UJeremiya 14
1 Leli yilizwi likaThixo elafika kuJeremiya mayelana lokoma elizweni lisithi:
The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.
2 “UJuda uyalila, amadolobho akhe ayahlupheka; alilela ilizwe, njalo isililo siyaqonga sivela eJerusalema.
Judah mourns, and the gates thereof languish. They sit in black upon the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.
3 Izikhulu zithuma izinceku zazo ukuyafuna amanzi; ziya emithonjeni kodwa zifice amanzi engekho. Ziyabuyela lemigqomo yazo ingelalutho; zithithibele njalo zidanile, zemboze amakhanda azo.
And their ranking men send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns, and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are put to shame and confounded, and cover their heads,
4 Umhlabathi uqhekezekile ngoba akulazulu elizweni; abalimi bathithibele njalo bemboze amakhanda abo.
because of the ground which is cracked. Because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame; they cover their heads.
5 Lenyamazana ensikazi egangeni iyabalekela inkonyane layo elizelweyo ngoba akulatshani.
Yea, the hind also in the field calves, and forsakes it because there is no grass.
6 Obabhemi beganga bema emiqolweni elugwadule bakhefuzele njengamakhanka; amehlo abo asefiphele ngenxa yokuswela amadlelo.”
And the wild donkeys stand on the bare heights. They pant for air like jackals. Their eyes fail because there is no herbage.
7 Lanxa izono zethu zifakaza kubi ngathi, Oh Thixo, ake wenze okunye ngenxa yebizo lakho. Ngoba ukuhlehlela kwethu emuva kunengi; sonile kuwe.
Though our iniquities testify against us, work thou for thy name's sake, O Jehovah. For our backslidings are many. We have sinned against thee.
8 Oh Themba lika-Israyeli, uMhlengi wakhe ezikhathini zokuhlupheka, kungani usiba njengowezizweni elizweni, njengesihambi esihlala ubusuku obubodwa kuphela?
O thou hope of Israel, the Savior of it in the time of trouble, why should thou be as a sojourner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to tarry for a night?
9 Kungani usiba njengomuntu ojunyiweyo, lanjengebutho elingelamandla okusiza na? Ukhona phakathi kwethu, wena Thixo, njalo sibizwa ngebizo lakho; ungasilahli!
Why should thou be as a man frightened, as a mighty man who cannot save? Yet thou, O Jehovah, are in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name. Do not leave us.
10 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo ngalababantu: “Bayakuthanda kakhulu ukuntula; kabazibambi inyawo zabo. Ngakho uThixo kayikubamukela; khathesi uzakhumbula ububi babo abajezisele izono zabo.”
Thus says Jehovah to this people: Even so they have loved to wander. They have not restrained their feet. Therefore Jehovah does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.
11 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Ungakhulekeli inhlalakahle yabantu laba.
And Jehovah said to me, Pray not for this people for good.
12 Lanxa bezila ukudla, ukukhala kwabo angiyikukulalela; loba benikela iminikelo yokutshiswa kanye leminikelo yamabele, angiyikuyamukela. Esikhundleni salokho, ngizabaqeda du ngenkemba, ngendlala langezifo.”
When they fast, I will not hear their cry. And when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
13 Kodwa mina ngathi, “Awu Thixo Wobukhosi, abaphrofethi bahlezi bebatshela besithi, ‘Kaliyikubona inkemba loba libulawe yindlala. Impela, ngizalipha ukuthula okungapheliyo kule indawo.’”
Then I said, Ah, lord Jehovah! Behold, the prophets say to them, Ye shall not see the sword, nor shall ye have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.
14 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Abaphrofethi baphrofetha amanga ngebizo lami. Angibathumanga njalo angibakhethanga kumbe ngikhulume labo. Baphrofetha imibono yamanga kini, ukuhlahlula, ukukhonza izithombe lenkohliso yezingqondo zabo.
Then Jehovah said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I did not send them, nor have I commanded them, nor did I speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of naught, and the deceit of their own heart.
15 Ngakho-ke, nanku okutshiwo nguThixo ngabaphrofethi abaphrofetha ngebizo lami ukuthi: Kangizange ngibathume, kodwa bona bathi, ‘Akulankemba kumbe indlala ezathinta ilizwe leli.’ Bona labo abaphrofethi bazabhujiswa ngenkemba langendlala.
Therefore thus says Jehovah concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, and I did not send them, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed.
16 Abantu abaphrofetha kubo bazaphoselwa phandle emigwaqweni yaseJerusalema ngenxa yendlala lenkemba. Akulamuntu ozabangcwaba kumbe omkabo, amadodana abo loba amadodakazi abo. Ngizabehlisela ingozi ebafaneleyo.
And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword, and they shall have none to bury them-them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters. For I will pour their wickedness upon them.
17 Khuluma ilizwi leli kubo uthi: ‘Amehlo ami kawehlise inyembezi ebusuku lemini zingomi; ngoba indodakazi yami egcweleyo, labantu bami balimele kakhulu, balinyazwe yikutshaywa okwesabekayo.
And thou shall say this word to them: Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease. For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.
18 Nxa ngingena elizweni, ngibona labo ababulawa ngenkemba; nxa ngingena edolobheni ngibona umonakalo owenziwa yindlala. Bobabili umphrofethi lomphristi sebeye elizweni abangalaziyo.’”
If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! And if I enter into the city, then, behold, those who are sick with famine! For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.
19 UJuda usumlahle kokuphela na? IZiyoni uyaleyisa na? Usitshayeleni kangaka size singelapheki na? Sasilindele ukuthula kodwa akulabuhle obaba khona, isikhathi sokwelatshwa kodwa kulokwesaba kuphela.
Have thou utterly rejected Judah? Has thy soul loathed Zion? Why have thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came, and for a time of healing, and, behold, dismay!
20 Awu Thixo, siyakuvuma ukona kwethu kanye lokona kwabokhokho bethu; impela sonile kuwe.
We acknowledge, O Jehovah, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against thee.
21 Ngenxa yebizo lakho ungasenyanyi; ungasigconi isihlalo sakho sobukhosi esihle kakhulu. Khumbula isivumelwano sakho lathi ungasephuli.
Do not abhor us. For thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory. Remember, do not break thy covenant with us.
22 Zikhona yini izithombe eziyize zezizwe ezinganisa izulu na? Imikhathi yona ngokwayo iyalinisa izulu na? Hatshi, nguwe, Thixo Nkulunkulu wethu. Ngakho ithemba lethu likuwe, ngoba nguwe owenza konke lokhu.
Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are not thou he, O Jehovah our God? Therefore we will wait for thee, for thou have made all these things.
