Jeremiah 10
1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel;
Zwana okutshiwo nguThixo kuwe, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli.
2 thus saith the LORD: Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.
UThixo uthi: “Lingazifundi izindlela zezizwe kumbe ukwethuswa yizibonakaliso zasemkhathini, lanxa nje izizwe zisethuswa yizo.
3 For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for it is but a tree which one cutteth out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.
Ngoba imikhuba yabantu iyize, bagamula isihlahla ehlathini, ingcwethi isibaze ngetshizela yayo.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold, they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
Bayasicecisa ngesiliva langegolide, basibethele ngesando langezipikili ukuze singanyikinyeki.
5 They are like a pillar in a garden of cucumbers, and speak not; they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do 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 unto Thee, O LORD; Thou art great, and Thy name is great in might.
Kakho ofana lawe, wena Thixo, wena umkhulu, lebizo lakho lilamandla amakhulu.
7 Who would not fear Thee, O king of the nations? For it befitteth Thee; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royalty, there is none like unto Thee.
Ngubani ongeke akwesabe, wena Nkosi yezizwe? Lokhu kukufanele. Phakathi kwabantu bonke abahlakaniphileyo bezizwe lakuyo yonke imibuso yabo, kakho onjengawe.
8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the vanities by which they are instructed are but a stock;
Bonke kabalangqondo njalo bayizithutha, bafundiswa yizithombe zezigodo eziyize.
9 Silver beaten into plates which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple is their clothing; they are all the work of skilful men.
Isiliva esikhandiweyo siyalethwa sivela eThashishi legolide livela e-Ufazi. Okwenziwe yingcwethi lomkhandi wegolide kugqokiswa okuluhlaza lokuyibubende, njalo konke kwenziwe zingcitshi.
10 But the LORD God is the true God, He is the living God, and the everlasting King; at His wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide His indignation.
Kodwa uThixo unguNkulunkulu oqotho, unguNkulunkulu ophilayo, iNkosi yanininini. Lapho ethukuthele, umhlaba uyagedezela, izizwe azingeke zimelane lolaka lwakhe.
11 Thus shall ye say unto them: 'The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.'
“Batshele lokhu uthi, onkulunkulu laba, abangawenzanga amazulu lomhlaba, bazabhubha emhlabeni langaphansi kwamazulu.”
12 He that hath made the earth by His power, that hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His understanding;
Kodwa uNkulunkulu wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe, wamisa umhlaba ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe, njalo wendlala lamazulu ngokuqedisisa kwakhe.
13 At the sound of His giving a multitude of waters in the heavens, when He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; when He maketh lightnings with the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries;
Lapho evungama, amanzi asemazulwini ayahlokoma, wenza amayezi aphakame evela emikhawulweni yomhlaba. Uthumela umbane ulezulu njalo akhuphe umoya eziphaleni zakhe.
14 Every man is proved to be brutish, without knowledge, every goldsmith is put to shame by the graven image, his molten image is falsehood, 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 vanity, a work of delusion; in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
Ziyize, izinto zenhlekisa nje, lapho ukwahlulelwa kwazo sekufikile, zizabhubha.
16 Not like these is the portion of Jacob; for He is the former 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 thy wares from the ground, O thou that abidest in the siege.
Qoqani impahla yenu ukuba lisuke elizweni, lina elihlezi livinjezelwe.
18 For thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.
Ngoba uThixo uthi, “Ngalesisikhathi ngizabaphosela phandle labo abahlala kulelilizwe, ngizabehlisela usizi ukuze bathunjwe.”
19 Woe is me for my hurt! My wound is grievous; but I said: 'This is but a 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 spoiled, and all my cords are broken; my children are gone forth of me, and they are not; there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to 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 are become brutish, and have not inquired of the LORD; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered.
Abelusi kabalangqondo njalo kabambuzi uThixo, ngakho kabaphumeleli, njalo lemihlambi yabo yonke ihlakazekile.
22 Hark! a report, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, a dwelling-place of jackals.
Lalelani! Umbiko uyeza, ukuxokozela okukhulu okuvela elizweni lenyakatho! Kuzakwenza amadolobho akoJuda achitheke, abe yizikhundla zamakhanka.
23 O LORD, I know that man's way is not his own; it is not in man to direct his steps as he walketh.
Ngiyazi, Oh Thixo, ukuthi ukuphila komuntu akusikho kwakhe, umuntu akusikho kwakhe ukuthi aqondise izinyathelo zakhe.
24 O LORD, correct me, but in measure; not in Thine anger, lest Thou diminish me.
Ngiqondise Thixo, kodwa kube ngokulunga, kungabi ngolaka lwakho, hlezi ungenze ngibe yize.
25 Pour out Thy wrath upon the nations that know Thee not, and upon the families that call not on Thy name; for they have devoured Jacob, yea, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.
Yehlisela ulaka lwakho phezu kwezizwe ezingakwamukeliyo, phezu kwabantu abangakhuleki ebizweni lakho. Ngoba bamdlile uJakhobe, bamdlile waphela bachitha lelizwe lakhe.
