UJeremiya 17
1 “Isono sikaJuda sidwetshwe ngensimbi, sabhalwa ngomcijo wedayimani ezicecedwini zenhliziyo zabo lasempondweni zama-alithare abo.
The sin of Juda is written with a pen of iron, with the point of a diamond, it is graven upon the table of their heart, upon the horns of their altars.
2 Labantwababo bayawakhumbula ama-alithare abo lezinsika zika-Ashera phansi kwezihlahla eziluhlaza laphezu kwamaqaqa aphakemeyo.
When their children shall remember their altars, and their groves, and their green trees upon high mountains,
3 Intaba yami eselizweni lenotho yenu kanye lemfuyo yenu yonke ngizakunikela kube yimpango, ndawonye lezindawo zenu eziphakemeyo, ngenxa yokona kulolonke ilizwe lenu.
Sacrificing in the field: I will give thy strength, and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin in all thy borders.
4 Ngenxa yezici zenu lizalahlekelwa yilifa engalinika lona. Ngizalenza libe yizigqili zezitha zenu elizweni elingalaziyo, ngoba livuse ulaka lwami, njalo luzavutha kuze kube nininini.”
And thou shalt be left stripped of thy inheritance, which I gave thee: and I will make thee serve thy enemies in a land which thou knowest not: because thou hast kindled a fire in my wrath, it shall burn for ever.
5 UThixo uthi: “Uqalekisiwe lowo othemba umuntu, othembe ukuthi amandla akhe asenyameni, onhliziyo yakhe ihlamukela uThixo.
Thus saith the Lord: Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.
6 Uzakuba njengesihlahlanyana enkangala; ukuphumelela kayikukubona ekufikeni kwakho. Uzahlala ezindaweni ezomileyo enkangala, elizweni letswayi elingahlali muntu.
For he shall be like tamaric in the desert, and he shall not see when good shall come: but he shall dwell in dryness in the desert in a salt land, and not inhabited.
7 Kodwa ubusisiwe umuntu othemba uThixo, othemba lakhe likuye.
Blessed be the man that trusteth in the Lord, and the Lord shall be his confidence.
8 Uzakuba njengesihlahla esihlanyelwe eduze lamanzi esinabisela impande zaso esifuleni. Kasesabi lapho ukutshisa kufika; amahlamvu aso ahlala eluhlaza. Kasikhathazeki ngomnyaka wokoma; kasiphuthi ukuthela izithelo.”
And he shall be as a tree that is planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots towards moisture: and it shall not fear when the heat cometh. And the leaf thereof shall be green, and in the time of drought it shall not be solicitous, neither shall it cease at any time to bring forth fruit.
9 Inhliziyo iyakhohlisa okudlula izinto zonke njalo imbi kakhulu. Ngubani ongayizwisisa na?
The heart is perverse above all things, and unsearchable, who can know it?
10 “Mina Thixo ngiyayihlola inhliziyo ngihlole lengqondo, ukuba umuntu ngimnike okufanele ukwenza kwakhe mayelana lalokho okufanele izenzo zakhe.”
I am the Lord who search the heart and prove the reins: who give to every one according to his way, and according to the fruit of his devices.
11 Umuntu ozuza inotho ngezindlela ezimbi unjengesikhwehle esichamisela amaqanda esingawaqandelanga. Lapho ingxenye yokuphila kwakhe isidlule, izaphela, kuthi ekucineni abonakale eyisithutha.
As the partridge hath hatched eggs which she did not lay: so is he that hath gathered riches, and not by right: in the midst of his days he shall leave them, and in his latter end he shall be a fool.
12 Isihlalo sobukhosi, esikhazimulayo esaphakanyiswayo kusukela ekuqaleni, siyindawo yethu yokuphephela.
A high and glorious throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctification:
13 Awu Thixo, themba lika-Israyeli, bonke abakudelayo bazayangiswa. Labo abakuhlamukelayo bazabhalwa othulini ngoba bedele uThixo, umthombo wamanzi okuphila.
O Lord the hope of Israel: all that forsake thee shall be confounded: they that depart from thee, shall be written in the earth: because they have forsaken the Lord, the vein of living waters.
14 Ngisilisa, Thixo, njalo ngizasiliswa; ungikhulule, ngizakhululeka, ngoba nguwe engimdumisayo.
Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed: save me, and I shall be saved, for thou art my praise.
