Yeremiya
5 Hamba-hambani kwizitrato zaseYerusalem
Laqazani nize niqaphele.
Khangelani kwiindawo zikawonke-wonke nize nibone
Ukuba ningamfumana na umntu owenza ubulungisa,+
Umntu ofuna ukuthembeka,
Ibe ndiza kusixolela eso sixeko.
2 Nokuba bathi: “Ephila nje uYehova!”
Baza kuba bafungela ubuxoki.+
3 Yhini na Yehova, amehlo akho awakhangeli abathembekileyo na?+
Ubabethile, kodwa abavanga ntlungu.*
Ubatshabalalisile, kodwa abafunanga ukwamkela ingqeqesho.+
4 Kodwa ndazixelela ukuba: “Ngokuqinisekileyo aba ngabantu abangabalulekanga.
Benza ngobudenge, kuba abayazi indlela kaYehova,
Umgwebo kaThixo wabo.
5 Ndiza kuya kumadoda aziwayo ndize ndithethe nawo,
Kuba amele ukuba ayiqaphele indlela kaYehova,
Umgwebo kaThixo wawo.+
Kodwa onke ayophule idyokhwe;
Aqhawula izinto abotshwe ngazo.”
6 Yiloo nto ingonyama yehlathi ibahlasela,
Ingcuka yasentlango ibatshabalalisa,
Ihlosi libalalela ezixekweni zabo.
Wonke umntu ophuma kubo uyadlakazwa.
Kuba zininzi izono zabo;
Baye abathembeka kakhulu.+
7 Ndingakuxolela njani ngale nto?
Oonyana bakho bandilahlile,
Futhi bafunga ngento engengoThixo.+
Ndabenzela yonke into abayidingayo,
Kodwa baye baqhubeka bekrexeza,*
Bagxalathelana ukuya kwindlu yomfazi othengisa ngomzimba.
9 “Andimele ndibaphendulise na ke ngezi zinto,” utsho uYehova.
“Andimele ndiziphindezele na ke kuhlanga olunje?”+
10 “Ngena kwiindledlana eziphakathi kwemithi yeediliya uze uzivuthulule,
Kodwa sukuzitshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo.+
Susa amasebe ayo antshulayo,
Kuba awangokaYehova.
Akukho kwantlekele iza kusehlela;
Asizukubona krele okanye ndlala.’+
Mayenzeke le nto kubo!”
14 Ngoko ke uthi uYehova, uThixo wemikhosi:
“Ekubeni la madoda ethetha ezi zinto,
Ngoku ndenza amazwi am abe ngumlilo emlonyeni wakho,+
Ibe esi sizwana siziinkuni,
Kwaye uza kusiqwenga.”+
15 “Ndinizisela uhlanga oluvela kude, ndlu kaSirayeli,”+ utsho uYehova.
“Uhlanga ekudala lukho.
16 Isingxobo salo seentolo sifana nengcwaba elivulekileyo;
Bonke bangamagorha.
17 Baza kusigqiba isivuno sakho nesonka sakho.+
Baza kubagqiba oonyana bakho neentombi zakho.
Baza kuyigqiba imihlambi yakho yeegusha neyeenkomo.
Baza kuyigqiba imithi yakho yeediliya neyamafiya.*
Baza kuzitshabalalisa ngekrele izixeko zakho ezikhuselekileyo othembele ngazo.”
18 “Kodwa nangezo ntsuku,” utsho uYehova, “andizukukutshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo.+ 19 Kwaye xa besithi, ‘Kutheni uYehova uThixo wethu enze ezi zinto nje kuthi?’ uze ubaphendule uthi, ‘Njengokuba undilahlile waza wakhonza uthixo wasemzini elizweni lakho, uza kukhonza abantu basemzini kwilizwe elingelolakho.’”+
20 Thethani le nto kwindlu kaYakobi,
Yaye yithini kwaYuda:
21 “Mamelani apha, bantundini abazizidenge nabangaqiqiyo:*+
22 ‘Anindoyiki na?’ utsho uYehova,
‘Animelanga ningcangcazele na phambi kwam?
Ndim obeke isanti yangumda wolwandle,
Umthetho ongenakutshintsha wokuba aluzukudlula.
Nangona amaza alo elatyuza, awazukoyisa;
Nangona egquma, awazukudlula ngaphaya kwawo.+
24 Asitsho entliziyweni yaso ukuba:
“Masoyikeni uYehova uThixo wethu,
Lowo uzisa imvula ngexesha layo,
Imvula yasekwindla kunye nemvula yasentwasahlobo,
Lowo usigcinela iiveki ezimiselweyo zokuvuna.”+
26 Kuba kukho abenzi-bubi phakathi kwabantu bam.
Bahlala bejonge ntsho, belalele ngokungathi ngabathiyiseli beentaka.
Babeke isabatha esibulalayo.
Babambisa abantu.
Yiloo nto benegunya yaye bezizityebi.
28 Batyebile ibe batum-tum.
Baphuphuma izinto ezimbi.
Abalichopheli ityala lomntwana ongenatata,+
Ukuze baphumelele;
Abafuni ukulenzela ubulungisa ihlwempu.’”+
29 “Andimele ndibaphendulise na ke ngezi zinto,” utsho uYehova,
“Andimele ndiziphindezele na ke kuhlanga olunje?
30 Kwenzeke into emanyumnyezi nembi kakhulu elizweni:
Kwaye abantu bam bayayithanda loo nto;+
Kodwa niza kuthini xa kufika isiphelo?”