UJeremiya 14

1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuJeremiya mayelana lendaba zembalela.

AND THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO JEREMIAS CONCERNING THE DROUGHT.

2 UJuda uyalila, lamasango akhe adangele; amnyama kuze kube semhlabathini, lokukhala kweJerusalema kwenyukile.

Judea has mourned, and her gates are emptied, and are darkened upon the earth; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.

3 Njalo izikhulu zakhe zithuma abancinyane bazo emanzini; bafika emithonjeni, bangatholi manzi; babuyele inkonxa zabo zingelalutho, belenhloni, beyangekile, bembomboze ikhanda labo.

And her nobles have sent their little ones to the water: they came to the wells, and found no water: and brought back their vessels empty.

4 Ngoba umhlabathi udabukile, ngoba kungekho izulu elizweni, abalimi balenhloni, bambomboza ikhanda labo.

And the labors of the land failed, because there was no rain: the husbandmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

5 Yebo impala layo iyazala egangeni, ikutshiye, ngoba kungelatshani.

And hinds calved in the field, and forsook [it], because there was no grass.

6 Labobabhemi beganga bayema emadundulwini, baphembele umoya njengemigobho; amehlo abo ayaphela, ngoba kungelatshani.

The wild asses stood by the forests, and snuffed up the wind; their eyes failed, because there was no grass.

7 Lanxa izono zethu zifakaza zimelana lathi, Nkosi, yenza ngenxa yebizo lakho; ngoba ukuhlehlela nyovane kwethu kunengi, sonile kuwe.

Our sins have risen up against us: O Lord, do you for us for your own sake; for our sins are many before you; for we have sinned against you.

8 Wena themba likaIsrayeli, uMsindisi wakhe ngesikhathi sembandezelo, kungani uzakuba njengowezizweni elizweni, lanjengesihambi esiphambukela eceleni ukulala ubusuku?

O Lord, [you are] the hope of Israel, and deliver [us] in time of troubles; why are you become as a sojourner upon the land, or as one born in the land, yet turning aside for a resting-place?

9 Kungani uzakuba njengomuntu odidekileyo, njengeqhawe elingelakusindisa. Kanti wena uphakathi kwethu, Nkosi, lebizo lakho libizwe phezu kwethu; ungasitshiyi.

Will you be as a man asleep, or as a [strong] man that can’t save? yet you are among us, O Lord, and your name is called upon us; forget us not.

10 Itsho njalo iNkosi ngalababantu: Ngokunjalo bathanda ukuzula, kabazinqandanga inyawo zabo; ngakho iNkosi kayithokozi ngabo, khathesi izakhumbula ububi babo, izihambele izono zabo.

Thus says the Lord to this people, They have loved to wander, and they have not spared, therefore God has not prospered them; now will he remember their iniquity.

11 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Ungakhulekeli lababantu kube kuhle.

And the Lord said to me, Pray not for this people for [their] good:

12 Lapho bezila ukudla, kangiyikuzwa ukukhala kwabo; lalapho benikela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla, kangiyikuthokoza ngabo; kodwa ngizabaqeda ngenkemba langendlala langomatshayabhuqe wesifo.

for though they fast, I will not hear their supplication; and though they offer whole burnt offerings and sacrifices, I will take no pleasure in them: for I will consume them with sword, and with famine, and with pestilence.

13 Ngasengisithi: Hawu, Nkosi Jehova! Khangela, abaprofethi bathi kubo: Kaliyikubona inkemba, kaliyikuba lendlala, kodwa ngizalinika ukuthula okuqinisekileyo kulindawo.

And I said, O [ever] living Lord! behold, their prophets prophesy, and say, You shall not see a sword, nor shall famine be among you; for I will give truth and peace on the land, and in this place.

14 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Abaprofethi baprofetha amanga ngebizo lami. Kangibathumanga, njalo kangibalayanga, njalo kangikhulumanga kibo; baprofetha kini umbono wamanga, lokuhlahlula, lokuyize, lenkohliso yenhliziyo yabo.

Then the Lord said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, and I commanded them not, and I spoke not to them: for they prophesy to you false visions, and divinations, and auguries, and devices of their own heart.

15 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi mayelana labaprofethi abaprofetha ebizweni lami, ngoba mina ngingabathumanga, kanti bathi: Inkemba lendlala kakuyikuba khona kulelilizwe: Ngenkemba langendlala labobaprofethi bazaqedwa.

Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy lies in my name, and I sent them not, who say, Sword and famine shall not be upon this land; they shall die by a grievous death, and the prophets shall be consumed by famine.

16 Labantu, abaprofetha kibo, bazakuba ngabaphoselwa ezitaladeni zeJerusalema ngenxa yendlala lenkemba; njalo kungekho obangcwabayo, bona, omkabo, lamadodana abo, lamadodakazi abo; ngoba ngizathululela ububi babo phezu kwabo.

And the people to whom they prophesy, they also shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, because of the sword and famine; and there shall be none to bury them: their wives also, and their sons, and their daughters [shall die thus]; and I will pour out their wickedness upon them.

17 Ngakho uzakutsho lelilizwi kibo elokuthi: Amehlo ami kawehlise inyembezi ebusuku lemini, zingakhawuli, ngoba intombi emsulwa yabantu bami yephukile ngokwephuka okukhulu, ukutshaywa okubuhlungu kakhulu.

And you shall speak this word to them; Let your eyes shed tears day and night, and let them not cease: for the daughter of my people has been sorely bruised, and her plague is very grievous.

18 Uba ngiphumela emaphandleni, khangela-ke, ababulewe ngenkemba. Njalo uba ngingena emzini, khangela-ke, abagulayo ngendlala. Yebo, bobabili umprofethi lompristi babhodabhoda elizweni kodwa bengazi.

If I go forth into the plain, then behold the slain by the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold the distress of famine! for priest and prophet have gone to a land which they knew not.

19 Usumalile isibili uJuda yini? Umphefumulo wakho unengwa yiZiyoni yini? Usitshayeleni njalo singabi lokwelatshwa? Salindela ukuthula, kodwa kakubanga lokuhle; lesikhathi sokwelatshwa, kodwa khangela, uvalo.

Hast you utterly rejected Juda? and has your soul departed from Sion? therefore has you struck us, and there is no healing for us? we waited for peace, but there was no prosperity; for a time of healing, and behold trouble!

20 Siyazi, Nkosi, ukukhohlakala kwethu lobubi babobaba, ngoba sonile kuwe.

We know, O Lord, our sins, [and] the iniquities of our fathers: for we have sinned before you.

21 Ungasideleli, ngenxa yebizo lakho, ungayangisi isihlalo sobukhosi sodumo lwakho; khumbula, ungasephuli isivumelwano sakho lathi.

Refrain for your name's sake, destroy not the throne of your glory: remember, break not your covenant with us.

22 Kukhona yini phakathi kokuyize kwabezizwe okunganisa izulu? Kumbe amazulu anganika izihlambo yini? Akusuwe yini, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu wethu? Ngakho sizalindela kuwe; ngoba nguwe owenze zonke lezizinto.

Is there any one among the idols of the Gentiles that can give rain? and will the sky yield his fulness [at their bidding]? Are not you he? we will even wait on you, O Lord: for you have made all these things.