UJeremiya 2
1 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi,
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
2 “Hamba umemezele iJerusalema lisizwa uthi: Lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Ngiyakukhumbula ukuzinikela kwasebutsheni bakho, ukungithanda kwakho njengomlobokazi ungilandela enkangala, phakathi kwelizwe elingahlanyelwanga.
“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem. Say, 'Yahweh says this: I have called to mind on your behalf the covenant faithfulness in your youthfulness, your love at the time when we were engaged, when you went after me in the wilderness, the land that was not sown.
3 U-Israyeli wayengcwele kuThixo, eyizithelo zakuqala zesivuno sakhe, bonke abamtshwabadelayo baba lecala, behlelwa yincithakalo,’” kutsho uThixo.
Israel was set apart to Yahweh, the firstfruits of his harvest! All who ate from the firstfruits were held guilty; disaster came upon them—this is Yahweh's declaration.'”
4 Zwana ilizwi likaThixo, we ndlu kaJakhobe, lani lonke sendo lwendlu ka-Israyeli.
Hear the word of Yahweh, house of Jacob, all you clans of the house of Israel.
5 UThixo uthi: “Yibubi bani okhokho benu ababubona kimi, baze bedukele khatshana kangaka lami? Balandela izithombe eziyize, labo ngokwabo baba yize.
Yahweh says this, “What did your fathers find wrong with me, that they went far from following me? That they went after useless idols and became useless themselves?
6 Kababuzanga ukuthi, ‘Ungaphi uThixo, owasikhupha elizweni laseGibhithe wasikhokhela emagangeni alugwadule phakathi kwelizwe lezinkangala lezindonga, ilizwe lokoma lobumnyama, ilizwe elingahanjwa muntu lelingelamuntu ohlala kulo?’
They did not say, 'Where is Yahweh, who brought us up from the land of Egypt? Where is Yahweh, who led us to the wilderness, into the land of the Arabah and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, a land through which no one passes and where no one lives?'
7 Ngaliletha elizweni elivundileyo ukuba lidle izithelo zalo lezilimo ezinhle. Kodwa lina lafika langcolisa ilizwe lami, lenza ilifa lami langakhwabitheki.
But I brought you to the land of Carmel, to eat its fruit and other good things! Yet when you came, you defiled my land, you made my inheritance an abomination!
8 Abaphristi kababuzanga ukuthi, ‘Ungaphi UThixo?’ Labo abaphatha umthetho abangazanga; abakhokheli bangihlamukela. Abaphrofethi baphrofetha ngoBhali balandela izithombe eziyize.
The priest did not say, 'Where is Yahweh?' and the experts in the law did not care about me! The shepherds transgressed against me. The prophets prophesied for Baal and walked after unprofitable things.
9 Ngakho-ke ngilethesa amacala futhi,” kutsho uThixo. “Labantwana babantwana benu ngizabethesa amacala.
So I will still accuse you—this is Yahweh's declaration—and I will accuse your sons' sons.
10 Welani liye ngasemakhunjini aseKhithimi likhangele, thumelani eKhedari lihlolisise kuhle, libone langabe sekwake kwaba lento enjengale:
For cross over to the coasts of Kittim and look. Send messengers out to Kedar and find out and see if there has ever before been anything like this.
11 Isizwe sake santshintsha onkulunkulu baso na? (Belo bavele kabasibo onkulunkulu.) Kodwa abantu bami bantshintshe inkazimulo yabo ngenxa yezithombe eziyize.
Has a nation exchanged gods, even though they were not gods? But my people have exchanged their glory for what cannot help them.
12 Mangalani lokhu, lina mazulu, lithuthumele ngokwesaba okukhulu,” kutsho UThixo.
Shudder, heavens, because of this! Be shocked and horrified—this is Yahweh's declaration.
13 “Abantu bami benze izono ezimbili: Bangidelile, mina mthombo wamanzi okuphila, bagebha eyabo imithombo, imithombo evuzayo engagcini manzi.
For my people have committed two evils against me: They have abandoned the springs of living waters, and they have dug out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
14 Kambe u-Israyeli yisisebenzi, isigqili ngokuzalwa na? Pho kungani eseyimpango na?
Is Israel a slave? Was he born in his master's home? So why has he become plunder?
15 Izilwane zibhongile; sezihwabhile kuye. Zilichithile ilizwe lakhe; amadolobho akhe atshisiwe, atshiywa engaselamuntu.
Young lions roared against him. They made a lot of noise and made his land a horror. His cities are destroyed without any inhabitants.
16 Njalo, labantu baseMemfisi leThahiphanesi baphuce ikhanda lakho.
Also, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes will shave your skull.
17 Lokhu kawukwehliselanga phezu kwakho ngokudela uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho lapho ekukhokhela endleleni na?
Did you not do this to yourselves when you abandoned Yahweh your God, while he was leading you along the way?
18 Khathesi kungani usiya eGibhithe ukuba unathe amanzi eShihori na? Njalo kungani usiya e-Asiriya ukuba unathe amanzi eYufrathe na?
So now, why take the road to Egypt and drink the waters of Shihor? Why take the road to Assyria and drink the waters of the Euphrates River?
19 Ububi bakho buzakujezisa; ukutshedela kwakho emuva kuzakukhuza. Ngakho cabanga ubone ukuthi kubi njalo kubuhlungu kanjani lapho udela uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho njalo ungelavalo ngami,” kutsho iNkosi uThixo uSomandla.
Your wickedness rebukes you, and your faithlessness punishes you. So think about it and understand that it is wicked and bitter when you forsake Yahweh your God, and have no fear of me—this is the declaration of Lord Yahweh of hosts.
