UJeremiya 11
1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini, lisithi:
The word which 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 to the men of Judah, And the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
3 Njalo uthi kibo: Itsho njalo INkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Uqalekisiwe umuntu ongalaleli amazwi alesisivumelwano,
And say thou to them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Cursed is the man who will not obey 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, When I brought them forth from the land of Egypt, From the iron furnace, saying, “Obey ye my voice, And do all which 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.
So that I may perform the oath, Which I made to your fathers, To give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.” Then answered I, and said, So may it be, O Jehovah!
6 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Memezela wonke lamazwi emizini yakoJuda lezitaladeni zeJerusalema, usithi: Zwanini amazwi alesisivumelwano, liwenze.
Then said Jehovah to me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, And the streets of Jerusalem, saying: Hear ye 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 have earnestly admonished your fathers, From the time when I brought them up from the land of Egypt to this day, Rising early and admonishing them, saying, “Obey ye 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.
Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, But walked every one in the obstinacy of his evil heart; Therefore have I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, Which I commanded them to obey, And they obeyed not.
9 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Kutholakele ugobe phakathi kwabantu bakoJuda, laphakathi kwabahlali beJerusalema.
Jehovah also said to me: A conspiracy hath been found among the men of Judah, And 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 turn back to the iniquities of their forefathers, Who refused to hearken to my words; They go after strange gods and serve them; The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the 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 bring upon them a calamity, From which they shall not be able to escape; And though they cry to me, I will not hear them.
12 Khona imizi yakoJuda labahlali beJerusalema bezahamba bakhale kubonkulunkulu ababatshisela impepha, kodwa kabayikubasindisa lokubasindisa ngesikhathi sobubi babo.
Then may the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go, And cry to the gods to whom they burn incense; But they shall not save them at all in the time of their calamity.
13 Ngoba njengenani lemizi yakho babenjalo onkulunkulu bakho, Juda, lanjengenani lezitalada zeJerusalema limisile amalathi kulokhu okuyangisayo, amalathi okutshisela uBhali impepha.
For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah! According to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to a thing of shame, Altars for burning incense to Baal.
14 Ngakho wena ungabakhulekeli lababantu, futhi ungabaphakamiseli ukukhala kumbe umkhuleko, ngoba kangiyikuzwa ngesikhathi sokukhala kwabo kimi ngenxa yenhlupheko yabo.
Therefore pray not thou for this people, Nor lift up a cry or a prayer for them; For I will not hear when they cry to me On account of their calamity.
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, While many pollute it with wickedness? The holy flesh shall pass away from thee, For when thou doest evil, thou rejoicest.
16 INkosi yabiza ibizo lakho ngokuthi: Isihlahla somhlwathi esiluhlaza esihle ngezithelo ezinhle; ngomsindo wenhlokomo enkulu izasithungela ngomlilo, lengatsha zaso zephuke.
Jehovah hath called thee an olive-tree, Green, fair, and of goodly fruit; With the noise of a great crackling doth he kindle a fire upon it, And the branches of it shall be 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, who planted thee, Hath pronounced evil against thee, On account of the wickedness of the house of Israel and of Judah, which they have committed In provoking me to anger by burning incense to Baal.
18 INkosi yasingazisa ukuthi ngazi; wasungitshengisa izenzo zabo.
Jehovah made it known to me, and I knew it; Thou didst show me their machinations!
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.
For I was like a tame lamb, that is led to the slaughter, And knew not that they had formed plots against me, [[saying, ]] “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, Let us cut him off from the land of the living, That his name may no more be remembered!”
20 Kodwa, wena Nkosi yamabandla, umahluleli olungileyo, ohlola izinso lenhliziyo, kangibone impindiselo yakho kibo; ngoba ngembule udaba lwami kuwe.
But, O Jehovah of hosts, the righteous judge, Who triest the reins and the heart, I shall see thy vengeance on them, For to 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 against the men of Anathoth, Who seek thy life, and say, “Prophesy not in the name of Jehovah, Lest thou die 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 will punish them; Their 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.
There shall be none of them left; For I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, At the time of their punishment.
