UJeremiya
2 Izwi likaJehova lafika kimi, lathi: 2 “Hamba uyomemezela eJerusalema, uthi, ‘Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo:
“Ngiyikhumbula kahle indlela owawuzinikele* ngayo ekuqaleni, +
Uthando owawunalo ngesikhathi uthenjiswe umshado, +
Indlela owangilandela ngayo ehlane,
Ezweni okwakungatshalwanga mbewu kulo. +
3 U-Israyeli wayengcwele kuJehova, + eyisivuno sakhe sokuqala.” ’
‘Noma ubani omlimazayo wayeba necala.
Wayefikelwa yinhlekelele,’ kusho uJehova.” +
4 Yizwa izwi likaJehova, wena ndlu kaJakobe,
Nani nonke mindeni yendlu ka-Israyeli.
5 Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo:
“Yiliphi iphutha okhokho benu abalithola kimi, +
Okwabenza baqhelelana kangaka nami,
6 Abazange babuze bathi, ‘Uphi uJehova,
Lowo owasikhipha ezweni laseGibhithe, +
Owasihola ehlane,
Ezweni eliwugwadule + nelinemigodi,
Ezweni elingenamanzi + nelobumnyama,
Ezweni okungahambi muntu kulo
Nokungahlali muntu kulo?’
7 Nganiletha ezweni elivundile,
Ukuze nidle izithelo zalo nezinto zalo ezinhle. +
Kodwa nafike nalingcolisa izwe lami;
Nenza ifa lami laba yinto enyanyekayo. +
8 Abapristi abazange babuze bathi, ‘Uphi uJehova?’ +
Labo abaphatha uMthetho babengangazi,
Abelusi badlubulunda kimi, +
Abaprofethi baprofetha ngoBhali, +
Balandela onkulunkulu abangasizi ngalutho.
9 ‘Ngakho ngizoqhubeka ngilwa nani,’ + kusho uJehova,
‘Futhi ngizolwa nabantwana babantwana benu.’
10 ‘Kodwa welelani emazweni angasogwini lwaseKitimi *+ nibone.
Yebo, thumelani eKhedari + nicabangisise;
Nibone ukuthi into enjengalena ike yenzeka yini.
11 Ingabe isizwe sike sibashintshe yini onkulunkulu sithathe labo abangebona onkulunkulu baso?
Kodwa abantu bami bashiye inkazimulo yami bakhetha into engasizi ngalutho. +
12 O mazulu, kugqolozeleni lokhu nimangele;
Thuthumelani ngokwesaba okukhulu,’ kusho uJehova,
13 ‘Ngoba kukhona izinto ezimbili ezimbi abantu bami abazenzile:
14 ‘Ingabe u-Israyeli uyinceku noma uyisigqila esizalelwe endlini yenkosi yaso?
Pho kungani ephathwa njengesigqila?
Enze izwe lakhe laba yinto ethusayo.
Amadolobha akhe ashiswe ngomlilo, akusekho muntu ohlala khona.
16 Abantu baseNofi *+ nabaseThahipanesi + bagunda* ukhakhayi lwekhanda lakho.
17 Akuwena yini ozibangele lokhu
Ngokushiya uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho +
Ngesikhathi ekuhola endleleni?
19 Ububi bakho kufanele bukulungise,
Nokungathembeki kwakho kufanele kukusole.
Yazi, ubone ukuthi kubi futhi kudabukisa kanjani +
Ukushiya uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho;
Awuzange ungesabe,’ + kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi, uJehova wamabutho.
20 ‘Ngoba ngaliphihliza kudala ijoka lakho +
Ngagqabula ozankosi bakho.
Kodwa wathi: “Ngeke ngikukhonze,”
Ngoba wawulala uzeneke kuwo wonke amagquma aphakeme
Nangaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla ezikhephuzelayo, + ufeba. +
21 Ngakutshala uyinsimu yamagilebhisi abomvu ekhethelo, + wonke engawembewu enhle;
Ngakho wonakale kanjani, washintsha waba amagilebhisi asendle?’ +
22 ‘Ngisho noma ubungageza ngesoda* nangensipho eningi,
Icala lakho beliyohlale liyibala elingasuki phambi kwami,’ + kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova.
23 Ungasho kanjani ukuthi, ‘Angizingcolisanga.
Angizange ngibalandele oBhali’?
Bheka indlela yakho esigodini.
Cabanga ngalokho okwenzile.
Ufana nekamela lensikazi eliselincane elinejubane
Eligijima ngokungenanhloso lehla lenyuka ezindleleni zalo,
24 Imbongolo yasendle ejwayele ihlane,
Ehogela ifuna inkunzi iqhutshwa yinkanuko.
Ubani ongayinqanda lapho isifuna ukukhwelwa?
Ayikho inkunzi kulezo eziyifunayo okuyodingeka izikhathaze.
Ziyoyithola ngenyanga* yayo yokukhwelwa.
25 Israyeli, ungaphuculi izinyawo zakho,
Noma uzibulalise ngokoma ulokhu ugijimisa izinto ezingazuzisi.
Kodwa wathi, ‘Akusizi! +
26 Njengesela elinamahloni lapho libanjwa,
Kanjalo nendlu ka-Israyeli ihlaziwe,
Yona namakhosi ayo nezikhulu zayo
Abapristi bayo nabaprofethi bayo. +
27 Bathi esihlahleni, ‘Ungubaba,’ +
Nasetsheni, ‘Wena ungizele.’
Kodwa mina bangifulathele kunokuba baphendukele kimi. +
Ngesikhathi senhlekelele yabo bayothi,
‘Vuka usisindise!’ +
28 Manje baphi onkulunkulu bakho ozenzele bona? +
Mabavuke uma bekwazi ukukusindisa ngesikhathi senhlekelele yakho,
Ngoba onkulunkulu bakho sebelingana namadolobha akho Juda ngobuningi. +
29 ‘Kungani niqhubeka nilwa nami?
Kungani nina nonke ningivukele?’ + kusho uJehova.
30 Ngishaye amadodana enu kodwa kwaba nhlanga zimuka nomoya. +
Awavumanga ukwamukela isiyalo; +
Inkemba yenu idle abaprofethi benu, +
Njengebhubesi elibangela umonakalo.
31 O sizukulwane, zihloleleni nina izwi likaJehova.
Ingabe sengifana nehlane ku-Israyeli
Noma izwe lobumnyama obukhulu?
Kungani abantu bami bethe, ‘Sizula ngenkululeko.
Ngeke siseza kuwe’? +
32 Intombi ingayikhohlwa yini imihlobiso yayo,
Nomakoti imigexo yakhe yokuhloba?*
Nokho abantu bami bangikhohlwe izinsuku eziningi. +
33 O wena wesifazane, unekhono lokufuna amadoda azokuthanda!
Uzifundise ukukhohlakala. +
34 Ngisho nemiphetho yezingubo zakho ichaphazelwe yigazi labampofu abangenacala, +
Nakuba ngingalitholanga lapho kugqekezwe khona;
Lisemiphethweni yezingubo zakho. +
35 Kodwa uthi, ‘Anginacala.
Ngokuqinisekile, intukuthelo yakhe isukile kimi.’
Manje ngiyakwahlulela
Ngoba uthi, ‘Angonanga.’
36 Kungani uyithatha kancane inkambo yakho engazinzile?
37 Ngenxa yalesi sizathu uyophuma uthwele izandla ekhanda, +
Ngoba uJehova ubalahlile labo othembele kubo;
Ngeke bakuphumelelise.”