UJeremiya 29

₁Nanka amazwi encwadi uJeremiya, umphrofethi, ayithumela eseJerusalema ensalini yamalunga, abaphristi, abaphrofethi nakubo bonke abantu uNebukhadinezari ayebathumbile eJerusalema, wabayisa eBhabhele. ₂Lokhu kwenzeka emveni kokuba inkosi uJekhoniya, indlovukazi emzalayo, izikhulu zasesigodlweni, izikhulu zakwaJuda nezaseJerusalema, izingcweti nabakhandi, sebesukile eJerusalema, ₃ngesandla sika-Elasa, indodana kaShafani noGemariya, indodana kaHilikiya, uZedekiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, abathuma eBhabhele kuNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, ethi:

₄Usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kubo bonke abathunjwa engabathumela ekuthunjweni eBhabhele besuka eJerusalema, uthi: ₅“Yakhani izindlu, nihlale kuzo; tshalani amasimu, nidle imikhiqizo yawo; ₆thathani abafazi, nizale amadodana namadodakazi; thathelani amadodana enu abafazi, amadodakazi enu niwaganisele amadoda, ukuba azale amadodana namadodakazi, nande lapho, ninganciphi. ₇Funani inhlalakahle yomuzi lapho nithunjelwe khona, niwukhulekele kuSimakade, ngokuba inhlalakahle yawo kuyoba yinhlalakahle yenu.”

₈Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Maningakhohliswa ngabaphrofethi benu abaphakathi kwenu, nababhuli benu, ningawalaleli amaphupho enu eniwaphuphayo. ₉Ngokuba baphrofetha amanga kini, egameni lami, Mina angibathumanga,” kusho uSimakade.

₁₀Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: “Uma sekuphele iminyaka engama-70 niseBhabhele, ngiyakunikhumbula, ngilifeze kini izwi lami elihle, ngokunibuyisela kule ndawo. ₁₁Ngokuba Mina ngiyawazi amacebo enginawo ngani,” kusho uSimakade, “amacebo okuba nibe nenhlalakahle, hhayi awokunilimaza, awokuninika ikusasa nethemba. ₁₂Niyakungibiza, nize nikhuleke kimi, ngiyakunizwa. ₁₃Niyakungifuna, ningifumane, lapho ningifunisisa ngenhliziyo yenu yonke. ₁₄Ngiyakufunyanwa yinina,” kusho uSimakade, “ngiyakukuqeda ukuthunjwa kwenu, nginiqoqe kuzo zonke izizwe nasezindaweni zonke lapho nginixoshele khona, nginibuyisele endaweni enganisusa kuyo nganiyisa ekuthunjweni,” kusho uSimakade.

₁₅Ngokuba nikhulume nathi: “USimakade usivusele abaphrofethi eBhabhele.”

₁₆Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade enkosini ehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide, nakubo bonke abantu abahlala kulo muzi, abafowenu abangayanga nani ekuthunjweni, ₁₇yebo, usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uthi: “Bhekani, ngiyakuthumela kubo inkemba, indlala, nobhubhane, ngibenze babe njengamakhiwane abolile angenakudliwa, ngenxa yobubi bawo. ₁₈Ngiyakubalandela ngenkemba, ngendlala nangobhubhane, ngibenze into esabisayo emibusweni yonke yomhlaba, babe yisiqalekiso, incithakalo, into enximfelwayo, nehlazo ezizweni zonke engibaxoshele kuzo, ₁₉ngokuba abawalalelanga amazwi ami,” kusho uSimakade, “engawathumela kubo ngezinceku zami, abaphrofethi, ngibathumela ngingaphezi; kodwa kanilalelanga,” kusho uSimakade.

₂₀Kepha manje yizwani izwi likaSimakade, nina nonke bathunjwa, enganithumela eBhabhele nisuka eJerusalema. ₂₁Usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngo-Ahabi, indodana kaKolaya nangoZedekiya, indodana kaMahaseya, abaphrofetha amanga kini egameni lami, uthi: “Bheka, ngiyakubanikela esandleni sikaNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, uyakubabulala nibuka ngamehlo enu. ₂₂Ngenxa yabo, bonke abathunjwa bakwaJuda abaseBhabhele bayakusebenzisa lesi siqalekiso, esithi: ‘USimakade makakwenze ukuba ube njengoZedekiya no-Ahabi, abosiwa emlilweni yinkosi yaseBhabhele,’ ₂₃ngokuba benza ubuwula kwa-Israyeli, baphinga nabafazi bomakhelwane babo, bakhuluma amazwi angamanga egameni lami engingabayalanga ngawo; yimi engikwaziyo lokho, ngingufakazi,” kusho uSimakade.

₂₄Uyakuthi kuShemaya waseNehelamu: ₂₅“Usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ngenxa yokuba wathumela egameni lakho izincwadi kubo bonke abantu baseJerusalema, nakuZefaniya indodana kaMahaseya, umphristi, nakubo bonke abaphristi, uthi: ₂₆‘USimakade ukubeke umphristi esikhundleni sikaJehoyada, umphristi, ukuba nibe ngabaqaphi babo bonke abantu abahlanyayo nabaphrofethayo endlini kaSimakade, ukuze ubafake ejele nasemaketangweni. ₂₇Manje awumsolanga ngani uJeremiya wase-Anathothi, ophrofetha kini na? ₂₈Ngokuba yena uthumele kithi siseBhabhele, wathi: kuyoba isikhathi eside; yakhani izindlu, nihlale kuzo; tshalani amasimu, nidle izithelo zawo.’ ”

₂₉UZefaniya, umphristi, wayifunda leyo ncwadi uJeremiya, umphrofethi, ezwa ngezindlebe zakhe. ₃₀Kwase kufika izwi likaSimakade kuJeremiya, lathi: ₃₁“Thumela kubo bonke abathunjwa, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uSimakade ngoShemaya waseNehelamu, uthi: ngenxa yokuba uShemaya ephrofethe kini Mina ngingamthumanga, wanenza nethembela emangeni, ₃₂ngalokho-ke usho kanje uSimakade ngaye, uthi: bhekani, ngiyakumjezisa uShemaya waseNehelamu nabozalo lwakhe. Akayukuba namuntu oyosala kulaba bantu, futhi akayukukubona okuhle engiyakukwenzela abantu bami, ngokuba ukhulume ngokuhlubuka kuSimakade, kusho uSimakade.’ ”