UJEREMIYA 19

₁Wathi *uNdikhoyo: “Yiya kuthenga ingqayi yodongwe kumbumbi. Hamba kunye neqela lamadoda amakhulu abantu, kunye neqela lamadoda amakhulu angababingeleli, ₂uye kuphuma ngesango ekuthiwa nguNgceba zeeNgqayi, eli lijonge kwintili kaBhen-hinom. Apho uzufike uvakalise udaba endikunika lona, ₃uthi: ‘Nina kumkani bakwaJuda, nani bantu baseJerusalem, lubekeleni iindlebe udaba lukaNdikhoyo. UNdikhoyo uSomandla-onke onguThixo kaSirayeli utsho ukuthi: Niyabona, le ndawo ndiza kuyihlisela intlekele eya kutsho zithi nzwii iindlebe zabantu bonke abaya kuyiva. ₄Loo nto ndiza kuyenza ngenxa yokuba abantu basuke bandifulathela, bayenza eyasemzini le ndawo ngokwenzela oothixo basemzini iziqhumiso – ndithetha oothixo abangabaziyo, bengevanga ngabo nangamanyange nkqu nangookumkani bakwaJuda. Le ndawo bayitsho yaba lijaja ligazi labantu abamsulwa, ₅yaye bakhele uBhali izibingelelo, khon' ukuze apho benze amadini ngabantwana babo. Andizange ndibayalele njalo, kwaye andiyithethanga loo nto; andizange ndiyicinge nokuyicinga oku. ₆Ngoko ke liyeza ixesha xa le ndawo ingayi kuba sabizwa ngokuba yiTofeti okanye intili kaBhen-hinom, koko iya kubizwa ngokuba yiNtili yeNtshabalalo.

₇“ ‘Ndiza kuliqhekezela kule ndawo icebo labantu bakwaJuda nabaseJerusalem, ndibawise ngekrele phambi kweentshaba zabo ezizungula ubomi babo. Izidumbu zabo ziza kuba kukudla kweentaka kunye namarhamncwa. ₈Esi sixeko ndiya kusitsho sibe yinto ekhwankqisayo, into engumbono ongajongekiyo. Wonke ubani odlula kuso uya kothuka kakhulu, athi khumnqa ngenxa yezivubeko zaso. ₉Ndiza kubenza badle inyama yoonyana babo kunye neyeentombi zabo, elowo atye inyama yomnye ngexesha lentlupheko yabo nokuxinwa kwabo ziintshaba ezizungula ubomi babo.’

₁₀“Uze loo ngqayi uyiqhekeze apho ngaphambi kwaloo madoda ahamba kunye nawe, ₁₁uthi kuwo: ‘UNdikhoyo onamandla onke utsho ukuthi: Abantu balapha ndiza kubantlekeza kunye neso sixeko sabo, baxele le ngqayi intleke-ntleke, iingceba zingasoze zidibane kwakhona. Baya kungcwabela eTofeti kude kungabikho ndawo iseleyo.’ ₁₂Ewe, nguwo lo umlomo kaNdikhoyo: ‘Nantsi into endiza kuyenza kule ndawo nabemi bayo: Esi sixeko ndiza kusitsho sifane neTofeti. ₁₃Izindlu zaseJerusalem kunye nezookumkani bakwaJuda ziza kuxajelwa zifane neTofeti. Nditsho zonke izindlu ekwakutshiswa phezu kwazo isiqhumiso soothixo abaziinkwenkwezi, kunikelwa nangeminikelo ethululwayo koothixo basemzini.’ ”

₁₄Wabuya ke uJeremiya evela eTofeti apho wayethunywe ukushumayela khona nguNdikhoyo. Waya kuma ngaphakathi kweyadi yendlu kaNdikhoyo, wathi ebantwini xa bebonke: ₁₅“UNdikhoyo uSomandla-onke onguThixo kaSirayeli utsho ukuthi: ‘Niyabona, esi sixeko kunye neelali zaso ndiza kusihlisela yonke intlekele endakha ndathetha ngayo, kuba kaloku abantu balapha baneenkani, abafuni kuliphulaphula ilizwi lam.’ ”