UJeremiya 10
1 Zwana okutshiwo nguThixo kuwe, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli.
Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, house of Israel!
2 UThixo uthi: “Lingazifundi izindlela zezizwe kumbe ukwethuswa yizibonakaliso zasemkhathini, lanxa nje izizwe zisethuswa yizo.
The LORD says, “Don’t learn the way of the nations, and don’t be dismayed at the signs of the sky; for the nations are dismayed at them.
3 Ngoba imikhuba yabantu iyize, bagamula isihlahla ehlathini, ingcwethi isibaze ngetshizela yayo.
For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.
4 Bayasicecisa ngesiliva langegolide, basibethele ngesando langezipikili ukuze singanyikinyeki.
They deck it with silver and with gold. They fasten it with nails and with hammers, so that it can’t move.
5 Njengezinto zokwethusa endimeni yamajodo, izithombe zabo azikhulumi, kumele zithwalwe ngoba azingeke zihambe. Lingazesabi, azingeke zenze okubi, lokuhle azingeke zikwenze.”
They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and don’t speak. They must be carried, because they can’t move. Don’t be afraid of them; for they can’t do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”
6 Kakho ofana lawe, wena Thixo, wena umkhulu, lebizo lakho lilamandla amakhulu.
There is no one like you, LORD. You are great, and your name is great in might.
7 Ngubani ongeke akwesabe, wena Nkosi yezizwe? Lokhu kukufanele. Phakathi kwabantu bonke abahlakaniphileyo bezizwe lakuyo yonke imibuso yabo, kakho onjengawe.
Who shouldn’t fear you, King of the nations? For it belongs to you. Because amongst all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is no one like you.
8 Bonke kabalangqondo njalo bayizithutha, bafundiswa yizithombe zezigodo eziyize.
But they are together brutish and foolish, instructed by idols! It is just wood.
9 Isiliva esikhandiweyo siyalethwa sivela eThashishi legolide livela e-Ufazi. Okwenziwe yingcwethi lomkhandi wegolide kugqokiswa okuluhlaza lokuyibubende, njalo konke kwenziwe zingcitshi.
There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the engraver and of the hands of the goldsmith. Their clothing is blue and purple. They are all the work of skilful men.
10 Kodwa uThixo unguNkulunkulu oqotho, unguNkulunkulu ophilayo, iNkosi yanininini. Lapho ethukuthele, umhlaba uyagedezela, izizwe azingeke zimelane lolaka lwakhe.
But the LORD is the true God. He is the living God, and an everlasting King. At his wrath, the earth trembles. The nations aren’t able to withstand his indignation.
11 “Batshele lokhu uthi, onkulunkulu laba, abangawenzanga amazulu lomhlaba, bazabhubha emhlabeni langaphansi kwamazulu.”
“You shall say this to them: ‘The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.’”
12 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe, wamisa umhlaba ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe, njalo wendlala lamazulu ngokuqedisisa kwakhe.
God has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens.
13 Lapho evungama, amanzi asemazulwini ayahlokoma, wenza amayezi aphakame evela emikhawulweni yomhlaba. Uthumela umbane ulezulu njalo akhuphe umoya eziphaleni zakhe.
When he utters his voice, the waters in the heavens roar, and he causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain, and brings the wind out of his treasuries.
14 Abantu bonke kabalangqondo njalo kabalalwazi, wonke umkhandi wegolide uyangiswa yizithombe zakhe. Izithombe zakhe azenzayo ziyinkohliso, kazilamphefumulo phakathi kwazo.
Every man has become brutish and without knowledge. Every goldsmith is disappointed by his engraved image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
15 Ziyize, izinto zenhlekisa nje, lapho ukwahlulelwa kwazo sekufikile, zizabhubha.
They are vanity, a work of delusion. In the time of their visitation they will perish.
16 Lowo oyiNgxenye kaJakhobe kafani lalaba, ngoba unguMenzi wezinto zonke, kubalwa lo-Israyeli, isizwe selifa lakhe, ibizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the maker of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance. The LORD of Armies is his name.
17 Qoqani impahla yenu ukuba lisuke elizweni, lina elihlezi livinjezelwe.
Gather up your wares out of the land, you who live under siege.
18 Ngoba uThixo uthi, “Ngalesisikhathi ngizabaphosela phandle labo abahlala kulelilizwe, ngizabehlisela usizi ukuze bathunjwe.”
For the LORD says, “Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.”
19 Maye mina ngenxa yokulimala kwami! Inxeba lami kalelapheki! Ikanti ngazitshela ngathi, “Lo ngumkhuhlane wami, njalo kumele ngiwubekezelele.”
Woe is me because of my injury! My wound is serious; but I said, “Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.”
20 Ithente lami lidiliziwe, izintambo zalo zonke ziqumekile. Amadodana ami asukile kimi njalo kawasekho, kakho oseleyo ukuba angimisele ithente lami, loba ongangilungisela amakhetheni ami.
My tent has been destroyed, and all my cords are broken. My children have gone away from me, and they are no more. There is no one to spread my tent any more, to set up my curtains.
21 Abelusi kabalangqondo njalo kabambuzi uThixo, ngakho kabaphumeleli, njalo lemihlambi yabo yonke ihlakazekile.
For the shepherds have become brutish, and have not enquired of the LORD. Therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks have scattered.
22 Lalelani! Umbiko uyeza, ukuxokozela okukhulu okuvela elizweni lenyakatho! Kuzakwenza amadolobho akoJuda achitheke, abe yizikhundla zamakhanka.
The voice of news, behold, it comes, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling place of jackals.
23 Ngiyazi, Oh Thixo, ukuthi ukuphila komuntu akusikho kwakhe, umuntu akusikho kwakhe ukuthi aqondise izinyathelo zakhe.
LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
24 Ngiqondise Thixo, kodwa kube ngokulunga, kungabi ngolaka lwakho, hlezi ungenze ngibe yize.
LORD, correct me, but gently; not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing.
25 Yehlisela ulaka lwakho phezu kwezizwe ezingakwamukeliyo, phezu kwabantu abangakhuleki ebizweni lakho. Ngoba bamdlile uJakhobe, bamdlile waphela bachitha lelizwe lakhe.
Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you, and on the families that don’t call on your name; for they have devoured Jacob. Yes, they have devoured him, consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.
