Imbalela
1Lavakala kuJeremiya ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo malunga nembalela, lisithi:
2“Libalele kwaJuda;
kunyembelekile kwizixeko zakhe.
Abemi bathe fohlololo emhlabeni, bambethe ezokuzila.
Kuvakala isikhalo eJerusalem.
3Iindwalutho zithuma iindwayi amanzi,
zona zifike amaqula ome qoko.
Zibuya zidanile, zityhafile, zithokombise intloko,
zingaphethe nto ngezo ngqayi zazo.
4Sele waba ngumqwebedu umhlaba;
kaloku imvula ayisani.
Bafane bee makatha abalimi;
bayanyoshoza ziintloni, bethokombise iintloko.
5Phaya endle nemazi yexhama izala ithole,
ibuye ilibukule,
kuba akukho luhlaza lukhoyo.
6Amaqwarha ema eluqayini,
asezele umoya, axel' udyakalashe.
Sele amehlo elusizi,
kub' uhlaz' alubonwa.”
7Naxa izono zethu zisigweba
sincede, Ndikhoyo, ngenxa yegama lakho.
Ewe, kufuthi-futhi sikreqa,
sakona amaxesha ngamaxesha.
8Wena Themba likaSirayeli,
wena Mhlanguli wakhe ngamaxesha okubandezeleka,
yini na ukuba ube
njengomngeneleli kweli lizwe,
ube njengomhambi othe vu ubusuku kuphela?
9Kutheni wafana nomntu odidekileyo,
kanye njengegorha elingenamandla okuhlangula?
Ngenene ukho phakathi kwethu, Ndikhoyo,
singabantu ababizwa ngegama lakho, uze ungasilahli.
10Malunga naba bantu utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi:
“Bayakuthanda ukuzula-zula;
iinyawo zabo abakwazi ukuzilawula.
Abamkholisi konke uNdikhoyo.
Uya kuhlala ebukhumbula ubungwenxa babo,
abohlwaye ngenxa yesono sabo.”
11Uthe kum uNdikhoyo: “Aba bantu uze ungabacengeli kum ukuba kulunge kubo. 12Nokuba bangade bazile ukutya, andiyi kubaphulaphula xa bekhala kum. Nokuba bangade benze amadini atshiswayo neminikelo, andisobe ndikholiseke. Ndosuka ndibatshabalalise ngekrele, ngendlala, nangesibetho sesifo.”
13Ndithe ke mna: “Awu, Nkosi Ndikhoyo, uyazi ukuba abashumayeli bathetha nabantu besithi: ‘Akuzi kubakho krele nandlala apha. Ngaphaya koko utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: Kuyo le ndawo ndininika uxolo olungasoze luphele.’ ”
14UNdikhoyo uthe ukundiphendula: “Abo bashumayeli bathetha ubuxoki ngegama lam. Abathunywanga ndim, ndingakhange ndibayalele oko, ndingazange ndithethe nokuthetha oku nabo. Bashumayela nje imibono ebubuxoki, nokuvumisa okungento, nenkohliso yeentliziyo zabo.”
15Ke ngoko malunga nabo bashumayeli bashumayela ngegama lakhe bengathunywanga nguye utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: “Bathi: ‘Abayi kufikelwa likrele kwakunye nendlala abantu beli lizwe.’ Kambe abo bashumayeli bona ngokwabo baya kutshabalala ngekrele nayindlala. 16Nabo bantu babashumayezayo baya kukhutshelwa ngaphandle ezitalatweni zaseJerusalem ngenxa yendlala nalikrele. Akuyi kubakho bani uya kubangcwaba, kungayi kubakho bani uya kungcwaba nkqu nabafazi, noonyana, neentombi zabo. Ndiya kubahlisela ishwangusha ngenxa yenkohlakalo yabo.
17“Wena ke thetha eli lizwi kubo uthi:
“ ‘Antywizisa iinyembezi amehlo am imini nobusuku,
ziqukuqele ngokungenasiphelo.
Kaloku intombi engabantu bam yenzakele kakubi;
yoselwe lelinzulu lona inxeba eli.
18Ndithi ndakuphumela ngaphandle,
ndithane nqwakaqha nâbo bawe ngekrele;
ndithi ndakungena esixekweni,
ndithi mandla nâbo bawiswe liphango.
Kaloku abashumayeli kwakunye nababingeleli
bayayabula nje kwilizwe lonke.’ ”
19Ngaba, Ndikhoyo, umlahle kwaphela na uJuda?
Ngaba ikucaphuzelisa intliziyo na iZiyon?
Yini na ukuba usibethe singabi nakuphiliswa?
Besilindele uxolo, suka kwavela ububi.
Besijonge ukuphiliswa, nâko sifikelwa lunxunguphalo.
20Siyayivuma inkohlakalo yethu, Ndikhoyo,
kwakunye nobugwenxa boobawo-mkhulu.
Ewe, sikonile, Ndikhoyo!
21Ngenxa yegama lakho musa ukusibukula,
ungayihlazi iJerusalem ibhotwe lakho elidumileyo.
Wukhumbule umnqophiso owenze nathi,
ungaze uwaphule nanini na.
22Ngaba oothixo abangento beentlanga bayakwazi ukunisa imvula?
Ngaba sona ngokunokwaso isibhakabhaka singehlisa imikhwitsho?
Hayi, nguwe, Ndikhoyo, Thixo wethu, esithembele kuye;
nguwe ozenzayo zonke ezo zinto.
