UJeremiya 12
1 Ulungile wena Nkosi, lapho ngiphikisana lawe; kanti ngizakhuluma lawe ngezahlulelo zakho. Kungani indlela yabakhohlakeleyo iphumelela? Kungani behlezi kuhle bonke abenza inkohliso ngenkohliso?
Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet would I reason the cause with thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they at ease that deal very treacherously?
2 Ubahlanyele, yebo, bagxilile impande; bayaqhubeka, yebo, bathele izithelo; useduze emlonyeni wabo, kanti ukhatshana lezinso zabo.
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root; they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
3 Kodwa wena, Nkosi, uyangazi, ungibonile, wahlola inhliziyo yami ngakuwe. Bahudule njengezimvu zokuhlatshwa, ubehlukanisele usuku lokuhlatshwa.
But thou, O LORD, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 Koze kube nini ilizwe lilila, lohlaza lweganga lonke lubuna? Ngenxa yobubi babakhileyo kulo izinyamazana lenyoni ziyabhubha; ngoba bathi: Kayiyikubona isiphetho sethu.
How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? for the wickedness of them that dwell therein, the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end.
5 Uba ugijime labezinyawo, bakudinisa, pho, ungancintisana njani lamabhiza? Uba uthembela elizweni elilokuthula, pho, uzakwenza njani ekukhukhumaleni kweJordani?
If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the pride of Jordan?
6 Ngoba ngitsho abafowenu lendlu kayihlo, ngitsho labo bakuphatha ngenkohliso, yebo, bona bayamemeza emva kwakho ngokugcweleyo; ungabakholwa, loba bekhuluma izinto ezinhle kuwe.
For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; even they have cried aloud after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
7 Ngiyidelile indlu yami, ngilitshiyile ilifa lami; nginikele othandiweyo womphefumulo wami esandleni sezitha zakhe.
I have forsaken mine house, I have cast off mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
8 Ilifa lami kimi linjengesilwane ehlathini; lingiphumisele ilizwi; ngakho-ke ngilizondile.
Mine heritage is become unto me as a lion in the forest: she hath uttered her voice against me; therefore I have hated her.
9 Ilifa lami kimi linjengenyoni elamabalabala edla inyama, inyoni ezidla inyama ziyihanqile zimelene layo; wozani, libuthe zonke izilo zeganga, lizilethe ukuthi zidle.
Is mine heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about? go ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.
10 Abelusi abanengi basichithile isivini sami, banyathelele phansi isabelo sami, basenzile isabelo sami esiloyisekayo saba yinkangala elunxiwa.
Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 Basenze saba lunxiwa, sililela kimi silunxiwa; ilizwe lonke lilunxiwa, ngoba kakulamuntu okubeka enhliziyweni.
They have made it a desolation; it mourneth unto me, being desolate; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
12 Abachithi bafikile phezu kwawo wonke amadundulu enkangala; ngoba inkemba yeNkosi izakudla kusukela komunye umkhawulo welizwe kusiya komunye umkhawulo welizwe; kakulakuthula kuyo yonke inyama.
Spoilers are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh hath peace.
13 Bahlanyele ingqoloyi, kodwa bazavuna ameva; bazihluphe, kabayikuzuza; njalo lizakuba lenhloni ngezivuno zenu, ngenxa yokuvutha kolaka lweNkosi.
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
14 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Mayelana labo bonke omakhelwane bami ababi abathinta ilifa engenze isizwe sami uIsrayeli ukuthi sidle ilifa lalo: Khangela, ngizabasiphuna elizweni labo, ngiyisiphune indlu yakoJuda isuke phakathi kwabo.
Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that 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.
15 Kuzakuthi-ke emva kokubasiphuna kwami, ngizabuya ngibe lesihawu kubo, ngibabuyise, kube ngulowo lalowo elifeni lakhe, langulowo lalowo elizweni lakhe.
And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them; and I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16 Kuzakuthi-ke uba bezazifunda ngokukhuthala izindlela zabantu bami, ukuthi bafunge ngebizo lami bathi: Kuphila kukaJehova; njengalokho bafundisa abantu bami ukufunga ngoBhali, khona bezakwakhiwa phakathi kwabantu bami.
and it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, As the LORD liveth; even as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built up in the midst of my people.
17 Kodwa uba bengalaleli, ngizasisiphuna lesosizwe, ngisisiphune ngisibhubhise, itsho iNkosi.
But if they will not hear, then will I pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it, saith the LORD.
