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.
“Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the middle of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem, for evil looks out from the north with a great destruction.
2 Indodakazi yeZiyoni ngiyifananise lowesifazana omuhle obuthakathaka.
I will cut off the beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion.
3 Abelusi bazafika kuye lemihlambi yabo; bazamisa amathente beqondene laye inhlangothi zonke, beluse ngulowo lalowo endaweni yakhe.
Shepherds with their flocks will come to her. They will pitch their tents against her all around. They will feed everyone in his place.”
4 Zehlukaniseleni impi limelene layo; sukumani, kasenyuke emini enkulu. Maye kithi! ngoba ilanga selithambeme, ngoba amathunzi okuhlwa aselulekile.
“Prepare war against her! Arise! Let’s go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
5 Sukumani, senyuke ngobusuku, sidilize izigodlo zayo.
Arise! Let’s go up by night, and let’s 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 the LORD of Armies said, “Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city to be visited. She is filled with oppression within herself.
7 Njengomthombo umpompoza amanzi awo, ngokunjalo umpompoza inkohlakalo yawo; udlakela lencithakalo kuzwakala kuwo; phambi kwami kulenhlungu lamanxeba njalonjalo.
As a well produces its waters, so she produces her wickedness. Violence and destruction is heard in her. Sickness and wounds are continually before me.
8 Layeka, Jerusalema, hlezi umphefumulo wami wehlukane lawe; hlezi ngikwenze unxiwa, ilizwe elingahlalwanga.
Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.”
9 Itsho njalo INkosi yamabandla: Bazayikhothoza lokuyikhothoza insali kaIsrayeli njengevini; buyisela isandla sakho ezitsheni njengomvuni wevini.
The LORD of Armies says, “They will thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets.”
10 Ngizakhuluma kubani, ngixwayise, ukuze bezwe? Khangela, indlebe yabo kayisokwanga, kabalakulalela; khangela, ilizwi leNkosi lilihlazo kibo, kabathokozi ngalo.
To whom should I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can’t listen. Behold, the LORD’s word has become a reproach to them. 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 LORD’s wrath. I am weary with holding it in. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife will be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.
12 Lezindlu zabo zizanikelwa kwabanye, amasimu labafazi kanyekanye; ngoba ngizakwelulela isandla sami phezu kwabahlali belizwe, itsho iNkosi.
Their houses will be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says 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 their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.
14 Bapholisa kancane inxeba labantu bami, besithi: Ukuthula, ukuthula; lapho kungekho ukuthula.
They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, 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? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they will fall amongst those who fall. When I visit them, they will be cast down,” says 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.
The LORD says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will 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.
I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’
18 Ngakho zwanini, lina zizwe, wazi, wena bandla, okuphakathi kwabo.
Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is amongst them.
19 Zwana, wena mhlaba; khangela, ngizaletha ububi phezu kwalababantu, isithelo semicabango yabo, ngoba bengalalelanga amazwi ami, lomlayo wami, kodwa bawalile.
Hear, earth! Behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they 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 does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”
21 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizabeka izikhubekiso phambi kwalababantu, njalo oyise lamadodana bakhubeke kanyekanye kuzo, umakhelwane lomngane wakhe, bazabhubha.
Therefore the LORD says, “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together will stumble against them. The neighbour and his friend will perish.”
22 Itsho njalo INkosi: Khangela, abantu bayeza bevela elizweni lenyakatho, lesizwe esikhulu sizavuswa ezinhlangothini zomhlaba.
The LORD says, “Behold, a people comes from the north country. A great nation will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.
23 Bazabamba idandili lomkhonto; balesihluku, kabalasihawu; ilizwi labo lihlokoma njengolwandle; bagade amabhiza, behleliwe njengabantu bempi bemelene lawe, ndodakazi yeZiyoni.
They take hold of bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Zion.”
24 Siyizwile indumela yakho, izandla zethu ziyadangala; usizi lusibambile, ubuhlungu obunjengobowesifazana obelethayo.
We have heard its report. Our hands become feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, and pains as of a woman in labour.
25 Lingaphumi liye egangeni, lingahambi endleleni, ngoba kukhona inkemba yesitha, ukwesaba inhlangothi zonke.
Don’t go out into the field or walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and terror are 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.
Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for the destroyer will suddenly come on us.
27 Ngikubekile ube ngumphotshongo lenqaba phakathi kwabantu bami, ukuze wazi uhlole indlela yabo.
“I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress amongst my people, that you may know and try their way.
28 Bonke bangabahlamuki abalenkani, behamba behleba; balithusi lensimbi, bonke bangabonakalisi.
They are all grievous rebels, going around to slander. They are bronze and iron. All of them deal corruptly.
29 Imvutho itshile, umnuso usuqedwe ngumlilo; umncibilikisi uncibilikisela ize, ngoba ababi kabakhutshwa.
The bellows blow fiercely. The lead is consumed in the fire. In vain they go on refining, for the wicked are not plucked away.
30 Bazababiza ngokuthi bayisiliva esilahliweyo, ngoba iNkosi ibalahlile.
Men will call them rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them.”
