UJeremiya 8
1 “‘Ngalesosikhathi, kutsho uThixo, amathambo amakhosi akoJuda lawezikhulu zakhona, amathambo abaphristi lawabaphrofethi, kanye lamathambo abantu baseJerusalema azakhutshwa emangcwabeni awo.
At that time, saith Jehovah, Shall the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of the princes, The bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, And the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Be cast forth from their graves;
2 Azachaywa elangeni lasenyangeni lakuzo zonke izinkanyezi zasemazulwini, abakuthandayo bakukhonza njalo abakulandelayo bakubuza bakudumisa. Kawayikubuthwa loba angcwatshwe, kodwa azakuba njengezibi phezu komhlabathi.
And they shall be spread before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, Which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked; Which they have consulted and have worshipped; They shall not be gathered, nor be buried; They shall be as dung upon the face of the ground.
3 Loba kungaphi engibaxotshela khona, bonke abasilayo balesisizwe esibi bazakhetha ukufa kulokuphila, kutsho uThixo uSomandla.’”
And death shall be chosen rather than life By all the residue of them that remain of this evil race, Which remain in all the places whither I have driver them, Saith Jehovah of hosts.
4 “Wothi kubo, ‘UThixo uthi: Abantu bangawa, kabavuki na? Omunye angaphambuka, kaphenduki na?
Thou shalt also say to them, Thus saith Jehovah, Doth a man fall, and not rise again? Doth one turn aside from the way, and not return,
5 Pho kungani abantu laba bedukile? Kungani iJerusalema lihlala liseduka? Bayanamathela enkohlisweni, bayala ukuphenduka.
Why then hath this people, Why hath Jerusalem, completely revolted? They hold fast deceit; They refuse to return.
6 Ngilalele ngesineke, kodwa kabatsho okulungileyo. Kakho ophenduka ebubini bakhe, esithi, “Kuyini engikwenzileyo na?” Yilowo lalowo ulandela indlela yakhe njengebhiza lizithela empini.
I have listened and heard, But they speak not aright; No one repenteth of his wickedness, Saying, “What have I done?” Every one runneth at full speed in his rebellion, As a horse rusheth to the battle.
7 Lengabuzane emoyeni liyazazi izikhathi zalo zomnyaka, lejuba, lenkonjane lohemu kuyasigcina isikhathi sakho sokuthutha. Kodwa abantu bami kabakwazi okufunwa nguThixo.
Even the stork in the heavens knoweth her times, And the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the season of their coming, But my people regard not the laws of Jehovah.
8 Lingatsho kanjani ukuthi, “Sihlakaniphile, ngoba silomthetho kaThixo,” lona iqiniso kuyikuthi amanga alotshwe ngosiba lwababhali asenze umthetho wangabi liqiniso?
How is it that ye say, “We are wise, We possess the law of Jehovah”? Behold, the false pen of the scribes Hath turned it into falsehood.
9 Abahlakaniphileyo bazayangiswa, bazakwesaba bathiyeke. Njengoba belalile ilizwi likaThixo, balenhlakanipho bani na?
The wise men shall be confounded; They shall be dismayed and ensnared; Behold, they have rejected the word of Jehovah, And what wisdom is there in them?
10 Ngakho abafazi babo ngizabapha amanye amadoda lamasimu abo abe ngawabanye abatsha. Kusukela kwabancane kusiya kwabakhulu, bonke bayizihwaba ezifuna inzuzo, banjalo abaphrofethi kanye labaphristi, bonke benza inkohliso.
Therefore will I give their wives to others, And their fields to plunderers. For from the least of them even to the greatest, Every one is greedy of gain, Prophet and priest alike, Every one of them practiseth deceit.
11 Babopha inxeba labantu bami kungathi kalilibi kakhulu. Bathi, “Ukuthula, ukuthula,” khona ukuthula kungekho.
They heal the wound of my people slightly, Saying, Peace! peace! when there is no peace.
12 Kambe bayayangeka na ngokuziphatha kwabo okunengisayo? Hatshi, bavele kabalazo inhloni, lokuyangeka kabakwazi. Ngakho bazawela phakathi kwabawileyo, bazakwehliselwa phansi lapho sebejeziswa, kutsho uThixo.
Are they ashamed, that they have done abominable things? Nay, they are not at all ashamed; They know not how to blush. Therefore shall they fall with them that fall; At the time when I punish them, They shall be cast down, saith Jehovah.
13 Ngizabemuka isivuno sabo, kutsho uThixo. Akuyikuba lezithelo ezivinini zabo. Akuyikuba lezithelo zomkhiwa esihlahleni, lamahlamvu aso azabuna. Engibanike khona kuzathathwa kubo.’”
I will utterly consume them, saith Jehovah; There shall be no grapes on the vine, Nor shall there be from the fig-tree; Even the leaf shall be withered; For I will send those that shall overrun them.
14 Pho sihlaleleni lapha? Buthanini! Kasibalekeleni emadolobheni avikelweyo siyebhubhela khona! Ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu usesilahlele ekubhubheni wasinika amanzi aletshefu ukuba sinathe, ngoba sonile kuye.
“Why do we remain here?” [[shall they say.]] “Assemble yourselves and let us go into the fortified cities. And let us there wait in silence! For Jehovah our God hath put us to silence, And given us the water of hemlock to drink, Because we have sinned against Jehovah.
15 Sathemba ukuba lokuthula kodwa akubanga lobuhle obukhona, ekubeni kube yisikhathi sokwelatshwa kwaba lokwesaba.
We look for peace, but no good cometh; For a time of deliverance, and behold, terror!”
16 Ukuthimula kwamabhiza esitha kuyezwakala kuvelela koDani, ekukhaleni kwamabhiza amaduna ilizwe lonke liyaqhaqhazela. Zilande ukuzatshwabadela ilizwe lakho konke okukulo, idolobho labo bonke abahlala kulo.
From Dan is heard the snorting of their horses, At the sound of the neighing of their steeds the whole land trembleth; They come and devour the land, and all that is in it; The city, and them that dwell therein.
17 “Khangelani, ngizathumela phakathi kwenu izinyoka ezilobuhlungu, izinhlangwana ezingeke zithakathwe, njalo zizaliluma,” kutsho uThixo.
Behold I send against you serpents, Basilisks, which cannot be charmed, And they shall bite you, saith Jehovah.
18 Awu Mduduzi wami osizini, inhliziyo yami isiqaleka phakathi kwami.
O where is consolation for my sorrow! My heart is faint within me.
19 Lalela ukukhala kwabantu bami okuvela elizweni elikhatshana besithi: “UThixo kakho eZiyoni na? INkosi yalo kayisekho lapho na?” “Kungani bevuse ulaka lwami ngezifanekiso zabo, langezithombe zezizweni eziyize na?”
Behold, the cry of the daughter of my people from a far country! “Is not Jehovah in Zion? Is her King there no more?” Why then have they provoked me by their graven images, And their foreign vanities?
20 “Ukuvuna sekwedlule, ihlobo seliphelile, kodwa kasihlengwanga.”
The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, And we are not delivered.
21 Njengoba abantu bami benqotshiwe lami nginqotshiwe, ngiyalila njalo ukwesaba kungiphethe.
For the wound of the daughter of my people am I wounded; I mourn; amazement hath taken hold of me.
22 Akulamuthi yini eGiliyadi? Kakho yini lomelaphi khona? Pho kungani kungekho kwelatshwa kwenxeba labantu bami na?
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then are not the wounds of my people healed?
