1“ ‘Ngaleso sikhathi, usho uJehova, bayakuwakhipha amathambo amakhosi akwaJuda, namathambo ezikhulu zakhe, namathambo abapristi namathambo abaprofethi, namathambo abakhileyo eJerusalema emathuneni abo, 2baweneke elangeni nasenyangeni nakulo lonke ibandla lasezulwini, abakuthandile, bakukhonza, bakulandela, bakufuna, bakhuleka kukho; awayikubuthwa, awayikumbelwa, ayakuba ngumquba ebusweni bomhlabathi. 3Ukufa kuyakukhethwa kunokuphila yinsali yonke esele kulowo mndeni omubi, esele ezindaweni zonke, lapho ngiyixoshele khona, usho uJehova Sebawoti.’
Izono nokwahlulela
4“Futhi uyakusho kubo, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova, uthi:
“ ‘Abantu bayakuwa,
bangabuyi basukume, na?
Umuntu uyaphambuka,
angabuyi aphenduke, na?
5Bahlehlelani laba bantu baseJerusalema
ngokuhlehla njalonjalo na?
Babambelela enkohlisweni,
bala ukubuya.
6Ngaqaphela, ngezwa;
abakhulumanga kahle;
akakho ozisola ngobubi bakhe, ethi:
“Ngenzeni na?”
Bonke baphendukela emisebenzini yabo
njengamahhashi aphulukundlela empini.
7Nonogolantethe emkhathini
uyazazi izikhathi zakhe ezimisiweyo,
ihobhe, nenkonjane, nonohemu
bagcina isikhathi sokufika kwabo,
kepha abantu bami abazazi izahlulelo zikaJehova.
8“ ‘Ningasho kanjani, nithi:
“Sihlakaniphile,
umthetho kaJehova unathi,” na?
Impela bheka, uthi lokuloba lwamanga lwababhali
lusebenzile okwamanga.
9Abahlakaniphileyo bayakujabha,
besabe, babhajwe;
bheka, balilahlile izwi likaJehova,
banokuhlakanipha kuni na?
10Ngalokho abafazi babo ngiyakubanika abanye,
namasimu abo kwabayakuwadla,
ngokuba kusukela kwabancane kuya kwabakhulu
bayaphanga impango bonke,
nabaprofethi nabapristi bonke
baqamba amanga.
11Bapholisa kalula ukulimala kwendodakazi yabantu bami, bathi:
“Ngukuthula, ngukuthula;”
kepha akukho ukuthula.
12Bayakuba namahloni,
ngokuba benza izinengiso;
nokho abanamahloni nakanye, abakhophozi;
ngalokho bayakuwa phakathi kwabawayo,
ngesikhathi sokubahambela kwami
bayakukhubeka, usho uJehova.
13“ ‘Bengiyakubutha nokubutha,’ usho uJehova,
‘kepha azikho izithelo zomvini emvinini,
namakhiwane emkhiwaneni;
namaqabunga abunile;
engibanikile khona kusukile kubo.’ ”
14“Sihlalelani na?
Buthanani,
singene emizini ebiyelweyo,
sibhubhe khona,
ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu usibhubhisile,
wasiphuzisa amanzi enyongo,
ngokuba sonile kuJehova.
15Silindela ukuthula,
kepha okuhle akukho,
nesikhathi sokuphulukiswa,
kepha bheka, luvalo.
16Ukuthimula kwamahhashi akhe kuyezwakala kwaDani;
ngezwi lokuyiyiza kwanamandla akhe
izwe lonke liyathuthumela,
ngokuba afikile,
alidlile izwe nakho konke okukulo,
umuzi nabakhe kuwo.”
17“Ngokuba ngiyathuma kini izinyoka
nawomantshingeyana abangenakulunjwa,
bayakuniluma,” usho uJehova.
18Alunakududuzeka kimi usizi oluphezu kwami,
inhliziyo yami idangele.
19Bheka, izwi lokukhala kwendodakazi yabantu bami
livela ezweni elikude, lithi:
“Akakho uJehova eSiyoni na?
Ayikho inkosi yalo kulo na?”
“Bangicunuleleni ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo
nangokuyize kwabezizwe na?”
20“Ukuvuna kudlulile,
ihlobo liphelile,
kepha thina asisindiswanga.”
21Ngokulimala kwendodakazi yabantu bami ngilimele;
ngidabukile, ukumangala kungibambile.
22Ibhalisamu* alikho kwaGileyadi na?
Inyanga ayikho lapho na?
Pho, ayipheleliswa ngani
impilo yendodakazi yabantu bami na?
