Jeremiah 23
1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says the LORD.
Maye kubelusi abachitha behlakaza izimvu zedlelo lami! itsho iNkosi.
2 Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, says against the shepherds who feed my people: “You have scattered my flock, driven them away, and have not visited them. Behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings,” says the LORD.
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, imelene labelusi abelusa abantu bami: Lizihlakazile izimvu zami, lazixotsha, kalizethekelelanga. Khangelani, ngizaphindisela phezu kwenu ububi bezenzo zenu, itsho iNkosi.
3 “I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they will be fruitful and multiply.
Mina-ke ngizabutha insali yezimvu zami iphume kuwo wonke amazwe lapho engizixotshele khona, ngizibuyise futhi esibayeni sazo; njalo zizazala, zande.
4 I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them. They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, neither will any be lacking,” says the LORD.
Ngizamisa phezu kwazo abelusi abazazelusa; njalo kazisayikwesaba, kaziyikutshaywa luvalo, kaziyikulahleka, itsho iNkosi.
5 “Behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will raise to David a righteous Branch; and he will reign as king and deal wisely, and will execute justice and righteousness in the land.
Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho engizavusela uDavida iHlumela elilungileyo; njalo iNkosi izabusa iphumelele, izakwenza isahlulelo lokulunga emhlabeni.
6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. This is his name by which he will be called: The LORD our righteousness.
Ensukwini zalo uJuda uzasindiswa, loIsrayeli ahlale evikelekile. Njalo leli libizo layo ezabizwa ngalo: INkosi Ukulunga Kwethu.
7 “Therefore, behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that they will no more say, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;’
Ngakho khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho abangasayikuthi: Kuphila kweNkosi, eyabakhuphula abantwana bakoIsrayeli elizweni leGibhithe.
8 but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up and who led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will dwell in their own land.”
Kodwa: Kuphila kweNkosi eyakhuphula eyaletha inzalo yendlu kaIsrayeli isuka elizweni lenyakatho lakuwo wonke amazwe engangiyixotshele khona. Njalo bazahlala elizweni lakibo.
9 Concerning the prophets: My heart within me is broken. All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of the LORD, and because of his holy words.
Mayelana labaprofethi: Inhliziyo yami yephukile ngaphakathi kwami; amathambo ami wonke ayathuthumela; nginjengesidakwa, lanjengomuntu owehlulwe liwayini, ngenxa yeNkosi, langenxa yamazwi obungcwele bayo.
10 “For the land is full of adulterers; for because of the curse the land mourns. The pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right;
Ngoba ilizwe ligcwele izifebe; ngoba ngenxa yesiqalekiso ilizwe liyalila; amadlelo enkangala omile, lokuhamba kwabo kubi, lamandla abo kawaqondanga.
11 for both prophet and priest are profane. Yes, in my house I have found their wickedness,” says the LORD.
Ngoba lomprofethi lompristi kabamesabi uNkulunkulu; ngitsho endlini yami ngitholile ububi babo, itsho iNkosi.
12 Therefore their way will be to them as slippery places in the darkness. They will be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil on them, even the year of their visitation,” says the LORD.
Ngakho indlela yabo izakuba kibo njengezindlela ezitshelelayo emnyameni; bafuqelwa phansi, bawele kuyo; ngoba ngizabehlisela okubi ngomnyaka wokuhanjelwa kwabo, itsho iNkosi.
13 “I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria. They prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
Ngibonile-ke ubuwula kubaprofethi beSamariya; baprofetha ngoBhali, baduhisa abantu bami uIsrayeli.
14 In the prophets of Jerusalem I have also seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one returns from his wickedness. They have all become to me as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.”
Kodwa kubaprofethi beJerusalema ngibonile into eyesabekayo; bayafeba, bahambe emangeni, baqinisa izandla zabenzi bobubi ukuze bangaphenduki ngulowo ebubini bakhe; bonke sebenjengeSodoma kimi, labakhileyo bayo njengeGomora.
15 Therefore the LORD of Armies says concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink poisoned water; for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla mayelana labaprofethi: Khangela, ngizabadlisa umhlonyane, ngibanathise amanzi enyongo; ngoba kusukela kubaprofethi beJerusalema ukungamesabi uNkulunkulu kuphumele ilizwe lonke.
16 The LORD of Armies says, “Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They teach you vanity. They speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Lingalaleli amazwi abaprofethi abaprofetha kini; balenza libe yize; bakhuluma umbono wenhliziyo yabo, hatshi ovela emlonyeni weNkosi.
17 They say continually to those who despise me, ‘The LORD has said, “You will have peace;”’ and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, ‘No evil will come on you.’
Baqhubeka besithi kwabangidelelayo: INkosi ithe: Lizakuba lokuthula; njalo bathi kuye wonke ohamba ngenkani yenhliziyo yakhe: Ububi kabuyikukwehlela.
18 For who has stood in the council of the LORD, that he should perceive and hear his word? Who has listened to my word, and heard it?
Ngoba ngubani omi kucebo leNkosi, wabona wezwa ilizwi layo? Ngubani oqaphelise ilizwi lakhe, walizwa?
19 Behold, the LORD’s storm, his wrath, has gone out. Yes, a whirling storm! It will burst on the head of the wicked.
Khangela, isivunguzane seNkosi, ulaka luphumile, ngitsho isivunguzane esibuhlungu; sizakwehlela ngamandla phezu kwekhanda labakhohlakeleyo.
20 The LORD’s anger will not return until he has executed and performed the intents of his heart. In the latter days, you will understand it perfectly.
