Jeremiah 4
1 “If you will return, O Israel, return to Me,” declares the LORD. “If you will remove your detestable idols from My sight and no longer waver,
Uba uphenduka, Israyeli, itsho iNkosi, phendukela kimi; njalo uba ususa phambi kwami izinengiso zakho, kawuyikuphambuka.
2 and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
Futhi uzafunga: Kuphila kukaJehova, ngeqiniso, ngokwahlulela, langokulunga; lezizwe zizazibusisa kuyo, lakuyo zizincome.
3 For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns.
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi kumadoda akoJuda leJerusalema: Qhathani ingqatho yenu, lingahlanyeli phakathi kwameva.
4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.”
Zisokeleni eNkosini, lisuse amajwabu aphambili enhliziyo yenu, madoda akoJuda labahlali beJerusalema; hlezi ulaka lwami luphume njengomlilo, lutshise, kungabi khona ongalucitsha, ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zenu.
5 Announce in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: “Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land. Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves and let us flee to the fortified cities.’
Bikani koJuda, lizwakalise eJerusalema, lithi: Vuthelani uphondo elizweni; klabalalani ngokugcweleyo lithi: Buthanani, singene emizini ebiyelweyo.
6 Raise a signal flag toward Zion. Seek refuge! Do not delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, and terrible destruction.
Misani uphawu ngaseZiyoni, balekani, lingemi; ngoba ngizaletha ububi buvela enyakatho, lokwephuka okukhulu.
7 A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and lie uninhabited.
Isilwane sesenyukile siphuma ehlathini laso, lomchithi wezizwe usukile, uphumile endaweni yakhe ukuze ulenze ilizwe lakho incithakalo; imizi yakho izakuba ngamanxiwa, ingabi lomhlali.
8 So put on sackcloth, mourn and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned away from us.”
Ngenxa yalokhu bhincani amasaka, lilani liqhinqe isililo; ngoba ulaka lweNkosi oluvuthayo kaluphendukanga lusuka kithi.
9 “In that day,” declares the LORD, “the king and officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be astounded.”
Njalo kuzakuthi ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, inhliziyo yenkosi izaphela, lenhliziyo yeziphathamandla; labapristi bazamangala kakhulu, labaprofethi bazathithibala.
10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, how completely You have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’ while a sword is at our throats.”
Ngasengisithi: Hawu, Nkosi Jehova! Isibili ubakhohlisile lokubakhohlisa lababantu leJerusalema usithi: Lizakuba lokuthula; kanti inkemba ifinyelela emphefumulweni.
11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A searing wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward the daughter of My people, but not to winnow or to sift;
Ngalesosikhathi kuzakuthiwa kulabobantu lakuyo iJerusalema: Umoya otshisayo wamadundulu enkangala, indlela yendodakazi yabantu bami, ungeyisiwo wokwela njalo ungeyisiwo wokuhlambulula.
12 a wind too strong for that comes from Me. Now I also pronounce judgments against them.”
Umoya ogcweleyo ovela kuwo uzakuza kimi. Khathesi lami ngizakhuluma izahlulelo zimelene labo.
13 Behold, he advances like the clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!
Khangela, uzakwenyuka njengamayezi, lenqola zakhe njengesivunguzane; amabhiza akhe alesiqubu kulezinkozi. Maye kithi, ngoba sichithiwe!
14 Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?
Jerusalema, hlambulula inhliziyo yakho kuphume inkohlakalo, ukuze usindiswe. Koze kube nini imicabango yakho emibi ihlala phakathi kwakho?
15 For a voice resounds from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.
Ngoba ilizwi liyamemeza lisuka koDani, lizwakalisa uhlupho oluvela entabeni yakoEfrayimi.
16 Warn the nations now! Proclaim to Jerusalem: “A besieging army comes from a distant land; they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.
Khumbuzani izizwe, khangelani, lizwakalise limelene leJerusalema; kufika abalindi bevela elizweni elikhatshana, baphakamisa ilizwi labo bemelene lemizi yakoJuda.
