UJeremiya 14
1 Leli yilizwi likaThixo elafika kuJeremiya mayelana lokoma elizweni lisithi:
This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah regarding the drought,
2 “UJuda uyalila, amadolobho akhe ayahlupheka; alilela ilizwe, njalo isililo siyaqonga sivela eJerusalema.
“Let Judah mourn; let her gates fall apart. They are wailing for the land; their cries for Jerusalem are going up.
3 Izikhulu zithuma izinceku zazo ukuyafuna amanzi; ziya emithonjeni kodwa zifice amanzi engekho. Ziyabuyela lemigqomo yazo ingelalutho; zithithibele njalo zidanile, zemboze amakhanda azo.
Their mighty ones send out their servants for water. When they go to the trenches, they cannot find water. They all return unsuccessful; they cover their heads ashamed and dishonored.
4 Umhlabathi uqhekezekile ngoba akulazulu elizweni; abalimi bathithibele njalo bemboze amakhanda abo.
Because of this the ground is cracked, for there is no rain in the land. The plowmen are ashamed and cover their heads.
5 Lenyamazana ensikazi egangeni iyabalekela inkonyane layo elizelweyo ngoba akulatshani.
For even the doe leaves her young in the fields and abandons them, for there is no grass.
6 Obabhemi beganga bema emiqolweni elugwadule bakhefuzele njengamakhanka; amehlo abo asefiphele ngenxa yokuswela amadlelo.”
The wild donkeys stand on the bare plains and they pant in the wind like jackals. Their eyes fail to work, for there is no vegetation.”
7 Lanxa izono zethu zifakaza kubi ngathi, Oh Thixo, ake wenze okunye ngenxa yebizo lakho. Ngoba ukuhlehlela kwethu emuva kunengi; sonile kuwe.
Even though our iniquities testify against us, Yahweh, act for the sake of your name. For our faithless actions increase; we have sinned against you.
8 Oh Themba lika-Israyeli, uMhlengi wakhe ezikhathini zokuhlupheka, kungani usiba njengowezizweni elizweni, njengesihambi esihlala ubusuku obubodwa kuphela?
You are the Hope of Israel, the one who saves him in the time of distress, why will you be like a stranger in the land, like a foreign wanderer who stretches out and spends just one night?
9 Kungani usiba njengomuntu ojunyiweyo, lanjengebutho elingelamandla okusiza na? Ukhona phakathi kwethu, wena Thixo, njalo sibizwa ngebizo lakho; ungasilahli!
Why are you like someone who is astounded, or like a warrior who has no power to rescue? You are in our midst, Yahweh, and your name is called over us. 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.”
Yahweh says this to this people: “Since they love to wander, they have not held back their feet from doing so.” Yahweh is not pleased with them. Now he calls to mind their iniquity and has punished their sins.
11 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Ungakhulekeli inhlalakahle yabantu laba.
Yahweh said to me, “Do not pray for good on behalf 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.”
For if they fast, I will not listen to their wailing, and if they offer up burnt offerings and food offerings, I will not take pleasure in them. For I will put an end to them by sword, 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.’”
Then I said, “Oh, Lord Yahweh! Behold! The prophets are saying to the people, 'You will not see the sword; there will be no famine for you, for I will give you true security 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.
Yahweh said to me, “The prophets prophesy deceit in my name. I did not send them out, nor did I give them any command or speak to them. But deceitful visions and useless, deceitful divination coming from their own minds are what they are prophesying to you.”
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 Yahweh says this, “About the prophets prophesying in my name but whom I did not send out—those who say there will be no sword or famine in this land: These prophets will perish by sword and famine.
16 Abantu abaphrofetha kubo bazaphoselwa phandle emigwaqweni yaseJerusalema ngenxa yendlala lenkemba. Akulamuntu ozabangcwaba kumbe omkabo, amadodana abo loba amadodakazi abo. Ngizabehlisela ingozi ebafaneleyo.
Then the people to whom they prophesied will be thrown out in the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword, for there will be no one to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters—for I will pour out their wickedness on 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.
Say this word to them: 'Let my eyes flow with tears, night and day. Do not let them stop, for there will be a great collapse of the virgin daughter of my people— a great and incurable 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 field, there are the ones who were killed by the sword! If I come to the city, there are the diseases that are caused by famine. Both the prophet and the priest wander about the land, and 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 completely rejected Judah? Do you hate Zion? Why will you afflict us when there is no healing for us? We hoped for peace, but there was nothing good— and for a time of healing, but see, there is only terror.
20 Awu Thixo, siyakuvuma ukona kwethu kanye lokona kwabokhokho bethu; impela sonile kuwe.
We admit, Yahweh, our offenses, the iniquity of our ancestors, for we have sinned against you.
21 Ngenxa yebizo lakho ungasenyanyi; ungasigconi isihlalo sakho sobukhosi esihle kakhulu. Khumbula isivumelwano sakho lathi ungasephuli.
Do not reject us! For the sake of your name, do not make your glorious throne a disgrace. Remember and do not break your 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.
Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Or can the skies themselves send down showers? Are you not the one, Yahweh our God? We wait for you, for you are the one who does all these things.
