Jeremiah 29
1 Nanka amazwi encwadi uJeremiya, umphrofethi, ayithumela eseJerusalema ensalini yamalunga, abaphristi, abaphrofethi nakubo bonke abantu uNebukhadinezari ayebathumbile eJerusalema, wabayisa eBhabhele.
2 Lokhu kwenzeka emveni kokuba inkosi uJekhoniya, indlovukazi emzalayo, izikhulu zasesigodlweni, izikhulu zakwaJuda nezaseJerusalema, izingcweti nabakhandi, sebesukile eJerusalema,
3 ngesandla sika-Elasa, indodana kaShafani noGemariya, indodana kaHilikiya, uZedekiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, abathuma eBhabhele kuNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhele, ethi:
4 Usho 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;
6 thathani abafazi, nizale amadodana namadodakazi; thathelani amadodana enu abafazi, amadodakazi enu niwaganisele amadoda, ukuba azale amadodana namadodakazi, nande lapho, ninganciphi.
7 Funani inhlalakahle yomuzi lapho nithunjelwe khona, niwukhulekele kuSimakade, ngokuba inhlalakahle yawo kuyoba yinhlalakahle yenu.”
8 Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Maningakhohliswa ngabaphrofethi benu abaphakathi kwenu, nababhuli benu, ningawalaleli amaphupho enu eniwaphuphayo.
9 Ngokuba baphrofetha amanga kini, egameni lami, Mina angibathumanga,” kusho uSimakade.
10 Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: “Uma sekuphele iminyaka engama-70 niseBhabhele, ngiyakunikhumbula, ngilifeze kini izwi lami elihle, ngokunibuyisela kule ndawo.
11 Ngokuba Mina ngiyawazi amacebo enginawo ngani,” kusho uSimakade, “amacebo okuba nibe nenhlalakahle, hhayi awokunilimaza, awokuninika ikusasa nethemba.
12 Niyakungibiza, nize nikhuleke kimi, ngiyakunizwa.
13 Niyakungifuna, ningifumane, lapho ningifunisisa ngenhliziyo yenu yonke.
14 Ngiyakufunyanwa yinina,” kusho uSimakade, “ngiyakukuqeda ukuthunjwa kwenu, nginiqoqe kuzo zonke izizwe nasezindaweni zonke lapho nginixoshele khona, nginibuyisele endaweni enganisusa kuyo nganiyisa ekuthunjweni,” kusho uSimakade.
15 Ngokuba nikhulume nathi: “USimakade usivusele abaphrofethi eBhabhele.”
16 Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade enkosini ehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide, nakubo bonke abantu abahlala kulo muzi, abafowenu abangayanga nani ekuthunjweni,
17 yebo, usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uthi: “Bhekani, ngiyakuthumela kubo inkemba, indlala, nobhubhane, ngibenze babe njengamakhiwane abolile angenakudliwa, ngenxa yobubi bawo.
18 Ngiyakubalandela ngenkemba, ngendlala nangobhubhane, ngibenze into esabisayo emibusweni yonke yomhlaba, babe yisiqalekiso, incithakalo, into enximfelwayo, nehlazo ezizweni zonke engibaxoshele kuzo,
19 ngokuba abawalalelanga amazwi ami,” kusho uSimakade, “engawathumela kubo ngezinceku zami, abaphrofethi, ngibathumela ngingaphezi; kodwa kanilalelanga,” kusho uSimakade.
20 Kepha manje yizwani izwi likaSimakade, nina nonke bathunjwa, enganithumela eBhabhele nisuka eJerusalema.
21 Usho 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.
22 Ngenxa yabo, bonke abathunjwa bakwaJuda abaseBhabhele bayakusebenzisa lesi siqalekiso, esithi: ‘USimakade makakwenze ukuba ube njengoZedekiya no-Ahabi, abosiwa emlilweni yinkosi yaseBhabhele,’
23 ngokuba benza ubuwula kwa-Israyeli, baphinga nabafazi bomakhelwane babo, bakhuluma amazwi angamanga egameni lami engingabayalanga ngawo; yimi engikwaziyo lokho, ngingufakazi,” kusho uSimakade.
24 Uyakuthi 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.
27 Manje awumsolanga ngani uJeremiya wase-Anathothi, ophrofetha kini na?
28 Ngokuba yena uthumele kithi siseBhabhele, wathi: kuyoba isikhathi eside; yakhani izindlu, nihlale kuzo; tshalani amasimu, nidle izithelo zawo.’ ”
29 UZefaniya, umphristi, wayifunda leyo ncwadi uJeremiya, umphrofethi, ezwa ngezindlebe zakhe.
30 Kwase 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,
32 ngalokho-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.’ ”