa amacala.
10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:
Welani liye ngasemakhunjini aseKhithimi likhangele, thumelani eKhedari lihlolisise kuhle, libone langabe sekwake kwaba lento enjengale:
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
Isizwe sake santshintsha onkulunkulu baso na? (Belo bavele kabasibo onkulunkulu.) Kodwa abantu bami bantshintshe inkazimulo yabo ngenxa yezithombe eziyize.
12 Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,”
Mangalani lokhu, lina mazulu, lithuthumele ngokwesaba okukhulu,” kutsho UThixo.
13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns— broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
“Abantu bami benze izono ezimbili: Bangidelile, mina mthombo wamanzi okuphila, bagebha eyabo imithombo, imithombo evuzayo engagcini manzi.
14 Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey?
Kambe u-Israyeli yisisebenzi, isigqili ngokuzalwa na? Pho kungani eseyimpango na?
15 The young lions have roared at him; they have growled with a loud voice. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.
Izilwane zibhongile; sezihwabhile kuye. Zilichithile ilizwe lakhe; amadolobho akhe atshisiwe, atshiywa engaselamuntu.
16 The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.
Njalo, labantu baseMemfisi leThahiphanesi baphuce ikhanda lakho.
17 Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?
Lokhu kawukwehliselanga phezu kwakho ngokudela uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho lapho ekukhokhela endleleni na?
18 Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
Khathesi kungani usiya eGibhithe ukuba unathe amanzi eShihori na? Njalo kungani usiya e-Asiriya ukuba unathe amanzi eYufrathe na?
19 Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,”
Ububi bakho buzakujezisa; ukutshedela kwakho emuva kuzakukhuza. Ngakho cabanga ubone ukuthi kubi njalo kubuhlungu kanjani lapho udela uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho njalo ungelavalo ngami,” kutsho iNkosi uThixo uSomandla.
20 “For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.
“Endulo wephula ijogwe lakho, waquma izibopho zakho; wathi, ‘Kangiyikukukhonza!’ Lakanye, phezu kwamaqaqa wonke langaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziluhlaza walala phansi njengesifebe.
21 I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?
Ngikuhlanyele njengevini elikhethiweyo elohlobo oluqinileyo loluthembekileyo. Pho kwenzakala njani ukuba ungiphendukele ube livini elibolileyo, leganga?
22 Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,”
Lanxa ugeza ngesepa usebenzisa lesepa enengi, ichatha lobubi bakho lilokhu likhona phambi kwami,” kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel galloping here and there,
“Ungatsho kanjani na uthi, ‘Kangingcolanga, kangibalandelanga oBhali’? Khangela ukuthi waziphatha njani esigodini, khumbula osukwenzile. Ulikamela elisikazi elilesiqubu eligijima lapha lalaphaya,
24 a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her.
ubabhemi weganga ojwayele inkangala, ophembela umoya enkanukweni yakhe, ngubani ongamenqabela ekukhanukeni kwakhe? Abaduna abamxotshayo bangazidinisi ukuxotshana labo; bazamthola ngesikhathi sezinsikazikhwela.
25 You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’
Ungagijimi inyawo zakho zize zihlubuke lomphimbo wakho uze wome. Kodwa wena wathi, ‘Akusizi lutho! Ngiyabathanda onkulunkulu bezizweni, kumele ngibalandele.’
26 As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets
Njengokuyangeka kwesela nxa selibanjiwe, ngokunjalo abantu bako-Israyeli bayangekile, bona kanye lamakhosi abo lezikhulu zabo, abaphristi babo labaphrofethi babo.
27 say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces, yet in the time of trouble they beg, ‘Rise up and save us!’
Bathi esigodweni, ‘Wena ungubaba wami,’ elitsheni bathi, ‘Nguwe owangizalayo.’ Bangifulathele, hatshi ngobuso babo nje; kodwa nxa sebehlupheka bathi, ‘Woza usihlenge.’
28 But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah.
Pho bangaphi onkulunkulu elazenzela bona? Kabeze nxa bengakuhlenga lapho usuphakathi kokuhlupheka! Ngoba wena Juda ulabonkulunkulu abanengi njengobunengi bamadolobho akho.
29 Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,”
Kungani lingethesa umlandu? Lonke lingihlamukele,” kutsho uThixo.
30 “I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”
“Ukubajezisa kwami abantu bakho kwaba yize; kabakuvumanga ukuqondiswa. Inkemba yakho isibatshwabadele abaphrofethi bakho njengesilwane esiphangayo.
31 You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to You no more’?
Wena owalesisizukulwane, khumbula ilizwi likaThixo: Ngibe ngiyinkangala ku-Israyeli kumbe ilizwe lomnyama omkhulu na? Kungani abantu bami besithi, ‘Sikhululekile ukuba sizulazule; kasiyikuza kuwe futhi’?
32 Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number.
Intombi ingazikhohlwa iziceciso zayo na, lomlobokazi akhohlwe izembatho zakhe na? Kodwa abantu bami bangikhohliwe, okwensuku ezingeke zibalwe.
33 How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways.
Yeka ukuhlakanipha kwakho ekufuneni uthando! Labesifazane ababi kakhulu bangafunda ezindleleni zakho.
34 Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things
Ezigqokweni zakho abantu bathola igazi lokuphila elabayanga abangelacala lanxa ungababambanga befohlela phakathi. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu
35 you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
uthi, ‘Kangilacala; kangithukuthelelanga.’ Kodwa mina ngizakwahlulela, ngoba uthi, ‘Angonanga.’
36 How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.
Kungani uqhubeka kangaka, untshintsha izindlela zakho? IGibhithe izakuyangisa njengalokhu owakwenziwa yi-Asiriya.
37 Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.”
Uzasuka kuleyondawo izandla zakho zisekhanda lakho, ngoba uThixo ubalahlile labo obathembayo; kabayikukusiza.”
