Ukwehlela eGibithe
1Zase zisondela zonke izinduna zempi, noJohanani indodana kaKhareya, noJezaniya indodana kaHoshaya, nabantu bonke abancane nabakhulu, 2zathi kuJeremiya umprofethi: “Ukunxusa kwethu makwamukeleke ngaphambi kwakho, usikhulekele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, unxusele yonke le nsali, ngokuba sisele singaba yingcosana kwabaningi, njengalokhu amehlo akho ekubona nje, 3ukuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho asibonise indlela esiyakuhamba ngayo, nalokhu esiyakukwenza.”
4Wayesethi kubo uJeremiya umprofethi: “Nginizwile; bhekani, ngiyakukhuleka kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu njengamazwi enu; kuyakuthi noma yintoni uJehova ayakuniphendula ngayo, nginitshele yona, nginganigodleli lutho.”
5Bathi kuJeremiya: “UJehova makabe ngufakazi oqinisileyo nothembekileyo ngathi, uma singenzi njengamazwi onke uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ayakukuthuma nawo kithi. 6Noma lilihle, noma lilibi, siyakulilandela izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu esikuthuma kuye ukuba kube kuhle kithi, lapho sililalela izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.”
7Kwathi emva kwezinsuku eziyishumi izwi likaJehova lafika kuJeremiya. 8Wayesembiza uJohanani indodana kaKhareya, nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazinaye, nabo bonke abantu abancane nabakhulu, wathi kubo: 9“Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli eningithume kuye ukubeka ukunxusa kwenu phambi kwakhe, uthi: 10‘Uma nihlala nokuhlala kuleli zwe, ngiyakunakha nginganidilizi, nginitshale nginganisiphuli, ngokuba ngiyazisola ngokubi engikwenzile kini. 11Ningayesabi inkosi yaseBabele eniyesabayo; ningayesabi, usho uJehova, ngokuba nginani ukuba nginisindise, nginophule esandleni sayo. 12Ngiyakuniphatha ngobubele ukuba inihawukele, inibuyisele ezweni lakini.’
13“Kepha uma nithi: ‘Asiyikuhlala kuleli zwe,’ nize ningalilaleli izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, 14nithi: ‘Qha, ngokuba siyakuya ezweni laseGibithe, lapho singayikubona khona impi, singezwa ukukhala kwecilongo, singalambeli ukudla, sihlale khona,’ 15yizwa manje izwi likaJehova wena nsali yakwaJuda; usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Uma nibhekisa nokubhekisa ubuso benu ukuya eGibithe, nihambe ukuba nigogobale khona, 16inkemba eniyesabayo iyakunifica khona ezweni laseGibithe, indlala eninovalo ngayo inamathele kini lapho eGibithe, nifele khona. 17Kuyakuba njalo bonke abantu ababhekisa ubuso babo ukuya eGibithe ukuba bagogobale khona; bayakufa ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo, kungabikho kubo oyakusala, aphunyuke ebubini engiyakubehlisela phezu kwabo.’ 18Ngokuba usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Njengalokhu intukuthelo yami nokufutheka kwami kuthululelwe phezu kwabakhileyo eJerusalema, kanjalo ukufutheka kwami kuyakuthululelwa phezu kwenu, nxa ningena eGibithe, nibe yisithuko, nesimangaliso nesiqalekiso, nehlazo, ningabe nisayibona le ndawo.’
19“UJehova ukhulumile ngani ukuthi: ‘Wena nsali yakwaJuda, ungayi eGibithe;’ yazi nokwazi ukuthi ngifakazile kini namuhla. 20Ngokuba nazidukisa, lapho nangithuma kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ukuthi: ‘Sinxusele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, usitshele konke ayakukusho uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, siyakukwenza.’ 21Namuhla senginitshelile, kepha anililalelanga izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu nakokukodwa angithume ngakho kini. 22Ngalokho yazini nokwazi ukuthi niyakufa ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo endaweni enifisa ukuya kuyo ukuba nigogobale khona.”
