UJeremiya
5 Zulazulani emigwaqweni yaseJerusalema.
Qalazani nibone.
Funani ezigcawini zalo ukuze nibone
Ukuthi ningamthola yini umuntu owenza ngobulungisa, +
Umuntu ozama ukwethembeka,
Khona-ke ngizolithethelela.
2 Ngisho noma bethi: “Kuphila kukaJehova!”
Bayobe befunga amanga wodwa. +
3 O Jehova, amehlo akho awabheki yini ukwethembeka? +
Ubashayile, kodwa akubanga namphumela.*
Ucishe wabaqothula, kodwa benqabile ukwamukela isiyalo. +
4 Kodwa ngathi: “Kumele ukuba laba bangabantukazana.
Benza ngobuwula, ngoba abayazi indlela kaJehova,
Isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu wabo.
5 Ngizoya emadodeni avelele ngikhulume nawo,
Ngoba kumele ukuba wona ayiqaphelile indlela kaJehova,
Isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu wawo. +
Kodwa wonke ayeliphulile ijoka
Agqashula nezibopho.”*
6 Yingakho ibhubesi lehlathi libahlasela,
Impisi yasemathafeni awugwadule ilokhu ibadephuna,
Ingwe ilala ingalele emadolobheni abo.
Wonke umuntu ophuma khona uyadwengulwa.
Ngoba izono zabo ziningi;
Izenzo zabo zokungathembeki ziyinqwaba. +
7 Ngingakuthethelela kanjani ngenxa yalokhu?
Amadodana akho angishiyile,
Afunga lokho okungeyena uNkulunkulu. +
Ngazanelisa izidingo zawo,
Kodwa aqhubeka ephinga,
Athutheleka endlini yesifebe.
8 Afana namahhashi aqhutshwa yinkanuko,
Yileyo naleyo ikhalisa okwehhashi ilandela umfazi wenye indoda. +
9 “Akufanele yini ngibahlulele ngenxa yalezi zinto?” kusho uJehova.
“Akufanele yini ngiziphindiselele esizweni esinjengalesi?” +
10 “Wozani nihlasele amasimu amagilebhisi eJerusalema niwenze incithakalo,
Kodwa ningawaqothuli ngokuphelele. +
Nqumani amagatsha akhona amancane,
Ngoba akuwona akaJehova.
11 Ngoba indlu ka-Israyeli nendlu kaJuda
Zingikhohlise ngokuphelele,” kusho uJehova. +
Akukho nhlekelele ezosehlela;
Akukho nkemba nandlala esizokubona.’ +
13 Abaprofethi bakhuluma into engekho,
Izwi likaNkulunkulu alikho kubo.
Bayokwenziwa ize njengamazwi abo.”
14 Ngakho yilokhu uJehova, uNkulunkulu wamabutho akushoyo:
“Ngenxa yokuthi laba bantu basho lokhu,
Ngenza amazwi ami abe umlilo emlonyeni wakho, +
Lesi sizwe siyizinkuni,
Umlilo uzosishwabadela.” +
15 “Nginilethela isizwe esivela kude, nina ndlu ka-Israyeli,” + kusho uJehova.
“Siyisizwe osekukudala sikhona.
16 Umgodla wemicibisholo yaso unjengethuna elivulekile;
Wonke amadoda akhona angamaqhawe.
17 Ayosidla isivuno sakho nesinkwa sakho. +
Ayowabulala amadodana akho namadodakazi akho.
Ayoyithatha imihlambi yakho yezimvu neyezinkomo.
Ayowadla amagilebhisi akho nezihlahla zakho zamakhiwane.
Ayowachitha amadolobha akho anezivikelo eziqinile othembele kuwo.”
18 “Kodwa ngisho nangalezo zinsuku,” kusho uJehova, “ngeke nginiqothule ngokuphelele. + 19 Lapho bebuza bethi, ‘Kungani uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu enze zonke lezi zinto kithi?’ kufanele ubaphendule uthi, ‘Njengoba nje nimshiyile uNkulunkulu wenu nakhonza unkulunkulu wesinye isizwe ezweni lenu, kanjalo niyokhonza abantu besinye isizwe ezweni okungelona elenu.’ ” +
20 Kumemezeleni endlini kaJakobe lokhu,
Nikumemezele nakwaJuda, nithi:
21 “Yizwani lokhu nina bantu abayiziwula nabangenangqondo: *+
22 ‘Aningesabi yini?’ kusho uJehova,
‘Akufanele yini nithuthumele phambi kwami?
Yimi omise isihlabathi njengomngcele wolwandle,
Umthetho ongaguquki olungeke luweqe.
Nakuba amagagasi alo ejikijeleka ngamandla, ngeke enze lutho;
Nakuba ehlokoma, ngeke akwazi ukudlulela ngale kwaso. +
23 Kodwa laba bantu banenhliziyo enenkani nedlubulundayo;
Baphambukile bahamba ngendlela yabo. +
24 Abasho enhliziyweni yabo ukuthi:
“Manje masesabe uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,
Lowo osinika imvula ngenkathi yayo,
Imvula yasekwindla nemvula yasentwasahlobo,
Lowo owenza isiqiniseko sokuthi sinamasonto abekiwe okuvuna.” +
25 Iziphambeko zenu zizivimbile lezi zinto ukuba zingezi;
Izono zenu zinigodlele okuhle. +
26 Ngoba phakathi kwabantu bami kukhona abantu ababi.
Baqhubeka bebhekisisa,* njengalapho abacuphi bezinyoni becathama.
Babeke isicupho esibulalayo.
Babamba abantu.
27 Njengendlwana yezinyoni egcwele izinyoni,
Kanjalo izindlu zabo zigcwele inkohliso. +
Yingakho bebe namandla baceba.
28 Bakhuluphele bayacwebezela;
Bagcwele ububi.
29 “Akufanele yini ngibahlulele ngenxa yalezi zinto?” kusho uJehova.
“Akufanele yini ngiziphindiselele esizweni esinjengalesi?
30 Kwenzeke into emangalisayo nenyantisayo ezweni:
31 Abaprofethi baprofetha amanga, +
Abapristi basebenzisa igunya labo ukuze balawule abanye.
Abantu bami bathanda ukuba kube ngaleyo ndlela. +
Kodwa niyokwenzenjani lapho ukuphela kufika?”