UJeremiya 12
1 Wena ulungile izikhathi zonke, Oh Thixo, lapho ngiletha indaba kuwe. Ikanti ngingakhuluma lawe ngokulunga kwakho: Kungani indlela yababi iphumelela na? Kungani abangathembekanga behlezi kuhle na?
RIGHTEOUS art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
2 Ubahlanyele, njalo sebemilile; bayakhula bathele izithelo. Bahlezi bekhuluma ngawe, kodwa ezinhliziyweni zabo ukhatshana.
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
3 Kodwa mina, Oh Thixo, uyangazi; uyangibona uhlole imicabango yami ngawe. Bahudule njengezimvu eziyahlatshwa! Bamisele usuku lokubulawa!
But thou, O Lord, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 Koze kube nini ilizwe lomile lotshani iganga lonke bubunile? Ngenxa yokuthi labo abahlala kulo babi, izinyamazana lezinyoni sezibhubhile. Kanti futhi abantu bathi, “Kasoze akubone okwenzakala kithi.”
How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
5 “Nxa ugijime labantu ngezinyawo bakudinisa, ungancintisana njani lamabhiza na? Nxa ukhubeka elizweni elingelangozi, pho uzakwanelisa njani ezixukwini zaseJodani na?
If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
6 Abafowenu, abendlu yakwenu labo futhi bakunikele; baklabalale batsho okubi ngawe. Ungabathembi, lanxa bekhuluma kuhle ngawe.
For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
7 Indlu yami ngizayitshiya, ngilidele ilifa lami; lowo engimthandayo ngizamnikela ezandleni zezitha zakhe.
I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
8 Ilifa lami kimi selibe njengesilwane ehlathini. Liyangihwabhela; ngakho ngiyalizonda.
Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it.
9 Ilifa lami kimi kaselibe njengenyoni emabalabala edla inyama ehanqwa ngezinye izinyoni ezidla inyama, ziyihlasela na? Hamba uyebutha zonke izinyamazana zeganga; uzilethe ukuba zidle.
Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
10 Abelusi abanengi bazasichitha isivini sami bagandele insimu yami; bazaguqula insimu yami enhle ibe lugwadule oluphundlekileyo.
Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 Izakwenziwa ugwadule, yome iphundlekile phambi kwami; ilizwe lonke lizachitheka ngoba kakho olinakayo.
They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
12 Emiqolweni yonke engelalutho enkangala abachithi bazaphithizela, ngoba inkemba kaThixo izakudla kusukela komunye umkhawulo welizwe kusiya komunye; kakho ozavikeleka.
The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the Lord shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.
13 Bazahlanyela ingqoloyi kodwa bavune ameva; bazazidinisa kodwa bangazuzi lutho. Ngakho wobani lenhloni ngesivuno senu ngenxa yolaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo.”
They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
14 UThixo uthi: “Bonke omakhelwane bami ababi abathumba ilifa engalinika abantu bami bako-Israyeli, ngizabasusa emazweni abo ngisuse lendlu kaJuda phakathi kwabo.
Thus saith the Lord against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.
15 Kodwa emva kokubasusa kwami, ngizaphinda ngibe lesihawu ngibuyisele omunye lomunye wabo endaweni eyilifa lakhe elizweni lakhe.
And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16 Bangazifunda kuhle izindlela zabantu bami njalo bafunge ngebizo lami besithi, ‘Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ephila’ lanxa nje bake bafundisa abantu bami ukufunga ngoBhali, bazahlaliswa phakathi kwabantu bami.
And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The Lord liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.
17 Kodwa nxa isizwe singalaleli, ngizasisusa ngokupheleleyo ngisibhubhise,” kutsho uThixo.
But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the Lord.
