Jeremias 11
1 The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, saying,
Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
2 Hear you the words of this covenant, and you shall speak to the men of Juda, and to the dwellers in Jerusalem;
“Zwana izimiso zesivumelwano lesi uzitshele abantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema.
3 and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Cursed is the man, who shall not listen to the words of this covenant,
Batshele uthi uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Uqalekisiwe umuntu ongalandeli izimiso zesivumelwano lesi,
4 which I commanded your fathers, in the day wherein I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Listen to my voice, and do all things that I shall command you; so shall you be to me a people, and I will be to you a God;
izimiso engalaya ngazo okhokho benu ekubakhupheni kwami eGibhithe, esasiyisithando sokuncibilikisa insimbi.’ Ngathi, ‘Lalelani ilizwi lami lenze konke engililaya khona, lizakuba ngabantu bami, mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu.
5 that I may confirm mine oath, which I sware to your fathers, to give them a land flowing [with] milk and honey, as [it is] this day. Then I answered and said, So be it, O Lord.
Lapho-ke ngizagcwalisa isifungo sami engasifunga kubokhokho benu, ukubanika ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju,’ ilizwe elihlezi kulo khathesi.” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Akube njalo Thixo.”
6 And the Lord said to me, Read these words in the cities of Juda, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear you the words of this covenant, and do them.
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Memezela wonke amazwi la emadolobheni akoJuda lasemigwaqweni yaseJerusalema uthi: ‘Zwanini izimiso zesivumelwano lesi lizilandele.
Kusukela ekukhupheni kwami okhokho benu eGibhithe kuze kube lamhla, ngabalaya njalonjalo ngisithi, “Lalelani ilizwi lami.”
8 But they did [them] not.
Kodwa kabazange balalele kumbe banake; esikhundleni salokho, bona balandela inkani yezinhliziyo zabo ezimbi. Ngakho ngabehlisela zonke izithuko zesivumelwano engangibalaye ukuba basilandele kodwa kabaze basigcina.’”
9 And the Lord said to me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Juda, and among the dwellers in Jerusalem.
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Kulokuhlamuka okukhona ebantwini bakoJuda lakulabo abahlala eJerusalema.
10 They are turned [aside] to the iniquities of their fathers that were of old, who would not listen to my words: and, behold, they go after strange gods, to serve them: and the house of Israel and the house of Juda have broken my covenant, which I made with their fathers.
Sebebuyele ezonweni zabokhokho babo, abalayo ukulalela amazwi ami. Balandele abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babakhonze. Indlu ka-Israyeli lendlu kaJuda, zombili zisephule isivumelwano engasenza labokhokho bazo.
11 Therefore thus says the Lord, Behold, I bring evils upon this people, out of which they shall not be able to come forth; and they shall presently cry to me, but I will not listen to them.
Ngakho nanku akutshoyo uThixo: ‘Ngizabehlisela umonakalo abangeke baphephe kuwo. Lanxa sebekhala kimi kangiyikubalalela.
12 And the cities of Juda and the dwellers in Jerusalem shall go, and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense; which shall not deliver them in the time of their troubles.
Amadolobho akoJuda labantu baseJerusalema bazakuyakhala kubonkulunkulu ababatshisela impepha, kodwa kabasoze babasize ngalutho lapho uhlupho selubehlela.
13 For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Juda; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have you set up altars to burn incense to Baal.
Wena Juda ubunengi babonkulunkulu bakho bunjengobamadolobho akho, njalo lama-alithare owakhele ukutshisela impepha kulowonkulunkulu olihlazo, uBhali, ubunengi bawo bunjengobemigwaqo yaseJerusalema.’
14 And you, pray not for this people, and intercede not for them in supplication and prayer: for I will not hear in the day in which they call upon me, in the day of their affliction.
Abantu laba ungabakhulekeli kumbe ubakhulumele loba ubacelele, ngoba angiyikulalela lapho bekhala kimi esikhathini sokuhlupheka kwabo.
15 Why has [my] beloved wrought abomination in my house? will prayers and holy offerings take away your wickedness from you, or shall you escape by these things?
Othandekayo wami wenzani ethempelini lami eceba amaqhinga amabi labanengi? Kambe inyama ebusisiweyo ingaphuthisa ukujeziswa kwakho na? Lapho uphatheka ngobubi bakho, uyajabula.”
16 The Lord called your name a fair olive tree, of a goodly shade in appearance, at the noise of its being lopped, fire was kindled against it; great is the affliction [coming] upon you: her branches are become good for nothing.
UThixo wakubiza ngokuthi uyisihlahla se-oliva esihlumileyo esilezithelo ezinhle. Kodwa ngokuhlokoma kwesiphepho esikhulu uzasithungela ngomlilo, ingatsha zaso zephuke.
17 And the Lord that planted you has pronounced evils against you, because of the iniquity of the house of Israel and the house of Juda, whatever they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger by burning incense to Baal.
UThixo uSomandla, owakuhlanyelayo, usememezele umonakalo kuwe, ngoba indlu ka-Israyeli lendlu kaJuda zenze okubi zangithukuthelisa ngokutshisela uBhali impepha.
18 O Lord, teach me, and I shall know: then I saw their practices.
Ngenxa yokuthi uThixo waveza icebo labo kimi, ngalazi, ngoba ngalesosikhathi wangitshengisa ababekwenza.
19 But I as an innocent lamb led to the slaughter, knew not: against me they devised an evil device, saying, Come and let us put wood into his bread, and let us utterly destroy him from off the land of the living, and let his name not be remembered any more.
Ngangifana lewundlu elithambileyo lisiwa ekuhlatshweni; ngangingazi ukuthi basebebumbe icebo ngami, besithi, “Kasiqumeni isihlahla kanye lezithelo zaso; kasimsuseni elizweni labaphilayo, ukuze ibizo lakhe lingakhunjulwa futhi.”
20 O Lord, that judge righteously, trying the reins and hearts, let me see your vengeance [taken] upon them, for to you I have declared my cause.
Kodwa, wena, Thixo Somandla, wena owahlulela ngokulunga njalo uhlola inhliziyo lengqondo, yenza ngibone ukuphindisela kwakho kubo, ngoba isisusa sami ngisinikela kuwe.
21 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek my life, that say, You shall not prophesy at all in the name of the Lord, but if you do, you shall die by our hands:
Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo mayelana labantu base-Anathothi abafuna ukukubulala besithi, “Ungaphrofethi ngebizo likaThixo funa sikubulale”
22 behold, I will visit them: their young men shall die by the sword; and their sons and their daughters shall die of famine:
ngakho uThixo uSomandla uthi: “Ngizabajezisa. Amajaha akibo azabulawa yinkemba, amadodana lamadodakazi abo abulawe yindlala.
23 and there shall be no remnant [left] of them; for I will bring evil upon the dwellers in Anathoth, in the year of their visitation.
Akuyikuba khona osalayo kubo, ngoba ngizaletha incithakalo ebantwini base-Anathothi ngomnyaka wokujeziswa kwabo.”
