UJeremiya 2
1 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 “Hamba umemezele iJerusalema lisizwa uthi: Lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Ngiyakukhumbula ukuzinikela kwasebutsheni bakho, ukungithanda kwakho njengomlobokazi ungilandela enkangala, phakathi kwelizwe elingahlanyelwanga.
Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the Lord: I have remembered thee, pitying thy soul, pitying thy youth, and the love of thy espousals, when thou followedst me in the desert, in a land that is not sown.
3 U-Israyeli wayengcwele kuThixo, eyizithelo zakuqala zesivuno sakhe, bonke abamtshwabadelayo baba lecala, behlelwa yincithakalo,’” kutsho uThixo.
Israel is holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his increase: all they that devour him offend: evils shall come upon them, saith the Lord.
4 Zwana ilizwi likaThixo, we ndlu kaJakhobe, lani lonke sendo lwendlu ka-Israyeli.
Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all ye families of the house of Israel.
5 UThixo uthi: “Yibubi bani okhokho benu ababubona kimi, baze bedukele khatshana kangaka lami? Balandela izithombe eziyize, labo ngokwabo baba yize.
Thus saith the Lord: What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
6 Kababuzanga ukuthi, ‘Ungaphi uThixo, owasikhupha elizweni laseGibhithe wasikhokhela emagangeni alugwadule phakathi kwelizwe lezinkangala lezindonga, ilizwe lokoma lobumnyama, ilizwe elingahanjwa muntu lelingelamuntu ohlala kulo?’
And they have not said: Where is the Lord, that made us come up out of the land of Egypt? that led us through the desert, through a land uninhabited and unpassable, through a land of drought, and the image of death, through a land wherein no man walked, nor any man dwelt?
7 Ngaliletha elizweni elivundileyo ukuba lidle izithelo zalo lezilimo ezinhle. Kodwa lina lafika langcolisa ilizwe lami, lenza ilifa lami langakhwabitheki.
And I brought you into the land of Carmel, to eat the fruit thereof, and the best things thereof: and when ye entered in, you defiled my land, and made my inheritance an abomination.
8 Abaphristi kababuzanga ukuthi, ‘Ungaphi UThixo?’ Labo abaphatha umthetho abangazanga; abakhokheli bangihlamukela. Abaphrofethi baphrofetha ngoBhali balandela izithombe eziyize.
The priests did not say: Where is the Lord? and they that held the law knew me not, and the pastors transgressed against me: and the prophets prophesied in Baal, and followed idols.
9 Ngakho-ke ngilethesa amacala futhi,” kutsho uThixo. “Labantwana babantwana benu ngizabethesa amacala.
Therefore will I yet contend in judgement with you, saith the Lord, and I will plead with your children.
10 Welani liye ngasemakhunjini aseKhithimi likhangele, thumelani eKhedari lihlolisise kuhle, libone langabe sekwake kwaba lento enjengale:
Pass over to the isles of Cethim, and see: and send into Cedar, and consider diligently: and see if there hath been done any thing like this.
11 Isizwe sake santshintsha onkulunkulu baso na? (Belo bavele kabasibo onkulunkulu.) Kodwa abantu bami bantshintshe inkazimulo yabo ngenxa yezithombe eziyize.
If a nation hath changed their gods, and indeed they are not gods: but my people have changed their glory into an idol.
12 Mangalani lokhu, lina mazulu, lithuthumele ngokwesaba okukhulu,” kutsho UThixo.
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and ye gates thereof, be very desolate, saith the Lord.
13 “Abantu bami benze izono ezimbili: Bangidelile, mina mthombo wamanzi okuphila, bagebha eyabo imithombo, imithombo evuzayo engagcini manzi.
For my people have done two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
14 Kambe u-Israyeli yisisebenzi, isigqili ngokuzalwa na? Pho kungani eseyimpango na?
Is Israel a bondman, or a homeborn slave? why then is he become prey?
15 Izilwane zibhongile; sezihwabhile kuye. Zilichithile ilizwe lakhe; amadolobho akhe atshisiwe, atshiywa engaselamuntu.
The lions have roared upon him, and have made a noise, they have made his land a wilderness: his cities are burnt down and there is none to dwell in them.
16 Njalo, labantu baseMemfisi leThahiphanesi baphuce ikhanda lakho.
The children also of Memphis, and of Taphnes have deflowered thee, even to the crown of the head.
17 Lokhu kawukwehliselanga phezu kwakho ngokudela uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho lapho ekukhokhela endleleni na?
Hath not this been done to thee, because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God at that time, when he led thee by the way?
18 Khathesi kungani usiya eGibhithe ukuba unathe amanzi eShihori na? Njalo kungani usiya e-Asiriya ukuba unathe amanzi eYufrathe na?
And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the troubled water? And what hast thou to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water of the river?
19 Ububi bakho buzakujezisa; ukutshedela kwakho emuva kuzakukhuza. Ngakho cabanga ubone ukuthi kubi njalo kubuhlungu kanjani lapho udela uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho njalo ungelavalo ngami,” kutsho iNkosi uThixo uSomandla.
Thy own wickedness shall reprove thee, and thy apostasy shall rebuke thee. Know thou, and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing for thee, to have left the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not with thee, saith the Lord the God of hosts.
20 “Endulo wephula ijogwe lakho, waquma izibopho zakho; wathi, ‘Kangiyikukukhonza!’ Lakanye, phezu kwamaqaqa wonke langaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziluhlaza walala phansi njengesifebe.
Of old time thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my bands, and thou saidst: I will not serve. For on every high hill, and under every green tree thou didst prostitute thyself.
