< Jeremiah 11 >

1 The word that has been to Jeremiah from YHWH, saying,
Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
2 “Hear the words of this covenant, and you have spoken to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
“Zwana izimiso zesivumelwano lesi uzitshele abantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema.
3 and you have said to them, Thus said YHWH God of Israel: Cursed [is] the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,
Batshele uthi uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Uqalekisiwe umuntu ongalandeli izimiso zesivumelwano lesi,
4 That I commanded your fathers, In the day of My bringing them out from the land of Egypt, Out of the iron furnace, saying, Listen to My voice, and you have done them, According to all that I command you, And you have been to Me for a people, And I am to you for 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 to establish the oath that I have sworn to your fathers, To give to them a land flowing with milk and honey, as this day.” And I answer and say, “Amen, O YHWH.”
Lapho-ke ngizagcwalisa isifungo sami engasifunga kubokhokho benu, ukubanika ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju,’ ilizwe elihlezi kulo khathesi.” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Akube njalo Thixo.”
6 And YHWH says to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear the words of this covenant, And you have done them.
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Memezela wonke amazwi la emadolobheni akoJuda lasemigwaqweni yaseJerusalema uthi: ‘Zwanini izimiso zesivumelwano lesi lizilandele.
7 For I certainly testified against your fathers, In the day of My bringing them up out of the land of Egypt—until this day, Rising early and testifying, saying, Listen to My voice,
Kusukela ekukhupheni kwami okhokho benu eGibhithe kuze kube lamhla, ngabalaya njalonjalo ngisithi, “Lalelani ilizwi lami.”
8 And they have not listened nor inclined their ear, And they each walk in the stubbornness of their evil heart, And I bring on them all the words of this covenant, That I commanded to do, and 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 YHWH says to me: “A conspiracy is found in the men of Judah, And in the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Kulokuhlamuka okukhona ebantwini bakoJuda lakulabo abahlala eJerusalema.
10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their first fathers, Who refused to hear My words, And they have gone after other gods to serve them, The house of Israel and the house of Judah Have made void My covenant that 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 said YHWH: “Behold, I am bringing calamity on them, That they are not able to go out from, And they have cried to Me, And I do not listen to them.
Ngakho nanku akutshoyo uThixo: ‘Ngizabehlisela umonakalo abangeke baphephe kuwo. Lanxa sebekhala kimi kangiyikubalalela.
12 And the cities of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem have gone, And they have cried to the gods, To whom they are making incense, And they give no deliverance at all to them, In the time of their distress.
Amadolobho akoJuda labantu baseJerusalema bazakuyakhala kubonkulunkulu ababatshisela impepha, kodwa kabasoze babasize ngalutho lapho uhlupho selubehlela.
13 For the number of your cities have been your gods, O Judah, And [for] the number of the streets of Jerusalem You have placed altars to a shameful thing, Altars to make incense to Ba‘al.
Wena Juda ubunengi babonkulunkulu bakho bunjengobamadolobho akho, njalo lama-alithare owakhele ukutshisela impepha kulowonkulunkulu olihlazo, uBhali, ubunengi bawo bunjengobemigwaqo yaseJerusalema.’
14 And you, you do not pray for this people, Nor do you lift up cry and prayer for them, For I do not listen in the time of their calling to Me for their distress.
Abantu laba ungabakhulekeli kumbe ubakhulumele loba ubacelele, ngoba angiyikulalela lapho bekhala kimi esikhathini sokuhlupheka kwabo.
15 What has My beloved to do in My house, Her doing wickedness with many, And does the holy flesh pass over from you? When you do evil, then you exult.
Othandekayo wami wenzani ethempelini lami eceba amaqhinga amabi labanengi? Kambe inyama ebusisiweyo ingaphuthisa ukujeziswa kwakho na? Lapho uphatheka ngobubi bakho, uyajabula.”
16 An olive, green, beautiful, of good fruit, Has YHWH called your name, At the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire against it, And its thin branches have been broken.
UThixo wakubiza ngokuthi uyisihlahla se-oliva esihlumileyo esilezithelo ezinhle. Kodwa ngokuhlokoma kwesiphepho esikhulu uzasithungela ngomlilo, ingatsha zaso zephuke.
17 And YHWH of Hosts, who is planting you, Has spoken calamity concerning you, For the evil of the house of Israel, and of the house of Judah, That they have done to themselves, To provoke Me to anger, to make incense to Ba‘al.”
UThixo uSomandla, owakuhlanyelayo, usememezele umonakalo kuwe, ngoba indlu ka-Israyeli lendlu kaJuda zenze okubi zangithukuthelisa ngokutshisela uBhali impepha.
18 And, O YHWH, cause me to know, and I know, Then You have showed me their doings.
Ngenxa yokuthi uThixo waveza icebo labo kimi, ngalazi, ngoba ngalesosikhathi wangitshengisa ababekwenza.
19 And I [am] as a trained lamb brought to slaughter, And I have not known That they have devised schemes against me: “We destroy the tree with its food, And cut him off from the land of the living, And his name is not remembered again.”
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 And O YHWH of Hosts, judging righteousness, Trying reins and heart, I see Your vengeance against them, For I have revealed my cause to You.
Kodwa, wena, Thixo Somandla, wena owahlulela ngokulunga njalo uhlola inhliziyo lengqondo, yenza ngibone ukuphindisela kwakho kubo, ngoba isisusa sami ngisinikela kuwe.
21 Therefore, thus said YHWH concerning the men of Anathoth, who are seeking your life, saying, “Do not prophesy in the Name of YHWH, and you do not die by our hands.”
Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo mayelana labantu base-Anathothi abafuna ukukubulala besithi, “Ungaphrofethi ngebizo likaThixo funa sikubulale”
22 Therefore, thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Behold, I am seeing after them, The chosen ones die by sword, Their sons and their daughters die by famine,
ngakho uThixo uSomandla uthi: “Ngizabajezisa. Amajaha akibo azabulawa yinkemba, amadodana lamadodakazi abo abulawe yindlala.
23 And they have no remnant, For I bring calamity to the men of Anathoth, The year of their inspection!”
Akuyikuba khona osalayo kubo, ngoba ngizaletha incithakalo ebantwini base-Anathothi ngomnyaka wokujeziswa kwabo.”

< Jeremiah 11 >