UJeremiya 2
1 Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi lisithi:
Moreover 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 says the LORD; I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, when you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
3 UIsrayeli wayeyibungcwele eNkosini, izithelo zokuqala zesivuno sayo; bonke abamudlayo bazakuba lecala, ububi buzabehlela, itsho iNkosi.
Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, says the LORD.
4 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, ndlu kaJakobe, lensendo zonke zendlu kaIsrayeli.
Hear all of you the word of the LORD, O 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 says 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?
Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no 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 a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when all of you entered, all of you defiled my land, and made mine 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 the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also 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.
Wherefore I will yet plead with you, says the LORD, 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 the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.
11 Isizwe sake santshintsha yini onkulunkulu baso, abangeyisibo onkulunkulu? Kodwa abantu bami bantshintshile uDumo lwabo ngalokho okungasizi lutho.
Has a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.
12 Mangalani kakhulu, mazulu, ngalokhu, lethuke, lichitheke kakhulu, itsho iNkosi.
Be astonished, O all of you heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be all of you very desolate, says 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 committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
14 UIsrayeli uyisigqili yini? Kumbe esizelwe ekhaya yini? Kungani waba yimpango?
Is Israel a servant? is he a native slave? why is he spoiled?
15 Amabhongo ezilwane abhongele phezu kwakhe, akhupha ilizwi lawo, enza ilizwe lakhe laba yincithakalo; imizi yakhe itshisiwe ingelamhlali.
The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
16 Futhi abantwana beNofi leThahaphanesi badlele enkanda yakho.
Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of your head.
17 Kawuzenzelanga lokhu yini, ngokuthi udele iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ngesikhathi ikukhokhela endleleni?
Have you not procured this unto yourself, in that you have forsaken the LORD your God, when he led you by the way?
18 Khathesi-ke ulani lendlela yeGibhithe, ukuthi unathe amanzi eSihori? Futhi ulani lendlela yeAsiriya, ukuthi unathe amanzi omfula?
And now what have you to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what have you to do in 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.
your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backslidings shall reprove you: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord 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.
For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bands; and you said, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree you wander, playing the harlot.
21 Kube kanti mina ngakuhlanyela, ulivini elihle, inhlanyelo ethembekileyo ngokupheleleyo. Pho, usuphenduke njani waba lugatsha olonakeleyo lwevini lemzini kimi?
Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then are you turned into the degenerate plant 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 you wash you with alkali, and take you much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me, says the Lord GOD.
23 Ungatsho njani ukuthi: Kangingcolanga, kangilandelanga oBhali? Bona indlela yakho esigodini, wazi ukuthi wenzeni, kamela elisikazi elilejubane elizulazula ezindleleni zalo.
How can you say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see your way in the valley, know what you have done: you are 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 snuffs up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can 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 your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst: but you said, There is no hope: no; for I have loved 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 the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel 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, You are my father; and to a stone, You have brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but 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.
But where are your gods that you have made you? let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble: for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah.
29 Liphikisanelani lami? Lonke liphambekile kimi, itsho iNkosi.
Wherefore will all of you plead with me? all of you all have transgressed against me, says the LORD.
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 has 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, see all of you the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto you?
32 Intombi ingazikhohlwa yini iziceciso zayo, kumbe umakoti amabhanti akhe? Kanti abantu bami bangikhohliwe insuku ezingelanani.
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
33 Kungani ulungisa indlela yakho ekudingeni uthando? Ngakho ubafundisile labo ababi izindlela zakho.
Why trim you your way to seek love? therefore have you also taught the wicked ones your ways.
34 Lezigqokweni zakho kutholakala igazi lemiphefumulo yabayanga abangelacala; kawubatholanga befohlela phakathi, kodwa phezu kwakho konke lokhu.
Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocent persons: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.
35 Kanti wena uthi: Ngoba kangilacala, isibili intukuthelo yakhe izaphenduka isuke kimi. Khangela, ngizakwehlulelana lawe, ngoba uthi: Kangonanga.
Yet you say, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with you, because you say, I have not sinned.
36 Kungani uzulazula kangaka ukuntshintsha indlela yakho? Uzayangiswa yiGibhithe layo, njengoba wayangiswa yiAsiriya.
Why arm you about so much to change your way? you also shall be ashamed of Egypt, as you were ashamed of Assyria.
37 Yebo, uzaphuma usuka lapha, lezandla zakho ziphezu kwekhanda lakho, ngoba iNkosi iwalile amathemba akho, njalo kawuyikuphumelela ngawo.
Yea, you shall go forth from him, and your hands upon your head: for the LORD has rejected your confidences, and you shall not prosper in them.
