UJeremiya 6
1 Lina bantwana bakoBhenjamini, buthanelani ukubaleka liphume phakathi kweJerusalema, livuthele uphondo eThekhowa, liphakamise uphawu lomlilo eBeti-Hakeremi: ngoba ububi bubona phansi busenyakatho, lencithakalo enkulu.
O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
2 Indodakazi yeZiyoni ngiyifananise lowesifazana omuhle obuthakathaka.
I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.
3 Abelusi bazafika kuye lemihlambi yabo; bazamisa amathente beqondene laye inhlangothi zonke, beluse ngulowo lalowo endaweni yakhe.
The shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her on every side; they shall feed every one in his place.
4 Zehlukaniseleni impi limelene layo; sukumani, kasenyuke emini enkulu. Maye kithi! ngoba ilanga selithambeme, ngoba amathunzi okuhlwa aselulekile.
Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! for the day departeth, for the shadows of the evening are lengthened.
5 Sukumani, senyuke ngobusuku, sidilize izigodlo zayo.
Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
6 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Gamulani izihlahla, libuthelele umduli wokuvimbezela limelene leJerusalema. Yiwo lo umuzi ozajeziswa; kulocindezelo kuphela phakathi kwawo.
For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
7 Njengomthombo umpompoza amanzi awo, ngokunjalo umpompoza inkohlakalo yawo; udlakela lencithakalo kuzwakala kuwo; phambi kwami kulenhlungu lamanxeba njalonjalo.
As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually are grief and wounds.
8 Layeka, Jerusalema, hlezi umphefumulo wami wehlukane lawe; hlezi ngikwenze unxiwa, ilizwe elingahlalwanga.
Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.
9 Itsho njalo INkosi yamabandla: Bazayikhothoza lokuyikhothoza insali kaIsrayeli njengevini; buyisela isandla sakho ezitsheni njengomvuni wevini.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thy hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.
10 Ngizakhuluma kubani, ngixwayise, ukuze bezwe? Khangela, indlebe yabo kayisokwanga, kabalakulalela; khangela, ilizwi leNkosi lilihlazo kibo, kabathokozi ngalo.
To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is to them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
11 Ngakho ngigcwele ulaka lweNkosi, ngikhathele yikuzithiba. Ngizakuthululela phezu kwabantwana esitaladeni lemhlanganweni wamajaha ndawonye, ngoba lendoda kanye lomfazi bazathathwa, omdala kanye logcwele izinsuku.
Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.
12 Lezindlu zabo zizanikelwa kwabanye, amasimu labafazi kanyekanye; ngoba ngizakwelulela isandla sami phezu kwabahlali belizwe, itsho iNkosi.
And their houses shall be turned to others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.
13 Ngoba kusukela komncinyane wabo kuze kufike komkhulu wabo bonke bayizihwaba zenzuzo embi; njalo kusukela komprofethi kuze kube kompristi bonke benza ngenkohliso.
For from the least of them even to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest every one dealeth falsely.
14 Bapholisa kancane inxeba labantu bami, besithi: Ukuthula, ukuthula; lapho kungekho ukuthula.
They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
15 Baba lenhloni yini lapho besenza isinengiso? Hatshi, kababanga lanhloni lakanye, futhi kabakwazi ukuyangeka. Ngakho bazakuwa phakathi kwabawayo; ngesikhathi sokubahambela kwami bazakhubeka, itsho iNkosi.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
16 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Manini ezindleleni, libone, libuze ngemikhondo yasendulo, ukuthi ingaphi indlela enhle, lihambe kuyo, njalo lizazuzela imiphefumulo yenu ukuthula. Kodwa bathi: Kasiyikuhamba ngayo.
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk in it, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk in it.
17 Futhi ngilibekele abalindi, ngisithi: Lalelani ukukhala kophondo. Kodwa bathi: Kasiyikulalela.
Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
18 Ngakho zwanini, lina zizwe, wazi, wena bandla, okuphakathi kwabo.
Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
19 Zwana, wena mhlaba; khangela, ngizaletha ububi phezu kwalababantu, isithelo semicabango yabo, ngoba bengalalelanga amazwi ami, lomlayo wami, kodwa bawalile.
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened to my words, nor to my law, but have rejected it.
20 Izelani kimi impepha ivela eShebha, lomhlanga olephunga elimnandi ovela elizweni elikhatshana? Iminikelo yenu yokutshiswa kayemukeleki, lemihlatshelo yenu kayimnandi kimi.
To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a distant country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to me.
21 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizabeka izikhubekiso phambi kwalababantu, njalo oyise lamadodana bakhubeke kanyekanye kuzo, umakhelwane lomngane wakhe, bazabhubha.
Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
22 Itsho njalo INkosi: Khangela, abantu bayeza bevela elizweni lenyakatho, lesizwe esikhulu sizavuswa ezinhlangothini zomhlaba.
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.
23 Bazabamba idandili lomkhonto; balesihluku, kabalasihawu; ilizwi labo lihlokoma njengolwandle; bagade amabhiza, behleliwe njengabantu bempi bemelene lawe, ndodakazi yeZiyoni.
They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
24 Siyizwile indumela yakho, izandla zethu ziyadangala; usizi lusibambile, ubuhlungu obunjengobowesifazana obelethayo.
We have heard the report of it: our hands become feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
25 Lingaphumi liye egangeni, lingahambi endleleni, ngoba kukhona inkemba yesitha, ukwesaba inhlangothi zonke.
Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
26 Wena ndodakazi yabantu bami, bhinca amasaka, ubhuquze emlotheni, uzenzele isililo, esinjengesendodana eyiyo yodwa, ukukhala okubuhlungu kakhulu; ngoba umchithi uzafika kithi masinyane.
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
27 Ngikubekile ube ngumphotshongo lenqaba phakathi kwabantu bami, ukuze wazi uhlole indlela yabo.
I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
28 Bonke bangabahlamuki abalenkani, behamba behleba; balithusi lensimbi, bonke bangabonakalisi.
They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
29 Imvutho itshile, umnuso usuqedwe ngumlilo; umncibilikisi uncibilikisela ize, ngoba ababi kabakhutshwa.
The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed by the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
30 Bazababiza ngokuthi bayisiliva esilahliweyo, ngoba iNkosi ibalahlile.
Rejected silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
