UJeremiya 17
1 Isono sakoJuda sibhaliwe ngepheni yensimbi, ngomcijo wendayimana; sibhalwe ngokugujwa esibhebheni senhliziyo yabo, lezimpondweni zamalathi enu;
The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, With the point of a diamond is it engraved Upon the tablet of their hearts, Upon the horns of their altars.
2 abantwana babo besakhumbula amalathi abo lezixuku zabo ngasezihlahleni eziluhlaza phezu kwamaqaqa aphakemeyo.
While their children remember the altars, and the images of Astarte, Near the green trees, And upon the high hills.
3 Wena ntaba yami esegangeni, ngizanikela imfuyo yakho lakho konke okuligugu kwakho empangweni, lezindawo zakho eziphakemeyo, ngenxa yesono kuyo yonke imingcele yakho.
My mountain in the field! thy substance and all thy treasures will I give up for spoil; Thy high places for sin in all thy borders.
4 Lawe, ngitsho ngokwakho, uzayekela ilifa lakho engakunika lona; njalo ngizakwenza usebenzele izitha zakho elizweni ongalaziyo; ngoba usuphembe umlilo ekuthukutheleni kwami; uzavutha kuze kube nininini.
Thou shalt of thyself cease to possess the inheritance which I gave thee, And I will cause thee to serve thy enemies in a land which thou knowest not; For ye have kindled a fire in my anger, Which shall burn forever.
5 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Uqalekisiwe umuntu othembela emuntwini, esenza inyama ibe yingalo yakhe, lonhliziyo yakhe iphambuka eNkosini.
Thus saith Jehovah: Cursed be the man who trusteth in man, And maketh flesh his arm, And whose heart departeth from Jehovah!
6 Ngoba uzakuba njengesihlahlanyana enkangala, esingayikubona nxa okuhle kusiza; kodwa uzahlala ezindaweni ezomileyo enkangala, elizweni letshwayi, elingahlalwayo.
He shall be like a poor wanderer in the desert, Who seeth not when good cometh, But dwelleth in the parched places of the desert, In a salt land, and uninhabited.
7 Ubusisiwe umuntu othembela eNkosini, lothemba lakhe liyiNkosi.
Blessed is the man who trusteth in Jehovah; Who in Jehovah placeth his hope!
8 Ngoba uzakuba njengesihlahla esihlanyelwe ngasemanzini, esinabisela impande zaso ngasemfuleni, esingesabi lapho kufika ukutshisa, kodwa ihlamvu laso lizakuba luhlaza; kasikhathazeki emnyakeni wokubalela, kasiyekeli ukuthela isithelo.
He shall be like a tree planted by the water-side, That spreadeth out her roots by the stream, That feeleth not when the heat cometh, But whose leaf is green; That careth not in the year of drought, Nor ceaseth from yielding fruit.
9 Inhliziyo ilenkohliso okwedlula konke, futhi imbi kakhulu; ngubani ongayazi?
The heart is deceitful above all things; Yea, it is corrupt; who can know it?
10 Mina Nkosi ngihlola inhliziyo, ngilinge izinso, ngitsho ukupha wonke umuntu njengokwezindlela zakhe, njengokwesithelo sezenzo zakhe.
I, Jehovah, search the heart, And try the reins, To give to every man according to his ways, And according to the fruit of his doings.
11 Njengethendele elifukamela amaqanda lingawachamuseli, unjalo lowo owenza inotho kodwa hatshi ngokulunga; uzakutshiya phakathi kwensuku zakhe, lekucineni kwakhe abe yisithutha.
As the partridge sitteth on eggs which she hath not laid, So is he that getteth riches, and not by right; In the midst of his days shall he leave them, And in his latter end find himself a fool.
12 Isihlalo sobukhosi esilenkazimulo, esiphakanyisiweyo kwasekuqaleni, siyindawo yendlu yethu engcwele.
A glorious, lofty throne from the beginning Hath been the place of our sanctuary.
13 Nkosi, themba likaIsrayeli, bonke abakudelayo bazayangeka; labasuka kimi bazabhalwa emhlabathini, ngoba bayidelile iNkosi, umthombo wamanzi aphilayo.
O thou hope of Israel, Jehovah! All that forsake thee shall be put to shame; Yea, all that depart from me shall be written in dust, Because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, they have forsaken Jehovah.
14 Ngisilisa, Nkosi, njalo ngizasila; ngisindisa, njalo ngizasindiswa; ngoba uyindumiso yami.
Heal me, O Jehovah, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved; For thou art my praise!
