Jeremiah 2
1 And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi,
2 “Go, and you have called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said YHWH: I have remembered for you The kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, Your going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown.
“Hamba umemezele iJerusalema lisizwa uthi: Lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Ngiyakukhumbula ukuzinikela kwasebutsheni bakho, ukungithanda kwakho njengomlobokazi ungilandela enkangala, phakathi kwelizwe elingahlanyelwanga.
3 Israel [is] holy to YHWH, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Calamity comes to them,” A declaration of YHWH.
U-Israyeli wayengcwele kuThixo, eyizithelo zakuqala zesivuno sakhe, bonke abamtshwabadelayo baba lecala, behlelwa yincithakalo,’” kutsho uThixo.
4 Hear a word of YHWH, O house of Jacob, And all you families of the house of Israel—
Zwana ilizwi likaThixo, we ndlu kaJakhobe, lani lonke sendo lwendlu ka-Israyeli.
5 Thus said YHWH: “What perversity have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after vanity, and become vain,
UThixo uthi: “Yibubi bani okhokho benu ababubona kimi, baze bedukele khatshana kangaka lami? Balandela izithombe eziyize, labo ngokwabo baba yize.
6 And have not said, Where [is] YHWH, Who brings us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leads us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land that none has passed through, Nor has man dwelt there?
Kababuzanga ukuthi, ‘Ungaphi uThixo, owasikhupha elizweni laseGibhithe wasikhokhela emagangeni alugwadule phakathi kwelizwe lezinkangala lezindonga, ilizwe lokoma lobumnyama, ilizwe elingahanjwa muntu lelingelamuntu ohlala kulo?’
7 Indeed, I bring you into a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And you come in and defile My land, And have made My inheritance an abomination.
Ngaliletha elizweni elivundileyo ukuba lidle izithelo zalo lezilimo ezinhle. Kodwa lina lafika langcolisa ilizwe lami, lenza ilifa lami langakhwabitheki.
8 The priests have not said, Where [is] YHWH? And those handling the Law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Ba‘al, And have gone after those who do not profit.
Abaphristi kababuzanga ukuthi, ‘Ungaphi UThixo?’ Labo abaphatha umthetho abangazanga; abakhokheli bangihlamukela. Abaphrofethi baphrofetha ngoBhali balandela izithombe eziyize.
9 Therefore, I yet plead with you,” A declaration of YHWH, “And I plead with your sons’ sons.
Ngakho-ke ngilethesa amacala futhi,” kutsho uThixo. “Labantwana babantwana benu ngizabethesa amacala.
10 For pass to the islands of Chittim and see, And send to Kedar and consider well, And see if there has been [anything] like this:
Welani liye ngasemakhunjini aseKhithimi likhangele, thumelani eKhedari lihlolisise kuhle, libone langabe sekwake kwaba lento enjengale:
11 Has a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people has changed its glory For that which does not profit.
Isizwe sake santshintsha onkulunkulu baso na? (Belo bavele kabasibo onkulunkulu.) Kodwa abantu bami bantshintshe inkazimulo yabo ngenxa yezithombe eziyize.
12 Be astonished, you heavens, at this, Indeed, be frightened, be greatly desolated,” A declaration of YHWH.
Mangalani lokhu, lina mazulu, lithuthumele ngokwesaba okukhulu,” kutsho UThixo.
13 “For My people have done two evils, They have forsaken Me, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells—broken wells, That do not contain the waters.
“Abantu bami benze izono ezimbili: Bangidelile, mina mthombo wamanzi okuphila, bagebha eyabo imithombo, imithombo evuzayo engagcini manzi.
14 [Is] Israel a servant? Is he a child of the house? Why has he been for a prey?
Kambe u-Israyeli yisisebenzi, isigqili ngokuzalwa na? Pho kungani eseyimpango na?
15 Young lions roar against him, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burned without inhabitant.
Izilwane zibhongile; sezihwabhile kuye. Zilichithile ilizwe lakhe; amadolobho akhe atshisiwe, atshiywa engaselamuntu.
16 Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume you—the crown of the head!
Njalo, labantu baseMemfisi leThahiphanesi baphuce ikhanda lakho.
17 Do you not do this to yourself? [By] your forsaking your God YHWH, At the time He is leading you in the way?
Lokhu kawukwehliselanga phezu kwakho ngokudela uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho lapho ekukhokhela endleleni na?
18 And now, why do you [go] in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And why do you [go] in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the River?
Khathesi kungani usiya eGibhithe ukuba unathe amanzi eShihori na? Njalo kungani usiya e-Asiriya ukuba unathe amanzi eYufrathe na?
19 Your wickedness instructs you, And your backslidings reprove you, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [is] your forsaking your God YHWH, And My fear not being on you,” A declaration of Lord YHWH of Hosts.
Ububi bakho buzakujezisa; ukutshedela kwakho emuva kuzakukhuza. Ngakho cabanga ubone ukuthi kubi njalo kubuhlungu kanjani lapho udela uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho njalo ungelavalo ngami,” kutsho iNkosi uThixo uSomandla.
20 “For from of old you have broken your yoke, Drawn away your bands, and say, I do not serve, For on every high height, and under every green tree, You are wandering—a harlot.
“Endulo wephula ijogwe lakho, waquma izibopho zakho; wathi, ‘Kangiyikukukhonza!’ Lakanye, phezu kwamaqaqa wonke langaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziluhlaza walala phansi njengesifebe.
