UJeremiya 2
1 Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi lisithi:
And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
2 Hamba uyememezela endlebeni zeJerusalema usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngiyakukhumbula, umusa wobutsha bakho, uthando lokuganwa kwakho, ukungilandela kwakho enkangala, elizweni elingahlanyelwanga.
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
3 UIsrayeli wayeyibungcwele eNkosini, izithelo zokuqala zesivuno sayo; bonke abamudlayo bazakuba lecala, ububi buzabehlela, itsho iNkosi.
Israel was holiness unto Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him are guilty; evil shall come upon them, saith Jehovah.
4 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, ndlu kaJakobe, lensendo zonke zendlu kaIsrayeli.
Hear the word of Jehovah, house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.
5 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Yibubi bani oyihlo ababuthola kimi, ukuze baye khatshana lami, balandele okuyize, babe yize?
Thus saith Jehovah: What injustice have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and become vain?
6 Njalo kabatshongo ukuthi: Ingaphi iNkosi eyasenyusa elizweni leGibhithe, eyasikhokhela enkangala, elizweni elilamagwadule lelilemigodi, elizweni lokoma, lelethunzi lokufa, elizweni umuntu angalidabulanga, lalapho okungahlalanga muntu khona?
And they said not, Where is Jehovah, that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and of pits, in a land of drought and of the shadow of death, in a land that no one passeth through, and where no man dwelleth?
7 Njalo ngaliletha elizweni elivundileyo, ukuze lidle izithelo zalo lokuhle kwalo; kodwa selingenile lalingcolisa ilizwe lami, lenza ilifa lami laba yisinengiso.
And I brought you into a fruitful land, to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof; and ye entered and defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
8 Abapristi kabatshongo ukuthi: Ingaphi iNkosi? Lalabo abaphatha umlayo kabangazanga; lababusi baphambuka bemelene lami; labaprofethi baprofetha ngoBhali, balandela izinto ezingasiziyo.
The priests said not, Where is Jehovah? and they that handled the law knew me not; and the shepherds transgressed against me; and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after [things that] do not profit.
9 Ngakho ngisezaphikisana lawe, itsho iNkosi, njalo ngizaphikisana labantwana babantwana benu.
Therefore will I yet plead with you, saith Jehovah, and with your children's children will I plead.
10 Ngoba dlulelani ezihlengeni zeKhithimi libone, lithumele eKedari, linakane kuhle, libone ukuthi kukhona into enjengale yini?
For pass over to the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there have been such a thing.
11 Isizwe sake santshintsha yini onkulunkulu baso, abangeyisibo onkulunkulu? Kodwa abantu bami bantshintshile uDumo lwabo ngalokho okungasizi lutho.
Hath a nation changed [its] gods? and they are no gods; — but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
12 Mangalani kakhulu, mazulu, ngalokhu, lethuke, lichitheke kakhulu, itsho iNkosi.
Be astonished, ye heavens, at this, and shudder; be amazed very much, saith Jehovah.
13 Ngoba abantu bami benzile izinto ezimbi ezimbili; bangidelile mina mthombo wamanzi aphilayo, ukuthi bazigebhele izikhongozelo, izikhongozelo ezidabukileyo, ezingegcine manzi.
For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water.
14 UIsrayeli uyisigqili yini? Kumbe esizelwe ekhaya yini? Kungani waba yimpango?
Is Israel a bondman? Is he a home-born [slave]? Why is he become a spoil?
15 Amabhongo ezilwane abhongele phezu kwakhe, akhupha ilizwi lawo, enza ilizwe lakhe laba yincithakalo; imizi yakhe itshisiwe ingelamhlali.
The young lions roared against him, they gave forth their voice, and they made his land desolate: his cities are burned, without inhabitant.
16 Futhi abantwana beNofi leThahaphanesi badlele enkanda yakho.
Even the children of Noph and Tahapanes have fed on the crown of thy head.
17 Kawuzenzelanga lokhu yini, ngokuthi udele iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ngesikhathi ikukhokhela endleleni?
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, at the time he was leading thee in the way?
18 Khathesi-ke ulani lendlela yeGibhithe, ukuthi unathe amanzi eSihori? Futhi ulani lendlela yeAsiriya, ukuthi unathe amanzi omfula?
And now, what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? And what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
19 Ububi bakho buzakulaya, lokuhlehlela kwakho nyovane kuzakukhuza. Ngakho yazi ubone ukuthi kuyinto embi lebabayo ukuthi uyidelile iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, lokuthi ukungesaba kakukho kuwe, itsho iNkosi uJehova wamabandla.
Thine own wickedness chastiseth thee, and thy backslidings reprove thee: know then and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
20 Ngoba kwasendulo ngephula ijogwe lakho, ngaqamula izibopho zakho; wasusithi: Kangiyikukhonza; kodwa phezu kwalo lonke uqaqa oluphakemeyo langaphansi kwaso sonke isihlahla esiluhlaza wazulazula njengesifebe.
