Jeremiah 5
1 “Yehlani nenyuka emigwaqweni eJerusalema, nibheke nxazonke, niqaphele, nicinge ezigcawini zalo, uma niyofumana umuntu abe munye vo owenza ubulungiswa, ofuna iqiniso; khona ngiyolithethelela.
2 Noma bangathi: ‘Sifunga phambi kukaSimakade,’ nokho bafunga amanga.”
3 Simakade, kanti amehlo akho awafuni lona yini iqiniso na? Ubashayile, kodwa abadabukanga, ubaqedile, kepha balile ukwemukela ukuyalwa; ubuso babo babenze balukhuni ukwedlula itshe, benqaba ukuphenduka.
4 Ngase ngithi: “Laba yizimpofana nje, benze ubuwula, ngoba kabayazi indlela kaSimakade, nokwehlulela kukaNkulunkulu wabo.
5 Ngizakuya kwabakhulu, ngikhulume nabo, ngokuba bona bayayazi indlela kaSimakade nesimiso sikaNkulunkulu wabo,” nokho nabo balephulile ijoka ngokufanayo, bazigqabula izibopho.
6 Ngakho-ke ingonyama yehlathi izobahlasela, impisi yasehlane ibabhubhise, ingwe icuthele imizi yabo; bonke abaphuma kuyo ibadweshule, ngokuba iziphambeko zabo ziningi, nokuhlubuka kwabo kukhulu.
7 “Kepha ngingakuthethelela kanjani na? Abantwana bakho bangishiyile, bafunga okungesibo onkulunkulu. Ngabondla basutha, kodwa baphinga, babuthana endlini yesifebe.
8 Bafana namahhashi akhulupheleyo andindayo; yilowo nalowo ukhanuka umfazi kamakhelwane wakhe.
9 Angiyukubajezisa yini ngenxa yalokho na?” kusho uSimakade. “Umphefumulo wami awuyukuziphindiselela yini esizweni esifana nalesi na?
10 “Khuphukelani ezingangeni zalo, nilibhubhise, nokho ningaqothi imbokodo nesisekelo kulo; susani amagatsha alo, ngokuba akusiwo akaNkulunkulu.
11 Indlu ka-Israyeli nendlu kaJuda zenze ubuqili obukhulu kimi,” kusho uSimakade.
12 Ziqambe amanga ngoSimakade, zathi: “Ngeke eze Yena, asehlisele okubi, asiyukubona nkemba nandlala.
13 Abaphrofethi baphenduke umoya nje, alikho izwi kubo; ngakho-ke makwenziwe kanjalo kubo.”
14 Ngakho-ke, usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu Wamabandla, uthi: “Ngokuba nikhulume leli lizwi, amazwi ami, ngiyakuwenza amazwi ami emlonyeni wenu, abe ngumlilo laba bantu babe yizinkuni, ubadle.
15 Ngizakwehlisela kini, nina ndlu ka-Israyeli, isizwe esivela kude,” kusho uSimakade; “yisizwe esinamandla, isizwe esidala, isizwe ongalwazi ulimi lwaso, nongakuqondi esikushoyo.
16 Umgodla waso ufana nethuna elivulekileyo; sonke singamaqhawe.
17 Siyakudla isivuno sakho nesinkwa sakho, sidle amadodana namadodakazi akho, sidle izimvu zakho nezinkomo zakho, sidle imivini yakho nemikhiwane yakho, sibhubhise ngenkemba imizi yakini ebiyelweyo enethembele kuyo.
18 “Kepha nangalezo zinsuku,” kusho uSimakade, “angiyukuniqeda nya.
19 Kuyakuthi lapho nithi: ‘USimakade uNkulunkulu wenu ukwenzeleni kithi konke lokhu na?’ Ubatshele, uthi: ‘Njengalokhu ningishiyile, nakhonza onkulunkulu babezizwe ezweni lakini, kanjalo-ke niyakukhonza eningabaziyo ezweni elingesilo elenu.’ ”
20 “Memezela lokhu endlini Jakobe, ukumemezele ngisho nakwaJuda, uthi:
21 Yizwani lokhu, nina bantu abayiziwula neningenakuqonda; eninamehlo, kodwa aniboni; eninezindlebe, kodwa anizwa.
22 Aningesabi yini?” kusho uSimakade. “Anithuthumeli yini phambi kwami? Mina engibeke isihlabathi saba ngumkhawulo wolwandle, umngcele ophakade olungenakudlula kuwo na? Noma lungagubha amagagasi, alunakuwehlula, noma lungaduma, alunakuweqa.
23 Kepha laba bantu banenhliziyo enenkani nehlubukayo; bembukile, bahamba.
24 Abashongo ezinhliziyweni zabo, ukuthi: ‘Ake sesabe uSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu, onika imvula yokuqala neyakamuva ngesikhathi sayo, osigcinele amasonto anqunyiweyo okuba sivune.’
25 Ububi benu buzibalekisile lezi zinto, nezono zenu zakuvimba okuhle kini.
26 “Ababi bafunyanwa phakathi kwabantu bami, bayaqamekela njengabacupha inyoni, babeke ugibe, ukuba babambe abantu.
27 Njengendlwana yezinyoni igcwele izinyoni, kanjalo izindlu zabo zigcwele inkohliso; bakhulu, banothile.
28 Bakhuluphele, bayacwebezela, yebo, ububi babo abunamkhawulo, abehluleli ngokulunga, abazimeli izintandane ukuba nazo ziphumelele, abawalweli amalungelo abampofu.
29 Angiyukubajezisa yini ngalokhu na?” kusho uSimakade. “Umphefumulo wami awuyukusijezisa yini isizwe esinjengalesi na?
30 “Ezweni kwenzeke okumangalisayo nokwesabekayo.
31 Abaphrofethi baphrofetha amanga, abaphristi babusa njengoba beyalwa ngabaphrofethi. Abantu bami bathanda khona lokho, kodwa bayokwenzenjani uma kufika ukuphela na?”