1Izwi likaSimakade lafika kuJeremiya lithi:
2“Suka wehlele endlini yombumbi, ngizokuzwisa lapho amazwi ami.”
3Ngase ngehlela endlini yombumbi; wayenza umsebenzi wakhe esondweni lokubumba.
4Kepha isitsha ayesenza ngebumba sonakala esandleni sombumbi. Wabuye wenza esinye isitsha kabusha njengalokhu ayefisa ukuba asenze.
5Izwi likaSimakade lafika kimi, lithi:
6“Ngingenzi yini kini ndlu ka-Israyeli njengoba umbumbi enza na?” kusho uSimakade. “Bhekani, njengebumba esandleni sombumbi, ninjalo esandleni sami, nina ndlu ka-Israyeli.
7Ngesinye isikhathi ngiyakukhuluma ngesizwe nangombuso ukuthi ngizowusiphula, ngiwudilize, ngiwubhubhise,
8leso sizwe engikhulume ngaso uma siphenduka ebubini baso; ngiyakuyeka ukwenza okubi ebengihlose ukukwenza kuso.
9Ngesinye isikhathi ngiyakukhuluma ngesizwe nangombuso ukuwakha nokuwutshala;
10nokho uma senza okubi emehlweni ami, singalilaleli izwi lami, ngiyakuyeka ukusenzela okuhle ebengithe ngiyakusenzela khona.
11“Ngakho-ke yisho manje kubo bonke abakwaJuda nakuzo izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: Bhekani, nginibumbela inhlekelele, ngiceba icebo ngani; phendukani, kube yilowo nalowo endleleni yakhe embi, nenze izindlela zenu nezenzo zenu zibe zinhle.’ ”
12Kepha bayakuthi: “Kuyize, siyakulandela amacebo ethu, senze, kube yilowo nalowo ngenkani kagovane wakhe omubi.”
13Ngakho-ke usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: “Buzani phakathi kwabezizwe ukuthi ngubani owake wazizwa lezi zinto ezinjena na? Intombi yakwa-Israyeli yenze into embi kakhulu.
14Ungqoqwane eLebhanoni wake washabalala yini emadwaleni asendle, namanzi aqandayo ayeka ukugeleza na?
15Nokho abantu bami bangikhohliwe, bashisela okuyize impepho; bakhubeka ezindleleni zabo, emendweni yasemandulo, ukuba bahambe ngemikhondo, nangezindlela ezingahlelwanga;
16benze izwe labo laba yincithakalo nento enximfelwa njalo; bonke abadlula khona bayakumangala, banikine ikhanda.
17Njengomoya wasempumalanga ngiyakubahlakaza phambi kwezitha zabo, ngibabonise umhlane, hhayi ubuso, ngosuku lwenhlekelele yabo.”
18Base bethi: “Wozani simakhele uzungu uJeremiya, ngokuba umyalelo awuyukulahleka ngomphristi, ukweluleka ngohlakaniphileyo, nezwi ngomphrofethi; wozani simhlasele ngamazwi ethu, singalinaki nelilodwa lamazwi akhe.”
19Simakade, ngilalele, uzwe izwi labamelene nami.
20Okuhle kuyaphindiselwa yini ngokubi na? Nokho bangimbele umgodi. Khumbula ukuthi ngema phambi kobuso bakho; ngakhuluma okuhle ngabo, nokunqanda ulaka lwakho kubo.
21Ngakho-ke nikela abantwana babo endlaleni, ubanikele emandleni enkemba; abafazi babo bangabi nabantwana, babe ngabafelokazi, amadodana abo abulawe wubhubhane, nezinsizwa zabo zibhuqwe ngenkemba empini.
22Makuzwakale ukukhala ezindlini zabo, lapho uthumela kubo abaphangi ngokuzumayo, ngokuba bambile umgodi wokungibamba, bafihlela izinyawo zami izingibe.
23Kepha Wena Simakade uyawazi wonke amacebo abo okungibulala; ungabuthetheleli ububi babo, nesono sabo ungasesuli phambi kwakho, mabathelwe phansi phambi kwakho, ubajezise ngesikhathi usathukuthele.