Jeremiah 23
1 Woe to shepherds destroying, And scattering the flock of My pasture, An affirmation of Jehovah.
Maye kubelusi abachitha behlakaza izimvu zedlelo lami! itsho iNkosi.
2 Therefore, thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Against the shepherds who feed My people, Ye have scattered My flock, and drive them away, And have not inspected them, Lo, I am charging on you the evil of your doings, An affirmation of Jehovah.
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 And I do gather the remnant of My flock Out of all the lands whither I drove them, And have brought them back unto their fold, And they have been fruitful, and multiplied.
Mina-ke ngizabutha insali yezimvu zami iphume kuwo wonke amazwe lapho engizixotshele khona, ngizibuyise futhi esibayeni sazo; njalo zizazala, zande.
4 And I have raised for them shepherds, And they have fed them, And they fear no more, nor are affrighted, Nor are they lacking — an affirmation of Jehovah.
Ngizamisa phezu kwazo abelusi abazazelusa; njalo kazisayikwesaba, kaziyikutshaywa luvalo, kaziyikulahleka, itsho iNkosi.
5 Lo, days are coming — an affirmation of Jehovah, And I have raised to David a righteous shoot, And a king hath reigned and acted wisely, And done judgment and righteousness in the earth.
Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho engizavusela uDavida iHlumela elilungileyo; njalo iNkosi izabusa iphumelele, izakwenza isahlulelo lokulunga emhlabeni.
6 In his days is Judah saved, and Israel dwelleth confidently, And this his name that Jehovah proclaimeth him, 'Our Righteousness.'
Ensukwini zalo uJuda uzasindiswa, loIsrayeli ahlale evikelekile. Njalo leli libizo layo ezabizwa ngalo: INkosi Ukulunga Kwethu.
7 Therefore, lo, days are coming, An affirmation of Jehovah, And they do not say any more, Jehovah liveth who brought up The sons 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 — Jehovah liveth, who brought up, And who brought in, the seed of the house of Israel, From the land of the north, And from all the lands whither I drove them, And they have dwelt on their own ground!
Kodwa: Kuphila kweNkosi eyakhuphula eyaletha inzalo yendlu kaIsrayeli isuka elizweni lenyakatho lakuwo wonke amazwe engangiyixotshele khona. Njalo bazahlala elizweni lakibo.
9 In reference to the prophets: Broken hath been my heart in my midst, Fluttered have all my bones, I have been as a man — a drunkard, And as a man — wine hath passed over him, Because of Jehovah, and 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 of adulterers hath the land been full, For because of these hath the land mourned, Dried up hath been the pleasant places of the wilderness, And their course is evil, and their might — 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 have been profane, Yea, in My house I found their wickedness, An affirmation of Jehovah.
Ngoba lomprofethi lompristi kabamesabi uNkulunkulu; ngitsho endlini yami ngitholile ububi babo, itsho iNkosi.
12 Therefore is their way to them as slippery places, Into thick darkness they are driven, And they have fallen in it, For I bring in against them evil, The year of their inspection, An affirmation of Jehovah.
Ngakho indlela yabo izakuba kibo njengezindlela ezitshelelayo emnyameni; bafuqelwa phansi, bawele kuyo; ngoba ngizabehlisela okubi ngomnyaka wokuhanjelwa kwabo, itsho iNkosi.
13 And in prophets of Samaria I have seen folly, They have prophesied by Baal, And cause my people — Israel — to err.
Ngibonile-ke ubuwula kubaprofethi beSamariya; baprofetha ngoBhali, baduhisa abantu bami uIsrayeli.
14 And in prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing, Committing adultery, and walking falsely, Yea, they strengthened the hands of evil doers, So that they have not turned back Each from his wickedness, They have been to me — all of them — 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, thus said Jehovah of Hosts, concerning the prophets: Lo, I am causing them to eat wormwood, And have caused them to drink water of gall, For, from prophets of Jerusalem Hath profanity gone forth to 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 Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Ye do not hearken unto the words Of the prophets who are prophesying to you, They are making you vain things, A vision of their own heart they speak, Not from the mouth of Jehovah.
Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Lingalaleli amazwi abaprofethi abaprofetha kini; balenza libe yize; bakhuluma umbono wenhliziyo yabo, hatshi ovela emlonyeni weNkosi.
17 Saying diligently to those despising The word of Jehovah: Peace is for you, And [to] every one walking in the stubbornness of his heart they have said: Evil doth not come in unto you.
Baqhubeka besithi kwabangidelelayo: INkosi ithe: Lizakuba lokuthula; njalo bathi kuye wonke ohamba ngenkani yenhliziyo yakhe: Ububi kabuyikukwehlela.
18 For who hath stood in the counsel of Jehovah, And seeth and heareth His word? Who hath regarded My word, and hearkeneth?
Ngoba ngubani omi kucebo leNkosi, wabona wezwa ilizwi layo? Ngubani oqaphelise ilizwi lakhe, walizwa?
19 Lo, a whirlwind of Jehovah — Fury hath gone out, even a piercing whirlwind, On the head of the wicked it stayeth.
Khangela, isivunguzane seNkosi, ulaka luphumile, ngitsho isivunguzane esibuhlungu; sizakwehlela ngamandla phezu kwekhanda labakhohlakeleyo.
20 The anger of Jehovah doth not turn back Till His doing, and till His establishing, The thoughts of His heart, In the latter end of the days ye attend to it With understanding.
Ulaka lweNkosi kaluyikuphenduka, ize yenze, njalo ize iqinise iminakano yenhliziyo yayo. Ekucineni kwezinsuku lizakuqedisisa lokukuqedisisa.
