UJeremiya
13 UJehova wangitshela wathi: “Hamba uyethenga ibhanti lelineni ulibophe ekhalweni lwakho, kodwa ungalifaki emanzini.” 2 Ngakho ngalithenga ibhanti njengoba uJehova wayetshilo ngasengilibopha ekhalweni. 3 Ilizwi likaJehova lafika kimi okwesibili lathi: 4 “Thatha ibhanti owalithengayo olibophe ekhalweni, uye emfuleni uYufrathe ufike ulifihle engoxweni yedwala.” 5 Ngakho ngahamba ngayalifihla duze komfula uYufrathe, njengoba nje uJehova wayetshilo kimi.
6 Kodwa ngemva kwensuku ezinengi uJehova wathi kimi: “Suka uye emfuleni uYufrathe ufike uthathe ibhanti engakutshela ukuthi ulifihle.” 7 Ngakho ngaya emfuleni uYufrathe ngafika ngagebha ngathatha ibhanti lapho engangilifihle khona. Ngananzelela ukuthi ibhanti lelo laselibolile, lingasancedi.
8 Ilizwi likaJehova laselifika kimi lathi: 9 “UJehova uthi, ‘Le yiyo indlela engizaqeda ngayo ukuzikhukhumeza kukaJuda lokuzigqaja kweJerusalema.+ 10 Abantu laba abenza okubi futhi abangafuni ukulalela lokho engibatshela khona,+ beqinisa amakhanda belandela inhliziyo zabo+ labanye onkulunkulu, bebakhonza njalo bebakhothamela, bazakuba njengebhanti leli elingasancedi ngalutho.’ 11 ‘Bonke abantu bako-Israyeli labo bonke abantu bakoJuda ngabenza banamathela kimi njengebhanti elinamathela ekhalweni lomuntu oligqokileyo ukuze babe ngabantu bami,+ bangikhazimulise,+ bangidumise njalo babe yinto enhle. Kodwa bona abazange balalele,’+ kutsho uJehova.
12 “Nanku okunye okumele ubatshele khona, ‘UJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: “Zonke imbiza ezinkulu kumele zigcwaliswe ngewayini.”’ Bona bazakuphendula bathi, ‘Kanti asikwazi yini ukuthi zonke imbiza ezinkulu kumele zigcwaliswe ngewayini?’ 13 Wena ubaphendule uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova: “Bonke abantu abahlala elizweni leli ngizabenza badakwe.+ Ngizadakisa amakhosi ahlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida, labaphristi, labaphrofethi, labo bonke abantu abahlala eJerusalema. 14 Njengembiza enkulu itshayaniswa lenye imbiza enkulu, ngizakwenza obaba batshabalalise amadodana abo,+ lamadodana atshabalalise oyise. Angisoze ngibe lesihawu loba ngibazwele kumbe ngibe lomusa kubo. Akulanto ezangivimba ukuthi ngibatshabalalise,”+ kutsho uJehova.’
15 Lalelani lizwe,
Lingazikhukhumezi ngoba uJehova usekhulumile.
16 Dumisani uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu,
Engakalethi ubumnyama,
Lenyawo zenu zingakakhubeki ezintabeni esezisembeswa ngumnyama.
Lizalindela ukukhanya,
Kodwa yena uzakwenza kube mnyama bhuqe,
Uzatshintsha ukukhanya kube ngumnyama owesabekayo.+
17 Nxa lingalaleli,
Ngizakhala ngisekusithekeni ngenxa yokuzigqaja kwenu.
18 Tshela inkosi lonina wenkosi+ uthi, ‘Hlalani endaweni ephansi,
Ngoba imiqhele yenu emihle izakuwa emakhanda enu.’
19 Amadolobho aseningizimu avaliwe,* akulamuntu ongawavula.
Bonke abantu bakoJuda sebethunjiwe, babuthwe bonke bahanjiswa ekuthunjweni.+
20 Phakamisa amehlo akho ubone labo abavela enyakatho.+
Ungaphi umhlambi owawuphiwayo? Zingaphi izimvu zakho ezinhle?+
21 Uzathini nxa usujeziswa
Ngabangane bakho obathandayo owawulabo kusukela kudala?+
Awusoze ujunywe yimihelo yini njengowesifazana obelethayo?+
22 Kodwa nxa ungathi enhliziyweni yakho, ‘Kungani ngehlelwe yizinto lezi?’+
Kungenxa yokuthi isono sakho sikhulu yikho unqunuliwe,+
Lezithende zakho zibuhlungu.
23 Kambe umKhushi* angalitshintsha ijwabu lakhe? Lengwe ingawatshintsha yini amabala ayo?+
Nxa lokhu kungenzakala, kutsho ukuthi lani lingenelisa ukwenza okuhle,
Lina bantu eselifunde ukwenza okubi.
24 Ngakho ngizabachithachitha njengamahlanga aphetshulwa ngumoya wenkangala.+
25 Lesi yiso isabelo sakho, ilifa engikuphe lona,” kutsho uJehova,
26 Ngakho ngizakwembula izigqoko zakho zifike ebusweni,
Abantu babone ubunqunu bakho,+
27 Lobufebe+ bakho lokukhonya kwakho njengebhiza utshiswa yinkanuko,
Kanye lobuwule bakho obenyanyekayo.
Ngikubonile ukuziphatha kwakho okulihlazo+
Okwenza emaqaqeni lasegangeni.
Maye kuwe Jerusalema!
Kuzaze kube nini ulokhu ungcolile?”+