Jeremiah 11
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
“Zwana izimiso zesivumelwano lesi uzitshele abantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema.
3 And say thou unto them, Thus hath said the Lord God of Israel, Cursed be the man that hearkeneth not 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 on the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Hearken to my voice, and do the same, in accordance with all which I may command you; and so shall ye be to me for a people, and I will be to you for 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 In order that I may fulfill the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give unto them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. And 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 Then said the Lord unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye 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.
7 For I earnestly warned your fathers on the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt even until this day, sending out early and warning, saying, Hearken to my voice;
Kusukela ekukhupheni kwami okhokho benu eGibhithe kuze kube lamhla, ngabalaya njalonjalo ngisithi, “Lalelani ilizwi lami.”
8 Yet they hearkened not, and inclined not their ear, but walked every one in the stubbornness of their evil heart: therefore did I bring over them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but which they did 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 unto me, A conspiracy hath been found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Kulokuhlamuka okukhona ebantwini bakoJuda lakulabo abahlala eJerusalema.
10 They are returned again to the iniquities of their earlier forefathers, who had refused to hearken to my words; and they themselves are [also] gone after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah 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 hath said the Lord, Behold, I will bring an evil upon them, from which they shall not be able to rid themselves; and they will cry unto me, but I will not hearken unto them.
Ngakho nanku akutshoyo uThixo: ‘Ngizabehlisela umonakalo abangeke baphephe kuwo. Lanxa sebekhala kimi kangiyikubalalela.
12 Then let the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense; but they shall not save them in the least in the time of their distress.
Amadolobho akoJuda labantu baseJerusalema bazakuyakhala kubonkulunkulu ababatshisela impepha, kodwa kabasoze babasize ngalutho lapho uhlupho selubehlela.
13 For equal to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and equal to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to the disgraceful idol, altars, to burn incense unto Ba'al.
Wena Juda ubunengi babonkulunkulu bakho bunjengobamadolobho akho, njalo lama-alithare owakhele ukutshisela impepha kulowonkulunkulu olihlazo, uBhali, ubunengi bawo bunjengobemigwaqo yaseJerusalema.’
14 But thou—thou must not pray in behalf of this people, neither lift up in their behalf entreaty or prayer; for I will not hear at the time that they call unto me, because of their distress.
Abantu laba ungabakhulekeli kumbe ubakhulumele loba ubacelele, ngoba angiyikulalela lapho bekhala kimi esikhathini sokuhlupheka kwabo.
15 What hath my beloved to do in my house, while she executeth the evil counsel of so many [sinners]? Yea, the holy flesh passeth away from thee; for even with thy wickedness, thou rejoicest still.
Othandekayo wami wenzani ethempelini lami eceba amaqhinga amabi labanengi? Kambe inyama ebusisiweyo ingaphuthisa ukujeziswa kwakho na? Lapho uphatheka ngobubi bakho, uyajabula.”
16 An ever-green olive-tree, beautiful in fruit and form, did the Lord call thy name: with the noise of a great tumult hath he kindled fire around it, and they break off its branches.
UThixo wakubiza ngokuthi uyisihlahla se-oliva esihlumileyo esilezithelo ezinhle. Kodwa ngokuhlokoma kwesiphepho esikhulu uzasithungela ngomlilo, ingatsha zaso zephuke.
17 And the Lord of hosts, that planted thee, hath decreed evil against thee; on account of the wickedness of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves, to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Ba'al.
UThixo uSomandla, owakuhlanyelayo, usememezele umonakalo kuwe, ngoba indlu ka-Israyeli lendlu kaJuda zenze okubi zangithukuthelisa ngokutshisela uBhali impepha.
18 And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then didst thou let me see their doings.
Ngenxa yokuthi uThixo waveza icebo labo kimi, ngalazi, ngoba ngalesosikhathi wangitshengisa ababekwenza.
19 But I was like a sheep or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, [saying, ] “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may 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 But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I entrusted 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 hath said the Lord concerning the men of 'Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, “Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of the Lord, that thou mayest not die by our hand:”
Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo mayelana labantu base-Anathothi abafuna ukukubulala besithi, “Ungaphrofethi ngebizo likaThixo funa sikubulale”
22 Therefore thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will inflict punishment on them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by the famine;
ngakho uThixo uSomandla uthi: “Ngizabajezisa. Amajaha akibo azabulawa yinkemba, amadodana lamadodakazi abo abulawe yindlala.
23 And no remnant shall remain of them; for I will bring evil upon the men of 'Anathoth, in the year of their punishment.
Akuyikuba khona osalayo kubo, ngoba ngizaletha incithakalo ebantwini base-Anathothi ngomnyaka wokujeziswa kwabo.”
