UJeremiya 14
1 Leli yilizwi likaThixo elafika kuJeremiya mayelana lokoma elizweni lisithi:
The Word of the Lord that came to Jeremias concerning the words of the drought.
2 “UJuda uyalila, amadolobho akhe ayahlupheka; alilela ilizwe, njalo isililo siyaqonga sivela eJerusalema.
Judea hath mourned, and the gates thereof are fallen, and are become obscure on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem is 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.
The great ones sent their inferiors to the water: they came to draw, they found no water, they carried back their vessels empty: they were confounded and afflicted, and covered their heads.
4 Umhlabathi uqhekezekile ngoba akulazulu elizweni; abalimi bathithibele njalo bemboze amakhanda abo.
For the destruction of the land, because there came no rain upon the earth, the husbandmen were confounded, they covered their heads.
5 Lenyamazana ensikazi egangeni iyabalekela inkonyane layo elizelweyo ngoba akulatshani.
Yea, the hind also brought forth in the field, and left it, because there was no grass.
6 Obabhemi beganga bema emiqolweni elugwadule bakhefuzele njengamakhanka; amehlo abo asefiphele ngenxa yokuswela amadlelo.”
And the wild asses stood upon the rocks, they snuffed up the wind like dragons, their eyes failed, because there was no grass.
7 Lanxa izono zethu zifakaza kubi ngathi, Oh Thixo, ake wenze okunye ngenxa yebizo lakho. Ngoba ukuhlehlela kwethu emuva kunengi; sonile kuwe.
If our iniquities have testified against us, O Lord, do thou it for thy name’s sake, for our rebellions 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 expectation of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble: why wilt thou be a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man turning in to lodge?
9 Kungani usiba njengomuntu ojunyiweyo, lanjengebutho elingelamandla okusiza na? Ukhona phakathi kwethu, wena Thixo, njalo sibizwa ngebizo lakho; ungasilahli!
Why wilt thou be as a wandering man, as a mighty man that cannot save? but thou, O Lord, art among us, and thy name is called upon by us, forsake us not.
10 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo ngalababantu: “Bayakuthanda kakhulu ukuntula; kabazibambi inyawo zabo. Ngakho uThixo kayikubamukela; khathesi uzakhumbula ububi babo abajezisele izono zabo.”
Thus saith the Lord to his people, that have loved to move their feet, and have not rested, and have not pleased the Lord: He will now remember their iniquities, and visit their sins.
11 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Ungakhulekeli inhlalakahle yabantu laba.
And the Lord said to me: Pray not for this people for their 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 prayers: and if they offer holocausts and victims, I will not receive them: for I will consume them by the sword, and by 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.’”
And I said: Ah, ah, ah, O Lord God, the prophets say to them: You shall not see the sword, and there shall be no famine among you, but he will give you true 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.
And the Lord said to me: The prophets prophesy falsely in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, nor have I spoken to them: they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination and deceit, and the seduction 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 saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophecy in my name, whom I did not send, that say: Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets 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 prophecy, shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword, and there shall be none to bury them: they and their wives, their sons and their daughters, and I will pour out 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 shalt speak this word to them: Let my eyes shed down tears night and day, and let them not cease, because the virgin daughter of my people is afflicted with a great affliction, with an exceeding grievous evil.
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 fields, behold the slain with the sword: and if I enter into the city, behold them that are consumed with famine. The prophet also and the priest are gone into a land which they knew not.
19 UJuda usumlahle kokuphela na? IZiyoni uyaleyisa na? Usitshayeleni kangaka size singelapheki na? Sasilindele ukuthula kodwa akulabuhle obaba khona, isikhathi sokwelatshwa kodwa kulokwesaba kuphela.
Hast thou utterly cast away Juda, or hath thy soul abhorred Sion? why then hast thou struck us, so that there is no healing for us? we have looked for peace, and there is no good: and for the time of healing, and behold trouble.
20 Awu Thixo, siyakuvuma ukona kwethu kanye lokona kwabokhokho bethu; impela sonile kuwe.
We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, the iniquities of our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
21 Ngenxa yebizo lakho ungasenyanyi; ungasigconi isihlalo sakho sobukhosi esihle kakhulu. Khumbula isivumelwano sakho lathi ungasephuli.
Give us not to be a reproach, for thy name’s sake, and do not disgrace in us the throne of thy glory: remember, break not 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 graven things of the Gentiles that can send rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou the Lord our God, whom we have looked for? for thou hast made all these things.
