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.
“Strengthen yourselves, sons of Benjamin, From the midst of Jerusalem, And blow a horn in Tekoa, And lift up a flame over Beth-Haccerem, For evil has been seen from the north, And great destruction.
2 Indodakazi yaseZiyoni enhle kangaka lebucayi ngizayibhubhisa.
I have cut off the lovely and delicate one, The daughter of Zion.
3 Abelusi lemihlambi yabo bazakuza bamelane layo; bazamisa amathente abo eyihanqile, lowo lalowo elinde indawo yakhe.”
Shepherds and their droves come to her, They have struck tents by her all around, They have each fed [in] his own station.”
4 “Lungelani ukulwa layo! Vukani, kasihlaseleni emini! Kodwa, habe, ukukhanya sekufiphala, lamathunzi okuhlwa asesiba made.
“Sanctify the battle against her, Rise, and we go up at noon. Woe to us, for the day has turned, For the shades of evening are stretched out,
5 Ngakho vukani, kasihlaseleni ebusuku sidilize izinqaba zayo!”
Rise, and we go up by night, And we destroy her palaces.”
6 UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Gamulani izihlahla liziwise lakhe imiduli yokuvimbezela iJerusalema. Idolobho leli kumele lijeziswe, ligcwele ukuncindezela.
For thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Cut down her wood, And pour out a mound against Jerusalem, She [is] the city to be inspected, She [is] full of oppression in her midst.
7 Njengomthombo ugobhoza amanzi awo, ngokunjalo lalo ligobhoza ububi balo. Udlakela lokubhubhisa kuyezwakala phakathi kwalo, umkhuhlane walo lamanxeba ngihlezi ngikukhangele.
As the digging of a well, is [for] its waters, So she has dug [for] her wickedness, Violence and spoil is heard in her, Sickness and striking [are] continually before My face.
8 Xwayiseka, we Jerusalema, hlezi ngikutshiye, lelizwe lakho ngilichithe, kungabi lomuntu ohlala kulo.”
Be instructed, O Jerusalem, Lest My soul be alienated from you, Lest I make you a desolation, A land [that is] not inhabited.”
9 UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Kababuthe izinsalela zako-Israyeli ngokupheleleyo njengevini, dlulisa futhi isandla sakho phezu kwezingatsha, njengomuntu ovuna amavini.”
Thus said YHWH of Hosts: “They surely glean, as a vine, the remnant of Israel, Put your hand back, as a gatherer to 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 do I speak, and testify, and they hear? Behold, their ear [is] uncircumcised, And they are not able to attend. Behold, a word of YHWH has been to them for a reproach, They do not 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.
And I have been filled with the fury of YHWH (I have been weary of containing), “To pour [it] on the suckling in the street, And on the assembly of youths together, For even husband with wife are captured, [The] elderly with one 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 have been turned to others, Fields and wives together, For I stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of the land,” A declaration of YHWH.
13 “Kusukela kwabancane kusiya kwabakhulu, bonke bayizihwaba ezifuna inzuzo, banjalo abaphrofethi kanye labaphristi, bonke benza inkohliso.
“For from their least to their greatest, Everyone is gaining dishonest gain, And from prophet even to priest, Everyone is dealing falsely,
14 Babopha inxeba labantu bami kungathi kalilibi kakhulu. Bathi, ‘Ukuthula, ukuthula,’ khona ukuthula kungekho.
And they heal the breach of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, Peace, peace! And 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.
They were ashamed when they did abomination! Indeed, they are not at all ashamed, Indeed, they have not known blushing, Therefore they fall among those falling, In the time I have inspected them, They stumble,” said YHWH.
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 said YHWH: “Stand by the ways and see, and ask for paths of old, Where [is] this—the good way? And go in it, And find rest for yourselves. And they say, We do not go.
17 Ngalibekela abantu bokulilinda ngathi, ‘Lalelani ukukhala kwecilongo!’ Kodwa lina lathi, ‘Kasiyikulalela.’
And I have raised up watchmen for you, Attend to the voice of the horn. And they say, We do not attend.
18 Ngakho zwanini, lina zizwe, khangelani, lina elingofakazi, libone okuzakwenzakala kubo.
Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, That which [is] on 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 am bringing evil on this people, The fruit of their plans, For they gave no attention to My words, And My law—they kick against it.
20 Ngilani lempepha yaseShebha loba imfe evela elizweni elikude na? Iminikelo yenu yokutshiswa kayamukeleki, imihlatshelo yenu kayingithokozisi.”
Why [is] this to Me? Frankincense comes from Sheba, And the sweet cane from a far-off land, Your burnt-offerings [are] not for acceptance, And your sacrifices have not been sweet to Me.”
21 Ngakho uThixo uthi: “Ngizabeka imigoqo phambi kwalababantu. Abazali labantwana bazakhubeka kuyo, omakhelwane labangane bazabhubha.”
Therefore, thus said YHWH: “Behold, I give stumbling blocks to this people, And fathers and sons have stumbled against them together, The neighbor and his friend perish.”
22 UThixo uthi: “Khangelani, ibutho liyeza livela elizweni lasenyakatho, isizwe esikhulu siyadungwa kusukela emikhawulweni yomhlaba.
Thus said YHWH: “Behold, a people has come from a north country, And a great nation is stirred up from the sides 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 take hold of bow and javelin, It [is] fierce, and they have no mercy, Their voice sounds as a sea, And they ride on horses, Set in array as a man of war, Against you, O daughter of Zion.”
24 Sesizwe imibiko ngabo, njalo izandla zethu zilenga zingelamandla. Usizi lusibambile, ubuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ohelelwayo.
We have heard its sound, our hands have been feeble, Distress has seized us, pain as of a travailing woman.
25 Lingayi phandle egangeni, loba lihambe emigwaqweni, ngoba isitha silenkemba, njalo silencithakalo emaceleni wonke.
Do not go forth to the field, And do not walk in the way, For the enemy has a sword, Fear [is] all around.
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 on sackcloth, And roll yourself in ashes, Make mourning [as for] an only one, A most bitter lamentation, For the spoiler suddenly comes against us.
27 “Ngikwenze umhloli wezinsimbi labantu bami babayilitshe elixubene lensimbi ukuba ukhangele ubone ube usuhlola izindlela zabo.
“I have given you a watchtower, A fortress among My people, And you know, and have tried their way.
28 Bonke bangabahlamuki abalukhuni, abahamba behleba. Balithusi lensimbi, bonke benza ukuxhwala.
All of them are turned aside by apostates, Walking slanderously—bronze and iron, All of them are corrupters.
29 Imvutho ivutha okwesabekayo incibilikisa umnusu ngokutshisa komlilo kodwa ukucenga kuqhubeka kuyize, ababi kabakhutshwanga.
The bellows have been burned, The lead has been consumed by fire, A refiner has refined in vain, And the wicked have not been drawn away.
30 Kuthiwa bayisiliva esilahliweyo, ngoba uThixo usebalahlile.”
They have called them rejected silver, For YHWH has kicked against them!”
