1Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini: “Joromiya, yehlela esigodlweni sekosi yakwaJuda ufese umemezele umlayezo lo. 2Yithi ekosini, ‘Lalela ilizwi lakaSomnini wena kosi yakwaJuda ehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi bakaDavida, wena oneenduna zakho nabantu bakho bangena ngamasango la. 3Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini: Yenzani okulungileko nokufaneleko. Yenyelani odlelezelweko esandleni somgandelelakhe. Ningahlukumezi namkha nikhahlameze isikhonzi, intandani nomhlolokazi begodu ningathululi iingazi ezinganamlandu endaweni le. 4Ngambala nakube niyelela ukwenza imiyalo le, khona-ke amakhosi ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi bakaDavida azakungena ngamasango wesigodlwesi, akhwele iinkarana neenjomani, aphekelelwa ziinduna zawo kanye nabantu bawo. 5Kodwana naningalaleli imiyalo le, ngiyafunga ngithi isigodlwesi sizakuba yiququ.’ ” Kutjho uSomnini.
6Mbala, nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini ngesigodlo sekosi yakwaJuda:
“Nanyana wena sigodlo
ufana neGiliyadi kimi,
unjengesiqongolo seLibhanoni,
ngiyafunga ngithi ngizakwenza ube lirhalawumba,
iye, iqubi leququ elingahlalwako.
7Ngizakuhlela abarhayili
kobana balwe nawe,
omunye nomunye ngeenkhali zakhe,
bazakugawula imisedarakho ekhethekileko
bayiphosele emlilweni.”
8“Izizwe ezinengi zizakudlula edorobheneli, zibuzane zithi, ‘Kubayini uSomnini enze into enjengale edorobheni elikhulu kangaka?’ 9Ipendulo izakuthi, ‘Kungebanga lokobana abantu balo bahlubuke isivumelwano sakaSomnini uZimabo balotjha bebakhothamela abosingazimu.’ ”
10Ningalileli ikosi ehlongakeleko
ningazwelani nayo,
kungaba ngcono nililele loyo osekuthunjweni,
ngombana akasoze asabuya
namkha abone inarha yekhabo godu.
11Ngambala nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini ngoTjhalumu umsa kaJosiya owaba yikosi ngemva koyise ikosi yakwaJuda kodwana wasuka endaweni le: “Angeze asabuya. 12Uzakufela endaweni lapha athunjelwe khona; angeze asayibona inarha le godu.”
13“Uzazizwa owakha isigodlo sakhe ngokungalungi
namalawu wakhe aphezulu ngokungakafaneli,
asebenzise abantu bekhabo ngelize,
angabakhokheli ngomsebenzabo.
14Uzazizwa othi, ‘Ngizazakhela isigodlo esivulekileko,
sibe namalawu amakhulu phezulu’,
asenzele amafesidere amakhulu,
asinameke ngomsedari,
abe asikghabise ngokubomvu.
15“Kukwenza ube yikosi
ukutjhisakalela iingodo zemisedari na?
Uyihlo waneliswa kukudla nokuselwako,
wenza okufaneleko nokulungileko.
Nje-ke, koke kwamkhambela kuhle.
16Watjheja indaba yabadududu nabaswelako,
ngalokho koke kwakhamba kuhle.
Leyo akusiyo indlela yokungilandela na?”
Kutjho uSomnini.
17“Kodwana amehlwakho nehliziywakho
inamathele kwaphela ekuzuzeni ngokungakafaneli,
ekuthululeni iingazi ezinganamlandu
nekugandeleleni nekudlelezeleni.”
18Ngalokho nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini ngoJehoyakhimu umsa kaJosiya ikosi yakwaJuda:
“Abazumlilela bathi,
‘Maye mfowethu! Maye dadwethu!’
Abazomlilela bathi,
‘Maye ngekosethu! Maye ngengwenyama!’
19Uzakungcwatjwa njengodumbana,
arhurhubiswe ayokuphoselwa ngaphandle
kwamasango weJerusalema.”
20“Khuphukela eLibhanoni, urhuwelele,
iphimbo lakho alizwakale eBhatjhani,
rhuwelela use-Abarimu,
ngombana zoke iinthandwa zakho ziyaqhotjozwa.
21Ngakuyelelisa lokha nawuzizwa uvikelekile,
kodwana wena wathi, ‘Angizukulalela!’
Bewuseze uphila ngalendlela kwebutjheni bakho;
azange ukhe ungilalele.
22Ummoya uzokuphephula boke abangani bakho
bese iinthandwa zakho ziya ekuthunjweni.
Nje-ke uzakurhubutjhwa bewuhlaziswe
ngebanga labo boke ubukhohlakali bakho.
23Wena mfazi ohlala eLibhanoni,
wena onesihlakana emisedarini,
uzakububula lokha nawehlelwa ziinhlabi,
iye, imirhelo efana neyokubeletha!”
24USomnini wathi: “Ngiyafunga ngithi, ‘Wena Koniya msa kaJehoyakhimu ikosi yakwaJuda, nanyana bewuyidzilamnwana yesigibo esidleni sami, bengizakukhwamula lapho. 25Ngizakunikela ezandleni zalabo abazumana nepilwakho, labo obesabako; iye, esandleni sakaNebukadiretsari ikosi yeBhabheli nesandleni samaKasidi. 26Wena nonyoko owakubelethako ngizanifuthela kenye inarha eningayaziko; nizakufela lapho. 27Iye, inarha abomele ukubuyela kiyo kangaka le, abasoze babuyela kiyo.’ ”
28Indoda le nguKoniya odelelekileko, imbiza eyephuliweko, okuyinto engafunwako na? Kubayini yena nabantwabakhe bafuthelwe kude, bajikijelwa enarheni abangayaziko na? 29Wena narha, narha-ke, narha, lalela ilizwi lakaSomnini! 30Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini: “Tlolani umuntu lo njengonganamntwana, indoda engeze yaphumelela emihlenayo ngombana esizukwalaneni sayo akakho noyedwa ozayelama ahlale esihlalweni sobukhosi bakaDavida namkha abuse kwaJuda godu.”