15 Khangela, bathi kimi: Lingaphi ilizwi leNkosi? Kalize khathesi!
Behold, they say to me, “Where is the word of Jehovah? Let it come to pass!”
16 Kodwa mina kangiphangisanga ukuthi ngingabi ngumelusi emva kwakho; futhi kangilufisanga usuku olwesabekayo; wena uyakwazi; okwaphuma emlonyeni wami kwakuphambi kobuso bakho.
I have not refused to follow thee, as thy shepherd, Neither have I desired the day of woe, as thou knowest! That which came from my lips hath been before thine eyes.
17 Ungabi luvalo kimi; wena uyisiphephelo sami osukwini lobubi.
Be not thou a terror to me, Thou, my refuge in the day of distress! Let my persecutors be confounded, but let not me be confounded!
18 Kabayangeke labo abangizingelayo, kodwa mina kangingayangeki, kabesabe bona, kodwa mina kangingesabi; behlisele usuku lobubi, ubephule ngokwephula okuphindiweyo.
Let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed! Bring upon them the day of calamity, And destroy them with double destruction!
19 Itsho njalo iNkosi kimi: Hamba uyekuma esangweni labantwana babantu, angena ngalo amakhosi akoJuda, aphuma ngalo, lakuwo wonke amasango eJerusalema,
Thus said Jehovah to me: Go and stand in the people's gate, Through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, And in all the gates of Jerusalem,
20 ubususithi kubo: Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, lina makhosi akoJuda, loJuda wonke, labo bonke abahlali beJerusalema, abangena ngala amasango!
And say to them, Hear the word of Jehovah, ye kings of Judah, All Judah, and all ye who dwell at Jerusalem, Who enter in through these gates!
21 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ziqapheleni, lingathwali mthwalo ngosuku lwesabatha, kumbe liwungenise ngamasango eJerusalema.
Thus saith Jehovah: Take heed to yourselves, And carry no burden on the sabbath-day, And bring none through the gates of Jerusalem.
22 Futhi lingakhuphi umthwalo ezindlini zenu ngosuku lwesabatha, lingenzi loba yiwuphi umsebenzi; kodwa lungcweliseni usuku lwesabatha, njengalokhu ngalaya oyihlo.
Bear no burden from your houses on the sabbath-day, And do no kind of work; But keep ye holy the sabbath-day, As I commanded your fathers.
23 Kodwa kabalalelanga, kababekanga indlebe yabo, kodwa benza intamo yabo yaba lukhuni ukuze bangezwa, lokuze bangemukeli ukulaywa.
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, But made their necks stiff, and refused to hear, And refused to receive instruction.
24 Kuzakuthi-ke uba lina lingilalela lokungilalela, itsho iNkosi, ukuthi lingangenisi mthwalo ngamasango alumuzi ngosuku lwesabatha, kodwa lilungcwelise usuku lwesabatha, ukuthi lingenzi loba yiwuphi umsebenzi ngalo;
If ye will now diligently hearken to me, saith Jehovah, And bring no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath-day, But keep holy the sabbath-day, Doing no work therein,
25 khona kuzangena ngamasango alumuzi amakhosi leziphathamandla abahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida, begade izinqola lamabhiza, wona leziphathamandla zawo, abantu bakoJuda, labahlali beJerusalema; lalumuzi uzahlalwa kuze kube nininini.
Then shall enter the gates of this city kings and princes, Who sit upon the throne of David, Riding in chariots and on horses, They and their chieftains, The men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; And this city shall be inhabited forever.
26 Bazakuza-ke bevela emizini yakoJuda, lezindaweni ezizingelezele iJerusalema, lelizweni lakoBhenjamini, legcekeni, lezintabeni, lasezansi, beletha umnikelo wokutshiswa, lomhlatshelo, lomnikelo wokudla, lenhlaka, beletha umhlatshelo wokubonga, endlini yeNkosi.
Then from the cities of Judah, and the places around Jerusalem, From the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, From the mountains, and from the South, Shall they come bringing burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, And flour-offerings, and incense, And bringing thank-offerings to the house of Jehovah.
27 Kodwa uba lingangilaleli, ukwenza usuku lwesabatha lube ngcwele, ukuthi lingathwali mthwalo nxa lingena ngamasango eJerusalema ngosuku lwesabatha, khona ngizaphemba umlilo emasangweni ayo, ozaqothula izigodlo zeJerusalema, ongayikucitshwa.
But if ye will not hearken to me, To keep holy the sabbath-day, And to carry no burden through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath-day, Then will I kindle in her gates an unquenchable fire, Which shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
