UJeremiya
17 “Isono sabantu bakoJuda sibhalwe ngensimbi,
Sibhalwe ngomcijo wedayimana ezinhliziyweni zabo,
Lasezimpondweni zama-alithare abo.
2 Amadodana abo akhumbula ama-alithare abo kanye lezithombe zika-Ashera,*+
Eceleni kwezihlahla eziyizithingithingi laphezu kwamaqaqa aphakemeyo,+
3 Laphezu kwezintaba ezisemaphandleni.
Ngizakwenza ukuthi izitha zithumbe impahla yakho lamagugu akho wonke,+
Zizathumba izindawo zakho eziphakemeyo* ngenxa yezono owawuzenza kulo lonke ilizwe lakho.+
4 Uzalitshiya wedwa ilifa engakunika lona.+
Ngizakwenza usebenzele izitha zakho elizweni ongalaziyo,+
Ngoba wenze ulaka lwami lwavutha njengomlilo.+
Luzavutha kokuphela.”
5 UJehova uthi:
“Uqalekisiwe umuntu* othembela ebantwini,+
Othembela emandleni omuntu,+
Njalo olenhliziyo efulathela uJehova.
6 Uzakuba njengesihlahla esithe qekele enkangala.
Kasoze akubone okuhle nxa kusiza.
Uzahlala ezindaweni ezomileyo enkangala,
Elizweni eligcwele isawudo okungelamuntu ongahlala kulo.
8 Uzakuba njengesihlahla esihlanyelwe eceleni kwamanzi,
Esinabisa impande zaso ziyefika esifuleni.
Kasoze akuzwe ukutshisa nxa kufika,
Njalo amahlamvu akhe azahlala eluhlaza.+
Ngomnyaka wendlala kasoze akhathazeke,
Uzaqhubeka ethela izithelo.
9 Inhliziyo iyakhohlisa* ukwedlula loba yini njalo imbi kakhulu.+
Ngubani ongayizwisisa?
10 Mina Jehova ngihlola inhliziyo,+
Ngihlolisise lemicabango ejulileyo,*
Ukuze nginike umuntu ngamunye umvuzo ofanele izenzo zakhe,
Njalo ohambelana lezithelo zemisebenzi yakhe.+
11 Njengesikhwehle esifukamela amaqanda esingawabekelanga,
Unjalo umuntu othola inotho ngobuqili.+
Izamphelela masinyane,
Njalo ekucineni kuzakhanya ukuthi kalangqondo.”
12 Isihlalo sobukhosi esikhazimulayo besilokhu siphakeme kusukela ekuqaleni,
Njalo siyindawo yethu engcwele.+
13 Awu Jehova, themba labantu bako-Israyeli,
Bonke abakutshiyayo bazayangeka.
Labo abakuhlamukelayo* bazabhalwa emhlabathini,+
Ngoba bakutshiyile Jehova, lanxa wena ungumthombo wamanzi okuphila.+
14 Ngisilisa awu Jehova, ngisile.
Ngisindisa ngisinde,+
Ngoba mina ngiyakudumisa.
15 Kulabanye abathi kimi:
“Lingaphi ilizwi likaJehova?+
Kaligcwaliseke phela!”
16 Kodwa mina angizange ngiyekele ukukulandela ngoba wena ungumelusi wami,
Njalo angizange ngifise ukuthi usuku lokuhlupheka lufike.
Ukwazi kuhle konke engikukhulumileyo,
Konke kwenzakale phambi kwamehlo akho.
17 Ungangenzi ngesabe,
Wena uyisiphephelo sami ngosuku lokuhlupheka.
18 Abangihlukuluzayo kabayangiswe,+
Kodwa ungavumi ukuthi mina ngiyangeke.
Kabethuke baqhaqhazele,
Kodwa ungavumi ukuthi mina ngethuswe.
Balethele usuku lwakho lokuhlupheka,+
Ubatshabalalise baphele bonke.
19 UJehova wathi kimi: “Hamba uyekuma egedini elikhulu,* lelo amakhosi akoJuda angena ngalo laphuma ngalo, uye lakuwo wonke amagedi eJerusalema.+ 20 Kumele uthi kubo, ‘Zwanini ilizwi likaJehova lina makhosi akoJuda, labantu bonke bakoJuda kanye lani lonke elihlala eJerusalema elingena ngamagedi la. 21 UJehova uthi: “Nanzelelani ukuthi alithwali imithwalo ngelanga leSabatha lokuthi aliyingenisi emagedini eJerusalema.+ 22 Akumelanga likhiphe imithwalo emizini yenu ngelanga leSabatha njalo akumelanga lenze loba yiwuphi umsebenzi.+ Gcinani usuku lweSabatha lungcwele njengoba nje ngatshela okhokho benu ukuthi benze njalo.+ 23 Kodwa abazange balalele loba babe lendaba lalokho engangibatshela khona. Baqinisa amakhanda, bala ukulalela ngibalaya.”’+
24 “‘UJehova uthi: “Kodwa nxa lingalalela konke engikutshoyo njalo lingangenisi imithwalo emagedini edolobho ngelanga leSabatha, ligcine ilanga leSabatha lingcwele ngokungenzi loba yiwuphi umsebenzi,+ 25 lapho-ke amakhosi lezikhulu zawo ezihlala* esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida+ bazangena edolobheni leli ngamagedi la begade inqola lamabhiza, bona kanye lezikhulu zabo, labantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema.+ Idolobho leli lizahlalwa kuze kube nini lanini. 26 Abantu bazabuya bevela emadolobheni akoJuda lasezindaweni ezisemangweni weJerusalema. Bazavela koBhenjamini,+ lasezindaweni eziphansi,+ lasezintabeni, laseNegebhi* bezoletha endlini kaJehova iminikelo yokutshiswa egcweleyo,+ lemihlatshelo,+ leminikelo yamabele,+ lemihlatshelo yokubonga kanye lenhlaka yokwenza impepha.+
27 “‘“Kodwa nxa lingayekela ukungilalela, lehluleke ukugcina usuku lweSabatha lungcwele, lithwale imithwalo liyingenise ngamagedi eJerusalema ngelanga leSabatha, ngizawatshisa ngomlilo amagedi eJerusalema ngitshise lezinqaba zayo+ futhi awusoze ucitshwe.”’”+