15 Bahlala besithi kimi, “Lingaphi ilizwi likaThixo na? Kaligcwaliseke khathesi!”
Behold they say to me: Where is the word of the Lord? let it come.
16 Angibalekanga ekubeni ngumelusi wenu; liyakwazi ukuthi angilufisanga usuku lokuphela ithemba. Okudlula endebeni zami kusobala kini.
And I am not troubled, following thee for my pastor, and I have not desired the day of man, thou knowest. That which went out of my lips, hath been right in thy sight.
17 Ungabi ngowesabekayo kimi; uyisiphephelo sami ngosuku lokuhlupheka.
Be not thou a terror unto me, thou art my hope in the day of affliction.
18 Abangihluphayo kabayangiswe, kodwa mina ungivikele ehlazweni; kababe lokwesaba, kodwa mina ungivikele ekwesabeni. Balethele usuku lobubi. Ubabhubhise ngokuqothula okuphindiweyo.
Let them be confounded that persecute me, and let not me be confounded: let them be afraid, and let not me be afraid: bring upon them the day of affliction, and with a double destruction, destroy them.
19 UThixo wathi kimi: “Hamba uyekuma esangweni labantu, amakhosi akoJuda angena ngalo njalo aphume ngalo; ume futhi lakuwo wonke amanye amasango aseJerusalema.
Thus saith the Lord to me: Go, and stand in the gate of the children of the people, by which the kings of Juda come in, and go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem:
20 Uthi kubo, ‘Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo, lina makhosi akoJuda labo bonke abantu abahlala koJuda kanye labantu bonke abahlala eJerusalema abangena ngala amasango.
And thou shalt say to them: Hear the word of the Lord, ye kings of Juda, and all Juda, and all the inhabitant of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates.
21 UThixo uthi: Qaphelani lingathwali mthwalo ngosuku lweSabatha loba liwungenise ngamasango aseJerusalema.
Thus saith the Lord: Take heed to your souls and carry no burdens on the Sabbath day: and bring them not in by the gates of Jerusalem.
22 Lingaphumisi mthwalo ezindlini zenu kumbe lenze loba yiwuphi umsebenzi ngosuku lweSabatha, kodwa ligcine iSabatha lingcwele, njengokulaya kwami okhokho benu.
And do not bring burdens out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work: sanctify the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.
23 Kodwa kabalalelanga loba banake; izintamo zabo zazilukhuni njalo kabalalelanga kumbe bamukele ukulaywa.
But they did not hear, nor incline their ear: but hardened their neck, that they might not hear me, and might not receive instruction.
24 UThixo uthi: Kodwa nxa liqaphele ukungilalela, lingangenisi mthwalo ngamasango edolobho leli ngeSabatha, kodwa ligcina usuku lweSabatha lungcwele ngokungenzi msebenzi ngalo,
And it shall come to pass: if you will hearken to me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burdens by the gates of this city on the sabbath day: and if you will sanctify the sabbath day, to do no work therein:
25 lapho-ke amakhosi ahlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida azangena lezikhulu zawo ngamasango edolobho leli. Wona lezikhulu zawo bazafika begade izinqola zempi lamabhiza, belabantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema; bahlale kulo idolobho kuze kube nininini.
Then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes, sitting upon the throne of David, and riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall be inhabited forever.
26 Abantu bazakuza bevela emadolobheni akoJuda lasemizini egqagqele iJerusalema, bevela elizweni lakoBhenjamini lasezintatshaneni zangasentshonalanga, bevela elizweni lamaqaqa laseNegebi, beletha iminikelo yokutshiswa lemihlatshelo, iminikelo yamabele, impepha kanye leminikelo yokubonga endlini kaThixo.
And they shall come from the cities of Juda, and from the places round about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plains, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing holocausts, and victims, and sacrifices, and frankincense, and they shall bring in an offering into the house of the Lord.
27 Kodwa nxa lingangilaleli ekuthini ligcine usuku lweSabatha lungcwele ngokungathwali mthwalo lapho lingena ngamasango aseJerusalema ngosuku lweSabatha, lapho-ke ngizaphemba umlilo ongacitshekiyo emasangweni eJerusalema ozaqothula izinqaba zalo.’”
But if you will not hearken to me, to sanctify the sabbath day, and not to carry burdens, and not to bring them in by the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day: I will kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the houses of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
