< UJeremiya 11 >

1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini, lisithi:
The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,
2 Zwanini amazwi alesisivumelwano, likhulume ebantwini bakoJuda lakubahlali beJerusalema.
Hear ye the words of this covenant; and speak ye unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
3 Njalo uthi kibo: Itsho njalo INkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Uqalekisiwe umuntu ongalaleli amazwi alesisivumelwano,
And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant
4 engawalayela oyihlo ngosuku engibakhupha ngalo elizweni leGibhithe, esithandweni sensimbi, ngisithi: Lalelani ilizwi lami, liwenze njengakho konke engililaya khona; ngalokho lizakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu,
which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Hearken unto my voice and do them, according to all that I command you; so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
5 ukuze ngimise isifungo engasifunga kuboyihlo ukuthi ngibanike ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju, njengalamuhla. Ngasengiphendula ngathi: Ameni, Nkosi.
that I may perform the oath that I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. And I answered and said, Amen, Jehovah!
6 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Memezela wonke lamazwi emizini yakoJuda lezitaladeni zeJerusalema, usithi: Zwanini amazwi alesisivumelwano, liwenze.
And Jehovah said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: Hear the words of this covenant, and do them.
7 Ngoba ngafakaza lokufakaza kuboyihlo ngosuku engabakhuphula ngalo elizweni leGibhithe, kuze kube lamuhla, ngivuka ngovivi ngifakaza, ngisithi: Lalelani ilizwi lami.
For I earnestly protested unto your fathers, in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Hearken unto my voice.
8 Kodwa kabalalelanga, kababekanga indlebe yabo, kodwa bahamba, ngulowo lalowo ngobulukhuni benhliziyo yabo embi. Ngakho ngizaletha phezu kwabo wonke amazwi alesisivumelwano, engabalaya ukuthi bawenze, kodwa kabawenzanga.
But they have not hearkened, nor inclined their ear, but have walked every one in the stubbornness of their evil heart; and I have brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded [them] to do, and they have not done.
9 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Kutholakele ugobe phakathi kwabantu bakoJuda, laphakathi kwabahlali beJerusalema.
And Jehovah said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 Sebebuyele eziphambekweni zabokhokho babo, abala ukuzwa ilizwi lami; bona balandela abanye onkulunkulu ukuze babakhonze; indlu yakoIsrayeli lendlu yakoJuda zisephulile isivumelwano sami engasenza laboyise.
They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words; and they have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
11 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizaletha okubi phezu kwabo, abangeke baphume kukho; lapho bekhala kimi, kangiyikubezwa.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will bring evil upon them, from which they shall not be able to escape; and they will cry unto me, and I will not hearken unto them.
12 Khona imizi yakoJuda labahlali beJerusalema bezahamba bakhale kubonkulunkulu ababatshisela impepha, kodwa kabayikubasindisa lokubasindisa ngesikhathi sobubi babo.
Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry unto the gods unto whom they have burned incense; but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
13 Ngoba njengenani lemizi yakho babenjalo onkulunkulu bakho, Juda, lanjengenani lezitalada zeJerusalema limisile amalathi kulokhu okuyangisayo, amalathi okutshisela uBhali impepha.
For [as] the number of thy cities, are thy gods, O Judah; and [as] the number of the streets of Jerusalem, have ye set up altars to the Shame, altars to burn incense unto Baal.
14 Ngakho wena ungabakhulekeli lababantu, futhi ungabaphakamiseli ukukhala kumbe umkhuleko, ngoba kangiyikuzwa ngesikhathi sokukhala kwabo kimi ngenxa yenhlupheko yabo.
And thou, pray not for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
15 Othandekayo wami ulani endlini yami, lokhu enze amanyala labanengi, lenyama engcwele isiyedlule kuwe yini? Lapho usenza okubi, kulapho uthokoza.
What hath my beloved to do in my house, seeing that the more part practise their evil devices, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? When thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.
16 INkosi yabiza ibizo lakho ngokuthi: Isihlahla somhlwathi esiluhlaza esihle ngezithelo ezinhle; ngomsindo wenhlokomo enkulu izasithungela ngomlilo, lengatsha zaso zephuke.
Jehovah had called thy name, A green olive-tree, fair, of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and its branches are broken.
17 Ngoba iNkosi yamabandla, eyakuhlanyelayo, ikhulumile okubi ngawe, ngenxa yobubi bendlu yakoIsrayeli lobendlu yakoJuda, abakwenzileyo bemelene labo ngokwabo ukungicunula ngokutshisela uBhali impepha.
For Jehovah of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done for themselves, to provoke me to anger in burning incense unto Baal.
18 INkosi yasingazisa ukuthi ngazi; wasungitshengisa izenzo zabo.
And Jehovah hath given me knowledge, and I know [it]; then thou shewedst me their doings.
19 Kodwa mina nganginjengewundlu kumbe inkabi kusiwa ekuhlatshweni; ngoba ngangingazi ukuthi baceba amacebo bemelene lami, besithi: Asichithe isihlahla lesithelo saso; asimqume asuke elizweni labaphilayo, ukuze ibizo lakhe lingabe lisakhunjulwa.
And I was like a tame lamb [that] is led to the slaughter; and I knew not that they devised devices against me, [saying, ] Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
20 Kodwa, wena Nkosi yamabandla, umahluleli olungileyo, ohlola izinso lenhliziyo, kangibone impindiselo yakho kibo; ngoba ngembule udaba lwami kuwe.
But thou, Jehovah of hosts, who judgest righteously, who triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
21 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi ngamadoda eAnathothi, adinga impilo yakho, esithi: Ungaprofethi ngebizo leNkosi, ukuze ungafi ngesandla sethu.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of Jehovah, that thou die not by our hand,
22 Ngakho itsho njalo INkosi yamabandla: Khangela, ngizawajezisa; amajaha azakufa ngenkemba, amadodana awo lamadodakazi awo azakufa ngendlala,
— therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine;
23 njalo kakuyikuba lensali kuwo; ngoba ngizaletha okubi phezu kwamadoda eAnathothi, ngomnyaka wempindiselo yawo.
and there shall be no remnant of them; for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, in the year of their visitation.

< UJeremiya 11 >