Jeremiah 8
1 “ ‘Ngaleso sikhathi,’ kusho uSimakade, ‘bayakukhipha amathambo amakhosi akwaJuda, awezikhulu zakhona, awabaphristi, awabaphrofethi nawezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema, emathuneni abo,’ kusho uSimakade.
2 ‘Bayowaneka elangeni nasenyangeni nakuzo zonke izinkanyiso zezulu, ababekuthanda, bekukhonza, bekulandela, bebuza kukho, futhi bekhuleka kukho. Awayukubuthwa, awayukwembelwa; ayakuba njengendle ebusweni bomhlaba.
3 Insali yonke eseleyo kulowo nalowo mndeni omubi, iyoqoma ukufa kunokuphila, leyo eyosala ezindaweni zonke, lapho ngiyidingisele khona,’ ” kusho uSimakade Wamabandla.
4 “Uyokuthi futhi kubo: ‘Usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: “ ‘Abantu bayawa yini, bangabuye basukume na? Umuntu uyaphambuka yini, angabuye aphenduke na?
5 Pho kungani laba bantu baseJerusalema bephendukile, bahlubuka njalonjalo na? Babambelela enkohlisweni, benqaba ukubuya.
6 Ngiqaphelisisile, ngezwa; abalikhulumi iqiniso; akekho ophendukayo ebubini bakhe, ethi: “Ngikwenzeleni lokhu na?” Bonke bazihambela ezindleleni zabo, njengamahhashi ephulukundlela empini.
7 Unogolantethe emkhathini uyazazi izikhathi zakhe ezimisiweyo; ihobhe, ihhashi, inkonjane, nonohhemu, kuyazigcina izikhathi zokufika kwakho; kodwa abantu bami kabazazi izimiso zikaSimakade.
8 “ ‘Ningakusho kanjani ukuthi: “ ‘Sihlakaniphile, nomthetho kaSimakade ukithi na? “ ‘Impela, usiba lwababhali bamanga, luloba amanga.
9 Abahlakaniphileyo bayohlazeka, badangale, babhajwe; balilahlile izwi likaSimakade, pho banakuhlakanipha kuni na?
10 Ngakho-ke ngizonika abafazi babo abanye, ngibaphuce amasimu abo; ngokuba kusukela ezinganeni kuya kwabadala, bonke bathola inzunzo engabafanele; nabo bonke abaphrofethi nabaphristi baqamba amanga.
11 Belaphile kalula ukulimala kwendodakazi yabantu bami, bethi: “Ngukuthula, ngukuthula;” kube kungekho ukuthula.
12 Kabanamahloni ngezinengiso abazenzileyo, kabanamahloni nakancane; abakhophozi, kabazi, ngakho-ke bayakuwela phakathi kwalabo asebewile; ngesikhathi sokujeziswa kwabo bayakukhubeka, kusho uSimakade.
13 “ ‘Bengizobutha nokubutha, kepha awekho amagilebhisi namakhiwane emkhiwaneni; amaqabunga abunile engabanika khona bakwephuciwe,’ ” kusho uSimakade.
14 “Sisahlaleleni na? Buthanani, masingene emizini ebiyelweyo, ukuze sibhubhele lapho, ngokuba uSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu, usinqumele ukubhujiswa, usiphuzise amanzi anobuthi, ngokuba sonile kuSimakade.
15 Besilindele ukuthula, kodwa akukho okuhle; nesikhathi sokuphiliswa, kepha bheka, luvalo lodwa.
16 Ukuthimula kwamahhashi akhe kuzwakele kwaDani; umsindo wokukhala kwamahhashi akhe anamandla kuthuthumelise lonke izwe, ngokuba asefikile, aliqothula izwe nakho konke okukulo, umuzi nabakhileyo kuwo.”
17 “Bheka, ngizothumela phakathi kwenu izinyoka, izinyoka ezinesihlungu esibi, ezingenakulunjwa; ziyoniluma,” kusho uSimakade.
18 Akukho ukududuzeka ngosizi lwami, inhliziyo yami idangele.
19 Kuyezwakala izwi lokukhala kwendodakazi yabantu bami, livela ezweni elikude, lithi: “USimakade akekho yini eZiyoni na? Inkosi yalo ayikho yini kulo na?” “Bangichukuluzeleni ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo, nangokuyize kwabezizwe na?”
20 “Ukuvuna sekwedlulile, ihlobo liphelile, kodwa thina asisindiswanga.”
21 Ngilimele ngokulinyazwa kwendodakazi yabantu bami, ngiyalila, ukwesaba kungikhungethe.
22 Alikho yini ibhalisamu kwaGileyadi na? Ayikho yini inyanga lapho na? Pho abelashwa ngani abantu bami na?