Jeremiah 17
1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond; it is graven upon the tablet of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars.
“Isono sikaJuda sidwetshwe ngensimbi, sabhalwa ngomcijo wedayimani ezicecedwini zenhliziyo zabo lasempondweni zama-alithare abo.
2 Like the symbols of their sons are their altars, and their Asherim are by the leafy trees, upon the high hills.
Labantwababo bayawakhumbula ama-alithare abo lezinsika zika-Ashera phansi kwezihlahla eziluhlaza laphezu kwamaqaqa aphakemeyo.
3 O thou that sittest upon the mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures for a spoil, and thy high places, because of sin, throughout all thy borders.
Intaba yami eselizweni lenotho yenu kanye lemfuyo yenu yonke ngizakunikela kube yimpango, ndawonye lezindawo zenu eziphakemeyo, ngenxa yokona kulolonke ilizwe lenu.
4 And thou, even of thyself, shalt discontinue from thy heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not; for ye have kindled a fire in My nostril, which shall burn for ever.
Ngenxa yezici zenu lizalahlekelwa yilifa engalinika lona. Ngizalenza libe yizigqili zezitha zenu elizweni elingalaziyo, ngoba livuse ulaka lwami, njalo luzavutha kuze kube nininini.”
5 Thus saith the LORD: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
UThixo uthi: “Uqalekisiwe lowo othemba umuntu, othembe ukuthi amandla akhe asenyameni, onhliziyo yakhe ihlamukela uThixo.
6 For he shall be like a tamarisk in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited.
Uzakuba njengesihlahlanyana enkangala; ukuphumelela kayikukubona ekufikeni kwakho. Uzahlala ezindaweni ezomileyo enkangala, elizweni letswayi elingahlali muntu.
7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose trust the LORD is.
Kodwa ubusisiwe umuntu othemba uThixo, othemba lakhe likuye.
8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out its roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but its foliage shall be luxuriant; and shall not be anxious in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
Uzakuba njengesihlahla esihlanyelwe eduze lamanzi esinabisela impande zaso esifuleni. Kasesabi lapho ukutshisa kufika; amahlamvu aso ahlala eluhlaza. Kasikhathazeki ngomnyaka wokoma; kasiphuthi ukuthela izithelo.”
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceeding weak — who can know it?
Inhliziyo iyakhohlisa okudlula izinto zonke njalo imbi kakhulu. Ngubani ongayizwisisa na?
10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.
“Mina Thixo ngiyayihlola inhliziyo ngihlole lengqondo, ukuba umuntu ngimnike okufanele ukwenza kwakhe mayelana lalokho okufanele izenzo zakhe.”
11 As the partridge that broodeth over young which she hath not brought forth, so is he that getteth riches, and not by right; in the midst of his days he shall leave them, and at his end he shall be a fool.
Umuntu ozuza inotho ngezindlela ezimbi unjengesikhwehle esichamisela amaqanda esingawaqandelanga. Lapho ingxenye yokuphila kwakhe isidlule, izaphela, kuthi ekucineni abonakale eyisithutha.
12 Thou throne of glory, on high from the beginning, thou place of our sanctuary,
Isihlalo sobukhosi, esikhazimulayo esaphakanyiswayo kusukela ekuqaleni, siyindawo yethu yokuphephela.
13 Thou hope of Israel, the LORD! All that forsake Thee shall be ashamed; they that depart from Thee shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
Awu Thixo, themba lika-Israyeli, bonke abakudelayo bazayangiswa. Labo abakuhlamukelayo bazabhalwa othulini ngoba bedele uThixo, umthombo wamanzi okuphila.
14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for Thou art my praise.
Ngisilisa, Thixo, njalo ngizasiliswa; ungikhulule, ngizakhululeka, ngoba nguwe engimdumisayo.
15 Behold, they say unto me: 'Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now.'
Bahlala besithi kimi, “Lingaphi ilizwi likaThixo na? Kaligcwaliseke khathesi!”
16 As for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd after Thee; neither have I desired the woeful day; Thou knowest it; that which came out of my lips was manifest before Thee.
Angibalekanga ekubeni ngumelusi wenu; liyakwazi ukuthi angilufisanga usuku lokuphela ithemba. Okudlula endebeni zami kusobala kini.
17 Be not a ruin unto me; Thou art my refuge in the day of evil.
Ungabi ngowesabekayo kimi; uyisiphephelo sami ngosuku lokuhlupheka.
18 Let them be ashamed that persecute me, but let not me be ashamed; Let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed; Bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
Abangihluphayo kabayangiswe, kodwa mina ungivikele ehlazweni; kababe lokwesaba, kodwa mina ungivikele ekwesabeni. Balethele usuku lobubi. Ubabhubhise ngokuqothula okuphindiweyo.
19 Thus said the LORD unto me: Go, and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;
UThixo wathi kimi: “Hamba uyekuma esangweni labantu, amakhosi akoJuda angena ngalo njalo aphume ngalo; ume futhi lakuwo wonke amanye amasango aseJerusalema.
20 and say unto them: Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates;
Uthi kubo, ‘Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo, lina makhosi akoJuda labo bonke abantu abahlala koJuda kanye labantu bonke abahlala eJerusalema abangena ngala amasango.
21 thus saith the LORD: Take heed for the sake of your souls, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
UThixo uthi: Qaphelani lingathwali mthwalo ngosuku lweSabatha loba liwungenise ngamasango aseJerusalema.
22 neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work; but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers;
Lingaphumisi mthwalo ezindlini zenu kumbe lenze loba yiwuphi umsebenzi ngosuku lweSabatha, kodwa ligcine iSabatha lingcwele, njengokulaya kwami okhokho benu.
23 but they hearkened not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.
Kodwa kabalalelanga loba banake; izintamo zabo zazilukhuni njalo kabalalelanga kumbe bamukele ukulaywa.
24 And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto Me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
UThixo uthi: Kodwa nxa liqaphele ukungilalela, lingangenisi mthwalo ngamasango edolobho leli ngeSabatha, kodwa ligcina usuku lweSabatha lungcwele ngokungenzi msebenzi ngalo,
25 then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall be inhabited for ever.
lapho-ke amakhosi ahlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida azangena lezikhulu zawo ngamasango edolobho leli. Wona lezikhulu zawo bazafika begade izinqola zempi lamabhiza, belabantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema; bahlale kulo idolobho kuze kube nininini.
26 And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places round about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the Lowland, and from the mountains, and from the South, bringing burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, and meal-offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving, unto the house of the LORD.
Abantu bazakuza bevela emadolobheni akoJuda lasemizini egqagqele iJerusalema, bevela elizweni lakoBhenjamini lasezintatshaneni zangasentshonalanga, bevela elizweni lamaqaqa laseNegebi, beletha iminikelo yokutshiswa lemihlatshelo, iminikelo yamabele, impepha kanye leminikelo yokubonga endlini kaThixo.
27 But if ye will not hearken unto Me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
Kodwa nxa lingangilaleli ekuthini ligcine usuku lweSabatha lungcwele ngokungathwali mthwalo lapho lingena ngamasango aseJerusalema ngosuku lweSabatha, lapho-ke ngizaphemba umlilo ongacitshekiyo emasangweni eJerusalema ozaqothula izinqaba zalo.’”
