Jeremiah 2
1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi 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 uyememezela endlebeni zeJerusalema usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngiyakukhumbula, umusa wobutsha bakho, uthando lokuganwa kwakho, ukungilandela kwakho enkangala, elizweni 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.
UIsrayeli wayeyibungcwele eNkosini, izithelo zokuqala zesivuno sayo; bonke abamudlayo bazakuba lecala, ububi buzabehlela, itsho iNkosi.
4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel.
Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, ndlu kaJakobe, lensendo zonke zendlu kaIsrayeli.
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?
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Yibubi bani oyihlo ababuthola kimi, ukuze baye khatshana lami, balandele okuyize, babe 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?’
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 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.
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 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.
Abapristi kabatshongo ukuthi: Ingaphi iNkosi? Lalabo abaphatha umlayo kabangazanga; lababusi baphambuka bemelene lami; labaprofethi baprofetha ngoBhali, balandela izinto ezingasiziyo.
9 Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.
Ngakho ngisezaphikisana lawe, itsho iNkosi, njalo ngizaphikisana labantwana babantwana benu.
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:
Ngoba dlulelani ezihlengeni zeKhithimi libone, lithumele eKedari, linakane kuhle, libone ukuthi kukhona into enjengale yini?
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 yini onkulunkulu baso, abangeyisibo onkulunkulu? Kodwa abantu bami bantshintshile uDumo lwabo ngalokho okungasizi lutho.
12 Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,”
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 water, and they have dug their own cisterns— broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
Ngoba abantu bami benzile izinto ezimbi ezimbili; bangidelile mina mthombo wamanzi aphilayo, ukuthi bazigebhele izikhongozelo, izikhongozelo ezidabukileyo, ezingegcine manzi.
14 Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey?
UIsrayeli uyisigqili yini? Kumbe esizelwe ekhaya yini? Kungani waba yimpango?
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.
Amabhongo ezilwane abhongele phezu kwakhe, akhupha ilizwi lawo, enza ilizwe lakhe laba yincithakalo; imizi yakhe itshisiwe ingelamhlali.
16 The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.
Futhi abantwana beNofi leThahaphanesi badlele enkanda yakho.
17 Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?
Kawuzenzelanga lokhu yini, ngokuthi udele iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ngesikhathi ikukhokhela endleleni?
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-ke ulani lendlela yeGibhithe, ukuthi unathe amanzi eSihori? Futhi ulani lendlela yeAsiriya, ukuthi unathe amanzi omfula?
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 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 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.
Ngoba kwasendulo ngephula ijogwe lakho, ngaqamula izibopho zakho; wasusithi: Kangiyikukhonza; kodwa phezu kwalo lonke uqaqa oluphakemeyo langaphansi kwaso sonke isihlahla esiluhlaza wazulazula 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?
Kube kanti mina ngakuhlanyela, ulivini elihle, inhlanyelo ethembekileyo ngokupheleleyo. Pho, usuphenduke njani waba lugatsha olonakeleyo lwevini lemzini kimi?
22 Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,”
Ngoba lanxa ugeza ngesoda, uzithathele isepa enengi, kanti ububi bakho bube lichatha phambi kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
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 njani ukuthi: Kangingcolanga, kangilandelanga oBhali? Bona indlela yakho esigodini, wazi ukuthi wenzeni, kamela elisikazi elilejubane elizulazula ezindleleni zalo.
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.
Ungubabhemi weganga owejwayele inkangala, ophembela umoya enkanukweni yenhliziyo yakhe. Ngubani ongamvimbela enkanukweni yakhe? Bonke abamdingayo kabayikuzidinisa; ngenyanga yakhe bazamthola.
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.’
Nqanda unyawo lwakho ekungabini ngolungelasicathulo, lomphimbo wakho ekomeni; kodwa wena wathi: Kakulathemba; hatshi; ngoba ngathanda abemzini, njalo ngizabalandela.
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
Njengesela lilenhloni lapho selibanjiwe, ngokunjalo indlu kaIsrayeli ilenhloni, bona, amakhosi abo, iziphathamandla zabo, labapristi babo, labaprofethi 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!’
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 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.
Kodwa bangaphi onkulunkulu bakho ozenzele bona? Kabasukume uba bengakusindisa ngesikhathi sobubi bakho; ngoba njengenani lemizi yakho bangako onkulunkulu bakho, Juda.
29 Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,”
Liphikisanelani lami? Lonke liphambekile kimi, itsho iNkosi.
30 “I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”
Ngibatshayile abantwana benu ngeze; kabemukelanga ukuqondiswa; inkemba yenu ibadlile abaprofethi benu, njengesilwane esichithayo.
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 sizukulwana, lina bonani ilizwi leNkosi. Bengiyinkangala yini kuIsrayeli? Kumbe ilizwe lobumnyama obunzima yini? Batsholoni abantu bami ukuthi: Sizulazulile; kasisayikuza kuwe?
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 yini iziceciso zayo, kumbe umakoti amabhanti akhe? Kanti abantu bami bangikhohliwe insuku ezingelanani.
33 How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways.
Kungani ulungisa indlela yakho ekudingeni uthando? Ngakho ubafundisile labo ababi izindlela 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
Lezigqokweni zakho kutholakala igazi lemiphefumulo yabayanga abangelacala; kawubatholanga befohlela phakathi, kodwa phezu kwakho 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.’
Kanti wena uthi: Ngoba kangilacala, isibili intukuthelo yakhe izaphenduka isuke kimi. Khangela, ngizakwehlulelana lawe, ngoba uthi: Kangonanga.
36 How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.
Kungani uzulazula kangaka ukuntshintsha indlela yakho? Uzayangiswa yiGibhithe layo, njengoba wayangiswa yiAsiriya.
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.”
Yebo, uzaphuma usuka lapha, lezandla zakho ziphezu kwekhanda lakho, ngoba iNkosi iwalile amathemba akho, njalo kawuyikuphumelela ngawo.