For of old thou hast broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not serve. For upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou bowest down, playing the harlot.
21 Kube kanti mina ngakuhlanyela, ulivini elihle, inhlanyelo ethembekileyo ngokupheleleyo. Pho, usuphenduke njani waba lugatsha olonakeleyo lwevini lemzini kimi?
And I, — I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine unto me?
22 Ngoba lanxa ugeza ngesoda, uzithathele isepa enengi, kanti ububi bakho bube lichatha phambi kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much potash, thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord Jehovah.
23 Ungatsho njani ukuthi: Kangingcolanga, kangilandelanga oBhali? Bona indlela yakho esigodini, wazi ukuthi wenzeni, kamela elisikazi elilejubane elizulazula ezindleleni zalo.
How sayest thou, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals? See thy way in the valley, acknowledge what thou hast done — a swift dromedary traversing her ways!
24 Ungubabhemi weganga owejwayele inkangala, ophembela umoya enkanukweni yenhliziyo yakhe. Ngubani ongamvimbela enkanukweni yakhe? Bonke abamdingayo kabayikuzidinisa; ngenyanga yakhe bazamthola.
— a wild ass, used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire! In her ardour, who shall turn her away? All they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
25 Nqanda unyawo lwakho ekungabini ngolungelasicathulo, lomphimbo wakho ekomeni; kodwa wena wathi: Kakulathemba; hatshi; ngoba ngathanda abemzini, njalo ngizabalandela.
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst, There is no hope; no, for I love strangers, and after them will I go.
26 Njengesela lilenhloni lapho selibanjiwe, ngokunjalo indlu kaIsrayeli ilenhloni, bona, amakhosi abo, iziphathamandla zabo, labapristi babo, labaprofethi babo,
As a thief is ashamed when he is found, so shall the house of Israel be ashamed — they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets —
27 besithi esigodweni: Wena ungubaba; lelitsheni: Wena wangizala. Ngoba baphendulele umhlana kimi, hatshi-ke ubuso; kodwa ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka kwabo bazakuthi: Sukuma, usisindise!
saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth; for they have turned the back unto me, and not the face; and in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us!
28 Kodwa bangaphi onkulunkulu bakho ozenzele bona? Kabasukume uba bengakusindisa ngesikhathi sobubi bakho; ngoba njengenani lemizi yakho bangako onkulunkulu bakho, Juda.
Where then are thy gods that thou hast made for thyself? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for as the number of thy cities, are thy gods, O Judah.
29 Liphikisanelani lami? Lonke liphambekile kimi, itsho iNkosi.
Wherefore would ye contend with me? Ye all have transgressed against me, saith Jehovah.
30 Ngibatshayile abantwana benu ngeze; kabemukelanga ukuqondiswa; inkemba yenu ibadlile abaprofethi benu, njengesilwane esichithayo.
In vain have I smitten your children: they received no correction. Your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
31 Wena sizukulwana, lina bonani ilizwi leNkosi. Bengiyinkangala yini kuIsrayeli? Kumbe ilizwe lobumnyama obunzima yini? Batsholoni abantu bami ukuthi: Sizulazulile; kasisayikuza kuwe?
O generation, mark ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say my people, We have dominion; we will come no more unto thee?
32 Intombi ingazikhohlwa yini iziceciso zayo, kumbe umakoti amabhanti akhe? Kanti abantu bami bangikhohliwe insuku ezingelanani.
Doth a virgin forget her ornaments, a bride her attire? But my people have forgotten me days without number.
33 Kungani ulungisa indlela yakho ekudingeni uthando? Ngakho ubafundisile labo ababi izindlela zakho.
How dost thou trim thy way to seek love! Therefore hast thou also accustomed thy ways to wickedness.
34 Lezigqokweni zakho kutholakala igazi lemiphefumulo yabayanga abangelacala; kawubatholanga befohlela phakathi, kodwa phezu kwakho konke lokhu.
Yea, in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor, whom thou didst not encounter breaking in, but [it is found] upon all these.
35 Kanti wena uthi: Ngoba kangilacala, isibili intukuthelo yakhe izaphenduka isuke kimi. Khangela, ngizakwehlulelana lawe, ngoba uthi: Kangonanga.
And thou sayest, Indeed I am innocent; his anger will turn from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
36 Kungani uzulazula kangaka ukuntshintsha indlela yakho? Uzayangiswa yiGibhithe layo, njengoba wayangiswa yiAsiriya.
Why dost thou gad about so much, and change thy way? Thou shalt also be brought to shame by Egypt, as thou wast brought to shame by Assyria.
37 Yebo, uzaphuma usuka lapha, lezandla zakho ziphezu kwekhanda lakho, ngoba iNkosi iwalile amathemba akho, njalo kawuyikuphumelela ngawo.
Thou shalt indeed go forth from her with thy hands upon thy head; for Jehovah hath rejected those thou confidest in, and thou shalt not prosper by them.
