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 will bring the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, the bones of the priests, 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.
They will spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the army of the sky, which they have loved, which they have served, after which they have walked, which they have sought, and which they have worshipped. They will not be gathered or be buried. They will be like dung on the surface of the earth.
3 Njalo ukufa kuzakhethwa kulempilo yiyo yonke insali yabaseleyo balolusapho olubi, kuzo zonke indawo zabaseleyo lapho engibaxotshele khona, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
Death will be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that 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 tell them, ‘The LORD says: “‘Do men fall, and not rise up again? Does one turn away, and not return?
5 Pho, baphambukelani lababantu eJerusalema ngokuphambuka okulaphakade? Babambelela enkohlisweni, bayala ukuphenduka.
Why then have the people of Jerusalem fallen back by a perpetual backsliding? They cling to deceit. They refuse to return.
6 Ngilalele ngezwa, kabakhulumanga kuhle; kakulamuntu ozisolayo ngobubi bakhe esithi: Ngenzeni? Wonke uphendukela emjahweni wakhe njengebhiza ligijimela empini.
I listened and heard, but they didn’t say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Everyone turns to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in the battle.
7 Yebo ingabuzane emazulwini liyazazi izikhathi zalo ezimisiweyo; lejuba lehemu lenkonjane kuyagcina isikhathi sokubuya kwakho; kodwa abantu bami kabazazi izimiso zeNkosi.
Yes, the stork in the sky knows her appointed times. The turtledove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people don’t know the LORD’s law.
8 Litsho njani ukuthi: Sihlakaniphile, lomlayo weNkosi ulathi? Khangelani, isibili usiba lwamanga lwababhali lusebenzela ize.
“‘How do you say, “We are wise, and the LORD’s law is with us”? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made that a lie.
9 Abahlakaniphileyo bayangekile, besabe kakhulu bathethwe; khangela, balalile ilizwi leNkosi; pho balenhlakanipho bani?
The wise men are disappointed. They are dismayed and trapped. Behold, they have rejected the LORD’s word. What kind of 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 I will give their wives to others and their fields to those who will possess them. For everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.
11 Ngoba balipholise kancane inxeba lendodakazi yabantu bami, besithi: Ukuthula, ukuthula; khona kungelakuthula.
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? No, they were not at all ashamed. They couldn’t blush. Therefore they will fall amongst those who fall. In the time of their visitation they will 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 utterly consume them, says the LORD. No grapes will be on the vine, no figs on the fig tree, and the leaf will fade. The things that I have given them will 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! Let’s enter into the fortified cities, and let’s be silent there; for the LORD our God has put us to silence, and given us poisoned water 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 healing, and behold, dismay!
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 is heard from Dan. The whole land trembles at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they have come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell therein.”
17 Ngoba khangelani, ngithumela phakathi kwenu izinyoka, amabululu, angelakulunjwa, njalo azaliluma, itsho iNkosi.
“For, behold, I will send serpents, adders amongst you, which will not be charmed; and they will bite you,” says the LORD.
18 Ukududuzwa kwami kusosizini, inhliziyo yami iphelelwa ngamandla kimi.
Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! My heart is faint within 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 from a land that is very far off: “Isn’t the LORD in Zion? Isn’t her King in her?” “Why have they provoked me to anger with their engraved images, and with foreign idols?”
20 Isivuno sidlulile, ihlobo liphelile, kanti thina kasisindiswanga.
“The harvest is past. The summer has 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, I am hurt. I mourn. Dismay has taken hold of 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 isn’t the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
