Jeremiah 16
1 Izwi likaSimakade lafika kimi, lathi:
2 “Ungazithatheli umfazi, ungazali madodana namadodakazi kule ndawo.”
3 Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade ngamadodana namadodakazi azalwa kule ndawo, nangonina abawabelethayo, nangoyise abawazalayo kuleli lizwe, uthi:
4 “Bayakubulawa yizifo, bangalilelwa, futhi bangangcwatshwa; bayakufana nendle emhlabathini, baqothulwe ngenkemba, babhujiswe yindlala, izidumbu zabo ziyakuba ngukudla kwezinyoni zezulu, nezilwane zomhlaba.”
5 Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: “Ungangeni endlini okulilwa kuyo, ungayi ukuyolila, ungabakhombisi uzwelo, ngokuba ngikususile ukuthula kwami kulaba bantu, kanye nomusa, nobubele bami,” kusho uSimakade.
6 “Izikhulu nabantukazana bayofela kuleli lizwe, abayukungcwatshwa, abayukulilelwa. Abantu abayukuzisika, abayukuwaphuca amakhanda ngenxa yabo,
7 akuyukuba khona obahlephulela isinkwa sokulila ukuba abaduduze ngabafileyo, abayukuphuziswa endebeni yokududuza ngoyise nangonina.
8 “Awuyukungena endlini yedili ukuba uhlale nabo, udle, uphuze nabo.
9 Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Ngizakuqeda kule ndawo, phambi kwenu, nasemihleni yenu, umsindo wokujabula nowentokozo, izwi lomyeni nezwi likamakoti.’
10 “Kuyakuthi lapho ubatshela laba bantu wonke lawa mazwi, bayokuthi kuwe: ‘USimakade ukhulumeleni wamelana nathi, ngayo yonke le nhlekelele enkulu kangaka na? Buyini ububi bethu na? Siyini isono esone ngaso kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu na?’
11 Uyakuthi kubo: ‘Kungenxa yokuthi okhokho benu bangishiya,’ kusho uSimakade, ‘balandela abanye onkulunkulu, babakhonza, bakhuleka kubo, bangishiya, abawugcinanga umthetho wami.
12 Nani nenze okubi ukwedlula okhokho benu, ngokuba yilowo nalowo ulandela inkani nobubi obusenhliziyweni yakhe, aningilaleli.
13 Ngakho-ke ngizonixosha kuleli lizwe, niye ezweni eningalaziyo, nina nokhokho benu. Lapho niyakukhonza abanye onkulunkulu imini nobusuku, ngokuba angiyukuniphatha ngobubele.’
14 “Ngalokho-ke bheka, izinsuku ziyeza,” kusho uSimakade, “lapho kungaseyukuthiwa: ‘Ngifunga ngiyagomela phambi kukaSimakade owakhuphula abakwa-Israyeli eGibhithe,’
15 kodwa sekuyothiwa: ‘Ngifunga ngiyagomela phambi kukaSimakade owabakhuphula abakwa-Israyeli enyakatho nasemazweni wonke lapho ayebaxoshele khona;’ ngiyakubabuyisela ezweni lakubo, engalinika okhokho babo.
16 “Ngokuba, niyabona, ngizakuthumela abadobi abaningi babadobe,” usho kanje uSimakade, “ngithumele nabazingeli abaningi, babazingele kuzo zonke izintaba, nakuwo wonke amagquma, nasemifantwini yamadwala.
17 Ngokuba amehlo ami ayazibona zonke izindlela zabo; azisithekile ebusweni bami, nobubi babo abufihlekile emehlweni ami.
18 Ngizoqala ngokubashaya ngokuphindiwe ngenxa yobubi babo nezono zabo, ngokuba balingcolisile izwe lami ngezidumbu zezinto ezinengekayo, ifa lami baligcwalisile ngezinengiso zabo.”
19 Simakade, mandla ami nenqaba yami, siphephelo sami ngosuku lokuhlupheka, bayakuza kuwe abezizwe, bevela emajukujukwini omhlaba, bathi: “Obaba badla ifa elingamanga kuphela, okuyize, okungenanzuzo.
20 Umuntu angazenzela yini onkulunkulu na? Laba abasiye uNkulunkulu.
21 “Ngakho-ke ngiyakubazisa, ngalesi sikhathi ngiyakubenza bazi isandla sami namandla ami, bayokwazi ukuthi igama lami nginguSimakade.”