21 And I planted you [as] a choice vine, wholly of true seed, And how have you been turned Into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine to Me?
Ngikuhlanyele njengevini elikhethiweyo elohlobo oluqinileyo loluthembekileyo. Pho kwenzakala njani ukuba ungiphendukele ube livini elibolileyo, leganga?
22 But though you wash with natron, And multiply soap to yourself, Your iniquity is marked before Me,” A declaration of Lord YHWH.
Lanxa ugeza ngesepa usebenzisa lesepa enengi, ichatha lobubi bakho lilokhu likhona phambi kwami,” kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
23 “How can you say, I have not been defiled, I have not gone after the Ba‘alim? See your way in a valley, know what you have done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,
“Ungatsho kanjani na uthi, ‘Kangingcolanga, kangibalandelanga oBhali’? Khangela ukuthi waziphatha njani esigodini, khumbula osukwenzile. Ulikamela elisikazi elilesiqubu eligijima lapha lalaphaya,
24 A wild donkey accustomed to a wilderness, She has swallowed up wind in the desire of her soul, Her meeting—who turns her back? None seeking her weary themselves, In her month they find her.
ubabhemi weganga ojwayele inkangala, ophembela umoya enkanukweni yakhe, ngubani ongamenqabela ekukhanukeni kwakhe? Abaduna abamxotshayo bangazidinisi ukuxotshana labo; bazamthola ngesikhathi sezinsikazikhwela.
25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, And your throat from thirst, And you say, It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and I go after them.
Ungagijimi inyawo zakho zize zihlubuke lomphimbo wakho uze wome. Kodwa wena wathi, ‘Akusizi lutho! Ngiyabathanda onkulunkulu bezizweni, kumele ngibalandele.’
26 As the shame of a thief when he is found, So has the house of Israel been put to shame, They, their kings, their heads, And their priests, and their prophets,
Njengokuyangeka kwesela nxa selibanjiwe, ngokunjalo abantu bako-Israyeli bayangekile, bona kanye lamakhosi abo lezikhulu zabo, abaphristi babo labaphrofethi babo.
27 Saying to wood, You [are] my father! And to a stone, You have brought me forth, For they turned to me the back and not the face, And in the time of their distress, They say, Arise, and save us.
Bathi esigodweni, ‘Wena ungubaba wami,’ elitsheni bathi, ‘Nguwe owangizalayo.’ Bangifulathele, hatshi ngobuso babo nje; kodwa nxa sebehlupheka bathi, ‘Woza usihlenge.’
28 And where [are] your gods, that you have made to yourself? Let them arise, if they may save you, In the time of your distress, For—the number of your cities have been your gods, O Judah,
Pho bangaphi onkulunkulu elazenzela bona? Kabeze nxa bengakuhlenga lapho usuphakathi kokuhlupheka! Ngoba wena Juda ulabonkulunkulu abanengi njengobunengi bamadolobho akho.
29 Why do you strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me,” A declaration of YHWH.
Kungani lingethesa umlandu? Lonke lingihlamukele,” kutsho uThixo.
30 “I have struck your sons in vain, They have not accepted instruction, Your sword has devoured your prophets, As a destroying lion.
“Ukubajezisa kwami abantu bakho kwaba yize; kabakuvumanga ukuqondiswa. Inkemba yakho isibatshwabadele abaphrofethi bakho njengesilwane esiphangayo.
31 O generation, see the word of YHWH: Have I been a wilderness to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Why have My people said, We wandered freely, We do not come to You again.
Wena owalesisizukulwane, khumbula ilizwi likaThixo: Ngibe ngiyinkangala ku-Israyeli kumbe ilizwe lomnyama omkhulu na? Kungani abantu bami besithi, ‘Sikhululekile ukuba sizulazule; kasiyikuza kuwe futhi’?
32 Does a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And My people have forgotten Me [for] days without number.
Intombi ingazikhohlwa iziceciso zayo na, lomlobokazi akhohlwe izembatho zakhe na? Kodwa abantu bami bangikhohliwe, okwensuku ezingeke zibalwe.
33 Why do you make your ways pleasing to seek love? Therefore you have even taught the wicked your ways.
Yeka ukuhlakanipha kwakho ekufuneni uthando! Labesifazane ababi kakhulu bangafunda ezindleleni zakho.
34 Also the blood of innocent needy souls Has been found on your skirts, I have not found them by digging, But on all these.
Ezigqokweni zakho abantu bathola igazi lokuphila elabayanga abangelacala lanxa ungababambanga befohlela phakathi. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu
35 And you say, Because I have been innocent, Surely His anger has turned back from me? Behold, I have been judged with you, Because of your saying, I have not sinned.
uthi, ‘Kangilacala; kangithukuthelelanga.’ Kodwa mina ngizakwahlulela, ngoba uthi, ‘Angonanga.’
36 What? You are very vile to repeat your way, You are even ashamed of Egypt, As you have been ashamed of Asshur,
Kungani uqhubeka kangaka, untshintsha izindlela zakho? IGibhithe izakuyangisa njengalokhu owakwenziwa yi-Asiriya.
37 Also you go out from this, And your hands on your head, For YHWH has kicked at your confidences, And you do not give prosperity to them!”
Uzasuka kuleyondawo izandla zakho zisekhanda lakho, ngoba uThixo ubalahlile labo obathembayo; kabayikukusiza.”
