1Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuSimakade, lithi:
2“Usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Loba encwadini, wonke amazwi engiwakhulume kuwe.
3Ngokuba bheka, izinsuku ziyeza,’ kusho uSimakade, ‘lapho ngiyakuqeda ukuthunjwa kwabantu bami, u-Israyeli noJuda, bese ngibabuyisela ezweni engalinika okhokho babo ukuba balidle,’ ” kusho uSimakade.
4Nanka amazwi uSimakade awakhuluma ngo-Israyeli nangoJuda.
5“Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: “ ‘Sizwile izwi lokwesaba, nelengebhe futhi akukho ukuthula.
6Ake nibuze, nibone ukuthi indoda yake yabeletha na? Pho kungani ngibona wonke amadoda ebambelele okhalo njengowesifazane ebeletha, ubuso bonke buphaphathekile na?
7Maye, lukhulu lolo lusuku, alukho olunjengalo! Lesi yisikhathi sokuhlupheka kuJakobe, kodwa uzosindiswa kukho.
8“ ‘Kuyakuthi ngalolo lusuku,’ kusho uSimakade Wamabandla, ‘ngephule ijoka entanyeni yabo, ngigqabule izibopho zabo, bangabe besabakhonza abafokazi,
9kodwa bayakukhonza uSimakade uNkulunkulu wabo, noDavide inkosi yabo engiyakubavusela yena.
10“ ‘Ungesabi wena Jakobe, nceku yami,’ kusho uSimakade, ‘ungesabi, Israyeli, ngokuba bheka, ngiyakukusindisa usekude, nabozalo lwakho ezweni othunjwelwe kulo. UJakobe uyakubuya, aphumule, agcineke angesatshiswa muntu,
11ngokuba Mina nginawe,’ kusho uSimakade. ‘Ngiyakukusindisa, ngiziqede nya zonke izizwe engikuhlakazele kuzo, kodwa wena angiyukukuqeda. Ngiyakukuyala ngobulungiswa, angiyukukuyeka ngingakujezisi.’
12“Ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: “ ‘Ukulimala kwakho akunakuphola, nesilonda sakho sibi.
13Akekho omela udaba lwakho, akukho muthi wokukwelapha; akukho ukuphulukiswa kuwe.
14Zonke izithandwa zakho zikukhohliwe, azisakufuni, ngokuba ngikushaye njengesitha, ngakuyala njengononya, ngenxa yobukhulu bokona kwakho, nangenxa yobuningi bezono zakho.
15Ukhalelani ngenxeba lakho nangobuhlungu bakho obungenakwelashwa na? Lokhu ngikwenze ngenxa yobukhulu bokona kwakho, nobuningi bezono zakho.
16“ ‘Ngalokho bonke abakudlayo nabo bayakudliwa, zonke izitha zakho ngothi lwazo ziyakuthunjwa, nalabo abakuphangayo bayakuphangwa, nabo bonke abakuqhwagayo ngiyakubenza impango.
17Ngokuba ngiyakukuphilisa, ngelaphe izilonda zakho,’ kusho uSimakade, ‘ngokuba bakubize ngoxoshiweyo, neZiyoni akukho muntu olifunayo.’
18“Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: “ ‘Bheka, ngizokuqeda ukuthunjwa kwamathende kaJakobe, ngiwahawukele amakhaya akhe; umuzi uyokwakhiwa egqumeni lawo, isigodlo sihlale njengokufaneleyo.
19Kuyophuma kubo ukubonga nezwi lokuthokoza. Ngiyakubenza bande bangabe besancipha; ngibenze bahlonipheke, bangabe besadelelwa.
20Abantwana bakhe bayakuba njengakuqala, ibandla lakhe lime phambi kwami; ngibajezise bonke abamcindezelayo.
21Isikhulu siyakuba ngomunye wabo, nombusi walo uyakuvela phakathi kwabo. Ngiyakumsondeza, asondele kimi, ngokuba ngubani oke waba nesibindi sokusondela kimi na?’ kusho uSimakade.
22“ ‘Niyakuba ngabantu bami kimi, Mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu kinina.’ ”
23Bheka, isivunguvungu sikaSimakade! Ulaka lwakhe luphumile; isivunguvungu esibhubhisayo, siyakwehlela phezu kwamakhanda ezikhohlakali.
24Ukuvutha kolaka lukaSimakade akuyukunqandwa, aze akwenze, akufeze okuhloswe yinhliziyo yakhe. Ngezinsuku zokugcina niyakukuqonda lokhu.