21 Ngikuhlanyele njengevini elikhethiweyo elohlobo oluqinileyo loluthembekileyo. Pho kwenzakala njani ukuba ungiphendukele ube livini elibolileyo, leganga?
Yet I planted thee a chosen vineyard, all true seed: how then art thou turned unto me into that which is good for nothing, O strange vineyard?
22 Lanxa ugeza ngesepa usebenzisa lesepa enengi, ichatha lobubi bakho lilokhu likhona phambi kwami,” kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
Though thou wash thyself with nitre, and multiply to thyself the herb borith, thou art stained in thy iniquity before me, saith the Lord God.
23 “Ungatsho kanjani na uthi, ‘Kangingcolanga, kangibalandelanga oBhali’? Khangela ukuthi waziphatha njani esigodini, khumbula osukwenzile. Ulikamela elisikazi elilesiqubu eligijima lapha lalaphaya,
How canst thou say: I am not polluted, and I have not walked after Baalim? see thy ways in the valley, know what thou hast done: as a swift runner pursuing his course.
24 ubabhemi weganga ojwayele inkangala, ophembela umoya enkanukweni yakhe, ngubani ongamenqabela ekukhanukeni kwakhe? Abaduna abamxotshayo bangazidinisi ukuxotshana labo; bazamthola ngesikhathi sezinsikazikhwela.
A wild ass accustomed to the wilderness in the desire of his heart, snuffed up the wind of his love: none shall turn her away: all that seek her shall not fail: in her monthly filth they shall find her.
25 Ungagijimi inyawo zakho zize zihlubuke lomphimbo wakho uze wome. Kodwa wena wathi, ‘Akusizi lutho! Ngiyabathanda onkulunkulu bezizweni, kumele ngibalandele.’
Keep thy foot from being bare, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst: I have lost all hope, I will not do it: for I have loved strangers, and I will walk after them.
26 Njengokuyangeka kwesela nxa selibanjiwe, ngokunjalo abantu bako-Israyeli bayangekile, bona kanye lamakhosi abo lezikhulu zabo, abaphristi babo labaphrofethi babo.
As the thief is confounded when he is taken, so is the house of Israel confounded, they and their kings, their princes and their priests, and their prophets.
27 Bathi esigodweni, ‘Wena ungubaba wami,’ elitsheni bathi, ‘Nguwe owangizalayo.’ Bangifulathele, hatshi ngobuso babo nje; kodwa nxa sebehlupheka bathi, ‘Woza usihlenge.’
Saying to a stock: Thou art my father: and to a stone: thou hast begotten me: they have turned their back to me, and not their face: and in the time of their affliction they will say: Arise, and deliver us.
28 Pho bangaphi onkulunkulu elazenzela bona? Kabeze nxa bengakuhlenga lapho usuphakathi kokuhlupheka! Ngoba wena Juda ulabonkulunkulu abanengi njengobunengi bamadolobho akho.
Where are the gods, whom thou hast made thee? let them arise and deliver thee in the time of thy affliction: for according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Juda.
29 Kungani lingethesa umlandu? Lonke lingihlamukele,” kutsho uThixo.
Why will you contend with me in judgement? you have all forsaken me, saith the Lord.
30 “Ukubajezisa kwami abantu bakho kwaba yize; kabakuvumanga ukuqondiswa. Inkemba yakho isibatshwabadele abaphrofethi bakho njengesilwane esiphangayo.
In vain have I struck your children, they have not received correction: your sword hath devoured your prophets, your generation is like a ravaging lion.
31 Wena owalesisizukulwane, khumbula ilizwi likaThixo: Ngibe ngiyinkangala ku-Israyeli kumbe ilizwe lomnyama omkhulu na? Kungani abantu bami besithi, ‘Sikhululekile ukuba sizulazule; kasiyikuza kuwe futhi’?
See ye the word of the Lord: Am I become a wilderness to Israel, or a lateward springing land? why then have my people said: We are revolted, we will come to thee no more.
32 Intombi ingazikhohlwa iziceciso zayo na, lomlobokazi akhohlwe izembatho zakhe na? Kodwa abantu bami bangikhohliwe, okwensuku ezingeke zibalwe.
Will a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride her stomacher? but my people hath forgotten me days without number.
33 Yeka ukuhlakanipha kwakho ekufuneni uthando! Labesifazane ababi kakhulu bangafunda ezindleleni zakho.
Why dost thou endeavour to shew thy way good to seek my love, thou who has also taught thy malices to be thy ways,
34 Ezigqokweni zakho abantu bathola igazi lokuphila elabayanga abangelacala lanxa ungababambanga befohlela phakathi. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu
And in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor and innocent? not in ditches have I found them, but in all places, which I mentioned before.
35 uthi, ‘Kangilacala; kangithukuthelelanga.’ Kodwa mina ngizakwahlulela, ngoba uthi, ‘Angonanga.’
And thou hast said: I am without sin and am innocent: and therefore let thy anger be turned away from me. Behold, I will contend with thee in judgement, because thou hast said: I have not sinned.
36 Kungani uqhubeka kangaka, untshintsha izindlela zakho? IGibhithe izakuyangisa njengalokhu owakwenziwa yi-Asiriya.
How exceeding base art thou become, going the same ways over again! and thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
37 Uzasuka kuleyondawo izandla zakho zisekhanda lakho, ngoba uThixo ubalahlile labo obathembayo; kabayikukusiza.”
For from thence thou shalt go, and thy hand shall be upon thy head: for the Lord hath destroyed thy trust, and thou shalt have nothing prosperous therein.
