< UJeremiya 2 >

1 Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi lisithi:
And the word of the Lord 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 the Lord: I have remembered thee, pitying thy soul, pitying thy youth, and the love of thy espousals, when thou followedst me in the desert, in a land that is not sown.
3 UIsrayeli wayeyibungcwele eNkosini, izithelo zokuqala zesivuno sayo; bonke abamudlayo bazakuba lecala, ububi buzabehlela, itsho iNkosi.
Israel is holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his increase: all they that devour him offend: evils shall come upon them, saith the Lord.
4 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, ndlu kaJakobe, lensendo zonke zendlu kaIsrayeli.
Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all ye 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 the Lord: What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are 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 have not said: Where is the Lord, that made us come up out of the land of Egypt? that led us through the desert, through a land uninhabited and unpassable, through a land of drought, and the image of death, through a land wherein no man walked, nor any man dwelt?
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 the land of Carmel, to eat the fruit thereof, and the best things thereof: and when ye entered in, you defiled my land, and made my inheritance an abomination.
8 Abapristi kabatshongo ukuthi: Ingaphi iNkosi? Lalabo abaphatha umlayo kabangazanga; lababusi baphambuka bemelene lami; labaprofethi baprofetha ngoBhali, balandela izinto ezingasiziyo.
The priests did not say: Where is the Lord? and they that held the law knew me not, and the pastors transgressed against me: and the prophets prophesied in Baal, and followed idols.
9 Ngakho ngisezaphikisana lawe, itsho iNkosi, njalo ngizaphikisana labantwana babantwana benu.
Therefore will I yet contend in judgement with you, saith the Lord, and I will plead with your children.
10 Ngoba dlulelani ezihlengeni zeKhithimi libone, lithumele eKedari, linakane kuhle, libone ukuthi kukhona into enjengale yini?
Pass over to the isles of Cethim, and see: and send into Cedar, and consider diligently: and see if there hath been done any thing like this.
11 Isizwe sake santshintsha yini onkulunkulu baso, abangeyisibo onkulunkulu? Kodwa abantu bami bantshintshile uDumo lwabo ngalokho okungasizi lutho.
If a nation hath changed their gods, and indeed they are not gods: but my people have changed their glory into an idol.
12 Mangalani kakhulu, mazulu, ngalokhu, lethuke, lichitheke kakhulu, itsho iNkosi.
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and ye gates thereof, be very desolate, saith the Lord.
13 Ngoba abantu bami benzile izinto ezimbi ezimbili; bangidelile mina mthombo wamanzi aphilayo, ukuthi bazigebhele izikhongozelo, izikhongozelo ezidabukileyo, ezingegcine manzi.
For my people have done two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
14 UIsrayeli uyisigqili yini? Kumbe esizelwe ekhaya yini? Kungani waba yimpango?
Is Israel a bondman, or a homeborn slave? why then is he become prey?
15 Amabhongo ezilwane abhongele phezu kwakhe, akhupha ilizwi lawo, enza ilizwe lakhe laba yincithakalo; imizi yakhe itshisiwe ingelamhlali.
The lions have roared upon him, and have made a noise, they have made his land a wilderness: his cities are burnt down and there is none to dwell in them.
16 Futhi abantwana beNofi leThahaphanesi badlele enkanda yakho.
The children also of Memphis, and of Taphnes have deflowered thee, even to the crown of the head.
17 Kawuzenzelanga lokhu yini, ngokuthi udele iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ngesikhathi ikukhokhela endleleni?
Hath not this been done to thee, because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God at that time, when he led thee by 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 in the way of Egypt, to drink the troubled water? And what hast thou to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water 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.
Thy own wickedness shall reprove thee, and thy apostasy shall rebuke thee. Know thou, and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing for thee, to have left the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not with thee, saith the Lord the God 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.
Of old time thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my bands, and thou saidst: I will not serve. For on every high hill, and under every green tree thou didst prostitute thyself.
21 Kube kanti mina ngakuhlanyela, ulivini elihle, inhlanyelo ethembekileyo ngokupheleleyo. Pho, usuphenduke njani waba lugatsha olonakeleyo lwevini lemzini kimi?
Yet I planted thee a chosen vineyard, all true seed: how then art thou turned unto me into that which is good for nothing, O strange vineyard?
22 Ngoba lanxa ugeza ngesoda, uzithathele isepa enengi, kanti ububi bakho bube lichatha phambi kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
Though thou wash thyself with nitre, and multiply to thyself the herb borith, thou art stained in thy iniquity before me, saith the Lord God.
