UJeremiya 16

₁Izwi likaSimakade lafika kimi, lathi: ₂“Ungazithatheli umfazi, ungazali madodana namadodakazi kule ndawo.”

₃Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade ngamadodana namadodakazi azalwa kule ndawo, nangonina abawabelethayo, nangoyise abawazalayo kuleli lizwe, uthi: ₄“Bayakubulawa yizifo, bangalilelwa, futhi bangangcwatshwa; bayakufana nendle emhlabathini, baqothulwe ngenkemba, babhujiswe yindlala, izidumbu zabo ziyakuba ngukudla kwezinyoni zezulu, nezilwane zomhlaba.”

₅Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: “Ungangeni endlini okulilwa kuyo, ungayi ukuyolila, ungabakhombisi uzwelo, ngokuba ngikususile ukuthula kwami kulaba bantu, kanye nomusa, nobubele bami,” kusho uSimakade.

₆“Izikhulu nabantukazana bayofela kuleli lizwe, abayukungcwatshwa, abayukulilelwa. Abantu abayukuzisika, abayukuwaphuca amakhanda ngenxa yabo, ₇akuyukuba khona obahlephulela isinkwa sokulila ukuba abaduduze ngabafileyo, abayukuphuziswa endebeni yokududuza ngoyise nangonina.

₈“Awuyukungena endlini yedili ukuba uhlale nabo, udle, uphuze nabo. ₉Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Ngizakuqeda kule ndawo, phambi kwenu, nasemihleni yenu, umsindo wokujabula nowentokozo, izwi lomyeni nezwi likamakoti.’

₁₀“Kuyakuthi lapho ubatshela laba bantu wonke lawa mazwi, bayokuthi kuwe: ‘USimakade ukhulumeleni wamelana nathi, ngayo yonke le nhlekelele enkulu kangaka na? Buyini ububi bethu na? Siyini isono esone ngaso kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu na?’ ₁₁Uyakuthi kubo: ‘Kungenxa yokuthi okhokho benu bangishiya,’ kusho uSimakade, ‘balandela abanye onkulunkulu, babakhonza, bakhuleka kubo, bangishiya, abawugcinanga umthetho wami. ₁₂Nani nenze okubi ukwedlula okhokho benu, ngokuba yilowo nalowo ulandela inkani nobubi obusenhliziyweni yakhe, aningilaleli. ₁₃Ngakho-ke ngizonixosha kuleli lizwe, niye ezweni eningalaziyo, nina nokhokho benu. Lapho niyakukhonza abanye onkulunkulu imini nobusuku, ngokuba angiyukuniphatha ngobubele.’

₁₄“Ngalokho-ke bheka, izinsuku ziyeza,” kusho uSimakade, “lapho kungaseyukuthiwa: ‘Ngifunga ngiyagomela phambi kukaSimakade owakhuphula abakwa-Israyeli eGibhithe,’ ₁₅kodwa sekuyothiwa: ‘Ngifunga ngiyagomela phambi kukaSimakade owabakhuphula abakwa-Israyeli enyakatho nasemazweni wonke lapho ayebaxoshele khona;’ ngiyakubabuyisela ezweni lakubo, engalinika okhokho babo.

₁₆“Ngokuba, niyabona, ngizakuthumela abadobi abaningi babadobe,” usho kanje uSimakade, “ngithumele nabazingeli abaningi, babazingele kuzo zonke izintaba, nakuwo wonke amagquma, nasemifantwini yamadwala. ₁₇Ngokuba amehlo ami ayazibona zonke izindlela zabo; azisithekile ebusweni bami, nobubi babo abufihlekile emehlweni ami. ₁₈Ngizoqala ngokubashaya ngokuphindiwe ngenxa yobubi babo nezono zabo, ngokuba balingcolisile izwe lami ngezidumbu zezinto ezinengekayo, ifa lami baligcwalisile ngezinengiso zabo.”