UJeremiya 8
1 Ngalesosikhathi, itsho iNkosi, bazakhupha amathambo amakhosi akoJuda, lamathambo eziphathamandla zayo, lamathambo abapristi, lamathambo abaprofethi, lamathambo abahlali beJerusalema, emangcwabeni abo;
At that time, says the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:
2 baweneke elangeni lenyangeni, lakulo lonke ibutho lamazulu, abakuthandayo, labakusebenzelayo, labakulandelayo, labakudingayo, labakukhonzayo; kawayikubuthwa, kawayikungcwatshwa; azakuba ngawomquba phezu kobuso bomhlaba.
And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
3 Njalo ukufa kuzakhethwa kulempilo yiyo yonke insali yabaseleyo balolusapho olubi, kuzo zonke indawo zabaseleyo lapho engibaxotshele khona, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places where I have driven them, says the LORD of hosts.
4 Uzakuthi kibo futhi: Itsho njalo INkosi: Bazakuwa bangavuki yini? Uzaphambuka angaphenduki yini?
Moreover you shall say unto them, Thus says the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?
5 Pho, baphambukelani lababantu eJerusalema ngokuphambuka okulaphakade? Babambelela enkohlisweni, bayala ukuphenduka.
Why then is this people of Jerusalem slides back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
6 Ngilalele ngezwa, kabakhulumanga kuhle; kakulamuntu ozisolayo ngobubi bakhe esithi: Ngenzeni? Wonke uphendukela emjahweni wakhe njengebhiza ligijimela empini.
I hearkened and heard, but they spoke not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rushes into the battle.
7 Yebo ingabuzane emazulwini liyazazi izikhathi zalo ezimisiweyo; lejuba lehemu lenkonjane kuyagcina isikhathi sokubuya kwakho; kodwa abantu bami kabazazi izimiso zeNkosi.
Yea, the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
8 Litsho njani ukuthi: Sihlakaniphile, lomlayo weNkosi ulathi? Khangelani, isibili usiba lwamanga lwababhali lusebenzela ize.
How do all of you say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
9 Abahlakaniphileyo bayangekile, besabe kakhulu bathethwe; khangela, balalile ilizwi leNkosi; pho balenhlakanipho bani?
The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
10 Ngakho omkabo ngizabanika abanye, amasimu abo kwabazakudla ilifa labo; ngoba kusukela komncinyane kuze kufike komkhulu bonke bayizihwaba zenzuzo embi, kusukela kumprofethi kuze kube kumpristi wonke wenza ngenkohliso.
Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one deals falsely.
11 Ngoba balipholise kancane inxeba lendodakazi yabantu bami, besithi: Ukuthula, ukuthula; khona kungelakuthula.
For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
12 Baba lenhloni yini lapho sebenze amanyala? Hatshi, kababanga lanhloni lakanye, futhi kabakwazi ukuyangeka; ngakho bazakuwa phakathi kwabawayo; ngesikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwabo bazawiselwa phansi, itsho iNkosi.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, says the LORD.
13 Isibili ngizabaqeda, itsho iNkosi; kakuyikuba khona izithelo zevini evinini; njalo kakuyikuba khona imikhiwa emkhiweni, lehlamvu lizabuna; lengibanike khona kuzakwedlula kibo.
I will surely consume them, says the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
14 Sihlaleleni? Buthanani, singene emizini evikelweyo, sithule khona; ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu isithulisile, yasinathisa amanzi enyongo, ngoba sonile eNkosini.
Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God has put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.
15 Salindela ukuthula, kodwa kakubanga lokuhle; isikhathi sokwelatshwa, kodwa khangela, luhlupho.
We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!
16 Ukuthimula kwamabhiza akhe kwezwakala kusukela koDani; ilizwe lonke lathuthumela emsindweni wokukhonya kwalamandla akhe; ngoba afikile, adla ilizwe lokugcwala kwalo, umuzi labahlala kiwo.
The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.
17 Ngoba khangelani, ngithumela phakathi kwenu izinyoka, amabululu, angelakulunjwa, njalo azaliluma, itsho iNkosi.
For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, says the LORD.
18 Ukududuzwa kwami kusosizini, inhliziyo yami iphelelwa ngamandla kimi.
When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
19 Khangelani, ilizwi lokukhala kwendodakazi yabantu bami livela elizweni elikhatshana. INkosi kayikho eZiyoni yini? Inkosi yayo kayikho phakathi kwayo yini? Bangicunuleleni ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo, ngokuyize kwabezizwe?
Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?
20 Isivuno sidlulile, ihlobo liphelile, kanti thina kasisindiswanga.
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
21 Ngokwephuka kwendodakazi yabantu bami ngephukile; ngimnyama; ukumangala okukhulu kungibambile.
For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment has taken hold on me.
22 Kakulabhalisamu yini eGileyadi? Kakho yini umelaphi khona? Ngoba kungani kungaveli ukwelatshwa kwendodakazi yabantu bami?
Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
