UJeremiya
17 “Isono sikaJuda sibhalwe phansi ngepeni lensimbi.
Siqoshwe ngedayimane enhliziyweni yakhe
Nasezimpondweni zama-altare akhe,
2 Kuyilapho amadodana akhe ecabanga ngama-altare akhe nezigxobo zakhe ezingcwele *+
Eceleni kwesihlahla esikhephuzelayo, emagqumeni aphakeme, +
3 Ezintabeni nasesigangeni.
Umnotho wakho, yonke ingcebo yakho, ngiyokunikela ukuba kuphangwe +
—Izindawo zakho eziphakeme ngenxa yesono kuzo zonke izindawo zakho. +
4 Ngokuzithandela uyodedela ifa engakunika lona. +
Ngiyokwenza ukuba usebenzele izitha zakho ezweni ongalazi, +
Iyovutha kuze kube phakade.”
5 Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo:
6 Iyoba njengesihlahla esimi sodwa ogwadule.
Ngeke izithole izinto ezinhle,
Kodwa iyohlala ezindaweni eziwugwadule ehlane,
Ezweni likasawoti okungahlali muntu kulo.
8 Iyoba njengesihlahla esitshalwe ngasemanzini,
Esinezimpande ezenabele emfuleni.
Ngeke ikuzwe ukushisa,
Kodwa amaqabunga ayo ayohlale eluhlaza. +
Ngesikhathi sesomiso ngeke ikhathazeke,
Ngeke iyeke ukuthela izithelo.
9 Inhliziyo ikhohlisa ngaphezu kwanoma yini enye futhi iyingozi. *+
Ubani ongase ayazi?
10 Mina, Jehova, ngicubungula inhliziyo, +
Ngihlola imicabango ejulile,*
Ukuze nginike yilowo nalowo ngokwezindlela zakhe,
Ngokwemiphumela yemisebenzi yakhe. +
11 Njengethendele* elibutha amaqanda elingazange liwazalele,
Iyomlahlekela ngokuhamba kwesikhathi,
Ekugcineni uyoba ongenangqondo.”
12 Isihlalo sobukhosi esikhazimulayo besidunyiswa kusukela ekuqaleni,
Siyindawo yethu yokuphephela. +
13 O Jehova, themba lika-Israyeli,
Bonke abakushiyayo bayothelwa ngehlazo.
Labo abakuhlubukayo* bayolotshwa emhlabathini, +
Ngoba bamshiyile uJehova, umthombo wamanzi okuphila. +
14 Ngelaphe Jehova, ngizokwelapheka.
Ngisindise, ngizosinda, +
Ngoba nguwena engimdumisayo.
15 Bheka! Kukhona abathi kimi:
“Kungani izwi likaJehova lingakagcwaliseki namanje?” +
16 Kodwa mina, angiyekanga ukukulandela njengomalusi,
Angizange ngilulangazelele usuku lwenhlekelele.
Wena uzazi kahle zonke izinto engizishilo;
Konke kwenzeke phambi kwakho!
17 Ungangenzi ngesabe.
Uyisiphephelo sami ngosuku lwenhlekelele.
18 Abangishushisayo mabahlazeke, +
Kodwa mina mangingahlazeki.
Mabashaywe uvalo,
Kodwa mina mangingashaywa uvalo.
19 Yilokhu uJehova akushilo kimi: “Hamba, ume esangweni lamadodana abantu lelo amakhosi akwaJuda angena futhi aphume ngalo, nakuwo wonke amasango aseJerusalema. + 20 Kumele uthi kubo, ‘Yizwani izwi likaJehova, nina makhosi akwaJuda nawo wonke uJuda nani nonke zakhamuzi zaseJerusalema, eningena ngala masango. 21 Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo: “Ziqapheni, ningathwali mthwalo ngosuku lweSabatha noma niwungenise ngamasango aseJerusalema. + 22 Akumele nikhiphe umthwalo emakhaya enu ngosuku lweSabatha; ningenzi lutho. + Kumele nilungcwelise usuku lweSabatha, njengoba nje ngayala okhokho benu. + 23 Kodwa abazange balalele noma banake, kunalokho ngenkani benqaba* ukulalela noma ukwamukela isiyalo.” ’ +
24 “ ‘ “Nokho, uma ningilalelisisa,” kusho uJehova, “ningangenisi mthwalo ngamasango aleli dolobha ngosuku lweSabatha kodwa ningcwelise usuku lweSabatha ngokungenzi lutho ngalo, + 25 kuyongena ngamasango aleli dolobha amakhosi nezikhulu ezihlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide, + ezigibela inqola namahhashi, wona nezikhulu zawo, amadoda akwaJuda nezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema; + futhi kuleli dolobha kuyohlala abantu kuze kube phakade. 26 Kuyofika abantu bevela emadolobheni akwaJuda, ezindaweni ezizungeze iJerusalema, ezweni lakwaBhenjamini, + ezweni elisethafeni, + ezintabeni naseNegebhi,* belethe iminikelo eshiswa ngokuphelele, + imihlatshelo, + iminikelo yokudla okusanhlamvu, + impepho enephunga elimnandi nemihlatshelo yokubonga endlini kaJehova. +
27 “ ‘ “Kodwa uma ningangilaleli ngokuba ningcwelise usuku lweSabatha futhi ningathwali mithwalo niyingenise ngamasango aseJerusalema ngosuku lweSabatha, ngiyowashisa ngomlilo amasango alo, nakanjani umlilo uyoshisa imibhoshongo yaseJerusalema + enezivikelo eziqinile futhi ngeke ucimeke.” ’ ” +