UJeremiya 6
1 “Balekani ukuze liphephe, bantu bakoBhenjamini! Balekani eJerusalema! Tshayani icilongo eThekhowa! Phakamisani uphawu phezu kweBhethi-Hakheremi. Ngoba umonakalo uyabonakala ngasenyakatho, kanye lencithakalo eyesabekayo.
Flee for safety, ye sons of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem. And blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth-haccherem. For evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction.
2 Indodakazi yaseZiyoni enhle kangaka lebucayi ngizayibhubhisa.
The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, I will cut off.
3 Abelusi lemihlambi yabo bazakuza bamelane layo; bazamisa amathente abo eyihanqile, lowo lalowo elinde indawo yakhe.”
Shepherds with their flocks shall come to her. They shall pitch their tents against her round about. They shall feed every one in his place.
4 “Lungelani ukulwa layo! Vukani, kasihlaseleni emini! Kodwa, habe, ukukhanya sekufiphala, lamathunzi okuhlwa asesiba made.
Prepare ye war against her. Arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines; for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
5 Ngakho vukani, kasihlaseleni ebusuku sidilize izinqaba zayo!”
Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
6 UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Gamulani izihlahla liziwise lakhe imiduli yokuvimbezela iJerusalema. Idolobho leli kumele lijeziswe, ligcwele ukuncindezela.
For thus has Jehovah of hosts said: Hew ye down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city to be visited. She has oppression completely in the midst of her.
7 Njengomthombo ugobhoza amanzi awo, ngokunjalo lalo ligobhoza ububi balo. Udlakela lokubhubhisa kuyezwakala phakathi kwalo, umkhuhlane walo lamanxeba ngihlezi ngikukhangele.
As a well casts forth its waters, so she casts forth her wickedness. Violence and destruction is heard in her. Continually before me is sickness and wounds.
8 Xwayiseka, we Jerusalema, hlezi ngikutshiye, lelizwe lakho ngilichithe, kungabi lomuntu ohlala kulo.”
Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from thee, lest I make thee a desolation, a land not inhabited.
9 UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Kababuthe izinsalela zako-Israyeli ngokupheleleyo njengevini, dlulisa futhi isandla sakho phezu kwezingatsha, njengomuntu ovuna amavini.”
Thus says Jehovah of hosts: They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine. Turn again thy hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets.
10 Ngubani engingakhuluma laye ngimxwayise na? Ngubani ozangilalela na? Indlebe zabo zivalekile ngakho abangeke bezwe. Ilizwi likaThixo liyisinengiso kubo. Kabafumani ntokozo kulo.
To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken. Behold, the word of Jehovah has become to them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
11 Kodwa mina ngiyafuthelana ngolaka lukaThixo, ngingeke ngibe ngisalugodla ngaphakathi. “Lwehlisele phezu kwabantwana emgwaqweni laphezu kwamajaha abuthene ndawonye, bobabili indoda lomkayo luzabehlela, kanye labadala, labo abakhulelwa yiminyaka.
Therefore I am full of the wrath of Jehovah. I am weary with holding in. Pour it out upon the sons in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together. For even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.
12 Izindlu zabo zizanikwa abanye, konke lamasimu abo kanye labafazi babo, lapho ngiselula isandla sami ngimelana lalabo abahlala elizweni,” kutsho uThixo.
And their houses shall be turned to others, their fields and their wives together. For I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, says Jehovah.
13 “Kusukela kwabancane kusiya kwabakhulu, bonke bayizihwaba ezifuna inzuzo, banjalo abaphrofethi kanye labaphristi, bonke benza inkohliso.
For from the least of them even to the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness. And from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.
14 Babopha inxeba labantu bami kungathi kalilibi kakhulu. Bathi, ‘Ukuthula, ukuthula,’ khona ukuthula kungekho.
They have also lightly healed the hurt of my people, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.