17 They surround her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD.
Njengabalindi bensimu bamelene layo inhlangothi zonke, ngoba ingivukele, itsho iNkosi.
18 “Your ways and deeds have brought this upon you. This is your punishment; how bitter it is, because it pierces to the heart!”
Indlela yakho lezenzo zakho kukwenzele lezizinto; lokhu kuyinkohlakalo yakho, ngoba kubuhlungu, ngoba kufinyelela enhliziyweni yakho.
19 My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the pain in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I cannot be silent. For I have heard the sound of the horn, the alarm of battle.
Imibilini yami, imibilini yami! Ngilobuhlungu emidulini yenhliziyo yami. Inhliziyo yami yenza umsindo phakathi kwami; ngingeke ngithule; ngoba wena mphefumulo wami, uzwile ukukhala kophondo, umkhosi wempi.
20 Disaster after disaster is proclaimed, for the whole land is laid waste. My tents are destroyed in an instant, my curtains in a moment.
Kuyamenyezelwa incithakalo phezu kwencithakalo, ngoba ilizwe lonke lichithekile. Amathente ami ahle achithwa, amakhetheni ami ngokucwayiza kwelihlo.
21 How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the horn?
Koze kube nini ngibona isiboniso, ngizwe ukukhala kophondo?
22 “For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
Ngoba abantu bami bayizithutha, mina kabangazi; bangabantwana abayiziphukuphuku, kabalakuqedisisa; bahlakaniphele ukwenza okubi, kodwa ukwenza okuhle kabakwazi.
23 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light.
Ngabona umhlaba, khangela-ke, wawungelasimo, ungelalutho; lemazulwini, kodwa kakukho ukukhanya kwawo.
24 I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
Ngabona izintaba, khangela-ke, zazinyikinyeka, lamaqaqa wonke ayenyakazela.
25 I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled.
Ngabona, khangela-ke, kwakungelamuntu, lenyoni zonke zamazulu zibalekile.
26 I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.
Ngabona, khangela-ke, ilizwe elivundileyo laliyinkangala, lemizi yalo yonke yayidiliziwe phambi kweNkosi, phambi kokuvutha kolaka lwayo.
27 For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Ilizwe lonke lizakuba lunxiwa, kodwa kangiyikuqeda ngokupheleleyo.
28 Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above will grow dark. I have spoken, I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back.”
Ngenxa yalokhu umhlaba uzalila, lamazulu aphezulu abe mnyama; ngenxa yokuthi ngikhulumile, ngikuhlosile, njalo kangiyikuzisola, njalo kangiyikubuyela emuva ngisuka kukho.
29 Every city flees at the sound of the horseman and archer. They enter the thickets and climb among the rocks. Every city is abandoned; no inhabitant is left.
Umuzi wonke uzabaleka ngenxa yomsindo wabagadi bamabhiza labatshoki ngamadandili; bazangena ezixukwini, bakhwele emadwaleni; wonke umuzi uzatshiywa, njalo kungabi lamuntu ohlala kuwo.
30 And you, O devastated one, what will you do, though you dress yourself in scarlet, though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, though you enlarge your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain; your lovers despise you; they want to take your life.
Wena-ke ozachitheka, uzakwenzani? Loba ugqoka okubomvu, loba uzicecisa ngezigqizo zegolide, loba ucomba amehlo akho ngomphendulo, uzenza ube muhle ngeze, izithandwa zakho zizakudelela, zidinga impilo yakho.
31 For I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child— the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands to say, “Woe is me, for my soul faints before the murderers!”
Ngoba ngizwile ilizwi kungathi ngelowesifazana ohelelwayo, ubuhlungu obunjengobeletha umntwana olizibulo, ilizwi lendodakazi yeZiyoni, ikhefuzela, iselula izandla zayo isithi: Maye-ke mina! Ngoba umphefumulo wami uphele amandla ngenxa yababulali.
