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 Jehovah, When I plead towards thee, Only, judgments do I speak with Thee, Wherefore did the way of the wicked prosper? At rest have been all treacherous dealers.
2 Ubahlanyele, njalo sebemilile; bayakhula bathele izithelo. Bahlezi bekhuluma ngawe, kodwa ezinhliziyweni zabo ukhatshana.
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root, They go on, yea, they have made fruit, Near [art] Thou in their mouth, And far off from their reins.
3 Kodwa mina, Oh Thixo, uyangazi; uyangibona uhlole imicabango yami ngawe. Bahudule njengezimvu eziyahlatshwa! Bamisele usuku lokubulawa!
And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known me, Thou seest me, and hast tried my heart with Thee, Draw them away as sheep to slaughter, And separate them for a 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.”
Till when doth the earth mourn, And the herb of the whole field wither? For the wickedness of those dwelling in it, Consumed have been beast and fowl, Because they said, 'He doth not see our latter end.'
5 “Nxa ugijime labantu ngezinyawo bakudinisa, ungancintisana njani lamabhiza na? Nxa ukhubeka elizweni elingelangozi, pho uzakwanelisa njani ezixukwini zaseJodani na?
For — with footmen thou hast run, And they weary thee, And how dost thou fret thyself with horses! Even in the land of peace, [In which] thou art confident — And how dost thou in the rising 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 dealt treacherously against thee, Even they — they called after thee fully, Trust not in them, when they speak to thee good things.
7 Indlu yami ngizayitshiya, ngilidele ilifa lami; lowo engimthandayo ngizamnikela ezandleni zezitha zakhe.
I have forsaken My house, I have left Mine inheritance, I have given the beloved of My soul Into the hand of her enemies.
8 Ilifa lami kimi selibe njengesilwane ehlathini. Liyangihwabhela; ngakho ngiyalizonda.
Mine inheritance hath been to Me as a lion in a forest, She gave forth against Me with her voice, Therefore I have hated her.
9 Ilifa lami kimi kaselibe njengenyoni emabalabala edla inyama ehanqwa ngezinye izinyoni ezidla inyama, ziyihlasela na? Hamba uyebutha zonke izinyamazana zeganga; uzilethe ukuba zidle.
A speckled fowl [is] Mine inheritance to Me? Is the fowl round about against her? Come, assemble, every beast of the field, Come ye for food.
10 Abelusi abanengi bazasichitha isivini sami bagandele insimu yami; bazaguqula insimu yami enhle ibe lugwadule oluphundlekileyo.
Many shepherds did destroy My vineyard, They have trodden down My portion, They have made My desirable portion Become a wilderness — a desolation.
11 Izakwenziwa ugwadule, yome iphundlekile phambi kwami; ilizwe lonke lizachitheka ngoba kakho olinakayo.
He hath made it become a desolation, The desolation hath mourned unto Me, Desolated hath been all the land, But there is no one laying it to heart.
12 Emiqolweni yonke engelalutho enkangala abachithi bazaphithizela, ngoba inkemba kaThixo izakudla kusukela komunye umkhawulo welizwe kusiya komunye; kakho ozavikeleka.
On all high places in the plain have spoilers come in, For the sword of Jehovah is consuming, From the end of the land even unto the end of the land, There is no peace to any flesh.
13 Bazahlanyela ingqoloyi kodwa bavune ameva; bazazidinisa kodwa bangazuzi lutho. Ngakho wobani lenhloni ngesivuno senu ngenxa yolaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo.”
They sowed wheat, and have thorns reaped, They have become sick — they profit not, And they have been ashamed of your increases, Because of the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah.
14 UThixo uthi: “Bonke omakhelwane bami ababi abathumba ilifa engalinika abantu bami bako-Israyeli, ngizabasusa emazweni abo ngisuse lendlu kaJuda phakathi kwabo.
Thus said Jehovah concerning all my evil neighbours, who are striking against the inheritance that I caused my people — Israel — to inherit: 'Lo, I am plucking them from off their ground, And the house of Judah I pluck out of their midst.
15 Kodwa emva kokubasusa kwami, ngizaphinda ngibe lesihawu ngibuyisele omunye lomunye wabo endaweni eyilifa lakhe elizweni lakhe.
And it hath been, after My plucking them out, I turn back, and have pitied them, And I have brought them back, Each to his inheritance, and each 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 hath come to pass, If they learn well the ways of My people, To swear by My name, 'Jehovah liveth,' As they taught My people to swear by Baal, Then they have been built up in the midst of My people.
17 Kodwa nxa isizwe singalaleli, ngizasisusa ngokupheleleyo ngisibhubhise,” kutsho uThixo.
And if they do not hearken, Then I have plucked up that nation, Plucking up and destroying, An affirmation of Jehovah!'
