UJeremiya 5

₁“Yehlani nenyuka emigwaqweni eJerusalema,

nibheke nxazonke,

niqaphele,

nicinge ezigcawini zalo,

uma niyofumana umuntu abe munye vo

owenza ubulungiswa, ofuna iqiniso;

khona ngiyolithethelela.

₂Noma bangathi:

‘Sifunga phambi kukaSimakade,’

nokho bafunga amanga.”

₃Simakade, kanti amehlo akho

awafuni lona yini iqiniso na?

Ubashayile, kodwa abadabukanga,

ubaqedile, kepha balile ukwemukela ukuyalwa;

ubuso babo babenze balukhuni

ukwedlula itshe,

benqaba ukuphenduka.

“Laba yizimpofana nje,

benze ubuwula,

ngoba kabayazi indlela kaSimakade,

nokwehlulela kukaNkulunkulu wabo.

₅Ngizakuya kwabakhulu, ngikhulume nabo,

ngokuba bona bayayazi indlela kaSimakade

nesimiso sikaNkulunkulu wabo,”

nokho nabo balephulile ijoka ngokufanayo,

bazigqabula izibopho.

₆Ngakho-ke ingonyama yehlathi izobahlasela,

impisi yasehlane ibabhubhise,

ingwe icuthele imizi yabo;

bonke abaphuma kuyo ibadweshule,

ngokuba iziphambeko zabo ziningi,

nokuhlubuka kwabo kukhulu.

₇“Kepha ngingakuthethelela kanjani na?

Abantwana bakho bangishiyile,

bafunga okungesibo onkulunkulu.

Ngabondla basutha,

kodwa baphinga,

babuthana endlini yesifebe.

₈Bafana namahhashi akhulupheleyo andindayo;

yilowo nalowo ukhanuka

umfazi kamakhelwane wakhe.

₉Angiyukubajezisa yini ngenxa yalokho na?” kusho uSimakade.

“Umphefumulo wami awuyukuziphindiselela yini

esizweni esifana nalesi na?

₁₀“Khuphukelani ezingangeni zalo, nilibhubhise,

nokho ningaqothi imbokodo nesisekelo kulo;

susani amagatsha alo,

ngokuba akusiwo akaNkulunkulu.

₁₁Indlu ka-Israyeli nendlu kaJuda

zenze ubuqili obukhulu kimi,” kusho uSimakade.

₁₂Ziqambe amanga ngoSimakade, zathi:

“Ngeke eze Yena, asehlisele okubi,

asiyukubona nkemba nandlala.

₁₃Abaphrofethi baphenduke umoya nje,

alikho izwi kubo;

ngakho-ke makwenziwe kanjalo kubo.”

“Ngokuba nikhulume leli lizwi,

amazwi ami,

ngiyakuwenza amazwi ami emlonyeni wenu,

abe ngumlilo laba bantu

babe yizinkuni, ubadle.

₁₅Ngizakwehlisela kini,

nina ndlu ka-Israyeli,

isizwe esivela kude,” kusho uSimakade;

“yisizwe esinamandla, isizwe esidala,

isizwe ongalwazi ulimi lwaso,

nongakuqondi esikushoyo.

₁₆Umgodla waso ufana nethuna elivulekileyo;

sonke singamaqhawe.

₁₇Siyakudla isivuno sakho nesinkwa sakho,

sidle amadodana namadodakazi akho,

sidle izimvu zakho nezinkomo zakho,

sidle imivini yakho nemikhiwane yakho,

sibhubhise ngenkemba imizi yakini

ebiyelweyo enethembele kuyo.

₂₀“Memezela lokhu endlini Jakobe,

ukumemezele ngisho nakwaJuda, uthi:

₂₁Yizwani lokhu,

nina bantu abayiziwula neningenakuqonda;

eninamehlo, kodwa aniboni;

eninezindlebe, kodwa anizwa.

₂₂Aningesabi yini?” kusho uSimakade.

“Anithuthumeli yini phambi kwami?

Mina engibeke isihlabathi

saba ngumkhawulo wolwandle,

umngcele ophakade olungenakudlula kuwo na?

Noma lungagubha amagagasi, alunakuwehlula,

noma lungaduma, alunakuweqa.

₂₃Kepha laba bantu

banenhliziyo enenkani nehlubukayo;

bembukile, bahamba.

₂₄Abashongo ezinhliziyweni zabo, ukuthi:

‘Ake sesabe uSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu,

onika imvula yokuqala neyakamuva

ngesikhathi sayo,

osigcinele amasonto anqunyiweyo okuba sivune.’

₂₅Ububi benu buzibalekisile lezi zinto,

nezono zenu zakuvimba okuhle kini.

₂₆“Ababi bafunyanwa phakathi kwabantu bami,

bayaqamekela njengabacupha inyoni,

babeke ugibe, ukuba babambe abantu.

₂₇Njengendlwana yezinyoni igcwele izinyoni,

kanjalo izindlu zabo zigcwele inkohliso;

bakhulu, banothile.

₂₈Bakhuluphele, bayacwebezela,

yebo, ububi babo abunamkhawulo,

abehluleli ngokulunga,

abazimeli izintandane

ukuba nazo ziphumelele,

abawalweli amalungelo abampofu.

₂₉Angiyukubajezisa yini ngalokhu na?” kusho uSimakade.

“Umphefumulo wami awuyukusijezisa yini

isizwe esinjengalesi na?

₃₀“Ezweni kwenzeke okumangalisayo nokwesabekayo.

₃₁Abaphrofethi baphrofetha amanga,

abaphristi babusa njengoba beyalwa ngabaphrofethi.

Abantu bami bathanda khona lokho,

kodwa bayokwenzenjani

uma kufika ukuphela na?”