UJeremiya 11
1 Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
The word that came from the Lord to Jeremias, saying:
2 “Zwana izimiso zesivumelwano lesi uzitshele abantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema.
Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
3 Batshele uthi uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Uqalekisiwe umuntu ongalandeli izimiso zesivumelwano lesi,
And thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Cursed is the man that shall not hearken to the words of this covenant,
4 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.
Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying: Hear ye my voice, and do all things that I command you: and you shall be my people, and I will be your God:
5 Lapho-ke ngizagcwalisa isifungo sami engasifunga kubokhokho benu, ukubanika ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju,’ ilizwe elihlezi kulo khathesi.” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Akube njalo Thixo.”
That I may accomplish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. And I answered and said: Amen, O Lord.
6 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Memezela wonke amazwi la emadolobheni akoJuda lasemigwaqweni yaseJerusalema uthi: ‘Zwanini izimiso zesivumelwano lesi lizilandele.
And the Lord said to me: Proclaim aloud all these words in the cities of Juda, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: Hear ye the words of the covenant, and do them:
7 Kusukela ekukhupheni kwami okhokho benu eGibhithe kuze kube lamhla, ngabalaya njalonjalo ngisithi, “Lalelani ilizwi lami.”
For protesting I conjured your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt even to this day: rising early I conjured them, and said: Hearken ye to my voice:
8 Kodwa kabazange balalele kumbe banake; esikhundleni salokho, bona balandela inkani yezinhliziyo zabo ezimbi. Ngakho ngabehlisela zonke izithuko zesivumelwano engangibalaye ukuba basilandele kodwa kabaze basigcina.’”
And they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear: but walked every one in the perverseness of his own wicked heart: and I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did them not.
9 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Kulokuhlamuka okukhona ebantwini bakoJuda lakulabo abahlala eJerusalema.
And the Lord said to me: A conspiracy is found among the men of Juda, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 Sebebuyele ezonweni zabokhokho babo, abalayo ukulalela amazwi ami. Balandele abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babakhonze. Indlu ka-Israyeli lendlu kaJuda, zombili zisephule isivumelwano engasenza labokhokho bazo.
They are returned to the former iniquities of their fathers, who refused to hear my words: so these likewise have gone after strange gods, to serve them: the house of Israel, and the house of Juda have made void my covenant, which I made with their fathers.
11 Ngakho nanku akutshoyo uThixo: ‘Ngizabehlisela umonakalo abangeke baphephe kuwo. Lanxa sebekhala kimi kangiyikubalalela.
Wherefore thus saith the Lord: Behold I will bring in evils upon them, which they shall not be able to escape: and they shall cry to me, and I will not hearken to them.
12 Amadolobho akoJuda labantu baseJerusalema bazakuyakhala kubonkulunkulu ababatshisela impepha, kodwa kabasoze babasize ngalutho lapho uhlupho selubehlela.
And the cities of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall go, and cry to the gods to whom they offer sacrifice, and they shall not save them in the time of their affliction.
13 Wena Juda ubunengi babonkulunkulu bakho bunjengobamadolobho akho, njalo lama-alithare owakhele ukutshisela impepha kulowonkulunkulu olihlazo, uBhali, ubunengi bawo bunjengobemigwaqo yaseJerusalema.’
For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Juda: and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem thou hast set up altars of confusion, altars to offer sacrifice to Baalim.
14 Abantu laba ungabakhulekeli kumbe ubakhulumele loba ubacelele, ngoba angiyikulalela lapho bekhala kimi esikhathini sokuhlupheka kwabo.
Therefore, do not thou pray for this people, and do not take up praise and prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time of their cry to me, in the time of their affliction.
15 Othandekayo wami wenzani ethempelini lami eceba amaqhinga amabi labanengi? Kambe inyama ebusisiweyo ingaphuthisa ukujeziswa kwakho na? Lapho uphatheka ngobubi bakho, uyajabula.”
What is the meaning that my beloved hath wrought muck wickedness in my house? shall the holy flesh take away from thee thy crimes, in which thou hast boasted?
16 UThixo wakubiza ngokuthi uyisihlahla se-oliva esihlumileyo esilezithelo ezinhle. Kodwa ngokuhlokoma kwesiphepho esikhulu uzasithungela ngomlilo, ingatsha zaso zephuke.
The Lord called thy name, a plentiful olive tree, fair, fruitful, and beautiful: at the noise of a word, a great fire was kindled in it and the branches thereof are burnt.
17 UThixo uSomandla, owakuhlanyelayo, usememezele umonakalo kuwe, ngoba indlu ka-Israyeli lendlu kaJuda zenze okubi zangithukuthelisa ngokutshisela uBhali impepha.
And the Lord of hosts that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee: for the evils of the house of Israel, and the house of Juda, which they have done to themselves, to provoke me, offering sacrifice to Baalim.
18 Ngenxa yokuthi uThixo waveza icebo labo kimi, ngalazi, ngoba ngalesosikhathi wangitshengisa ababekwenza.
But thou, O Lord, hast shewn me, and I have known: then thou shewedst me their doings.
19 Ngangifana lewundlu elithambileyo lisiwa ekuhlatshweni; ngangingazi ukuthi basebebumbe icebo ngami, besithi, “Kasiqumeni isihlahla kanye lezithelo zaso; kasimsuseni elizweni labaphilayo, ukuze ibizo lakhe lingakhunjulwa futhi.”
And I was as a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim: and I knew not that they had devised counsels against me, saying: Let us put wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living, and let his name be remembered no more.
20 Kodwa, wena, Thixo Somandla, wena owahlulela ngokulunga njalo uhlola inhliziyo lengqondo, yenza ngibone ukuphindisela kwakho kubo, ngoba isisusa sami ngisinikela kuwe.
But thou, O Lord of Sabaoth, who judgest justly, and triest the reins and hearts, let me see thy revenge on them: for to thee I have revealed my cause.
21 Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo mayelana labantu base-Anathothi abafuna ukukubulala besithi, “Ungaphrofethi ngebizo likaThixo funa sikubulale”
Therefore thus saith the Lord to the men of Anathoth, who seek thy life, and say: Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of the Lord, and thou shalt not die in our hands.
22 ngakho uThixo uSomandla uthi: “Ngizabajezisa. Amajaha akibo azabulawa yinkemba, amadodana lamadodakazi abo abulawe yindlala.
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts: Behold I will visit upon them: and their young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine.
23 Akuyikuba khona osalayo kubo, ngoba ngizaletha incithakalo ebantwini base-Anathothi ngomnyaka wokujeziswa kwabo.”
And there shall be no remains of them: for I will bring in evil upon the men of Anathoth, the year of their visitation.
