< UJeremiya 2 >
1 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi,
And there is a word of Jehovah unto 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 thou hast called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said Jehovah: I have remembered for thee The kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, Thy going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown.
3 U-Israyeli wayengcwele kuThixo, eyizithelo zakuqala zesivuno sakhe, bonke abamtshwabadelayo baba lecala, behlelwa yincithakalo,’” kutsho uThixo.
Holy [is] Israel to Jehovah, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Evil cometh in unto them, an affirmation of Jehovah.
4 Zwana ilizwi likaThixo, we ndlu kaJakhobe, lani lonke sendo lwendlu ka-Israyeli.
Hear a word of Jehovah, 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 said Jehovah: What — have your fathers found in Me perversity, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after the vanity, and 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 have not said, Where [is] Jehovah, Who bringeth us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leadeth us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land — none hath passed through it, Nor dwelt hath man there?'
7 Ngaliletha elizweni elivundileyo ukuba lidle izithelo zalo lezilimo ezinhle. Kodwa lina lafika langcolisa ilizwe lami, lenza ilifa lami langakhwabitheki.
Yea, I bring you in to a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And ye come in and defile My land, And Mine inheritance have made an abomination.
8 Abaphristi kababuzanga ukuthi, ‘Ungaphi UThixo?’ Labo abaphatha umthetho abangazanga; abakhokheli bangihlamukela. Abaphrofethi baphrofetha ngoBhali balandela izithombe eziyize.
The priests have not said, 'Where [is] Jehovah?' And those handling the law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Baal, And after those who profit not have gone.
9 Ngakho-ke ngilethesa amacala futhi,” kutsho uThixo. “Labantwana babantwana benu ngizabethesa amacala.
Therefore, yet I plead with you, An affirmation of Jehovah, And with your sons' sons I plead.
10 Welani liye ngasemakhunjini aseKhithimi likhangele, thumelani eKhedari lihlolisise kuhle, libone langabe sekwake kwaba lento enjengale:
For, pass to the isles of Chittim, and see, And to Kedar send, and consider well, And see if there hath been like this:
11 Isizwe sake santshintsha onkulunkulu baso na? (Belo bavele kabasibo onkulunkulu.) Kodwa abantu bami bantshintshe inkazimulo yabo ngenxa yezithombe eziyize.
Hath a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people hath changed its honour For that which doth not profit.
12 Mangalani lokhu, lina mazulu, lithuthumele ngokwesaba okukhulu,” kutsho UThixo.
Be astonished, ye heavens, at this, Yea, be frightened, be greatly wasted, An affirmation of Jehovah.
13 “Abantu bami benze izono ezimbili: Bangidelile, mina mthombo wamanzi okuphila, bagebha eyabo imithombo, imithombo evuzayo engagcini manzi.
For two evils hath My people done, Me they have forsaken, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells — broken wells, That contain not the waters.
14 Kambe u-Israyeli yisisebenzi, isigqili ngokuzalwa na? Pho kungani eseyimpango na?
A servant [is] Israel? Is he a child of the house? Wherefore hath he been for a prey?
15 Izilwane zibhongile; sezihwabhile kuye. Zilichithile ilizwe lakhe; amadolobho akhe atshisiwe, atshiywa engaselamuntu.
Against him roar do young lions, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burnt without inhabitant.
16 Njalo, labantu baseMemfisi leThahiphanesi baphuce ikhanda lakho.
Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume thee — the crown of the head!
17 Lokhu kawukwehliselanga phezu kwakho ngokudela uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho lapho ekukhokhela endleleni na?
Dost thou not do this to thyself? [By] thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, At the time He is leading thee in 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 — to thee in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And what — to thee in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters 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.
Instruct thee doth thy wickedness, And thy backslidings reprove thee, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [Is] thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, And My fear not being on thee, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah of Hosts.
20 “Endulo wephula ijogwe lakho, waquma izibopho zakho; wathi, ‘Kangiyikukukhonza!’ Lakanye, phezu kwamaqaqa wonke langaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziluhlaza walala phansi njengesifebe.
For from of old thou hast broken thy yoke, Drawn away thy bands, and sayest, 'I do not serve,' For, on every high height, and under every green tree, Thou art wandering — a harlot.
21 Ngikuhlanyele njengevini elikhethiweyo elohlobo oluqinileyo loluthembekileyo. Pho kwenzakala njani ukuba ungiphendukele ube livini elibolileyo, leganga?