Ulaka lweNkosi kaluyikuphenduka, ize yenze, njalo ize iqinise iminakano yenhliziyo yayo. Ekucineni kwezinsuku lizakuqedisisa lokukuqedisisa.
21 I didn’t send these prophets, yet they ran. I didn’t speak to them, yet they prophesied.
Kangibathumanga lababaprofethi, kanti bona bagijima; kangikhulumanga labo, kanti bona baprofetha.
22 But if they had stood in my council, then they would have caused my people to hear my words, and would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
Kodwa uba bebemi kucebo lami, ngabe benza abantu bami bezwa amazwi ami, ngabe babaphendula endleleni yabo embi lebubini bezenzo zabo.
23 “Am I a God at hand,” says the LORD, “and not a God afar off?
NginguNkulunkulu oseduze yini, itsho iNkosi, njalo hatshi uNkulunkulu okhatshana?
24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I can’t see him?” says the LORD. “Don’t I fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD.
Ukhona yini ongacatsha endaweni ezisithekileyo ukuze ngingamboni? itsho iNkosi. Kangigcwalisi yini amazulu lomhlaba? itsho iNkosi.
25 “I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’
Ngizwile ukuthi abaprofethi batheni, abaprofetha amanga ebizweni lami besithi: Ngiphuphile, ngiphuphile!
26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart?
Koze kube nini kusenhliziyweni yabaprofethi abaprofetha amanga? Yebo, bangabaprofethi benkohliso yenhliziyo yabo;
27 They intend to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they each tell his neighbour, as their fathers forgot my name because of Baal.
abacabanga ukwenza abantu bami bakhohlwe ibizo lami ngamaphupho abo abawalandisa ngulowo umakhelwane wakhe, njengaboyise bakhohlwa ibizo lami ngenxa kaBhali.
28 The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat?” says the LORD.
Umprofethi olephupho, kalilandise iphupho; lolelizwi lami, kalikhulume ilizwi lami ngeqiniso. Amahlanga ayini lamabele? itsho iNkosi.
29 “Isn’t my word like fire?” says the LORD; “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
Ilizwi lami kalinjalo njengomlilo yini, itsho iNkosi, lanjengesando esiqhekeza idwala libe yizicucu?
30 “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who each steal my words from his neighbour.
Ngakho khangela, ngimelene labaprofethi, itsho iNkosi, abeba amazwi ami, ngulowo kumakhelwane wakhe.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who use their tongues, and say, ‘He says.’
Khangela, ngimelene labaprofethi, itsho iNkosi, abasebenzisa ulimi lwabo, bathi: Ithi.
32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams,” says the LORD, “who tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting; yet I didn’t send them or command them. They don’t profit this people at all,” says the LORD.
Khangela, ngimelene labaprofetha amaphupho amanga, itsho iNkosi, bawalandisa, baduhise abantu bami ngamanga abo, langokuwalazela kwabo, kanti mina ngingabathumanga, ngingabalayanga; ngakho kabayikubasiza ngitsho ngalutho lababantu, itsho iNkosi.
33 “When this people, or the prophet, or a priest, asks you, saying, ‘What is the message from the LORD?’ Then you shall tell them, ‘“What message? I will cast you off,” says the LORD.’
Lalapho lababantu, loba umprofethi, kumbe umpristi, bekubuza, besithi: Uyini umthwalo weNkosi? Khona uzakuthi kibo: Umthwalo bani? Ukuthi ngizalidela, itsho iNkosi.
34 As for the prophet, the priest, and the people, who say, ‘The message from the LORD,’ I will even punish that man and his household.
Mayelana lomprofethi, lompristi, labantu, abazakuthi: Umthwalo weNkosi; ngizamjezisa lalowomuntu lendlu yakhe.
35 You will say everyone to his neighbour, and everyone to his brother, ‘What has the LORD answered?’ and, ‘What has the LORD said?’
Lizakhuluma ngalindlela, ngulowo kumakhelwane wakhe, langulowo kumfowabo: INkosi iphendule yathini? Lokuthi: INkosi ikhulumeni?
36 You will mention the message from the LORD no more, for every man’s own word has become his message; for you have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of Armies, our God.
Kodwa umthwalo weNkosi kalisayikukhuluma ngawo. Ngoba ilizwi langulowo lalowomuntu lizakuba ngumthwalo wakhe, ngoba liwahlanekele amazwi kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu wethu.
37 You will say to the prophet, ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’
Uzakutsho ngokunjalo kumprofethi: INkosi ikuphenduleni? njalo: INkosi ikhulumeni?
38 Although you say, ‘The message from the LORD,’ therefore the LORD says: ‘Because you say this word, “The message from the LORD,” and I have sent to you, telling you not to say, “The message from the LORD,”
Kodwa uba lisithi: Umthwalo weNkosi; ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngoba likhuluma lamazwi okuthi: Umthwalo weNkosi; njalo ngithumele kini ngisithi: Lingabokuthi: Umthwalo weNkosi;
39 therefore behold, I will utterly forget you, and I will cast you off with the city that I gave to you and to your fathers, away from my presence.
ngakho khangelani, mina ngizalikhohlwa ngokupheleleyo, ngitshiye lina lomuzi engalinika wona laboyihlo, lisuke ebusweni bami.
40 I will bring an everlasting reproach on you, and a perpetual shame, which will not be forgotten.’”
Njalo ngizabeka phezu kwenu ihlazo elilaphakade lokuyangeka okulaphakade, okungayikukhohlakala.