23 Ungatsho njani ukuthi: Kangingcolanga, kangilandelanga oBhali? Bona indlela yakho esigodini, wazi ukuthi wenzeni, kamela elisikazi elilejubane elizulazula ezindleleni zalo.
How canst thou say: I am not polluted, and I have not walked after Baalim? see thy ways in the valley, know what thou hast done: as a swift runner pursuing his course.
24 Ungubabhemi weganga owejwayele inkangala, ophembela umoya enkanukweni yenhliziyo yakhe. Ngubani ongamvimbela enkanukweni yakhe? Bonke abamdingayo kabayikuzidinisa; ngenyanga yakhe bazamthola.
A wild ass accustomed to the wilderness in the desire of his heart, snuffed up the wind of his love: none shall turn her away: all that seek her shall not fail: in her monthly filth they shall find her.
25 Nqanda unyawo lwakho ekungabini ngolungelasicathulo, lomphimbo wakho ekomeni; kodwa wena wathi: Kakulathemba; hatshi; ngoba ngathanda abemzini, njalo ngizabalandela.
Keep thy foot from being bare, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst: I have lost all hope, I will not do it: for I have loved strangers, and I will walk after them.
26 Njengesela lilenhloni lapho selibanjiwe, ngokunjalo indlu kaIsrayeli ilenhloni, bona, amakhosi abo, iziphathamandla zabo, labapristi babo, labaprofethi babo,
As the thief is confounded when he is taken, so is the house of Israel confounded, they and 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 begotten me: they have turned their back to me, and not their face: and in the time of their affliction they will say: Arise, and deliver us.
28 Kodwa bangaphi onkulunkulu bakho ozenzele bona? Kabasukume uba bengakusindisa ngesikhathi sobubi bakho; ngoba njengenani lemizi yakho bangako onkulunkulu bakho, Juda.
Where are the gods, whom thou hast made thee? let them arise and deliver thee in the time of thy affliction: for according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Juda.
29 Liphikisanelani lami? Lonke liphambekile kimi, itsho iNkosi.
Why will you contend with me in judgement? you have all forsaken me, saith the Lord.
30 Ngibatshayile abantwana benu ngeze; kabemukelanga ukuqondiswa; inkemba yenu ibadlile abaprofethi benu, njengesilwane esichithayo.
In vain have I struck your children, they have not received correction: your sword hath devoured your prophets, your generation is like a ravaging lion.
31 Wena sizukulwana, lina bonani ilizwi leNkosi. Bengiyinkangala yini kuIsrayeli? Kumbe ilizwe lobumnyama obunzima yini? Batsholoni abantu bami ukuthi: Sizulazulile; kasisayikuza kuwe?
See ye the word of the Lord: Am I become a wilderness to Israel, or a lateward springing land? why then have my people said: We are revolted, we will come to thee no more.
32 Intombi ingazikhohlwa yini iziceciso zayo, kumbe umakoti amabhanti akhe? Kanti abantu bami bangikhohliwe insuku ezingelanani.
Will a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride her stomacher? but my people hath forgotten me days without number.
33 Kungani ulungisa indlela yakho ekudingeni uthando? Ngakho ubafundisile labo ababi izindlela zakho.
Why dost thou endeavour to shew thy way good to seek my love, thou who has also taught thy malices to be thy ways,
34 Lezigqokweni zakho kutholakala igazi lemiphefumulo yabayanga abangelacala; kawubatholanga befohlela phakathi, kodwa phezu kwakho konke lokhu.
And in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor and innocent? not in ditches have I found them, but in all places, which I mentioned before.
35 Kanti wena uthi: Ngoba kangilacala, isibili intukuthelo yakhe izaphenduka isuke kimi. Khangela, ngizakwehlulelana lawe, ngoba uthi: Kangonanga.
And thou hast said: I am without sin and am innocent: and therefore let thy anger be turned away from me. Behold, I will contend with thee in judgement, because thou hast said: I have not sinned.
36 Kungani uzulazula kangaka ukuntshintsha indlela yakho? Uzayangiswa yiGibhithe layo, njengoba wayangiswa yiAsiriya.
How exceeding base art thou become, going the same ways over again! and thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
37 Yebo, uzaphuma usuka lapha, lezandla zakho ziphezu kwekhanda lakho, ngoba iNkosi iwalile amathemba akho, njalo kawuyikuphumelela ngawo.
For from thence thou shalt go, and thy hand shall be upon thy head: for the Lord hath destroyed thy trust, and thou shalt have nothing prosperous therein.

< UJeremiya 2 >