UJeremiya 17
1 “Isono sikaJuda sidwetshwe ngensimbi, sabhalwa ngomcijo wedayimani ezicecedwini zenhliziyo zabo lasempondweni zama-alithare abo.
THE sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
2 Labantwababo bayawakhumbula ama-alithare abo lezinsika zika-Ashera phansi kwezihlahla eziluhlaza laphezu kwamaqaqa aphakemeyo.
Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.
3 Intaba yami eselizweni lenotho yenu kanye lemfuyo yenu yonke ngizakunikela kube yimpango, ndawonye lezindawo zenu eziphakemeyo, ngenxa yokona kulolonke ilizwe lenu.
O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout 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, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which 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 the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
7 Kodwa ubusisiwe umuntu othemba uThixo, othemba lakhe likuye.
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
8 Uzakuba njengesihlahla esihlanyelwe eduze lamanzi esinabisela impande zaso esifuleni. Kasesabi lapho ukutshisa kufika; amahlamvu aso ahlala eluhlaza. Kasikhathazeki ngomnyaka wokoma; kasiphuthi ukuthela izithelo.”
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
9 Inhliziyo iyakhohlisa okudlula izinto zonke njalo imbi kakhulu. Ngubani ongayizwisisa na?
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
10 “Mina Thixo ngiyayihlola inhliziyo ngihlole lengqondo, ukuba umuntu ngimnike okufanele ukwenza kwakhe mayelana lalokho okufanele izenzo zakhe.”
I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
11 Umuntu ozuza inotho ngezindlela ezimbi unjengesikhwehle esichamisela amaqanda esingawaqandelanga. Lapho ingxenye yokuphila kwakhe isidlule, izaphela, kuthi ekucineni abonakale eyisithutha.
As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.
12 Isihlalo sobukhosi, esikhazimulayo esaphakanyiswayo kusukela ekuqaleni, siyindawo yethu yokuphephela.
A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.
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 ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain 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 unto me, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now.
16 Angibalekanga ekubeni ngumelusi wenu; liyakwazi ukuthi angilufisanga usuku lokuphela ithemba. Okudlula endebeni zami kusobala kini.
As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.
17 Ungabi ngowesabekayo kimi; uyisiphephelo sami ngosuku lokuhlupheka.
Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.
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, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
19 UThixo wathi kimi: “Hamba uyekuma esangweni labantu, amakhosi akoJuda angena ngalo njalo aphume ngalo; ume futhi lakuwo wonke amanye amasango aseJerusalema.
Thus said the Lord unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they 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 say unto them, Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants 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 yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it 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.
Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.
23 Kodwa kabalalelanga loba banake; izintamo zabo zazilukhuni njalo kabalalelanga kumbe bamukele ukulaywa.
But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor 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 ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow 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 into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever.
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 Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto 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 ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