21 I have not sent the prophets, and they have run, I have not spoken unto them, and they have prophesied.
Kangibathumanga lababaprofethi, kanti bona bagijima; kangikhulumanga labo, kanti bona baprofetha.
22 But — if they stood in My counsel, Then they cause My people to hear My words, And they turn them back 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 A God near [am] I — an affirmation of Jehovah, And not a God afar off?
NginguNkulunkulu oseduze yini, itsho iNkosi, njalo hatshi uNkulunkulu okhatshana?
24 Is any one hidden in secret places, And I see him not? an affirmation of Jehovah, Do not I fill the heavens and the earth? An affirmation of Jehovah.
Ukhona yini ongacatsha endaweni ezisithekileyo ukuze ngingamboni? itsho iNkosi. Kangigcwalisi yini amazulu lomhlaba? itsho iNkosi.
25 I have heard that which the prophets said, Who prophesy in My name falsehood, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed.'
Ngizwile ukuthi abaprofethi batheni, abaprofetha amanga ebizweni lami besithi: Ngiphuphile, ngiphuphile!
26 Till when is it in the heart of the prophets? The prophets of falsehood, Yea, prophets of the deceit of their heart,
Koze kube nini kusenhliziyweni yabaprofethi abaprofetha amanga? Yebo, bangabaprofethi benkohliso yenhliziyo yabo;
27 Who are devising to cause My people To forget My name by their dreams, That they recount each to his neighbour, As their fathers forgot my name for Baal.
abacabanga ukwenza abantu bami bakhohlwe ibizo lami ngamaphupho abo abawalandisa ngulowo umakhelwane wakhe, njengaboyise bakhohlwa ibizo lami ngenxa kaBhali.
28 The prophet with whom [is] a dream, Let him recount the dream, And he with whom [is] My word, Let him truly speak My word. What — to the straw with the corn? An affirmation of Jehovah.
Umprofethi olephupho, kalilandise iphupho; lolelizwi lami, kalikhulume ilizwi lami ngeqiniso. Amahlanga ayini lamabele? itsho iNkosi.
29 Is it not thus? My word [is] as a fire, An affirmation of Jehovah. And as a hammer — it breaketh in pieces a rock.
Ilizwi lami kalinjalo njengomlilo yini, itsho iNkosi, lanjengesando esiqhekeza idwala libe yizicucu?
30 Therefore, lo, I [am] against the prophets, An affirmation of Jehovah, Stealing My words each from his neighbour.
Ngakho khangela, ngimelene labaprofethi, itsho iNkosi, abeba amazwi ami, ngulowo kumakhelwane wakhe.
31 Lo, I [am] against the prophets, An affirmation of Jehovah, Who are making smooth their tongue, And they affirm — an affirmation.
Khangela, ngimelene labaprofethi, itsho iNkosi, abasebenzisa ulimi lwabo, bathi: Ithi.
32 Lo, I [am] against the prophets of false dreams, An affirmation of Jehovah, And they recount them, and cause my people to err, By their falsehoods, and by their instability, And I — I have not sent them, Nor have I commanded them, And they are not at all profitable to this people, An affirmation of Jehovah.
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 And when this people, or the prophet, Or a priest, doth ask thee, saying, What [is] the burden of Jehovah? Then thou hast said unto them: Ye [are] the burden, and I have left you, An affirmation of Jehovah.
Lalapho lababantu, loba umprofethi, kumbe umpristi, bekubuza, besithi: Uyini umthwalo weNkosi? Khona uzakuthi kibo: Umthwalo bani? Ukuthi ngizalidela, itsho iNkosi.
34 And the prophet, and the priest, and the people, That saith, The burden of Jehovah, I have seen after that man, and after his house.
Mayelana lomprofethi, lompristi, labantu, abazakuthi: Umthwalo weNkosi; ngizamjezisa lalowomuntu lendlu yakhe.
35 Thus do ye say each unto his neighbour, And each unto his brother: What hath Jehovah answered? And what hath Jehovah spoken?
Lizakhuluma ngalindlela, ngulowo kumakhelwane wakhe, langulowo kumfowabo: INkosi iphendule yathini? Lokuthi: INkosi ikhulumeni?
36 And the burden of Jehovah ye do not mention any more, For the burden to each is — His word, And ye have overturned the words of the living God, Jehovah of Hosts, our God.
Kodwa umthwalo weNkosi kalisayikukhuluma ngawo. Ngoba ilizwi langulowo lalowomuntu lizakuba ngumthwalo wakhe, ngoba liwahlanekele amazwi kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu wethu.
37 Thus dost thou say unto the prophet What hath Jehovah answered thee? And what hath Jehovah spoken?
Uzakutsho ngokunjalo kumprofethi: INkosi ikuphenduleni? njalo: INkosi ikhulumeni?
38 And if the burden of Jehovah ye say, Therefore thus said Jehovah: Because of your saying this word, The burden of Jehovah, And I do send unto you, saying, Ye do not say, The burden of Jehovah.
Kodwa uba lisithi: Umthwalo weNkosi; ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngoba likhuluma lamazwi okuthi: Umthwalo weNkosi; njalo ngithumele kini ngisithi: Lingabokuthi: Umthwalo weNkosi;
39 Therefore, lo, I — I have taken you utterly away, And I have sent you out, And the city that I gave to you, And to your fathers, from before My face,
ngakho khangelani, mina ngizalikhohlwa ngokupheleleyo, ngitshiye lina lomuzi engalinika wona laboyihlo, lisuke ebusweni bami.
40 And I have put on you reproach age-during, And shame age-during that is not forgotten!
Njalo ngizabeka phezu kwenu ihlazo elilaphakade lokuyangeka okulaphakade, okungayikukhohlakala.
