Jeremiya
Isahluko 8
“Ngaleso sikhathi, usho uJehova, bayakuwakhipha amathambo amakhosi akwaJuda, namathambo ezikhulu zakhe, namathambo abapristi namathambo abaprofethi, namathambo abakhileyo eJerusalema emathuneni abo,
2 baweneke elangeni nasenyangeni nakulo lonke ibandla lasezulwini, abakuthandile, bakukhonza, bakulandela, bakufuna, bakhuleka kukho; awayikubuthwa, awayikumbelwa, ayakuba ngumquba ebusweni bomhlabathi.
3 Ukufa kuyakukhethwa kunokuphila yinsali yonke esele kulowo mndeni omubi, esele ezindaweni zonke, lapho ngiyixoshele khona, usho uJehova Sebawoti.’
4 “Futhi uyakusho kubo, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: “ ‘Abantu bayakuwa, bangabuyi basukume, na? Umuntu uyaphambuka, angabuyi aphenduke, na?
5 Bahlehlelani laba bantu baseJerusalema ngokuhlehla njalonjalo na? Babambelela enkohlisweni, bala ukubuya.
6 Ngaqaphela, ngezwa; abakhulumanga kahle; akakho ozisola ngobubi bakhe, ethi: “Ngenzeni na?” Bonke baphendukela emisebenzini yabo njengamahhashi aphulukundlela empini.
7 Nonogolantethe emkhathini uyazazi izikhathi zakhe ezimisiweyo, ihobhe, nenkonjane, nonohemu bagcina isikhathi sokufika kwabo, kepha abantu bami abazazi izahlulelo zikaJehova.
8 “ ‘Ningasho kanjani, nithi: “Sihlakaniphile, umthetho kaJehova unathi,” na? Impela bheka, uthi lokuloba lwamanga lwababhali lusebenzile okwamanga.
9 Abahlakaniphileyo bayakujabha, besabe, babhajwe; bheka, balilahlile izwi likaJehova, banokuhlakanipha kuni na?
10 Ngalokho abafazi babo ngiyakubanika abanye, namasimu abo kwabayakuwadla, ngokuba kusukela kwabancane kuya kwabakhulu bayaphanga impango bonke, nabaprofethi nabapristi bonke baqamba amanga.
11 Bapholisa kalula ukulimala kwendodakazi yabantu bami, bathi: “Ngukuthula, ngukuthula;” kepha akukho ukuthula.
12 Bayakuba namahloni, ngokuba benza izinengiso; nokho abanamahloni nakanye, abakhophozi; ngalokho bayakuwa phakathi kwabawayo, ngesikhathi sokubahambela kwami bayakukhubeka, usho uJehova.
13 “ ‘Bengiyakubutha nokubutha,’ usho uJehova, ‘kepha azikho izithelo zomvini emvinini, namakhiwane emkhiwaneni; namaqabunga abunile; engibanikile khona kusukile kubo.’ ”
14 “Sihlalelani na? Buthanani, singene emizini ebiyelweyo, sibhubhe khona, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu usibhubhisile, wasiphuzisa amanzi enyongo, ngokuba sonile kuJehova.
15 Silindela ukuthula, kepha okuhle akukho, nesikhathi sokuphulukiswa, kepha bheka, luvalo.
16 Ukuthimula kwamahhashi akhe kuyezwakala kwaDani; ngezwi lokuyiyiza kwanamandla akhe izwe lonke liyathuthumela, ngokuba afikile, alidlile izwe nakho konke okukulo, umuzi nabakhe kuwo.”
17 “Ngokuba ngiyathuma kini izinyoka nawomantshingeyana abangenakulunjwa, bayakuniluma,” usho uJehova.
18 Alunakududuzeka kimi usizi oluphezu kwami, inhliziyo yami idangele.
19 Bheka, izwi lokukhala kwendodakazi yabantu bami livela ezweni elikude, lithi: “Akakho uJehova eSiyoni na? Ayikho inkosi yalo kulo na?” “Bangicunuleleni ngezithombe zabo ezibaziweyo nangokuyize kwabezizwe na?”
20 “Ukuvuna kudlulile, ihlobo liphelile, kepha thina asisindiswanga.”
21 Ngokulimala kwendodakazi yabantu bami ngilimele; ngidabukile, ukumangala kungibambile.
22 Ibhalisamu alikho kwaGileyadi na? Inyanga ayikho lapho na? Pho, ayipheleliswa ngani impilo yendodakazi yabantu bami na?