15 Bayayangeka na ngokuziphatha kwabo okwenyanyekayo? Hatshi, bavele kabalazo inhloni lokuyangeka kabakwazi. Ngakho bazawela phakathi kwabawileyo, bazakwehliselwa phansi lapho sengibajezisa,” kutsho uThixo.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, nor could they blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall. At the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, says Jehovah.
16 UThixo, uthi: “Manini emahlanganweni emigwaqo likhangele, libuze izindledlana ezindala, libuze lapho okulendlela enhle khona, lihambe ngayo, lizathola ukuphumula kwemiphefumulo yenu. Kodwa lina lithe, ‘Kasiyikuhamba ngayo.’
Thus says Jehovah, Stand ye in the ways and see. And ask for the old paths where is the good way. And walk in it, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk.
17 Ngalibekela abantu bokulilinda ngathi, ‘Lalelani ukukhala kwecilongo!’ Kodwa lina lathi, ‘Kasiyikulalela.’
And I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
18 Ngakho zwanini, lina zizwe, khangelani, lina elingofakazi, libone okuzakwenzakala kubo.
Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
19 Zwana, wena mhlaba, ngiletha umonakalo phezu kwabantu laba, izithelo zamaqhinga abo, ngoba kabawalalelanga amazwi ami njalo bawalile lomthetho wami.
Hear, O earth: Behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened to my words. And as for my law, they have rejected it.
20 Ngilani lempepha yaseShebha loba imfe evela elizweni elikude na? Iminikelo yenu yokutshiswa kayamukeleki, imihlatshelo yenu kayingithokozisi.”
To what purpose does there come to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.
21 Ngakho uThixo uthi: “Ngizabeka imigoqo phambi kwalababantu. Abazali labantwana bazakhubeka kuyo, omakhelwane labangane bazabhubha.”
Therefore thus says Jehovah: Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish.
22 UThixo uthi: “Khangelani, ibutho liyeza livela elizweni lasenyakatho, isizwe esikhulu siyadungwa kusukela emikhawulweni yomhlaba.
Thus says Jehovah, Behold, a people comes from the north country, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the outermost parts of the earth.
23 Bahlome ngamadandili langemikhonto, balesihluku kabalasihawu. Bezwakala njengolwandle oluhlokomayo lapho begade amabhiza abo, beza njengabantu abalungele impi ukuba bakuhlasele, wena Ndodakazi yaseZiyoni.”
They lay hold on bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses. Each one set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Zion.
24 Sesizwe imibiko ngabo, njalo izandla zethu zilenga zingelamandla. Usizi lusibambile, ubuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ohelelwayo.
We have heard the report of it. Our hands grow feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
25 Lingayi phandle egangeni, loba lihambe emigwaqweni, ngoba isitha silenkemba, njalo silencithakalo emaceleni wonke.
Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way, for the sword of the enemy, and terror, are on every side.
26 Awu bantu bami, gqokani amasaka, lizibhuqe emlotheni, khalani lilile kabuhlungu njengokwendodana eyiyo yodwa, ngoba masinyane nje umchithi uzafika kithi.
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes. Make thee mourning, as for an only son, a most bitter lamentation. For the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.
27 “Ngikwenze umhloli wezinsimbi labantu bami babayilitshe elixubene lensimbi ukuba ukhangele ubone ube usuhlola izindlela zabo.
I have made thee a prover and a fortress among my people, that thou may know and try their way.
28 Bonke bangabahlamuki abalukhuni, abahamba behleba. Balithusi lensimbi, bonke benza ukuxhwala.
They are all grievous revolters, going about with slanders. They are brass and iron. They all of them deal corruptly.
29 Imvutho ivutha okwesabekayo incibilikisa umnusu ngokutshisa komlilo kodwa ukucenga kuqhubeka kuyize, ababi kabakhutshwanga.
The bellows blow fiercely, the lead is consumed of the fire. In vain do they go on refining, for the wicked are not plucked away.
30 Kuthiwa bayisiliva esilahliweyo, ngoba uThixo usebalahlile.”
Waste silver, men shall call them, because Jehovah has rejected them.
