UJeremiya
22 UJehova uthi: “Hamba endlini yenkosi* yakoJuda ufike uyitshele ilizwi leli. 2 Kumele uthi, ‘Zwana ilizwi likaJehova nkosi yakoJuda ehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida. Lalela wena lezinceku zakho labantu bakho abangena emagedini la. 3 UJehova uthi: “Yahlulelani kuhle futhi lenze okulungileyo, lilamulele umuntu othathelwa impahla yakhe liqili. Lingamphathi kubi umuntu wesinye isizwe ohlala phakathi kwenu njalo lingahlukuluzi intandane lomfelokazi.+ Akumelanga libulale abantu abangelacala endaweni le.+ 4 Nxa lingalalela lenze konke engikutshoyo, amakhosi ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida+ azangena emagedini esigodlo lesi egade izinqola lamabhiza, wona lezinceku zawo kanye labantu bawo.”’+
5 “‘Kodwa nxa lingayekela ukulalela amazwi la, ngifunga ngami uqobo, indlu le izakuba lunxiwa,’+ kutsho uJehova.
6 “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova ngendlu yenkosi yakoJuda,
‘Kimi ufanana leGiliyadi,
Unjengesiqongo seLebhanoni.
Kodwa ngizakwenza ube yinkangala,
Alikho lelilodwa idolobho lakho elizahlala abantu.+
7 Ngizaletha abantu abazakutshabalalisa,
Ngamunye elezikhali zakhe.+
Bazagamula imisedari yakho emihle
Bayiphosele emlilweni.+
8 “‘Abantu bezizwe ezinengi bazadlula edolobheni leli babuzane bathi: “Kungani uJehova enze into enje edolobheni leli elikhulu?”+ 9 Abanye bazaphendula bathi: “Kungenxa yokuthi batshiya isivumelwano sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wabo, bakhothamela abanye onkulunkulu babakhonza.”’+
10 Lingamkhaleli ofileyo,
Njalo lingamlileli.
Kodwa okumele limkhalele kakhulu ngulowo ohambayo,
Ngoba kasoze aphinde aphenduke azobona ilizwe azalelwa kulo.
11 “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova ngoShalumi*+ indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, obusa esikhundleni sikayise uJosiya+ njalo osesukile endaweni le, uthi: ‘Kasoze aphinde aphenduke. 12 Uzafela endaweni leyo abamthumbe bamhambisa kuyo. Kasoze aphinde alibone ilizwe leli.’+
13 Maye kulowo owakha indlu yakhe ngokwenza okubi,
Akhe izindlu zaphezulu ngokwenza okungalunganga,
Osebenzisa umuntu wakibo mahala,
Engamholisi lutho.+
14 Lowo othi, ‘Ngizazakhela indlu yami enkulu,
Elezindlu zaphezulu ezinkulu.
Ngizayifaka amawindi,
Ngiyicecise ngamapulanka omsedari besengiyipenda ibe bomvu.’
15 Kambe uzaqhubeka ubusa ngenxa yokuthi wakha ngemisedari eminengi kulabanye?
Uyihlo laye wayesidla njalo enatha,
Kodwa wayesahlulela kuhle futhi esenza okulungileyo.+
Yikho kwamhambela kuhle.
16 Wayelumela udaba lomuntu ocindezelwayo longumyanga,
Yikho kwamhambela kuhle.
‘Lokho ayisikho yini okwakutshengisa ukuthi uyangazi?’ kutsho uJehova.
17 ‘Kodwa wena amehlo akho lenhliziyo yakho kusekutholeni inzuzo ngokwenza okubi,
Lasekubulaleni abantu abangelacala,
Lasekuqileni abanye lokubathathela impahla yabo.’
18 “Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguJehova ngoJehoyakhimu+ indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakoJuda,
‘Abasoze bamkhalele besithi:
“Awu mfowethu! Awu dadewethu!”
Abasoze bamlilele besithi:
“Maye ngenkosi yethu! Udumo lwayo selutshabalele!”
19 Uzangcwatshwa njengobabhemi.+
Uzahudulwa ayelahlelwa khatshana,
Ngaphandle kwamagedi eJerusalema.’+
20 Qansa uye eLebhanoni umemeze,
Uphakamise ilizwi lakho eBhashani,
Umemeze e-Abharimi,+
Ngoba zonke izithandwa zakho zitshabalele.+
21 Ngakhuluma lawe ngesikhathi uzibona uhlezi kuhle.
Kodwa wena wathi, ‘Angisoze ngilalele.’+
Lokhu yikho obukwenza kusukela usesemutsha,
Awuzange ulilalele ilizwi lami.+
22 Bonke abelusi bakho bazakweluswa ngumoya,+
Lezithandwa zakho zizathunjwa.
Lapho-ke uzayangeka ubelenhloni ngenxa yawo wonke umonakalo okwehleleyo.
23 Wena ohlala eLebhanoni,+
Olesidleke phakathi kwemisedari,+
Uzabubula kabuhlungu nxa ubunzima sebukwehlele,
Uzakuzwa ubuhlungu obunjengemihelo yowesifazana obelethayo!”+
24 “‘Ngifunga ngami uqobo,’ kutsho uJehova uNkulunkulu ophilayo, ‘lanxa wena Khoniya*+ ndodana kaJehoyakhimu+ inkosi yakoJuda, ubuyindandatho elophawu esesandleni sami sokudla, bengizakukhipha! 25 Ngizakunikela kulabo abafuna ukukubulala, lakulabo obesabayo. Ngizakunikela esandleni sikaNebhukhadinezari* inkosi yaseBhabhiloni lakumaKhaledi.+ 26 Wena lonyoko owakuzalayo ngizalilahlela kwelinye ilizwe elingazalelwanga kulo futhi yikho lapho elizafela khona. 27 Alisoze liphinde liphenduke elizweni elifisa ukubuyela kulo.+
28 Kanti uKhoniya yimbiza efileyo lengelancedo yini?
Uyisitsha esingafunwa ngumuntu yini?
Kungani yena lezizukulwane zakhe belahliwe,
Belahlelwe elizweni abangalaziyo?’+
29 Awu mhlaba, we mhlaba, zwana ilizwi likaJehova wena mhlaba.
30 Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova:
‘Bhala ukuthi umuntu lo kalamntwana,
Ukuthi kasoze aphumelele empilweni,*
Ngoba kakho owesizukulwane sakhe ozathatha ubukhosi,
Ahlale esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida, abuse koJuda.’”+