UJeremiya 14
1 Leli yilizwi likaThixo elafika kuJeremiya mayelana lokoma elizweni lisithi:
This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2 “UJuda uyalila, amadolobho akhe ayahlupheka; alilela ilizwe, njalo isililo siyaqonga sivela eJerusalema.
“Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
3 Izikhulu zithuma izinceku zazo ukuyafuna amanzi; ziya emithonjeni kodwa zifice amanzi engekho. Ziyabuyela lemigqomo yazo ingelalutho; zithithibele njalo zidanile, zemboze amakhanda azo.
The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads.
4 Umhlabathi uqhekezekile ngoba akulazulu elizweni; abalimi bathithibele njalo bemboze amakhanda abo.
The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
5 Lenyamazana ensikazi egangeni iyabalekela inkonyane layo elizelweyo ngoba akulatshani.
Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
6 Obabhemi beganga bema emiqolweni elugwadule bakhefuzele njengamakhanka; amehlo abo asefiphele ngenxa yokuswela amadlelo.”
Wild donkeys stand on barren heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of pasture.”
7 Lanxa izono zethu zifakaza kubi ngathi, Oh Thixo, ake wenze okunye ngenxa yebizo lakho. Ngoba ukuhlehlela kwethu emuva kunengi; sonile kuwe.
Although our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, act for the sake of Your name. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against You.
8 Oh Themba lika-Israyeli, uMhlengi wakhe ezikhathini zokuhlupheka, kungani usiba njengowezizweni elizweni, njengesihambi esihlala ubusuku obubodwa kuphela?
O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are You like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays but a night?
9 Kungani usiba njengomuntu ojunyiweyo, lanjengebutho elingelamandla okusiza na? Ukhona phakathi kwethu, wena Thixo, njalo sibizwa ngebizo lakho; ungasilahli!
Why are You like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? Yet You are among us, O LORD, and we are called by Your name. Do not forsake us!
10 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo ngalababantu: “Bayakuthanda kakhulu ukuntula; kabazibambi inyawo zabo. Ngakho uThixo kayikubamukela; khathesi uzakhumbula ububi babo abajezisele izono zabo.”
This is what the LORD says about this people: “Truly they love to wander; they have not restrained their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; He will now remember their guilt and call their sins to account.”
11 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Ungakhulekeli inhlalakahle yabantu laba.
Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people.
12 Lanxa bezila ukudla, ukukhala kwabo angiyikukulalela; loba benikela iminikelo yokutshiswa kanye leminikelo yamabele, angiyikuyamukela. Esikhundleni salokho, ngizabaqeda du ngenkemba, ngendlala langezifo.”
Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
13 Kodwa mina ngathi, “Awu Thixo Wobukhosi, abaphrofethi bahlezi bebatshela besithi, ‘Kaliyikubona inkemba loba libulawe yindlala. Impela, ngizalipha ukuthula okungapheliyo kule indawo.’”
“Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting 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.
“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.
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 this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end!
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 will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil 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.
You are to speak this word to them: ‘My eyes overflow with tears; day and night they do not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow, a severely 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 out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’”
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 You rejected Judah completely? Do You despise Zion? Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We hoped for peace, but no good has come, and for the time of healing, but there was only terror.
20 Awu Thixo, siyakuvuma ukona kwethu kanye lokona kwabokhokho bethu; impela sonile kuwe.
We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.
21 Ngenxa yebizo lakho ungasenyanyi; ungasigconi isihlalo sakho sobukhosi esihle kakhulu. Khumbula isivumelwano sakho lathi ungasephuli.
For the sake of Your name do not despise us; do not disgrace Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us; do not break it.
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.
Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.