20 “Endulo wephula ijogwe lakho, waquma izibopho zakho; wathi, ‘Kangiyikukukhonza!’ Lakanye, phezu kwamaqaqa wonke langaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziluhlaza walala phansi njengesifebe.
For I broke your yoke that you had in ancient days; I tore your fetters off you. Still you said, 'I will not serve!' since you bowed down on every high hill and beneath every leafy tree, you adulterer.
21 Ngikuhlanyele njengevini elikhethiweyo elohlobo oluqinileyo loluthembekileyo. Pho kwenzakala njani ukuba ungiphendukele ube livini elibolileyo, leganga?
I planted you as a choice vine, completely from pure seed. How then have you have changed yourself into a corrupt, worthless vine?
22 Lanxa ugeza ngesepa usebenzisa lesepa enengi, ichatha lobubi bakho lilokhu likhona phambi kwami,” kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
For even if you clean yourself in the river or wash with strong soap, your iniquity is a stain before me—this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh.
23 “Ungatsho kanjani na uthi, ‘Kangingcolanga, kangibalandelanga oBhali’? Khangela ukuthi waziphatha njani esigodini, khumbula osukwenzile. Ulikamela elisikazi elilesiqubu eligijima lapha lalaphaya,
How can you say, 'I am not defiled! I have not walked after the Baals'? Look at what you did in the valleys! Consider what you have done—you are a swift female camel running here and there,
24 ubabhemi weganga ojwayele inkangala, ophembela umoya enkanukweni yakhe, ngubani ongamenqabela ekukhanukeni kwakhe? Abaduna abamxotshayo bangazidinisi ukuxotshana labo; bazamthola ngesikhathi sezinsikazikhwela.
a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None of the males need wear themselves out pursuing her; at mating time they will find her.
25 Ungagijimi inyawo zakho zize zihlubuke lomphimbo wakho uze wome. Kodwa wena wathi, ‘Akusizi lutho! Ngiyabathanda onkulunkulu bezizweni, kumele ngibalandele.’
You must restrain your feet from becoming bare and your throat from being thirsty! But you have said, 'It is hopeless! No, I love strangers and go after them!'
26 Njengokuyangeka kwesela nxa selibanjiwe, ngokunjalo abantu bako-Israyeli bayangekile, bona kanye lamakhosi abo lezikhulu zabo, abaphristi babo labaphrofethi babo.
Like the shame of a thief when he is found, so the house of Israel will be ashamed— they, their kings, their princes, and their priests and prophets!
27 Bathi esigodweni, ‘Wena ungubaba wami,’ elitsheni bathi, ‘Nguwe owangizalayo.’ Bangifulathele, hatshi ngobuso babo nje; kodwa nxa sebehlupheka bathi, ‘Woza usihlenge.’
These are the ones who say to the tree, 'You are my father,' and to the stone, 'You gave birth to me.' For their back faces me and not their faces. Nevertheless, they say in the time of troubles, 'Arise and save us!'
28 Pho bangaphi onkulunkulu elazenzela bona? Kabeze nxa bengakuhlenga lapho usuphakathi kokuhlupheka! Ngoba wena Juda ulabonkulunkulu abanengi njengobunengi bamadolobho akho.
Yet where are the gods that you made for yourselves? Let them arise if they wish to save you in your time of troubles, for your idols equal your cities in number, Judah!
29 Kungani lingethesa umlandu? Lonke lingihlamukele,” kutsho uThixo.
So why do you accuse me of doing wrong? All of you have sinned against me—this is Yahweh's declaration.
30 “Ukubajezisa kwami abantu bakho kwaba yize; kabakuvumanga ukuqondiswa. Inkemba yakho isibatshwabadele abaphrofethi bakho njengesilwane esiphangayo.
I have punished your people in vain. They would not accept discipline. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a destructive lion!
31 Wena owalesisizukulwane, khumbula ilizwi likaThixo: Ngibe ngiyinkangala ku-Israyeli kumbe ilizwe lomnyama omkhulu na? Kungani abantu bami besithi, ‘Sikhululekile ukuba sizulazule; kasiyikuza kuwe futhi’?
You who belong to this generation! Pay attention to my word, the word of Yahweh! Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of deep darkness? Why would my people say, 'Let us wander around, we will not go to you anymore'?
32 Intombi ingazikhohlwa iziceciso zayo na, lomlobokazi akhohlwe izembatho zakhe na? Kodwa abantu bami bangikhohliwe, okwensuku ezingeke zibalwe.
Will a virgin forget her jewelry, a bride her veils? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number!
33 Yeka ukuhlakanipha kwakho ekufuneni uthando! Labesifazane ababi kakhulu bangafunda ezindleleni zakho.
How well you make your way to look for love. You have even taught your ways to wicked women.
34 Ezigqokweni zakho abantu bathola igazi lokuphila elabayanga abangelacala lanxa ungababambanga befohlela phakathi. Kodwa kukho konke lokhu
The blood that was the life of innocent, poor people has been found on your clothes. These people were not discovered in acts of burglary.
35 uthi, ‘Kangilacala; kangithukuthelelanga.’ Kodwa mina ngizakwahlulela, ngoba uthi, ‘Angonanga.’
Yet you say, 'I am innocent; surely his anger has turned away from me.' But look! I will bring down judgment on you because you say, 'I have not sinned.'
36 Kungani uqhubeka kangaka, untshintsha izindlela zakho? IGibhithe izakuyangisa njengalokhu owakwenziwa yi-Asiriya.
Why do you treat so very lightly this change in your ways? You will also be disappointed by Egypt, just as you were by Assyria.
37 Uzasuka kuleyondawo izandla zakho zisekhanda lakho, ngoba uThixo ubalahlile labo obathembayo; kabayikukusiza.”
You will also go out from there dejected, with your hands on your head, for Yahweh has rejected the ones whom you trusted, so you will not be helped by them.”
