UJeremiya
42 Ngakho zonke izinduna zamabutho, uJohanani + indodana kaKhareya, uJezaniya indodana kaHoshaya nabo bonke abantu, kusukela komncane kunabo bonke kuye komkhulu kunabo bonke, basondela 2 bathi kuJeremiya umprofethi: “Sicela ulalele isicelo sethu sokuboniswa umusa usithandazele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, uthandazele bonke laba abasele, + ngoba sesisele simbalwa njengoba nawe ubona. 3 Kwangathi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho angasitshela indlela okufanele sihambe ngayo nalokho okufanele sikwenze.”
4 UJeremiya umprofethi wathi kubo: “Nginizwile, ngiyathandaza kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu njengoba nicelile; ngizonitshela wonke amazwi uJehova aniphendula ngawo. Ngeke nginifihlele lutho.”
5 Baphendula bathi kuJeremiya: “Kwangathi uJehova angaba ngufakazi weqiniso nothembekile futhi asijezise uma singeke siwenze wonke amazwi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho azokuthuma wona kithi. 6 Sizolilalela izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu esikuthuma kuye noma ngabe lihle noma libi, ukuze kusihambele kahle ngoba silalela izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.”
7 Ngemva kwezinsuku eziyishumi izwi likaJehova lafika kuJeremiya. 8 Ngakho wathumela ukuba kubizwe uJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zamabutho empi ezazikanye naye nabo bonke abantu, kusukela komncane kunabo bonke kuye komkhulu kunabo bonke. + 9 Wathi kubo: “Yilokhu uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akushoyo, lowo enangithuma kuye ukuba ngicele anibonise umusa: 10 ‘Uma nakanjani nizohlala kuleli zwe, ngizonakha ngeke nginidilize, ngizonitshala ngeke nginisiphule, ngoba ngizozisola* ngale nhlekelele enginibangele yona. + 11 Ningayesabi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, eniyesabayo.’ +
“ ‘Ningesabi ngenxa yayo,’ kusho uJehova, ‘ngoba nginani ukuze nginisindise futhi nginikhulule kuyo. 12 Ngiyonibonisa isihe, + nayo iyoba nesihe kini inibuyisele ezweni lenu.
13 “ ‘Kodwa uma nithi, “Cha, ngeke sihlale kuleli zwe!” futhi ningalilaleli izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, 14 nithi, “Cha, sizoya ezweni laseGibhithe, + lapho singeke sibone khona impi noma sizwe umsindo wophondo obiza amasosha ukuba aye empini noma siswele ukudla; yilapho esiyohlala khona,” 15 ngakho yizwani izwi likaJehova nina enisele kwaJuda. Yilokhu uJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akushoyo: “Uma nifuna ngenkani ukuya eGibhithe bese nihamba niyohlala khona,* 16 khona-ke yona kanye inkemba eniyesabayo iyonithola khona lapho ezweni laseGibhithe, nayo kanye indlala eniyesabayo iyonilandela lapho eGibhithe, niyofela khona. + 17 Wonke amadoda azimisele ngokuyohlala eGibhithe ayofa ngenkemba, ngendlala nangesifo esiwumshayabhuqe. Ayikho kuwo eyosinda noma eyophunyuka enhlekeleleni engiyowalethela yona.” ’
18 “Ngoba yilokhu uJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akushoyo: ‘Njengoba nje intukuthelo yami nolaka lwami kwathululelwa phezu kwezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema, + kanjalo ulaka lwami luyothululelwa phezu kwenu uma niya eGibhithe, niyoba yisiqalekiso, into eshaqisayo, into yokuthukwa nehlazo, + ngeke niphinde nibuye kule ndawo.’
19 “UJehova ukhulume ngokumelene nani nina enisele kwaJuda. Ningayi eGibhithe. Kufanele nazi nakanjani ukuthi nginixwayisile namuhla 20 ukuthi isiphambeko senu siyonilahlekisela ngokuphila kwenu. Ngoba yini enangithuma kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, nathi, ‘Sithandazele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, usitshele konke uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu akushoyo, sizokwenza.’ + 21 Ngiyanitshela namuhla, kodwa ngeke nililalele izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu noma nenze noma yini angithume ukuba nginitshele yona. + 22 Manje kufanele nazi nakanjani ukuthi niyofa ngenkemba, ngendlala nangesifo esiwumshayabhuqe endaweni enifisa ukuya kuyo ukuze nihlale khona.” +