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 to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
“Zwana izimiso zesivumelwano lesi uzitshele abantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema.
3 And say thou to them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed [be] the man that obeyeth not 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 [that] I brought them forth from the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your 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 perform the oath which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as [it is] this day. Then answered I, 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 the LORD said to 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 protested to your fathers in the day [that] I brought them out of the land of Egypt, [even] to this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
Kusukela ekukhupheni kwami okhokho benu eGibhithe kuze kube lamhla, ngabalaya njalonjalo ngisithi, “Lalelani ilizwi lami.”
8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded [them] to do; 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 Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Kulokuhlamuka okukhona ebantwini bakoJuda lakulabo abahlala eJerusalema.
10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words; and they went 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 saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry to me, I will not hearken to them.
Ngakho nanku akutshoyo uThixo: ‘Ngizabehlisela umonakalo abangeke baphephe kuwo. Lanxa sebekhala kimi kangiyikubalalela.
12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry to the gods to which they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
Amadolobho akoJuda labantu baseJerusalema bazakuyakhala kubonkulunkulu ababatshisela impepha, kodwa kabasoze babasize ngalutho lapho uhlupho selubehlela.
13 For [according to] the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and [according to] the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to [that] shameful thing, [even] 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 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear [them] in the time when they cry to me for their trouble.
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, [seeing] she hath wrought lewdness with many; and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.
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 thy name, A green olive tree, fair, [and] of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
UThixo wakubiza ngokuthi uyisihlahla se-oliva esihlumileyo esilezithelo ezinhle. Kodwa ngokuhlokoma kwesiphepho esikhulu uzasithungela ngomlilo, ingatsha zaso zephuke.
17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil 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 to Baal.
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 thou showedst me their doings.
Ngenxa yokuthi uThixo waveza icebo labo kimi, ngalazi, ngoba ngalesosikhathi wangitshengisa ababekwenza.
19 But I [was] like a lamb [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 be no more remembered.
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 to thee have I revealed 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 saith the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:
Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo mayelana labantu base-Anathothi abafuna ukukubulala besithi, “Ungaphrofethi ngebizo likaThixo funa sikubulale”
22 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:
ngakho uThixo uSomandla uthi: “Ngizabajezisa. Amajaha akibo azabulawa yinkemba, amadodana lamadodakazi abo abulawe yindlala.
23 And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, [even] the year of their visitation.
Akuyikuba khona osalayo kubo, ngoba ngizaletha incithakalo ebantwini base-Anathothi ngomnyaka wokujeziswa kwabo.”
