Jeremiah 12
1 You are righteous, Yahweh, when I contend with you; yet I would like to plead a case with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all at ease who deal very treacherously?
Wena ulungile izikhathi zonke, Oh Thixo, lapho ngiletha indaba kuwe. Ikanti ngingakhuluma lawe ngokulunga kwakho: Kungani indlela yababi iphumelela na? Kungani abangathembekanga behlezi kuhle na?
2 You have planted them. Yes, they have taken root. They grow. Yes, they produce fruit. You are near in their mouth, and far from their heart.
Ubahlanyele, njalo sebemilile; bayakhula bathele izithelo. Bahlezi bekhuluma ngawe, kodwa ezinhliziyweni zabo ukhatshana.
3 But you, Yahweh, know me. You see me, and test my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
Kodwa mina, Oh Thixo, uyangazi; uyangibona uhlole imicabango yami ngawe. Bahudule njengezimvu eziyahlatshwa! Bamisele usuku lokubulawa!
4 How long will the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? Because of the wickedness of those who dwell therein, the animals and birds are consumed; because they said, “He won’t see our latter end.”
Koze kube nini ilizwe lomile lotshani iganga lonke bubunile? Ngenxa yokuthi labo abahlala kulo babi, izinyamazana lezinyoni sezibhubhile. Kanti futhi abantu bathi, “Kasoze akubone okwenzakala kithi.”
5 “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? Though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan?
“Nxa ugijime labantu ngezinyawo bakudinisa, ungancintisana njani lamabhiza na? Nxa ukhubeka elizweni elingelangozi, pho uzakwanelisa njani ezixukwini zaseJodani na?
6 For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you! Even they have cried aloud after you! Don’t believe them, though they speak beautiful words to you.
Abafowenu, abendlu yakwenu labo futhi bakunikele; baklabalale batsho okubi ngawe. Ungabathembi, lanxa bekhuluma kuhle ngawe.
7 “I have forsaken my house. I have cast off my heritage. I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
Indlu yami ngizayitshiya, ngilidele ilifa lami; lowo engimthandayo ngizamnikela ezandleni zezitha zakhe.
8 My heritage has become to me as a lion in the forest. She has uttered her voice against me. Therefore I have hated her.
Ilifa lami kimi selibe njengesilwane ehlathini. Liyangihwabhela; ngakho ngiyalizonda.
9 Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the animals of the field. Bring them to devour.
Ilifa lami kimi kaselibe njengenyoni emabalabala edla inyama ehanqwa ngezinye izinyoni ezidla inyama, ziyihlasela na? Hamba uyebutha zonke izinyamazana zeganga; uzilethe ukuba zidle.
10 Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard. They have trodden my portion under foot. They have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
Abelusi abanengi bazasichitha isivini sami bagandele insimu yami; bazaguqula insimu yami enhle ibe lugwadule oluphundlekileyo.
11 They have made it a desolation. It mourns to me, being desolate. The whole land is made desolate, because no one cares.
Izakwenziwa ugwadule, yome iphundlekile phambi kwami; ilizwe lonke lizachitheka ngoba kakho olinakayo.
12 Destroyers have come on all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Yahweh devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land. No flesh has peace.
Emiqolweni yonke engelalutho enkangala abachithi bazaphithizela, ngoba inkemba kaThixo izakudla kusukela komunye umkhawulo welizwe kusiya komunye; kakho ozavikeleka.
13 They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns. They have exhausted themselves, and profit nothing. You will be ashamed of your fruits, because of Yahweh’s fierce anger.”
Bazahlanyela ingqoloyi kodwa bavune ameva; bazazidinisa kodwa bangazuzi lutho. Ngakho wobani lenhloni ngesivuno senu ngenxa yolaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo.”
14 Yahweh says, “Concerning all my evil neighbors, who touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.
UThixo uthi: “Bonke omakhelwane bami ababi abathumba ilifa engalinika abantu bami bako-Israyeli, ngizabasusa emazweni abo ngisuse lendlu kaJuda phakathi kwabo.
15 It will happen that after I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them. I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
Kodwa emva kokubasusa kwami, ngizaphinda ngibe lesihawu ngibuyisele omunye lomunye wabo endaweni eyilifa lakhe elizweni lakhe.
16 It will happen, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As Yahweh lives;’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up in the middle of my people.
Bangazifunda kuhle izindlela zabantu bami njalo bafunge ngebizo lami besithi, ‘Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ephila’ lanxa nje bake bafundisa abantu bami ukufunga ngoBhali, bazahlaliswa phakathi kwabantu bami.
17 But if they will not hear, then I will pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it,” says Yahweh.
Kodwa nxa isizwe singalaleli, ngizasisusa ngokupheleleyo ngisibhubhise,” kutsho uThixo.
