UJeremiya 14
1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuJeremiya mayelana lendaba zembalela.
The word of Jehovah, which came to Jeremiah concerning a drought.
2 UJuda uyalila, lamasango akhe adangele; amnyama kuze kube semhlabathini, lokukhala kweJerusalema kwenyukile.
Judah mourneth, And the gates thereof languish; They are in deep mourning upon the ground. And the cry of Jerusalem goeth up.
3 Njalo izikhulu zakhe zithuma abancinyane bazo emanzini; bafika emithonjeni, bangatholi manzi; babuyele inkonxa zabo zingelalutho, belenhloni, beyangekile, bembomboze ikhanda labo.
The nobles send their younger ones for water; They come to the wells, they find none; They return with their vessels empty; They are ashamed and confounded; They cover their heads.
4 Ngoba umhlabathi udabukile, ngoba kungekho izulu elizweni, abalimi balenhloni, bambomboza ikhanda labo.
Because of the ground, which is in consternation, No rain falling upon the earth, The husbandmen are ashamed, They hide their heads.
5 Yebo impala layo iyazala egangeni, ikutshiye, ngoba kungelatshani.
Even the hind in the field is delivered, And deserteth her young, Because there is no grass.
6 Labobabhemi beganga bayema emadundulwini, baphembele umoya njengemigobho; amehlo abo ayaphela, ngoba kungelatshani.
The wild asses stand upon the hills, They snuff up the wind like jackals; Their eyes fail, Because there is no grass.
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, Yet do thou, O Jehovah, act from a regard to thine own name. For our transgressions have been 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, His saviour in the time of trouble, Why wilt thou be as a stranger in the land, As a traveller who spreadeth his tent to pass the night?
9 Kungani uzakuba njengomuntu odidekileyo, njengeqhawe elingelakusindisa. Kanti wena uphakathi kwethu, Nkosi, lebizo lakho libizwe phezu kwethu; ungasitshiyi.
Why wilt thou be as a man that is amazed, As a hero that cannot save? Thou art in the midst of us, O Jehovah, And we are called by thy name; Do not forsake us!
10 Itsho njalo iNkosi ngalababantu: Ngokunjalo bathanda ukuzula, kabazinqandanga inyawo zabo; ngakho iNkosi kayithokozi ngabo, khathesi izakhumbula ububi babo, izihambele izono zabo.
Thus saith Jehovah concerning this people: Thus they love to wander, They restrain not their feet; Therefore Jehovah doth not accept them; Now will he remember their iniquities, And punish their sins.
11 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Ungakhulekeli lababantu kube kuhle.
Then said Jehovah to 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.
Though they fast, I will not hear their cry; Though they offer burnt-offerings and flour-offerings, I will not accept them; But by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence, I will make an end of them.
13 Ngasengisithi: Hawu, Nkosi Jehova! Khangela, abaprofethi bathi kubo: Kaliyikubona inkemba, kaliyikuba lendlala, kodwa ngizalinika ukuthula okuqinisekileyo kulindawo.
Then said I, Alas! O Lord Jehovah! Behold, the prophets say to them, “Ye shall not see the sword, Nor shall famine come upon you; But Jehovah will give you lasting 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 said Jehovah to me: The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I have not sent them, nor commissioned them, nor spoken to them; A false vision, and divination, and vanity, And the fraud of their hearts, do they prophesy to you.
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 Jehovah concerning the prophets Who prophesy in my name, though I sent them not, But who themselves say, “The sword and famine shall not be in this land”: By the sword and by 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 forth in the streets of Jerusalem By means of famine and the sword; And they shall have none to bury them, —They, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters; For I will pour their wickedness 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.
Thus also shalt thou speak to them: My eyes shall run down with tears night and day; They shall not cease; For a deep wound hath she received, The virgin daughter of my people, A deadly 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 fields, Then behold them that are slain by the sword! And if I enter the city, Then behold them that pine with famine! Both prophet and priest wander about the land, they know not whither.
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? Doth thy soul abhor Zion? Why hast thou smitten us, so that there is no healing for us! We look for peace, and there is no good, For a time of healing, and behold, terror!
20 Siyazi, Nkosi, ukukhohlakala kwethu lobubi babobaba, ngoba sonile kuwe.
We acknowledge, O Jehovah, our wickedness, And 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 spurn us, for thy name's sake! Do not dishonor thy glorious throne! Call to mind, 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 among the vanities of the nations any that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Art not thou he, O Jehovah, our God? Therefore in thee will we trust, For thou hast made all these things!
