UJeremiya 14
1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuJeremiya mayelana lendaba zembalela.
The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts.
2 UJuda uyalila, lamasango akhe adangele; amnyama kuze kube semhlabathini, lokukhala kweJerusalema kwenyukile.
Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish, they bow down in black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
3 Njalo izikhulu zakhe zithuma abancinyane bazo emanzini; bafika emithonjeni, bangatholi manzi; babuyele inkonxa zabo zingelalutho, belenhloni, beyangekile, bembomboze ikhanda labo.
And their nobles send their lads for water: they come to the pits, and find no water; their vessels return empty; they are ashamed and confounded, and cover their heads.
4 Ngoba umhlabathi udabukile, ngoba kungekho izulu elizweni, abalimi balenhloni, bambomboza ikhanda labo.
Because of the ground which is cracked, for there hath been no rain in the land, the plowmen are ashamed, they cover their heads.
5 Yebo impala layo iyazala egangeni, ikutshiye, ngoba kungelatshani.
Yea, the hind also in the field calveth, and forsaketh her young, because there is no grass,
6 Labobabhemi beganga bayema emadundulwini, baphembele umoya njengemigobho; amehlo abo ayaphela, ngoba kungelatshani.
And the wild asses stand on the high hills, they gasp for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.
7 Lanxa izono zethu zifakaza zimelana lathi, Nkosi, yenza ngenxa yebizo lakho; ngoba ukuhlehlela nyovane kwethu kunengi, sonile kuwe.
Though our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, work Thou for Thy name's sake; for our backslidings are many, we have sinned against Thee.
8 Wena themba likaIsrayeli, uMsindisi wakhe ngesikhathi sembandezelo, kungani uzakuba njengowezizweni elizweni, lanjengesihambi esiphambukela eceleni ukulala ubusuku?
O Thou hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest Thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?
9 Kungani uzakuba njengomuntu odidekileyo, njengeqhawe elingelakusindisa. Kanti wena uphakathi kwethu, Nkosi, lebizo lakho libizwe phezu kwethu; ungasitshiyi.
Why shouldest thou be as a man overcome, as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet Thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and Thy name is called upon us; leave us not.
10 Itsho njalo iNkosi ngalababantu: Ngokunjalo bathanda ukuzula, kabazinqandanga inyawo zabo; ngakho iNkosi kayithokozi ngabo, khathesi izakhumbula ububi babo, izihambele izono zabo.
Thus saith the LORD unto this people: Even so have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet; therefore the LORD doth not accept them, now will He remember their iniquity, and punish their sins.
11 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Ungakhulekeli lababantu kube kuhle.
And the LORD said unto me: 'Pray not for this people for their good.
12 Lapho bezila ukudla, kangiyikuzwa ukukhala kwabo; lalapho benikela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla, kangiyikuthokoza ngabo; kodwa ngizabaqeda ngenkemba langendlala langomatshayabhuqe wesifo.
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.'
13 Ngasengisithi: Hawu, Nkosi Jehova! Khangela, abaprofethi bathi kubo: Kaliyikubona inkemba, kaliyikuba lendlala, kodwa ngizalinika ukuthula okuqinisekileyo kulindawo.
Then said I: 'Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them: Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.'
14 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Abaprofethi baprofetha amanga ngebizo lami. Kangibathumanga, njalo kangibalayanga, njalo kangikhulumanga kibo; baprofetha kini umbono wamanga, lokuhlahlula, lokuyize, lenkohliso yenhliziyo yabo.
Then the LORD said unto me: 'The prophets prophesy lies in My name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke I unto them; they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart.
15 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi mayelana labaprofethi abaprofetha ebizweni lami, ngoba mina ngingabathumanga, kanti bathi: Inkemba lendlala kakuyikuba khona kulelilizwe: Ngenkemba langendlala labobaprofethi bazaqedwa.
Therefore thus saith the LORD: As for the prophets that prophesy in My name, and I sent them not, yet they say: Sword and famine shall not be in this land, by sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed;
16 Labantu, abaprofetha kibo, bazakuba ngabaphoselwa ezitaladeni zeJerusalema ngenxa yendlala lenkemba; njalo kungekho obangcwabayo, bona, omkabo, lamadodana abo, lamadodakazi abo; ngoba ngizathululela ububi babo phezu kwabo.
and the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters; for I will pour their evil upon them.'
17 Ngakho uzakutsho lelilizwi kibo elokuthi: Amehlo ami kawehlise inyembezi ebusuku lemini, zingakhawuli, ngoba intombi emsulwa yabantu bami yephukile ngokwephuka okukhulu, ukutshaywa okubuhlungu kakhulu.
And thou shalt say this word unto them: Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.
18 Uba ngiphumela emaphandleni, khangela-ke, ababulewe ngenkemba. Njalo uba ngingena emzini, khangela-ke, abagulayo ngendlala. Yebo, bobabili umprofethi lompristi babhodabhoda elizweni kodwa bengazi.
If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! And if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! For both the prophet and the priest are gone about to a land, and knew it not.
19 Usumalile isibili uJuda yini? Umphefumulo wakho unengwa yiZiyoni yini? Usitshayeleni njalo singabi lokwelatshwa? Salindela ukuthula, kodwa kakubanga lokuhle; lesikhathi sokwelatshwa, kodwa khangela, uvalo.
Hast Thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath Thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast Thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold terror!
20 Siyazi, Nkosi, ukukhohlakala kwethu lobubi babobaba, ngoba sonile kuwe.
We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, even the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against Thee.
21 Ungasideleli, ngenxa yebizo lakho, ungayangisi isihlalo sobukhosi sodumo lwakho; khumbula, ungasephuli isivumelwano sakho lathi.
Do not contemn us, for Thy name's sake, do not dishonour the throne of Thy glory; remember, break not Thy covenant with us.
22 Kukhona yini phakathi kokuyize kwabezizwe okunganisa izulu? Kumbe amazulu anganika izihlambo yini? Akusuwe yini, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu wethu? Ngakho sizalindela kuwe; ngoba nguwe owenze zonke lezizinto.
Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O LORD our God, and do we not wait for Thee? For Thou hast made all these things.