And I planted thee a choice vine, wholly a true seed, And how hast thou been turned to Me, To the degenerate shoots of a strange vine?
22 Lanxa ugeza ngesepa usebenzisa lesepa enengi, ichatha lobubi bakho lilokhu likhona phambi kwami,” kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
But though thou dost wash with nitre, And dost multiply to thyself soap, Marked is thine iniquity before Me, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.
23 “Ungatsho kanjani na uthi, ‘Kangingcolanga, kangibalandelanga oBhali’? Khangela ukuthi waziphatha njani esigodini, khumbula osukwenzile. Ulikamela elisikazi elilesiqubu eligijima lapha lalaphaya,
How sayest thou, 'I have not been defiled, After the Baalim I have not gone?' See thy way in a valley, know what thou hast done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,
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 a wilderness, In the desire of her soul she hath swallowed up wind, Her meeting — who doth turn her back? None seeking her do weary themselves, In her month they find her.
25 Ungagijimi inyawo zakho zize zihlubuke lomphimbo wakho uze wome. Kodwa wena wathi, ‘Akusizi lutho! Ngiyabathanda onkulunkulu bezizweni, kumele ngibalandele.’
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst, And thou sayest, 'It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and after them I go.'
26 Njengokuyangeka kwesela nxa selibanjiwe, ngokunjalo abantu bako-Israyeli bayangekile, bona kanye lamakhosi abo lezikhulu zabo, abaphristi babo labaphrofethi babo.
As the shame of a thief when he is found, So put to shame have been the house of Israel, They, their kings, their heads, 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 wood, 'My father [art] thou!' And to a stone, 'Thou hast brought me forth,' For they turned unto me the back and not the face, And in the time of their vexation, They say, 'Arise Thou, and save us.'
28 Pho bangaphi onkulunkulu elazenzela bona? Kabeze nxa bengakuhlenga lapho usuphakathi kokuhlupheka! Ngoba wena Juda ulabonkulunkulu abanengi njengobunengi bamadolobho akho.
And where [are] thy gods, that thou hast made to thyself? Let them arise, if they may save thee, In the time of thy vexation, For — the number of thy cities have been thy gods, O Judah,
29 Kungani lingethesa umlandu? Lonke lingihlamukele,” kutsho uThixo.
Why do ye strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.
30 “Ukubajezisa kwami abantu bakho kwaba yize; kabakuvumanga ukuqondiswa. Inkemba yakho isibatshwabadele abaphrofethi bakho njengesilwane esiphangayo.
In vain I have smitten your sons, Instruction they have not accepted, Devoured hath your sword your prophets, As a destroying 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’?
O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah: A wilderness have I been to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Wherefore have My people said, 'We mourned, We come not in again unto Thee.'
32 Intombi ingazikhohlwa iziceciso zayo na, lomlobokazi akhohlwe izembatho zakhe na? Kodwa abantu bami bangikhohliwe, okwensuku ezingeke zibalwe.
Doth a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And My people have forgotten Me days without number.
33 Yeka ukuhlakanipha kwakho ekufuneni uthando! Labesifazane ababi kakhulu bangafunda ezindleleni zakho.
What — dost thou make pleasing thy ways to seek love? Therefore even the wicked thou hast taught thy ways.
34 Ezigqokweni zakho abantu bathola igazi lokuphila elabayanga abangelacala lanxa ungababambanga befohlela phakathi. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu
Also in thy skirts hath been found the blood of innocent needy souls, Not by digging have I found them, but upon all these.
35 uthi, ‘Kangilacala; kangithukuthelelanga.’ Kodwa mina ngizakwahlulela, ngoba uthi, ‘Angonanga.’
And thou sayest, 'Because I have been innocent, Surely turned back hath His anger from me?' Lo, I have been judged with thee, Because of thy saying, 'I have not sinned.'
36 Kungani uqhubeka kangaka, untshintsha izindlela zakho? IGibhithe izakuyangisa njengalokhu owakwenziwa yi-Asiriya.
What? thou art very vile to repeat thy way, Even of Egypt thou art ashamed, As thou hast been ashamed of Asshur,
37 Uzasuka kuleyondawo izandla zakho zisekhanda lakho, ngoba uThixo ubalahlile labo obathembayo; kabayikukusiza.”
Also from this thou goest out, And thy hands on thy head, For Jehovah hath kicked at thy confidences, And thou dost not give prosperity to them!