Jeremiya
4 “O Israyeli, uma uyobuya” kusho uJehova, “ungabuyela kimi.+ Futhi uma uyozisusa izinengiso zakho ngenxa yami,+ khona-ke ngeke uhambe njengombaleki. 2 Uma ngokuqinisekile uyofunga+ uthi, ‘Kuphila kukaJehova ngeqiniso,+ ngobulungisa nangokulunga!’+ khona-ke izizwe impela ziyozibusisa ngaye, futhi ziyoziqhayisa ngaye.”+
3 Ngoba yilokhu uJehova akushilo kubantu bakwaJuda nakulo iJerusalema: “Zilimeleni umhlabathi olimekayo, ningalokhu nihlwanyela emeveni.+ 4 Zisokeleni uJehova, nisuse ijwabu lezinhliziyo zenu,+ nina bantu bakwaJuda nabakhileyo eJerusalema; ukuze ukufutheka kwami kungaphumi njengomlilo, futhi ngokuqinisekile kuvuthe kungabikho ocimayo, ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zenu.”+
5 Kwaziseni kwaJuda, nikumemezele ngisho naseJerusalema,+ nikusho ngokuzwakalayo, nishaye uphondo kulo lonke izwe.+ Memezani kakhulu nithi: “Buthanani, singene emizini enezivikelo eziqinile.+ 6 Phakamiselani iZiyoni isibonakaliso. Yenzani ilungiselelo lokukhosela. Ningami ningenzi lutho.” Ngoba kukhona inhlekelele engiyilethayo evela enyakatho,+ yebo isibhicongo esikhulu. 7 Ukhuphukile njengengonyama iphuma ehlozini layo,+ futhi lowo ochitha izizwe usukile;+ uphumile endaweni yakhe ukuze enze izwe lakho libe yinto eshaqisayo. Imizi yakho iyowa ibe yizincithakalo kangangokuba ngeke kube nowakhileyo khona.+ 8 Ngenxa yalokhu bhincani indwangu yesaka.+ Shayani izifuba zenu nihewule,+ ngoba intukuthelo evuthayo kaJehova ayikasuki kithi.+
9 “Kuyothi ngalolo suku,” kusho uJehova, “inhliziyo yenkosi ishabalale,+ nenhliziyo yezikhulu futhi; nabapristi bayophoqeleka ukuba bashaqeke, abaprofethi bona bayomangala.”+
10 Ngathi: “Maye Nkosi EnguMbusi Jehova! Impela usikhohlisé ngokuphelele lesi sizwe+ kanye neJerusalema, uthi, ‘Ukuthula kuyoba ngokwenu,’+ kodwa inkemba ifinyelele khona kanye emphefumulweni.”
11 Ngaleso sikhathi kuyothiwa kulesi sizwe nakulo iJerusalema: “Kukhona umoya ohangulayo wezindlela ezibhudulekile ezidabula ihlane+ endleleni eya endodakazini yabantu bami;+ injongo yawo ayikona ukwela noma ukuhlunga. 12 Lo moya uza kimi ngamandla uvela kuzo. Manje nami ngizokhuluma izahlulelo kubo.+ 13 Bheka! Uzokhuphuka njengamafu emvula, izinqola zakhe zinjengesivunguvungu.+ Amahhashi akhe anejubane elidlula elezinkozi.+ Maye kithi, ngoba siphangiwe! 14 O Jerusalema, hlanza inhliziyo yakho ebubini, ukuze usindiswe.+ Kuyoze kube nini imicabango yakho ephambukile ihleli ngaphakathi kuwe?+ 15 Ngoba izwi liyakhuluma kwaDani+ futhi limemezela okuthile okulimazayo esifundeni sezintaba sakwa-Efrayimi.+ 16 Khulumani ngakho, yebo ezizweni. Kumemezeleni loku ngokumelene neJerusalema.”
“Kuza abalindi bevela ezweni elikude,+ futhi bayozwakalisa izwi labo ngokumelene nayo kanye imizi yakwaJuda. 17 Baye baba njengabaqaphi bensimu engabiyelwe ngokumelene nalo nhlangothi zonke,+ ngoba lidlubulundile kimi,”+ kusho uJehova. 18 “Indlela yakho nezenzo zakho—uyonikezwa lezi zinto.+ Lena yinhlekelele ekwehlelayo, ngoba iyababa; ngoba ifinyelele khona kanye enhliziyweni yakho.”
19 O amathumbu ami, amathumbu ami! Ngisezinhlungwini ezinzima ezindongeni zenhliziyo yami.+ Inhliziyo yami iyahlokoma ngaphakathi kimi.+ Angikwazi ukuthula, ngoba umphefumulo wami uzwé umsindo wophondo, inhlabamkhosi yempi.+ 20 Kumenyezelwé isibhicongo ngemva kwesinye, ngoba lonke izwe liphangiwe.+ Amatende ami aphangwe ngokuzumayo,+ izindwangu zami zamatende ngomzuzwana. 21 Kuyoze kube nini ngilokhu ngibona isibonakaliso, ngilokhu ngizwa umsindo wophondo?+ 22 Ngoba isizwe sami siyisiwula.+ Asizange singiqaphele mina.+ Singamadodana angahlakaniphile; futhi asibona abanokuqonda.+ Sihlakaniphele ukwenza okubi, kodwa empeleni asinalo ulwazi lokwenza okuhle.+
23 Ngabona izwe, bheka! lalingenalutho liwugwadule;+ ngabheka nasemazulwini, ukukhanya kwawo kwakungasekho.+ 24 Ngabona izintaba, bheka! zazizamazama, namagquma wonke ayenyakaziswa.+ 25 Ngabona, bheka! kwakungekho muntu wasemhlabeni, nezidalwa ezindizayo zamazulu zazibalekile zonke.+ 26 Ngabona, bheka! ingadi yezithelo yayiyihlane, nayo kanye imizi yalo yayidiliziwe.+ Kwakungenxa kaJehova, ngenxa yentukuthelo yakhe evuthayo.
27 Ngoba yilokhu uJehova akushilo: “Izwe lonke liyoba yihlane eliyincithakalo,+ futhi ngeke yini ngiqothule ngokuphelele?+ 28 Ngenxa yalokhu izwe liyolila,+ namazulu phezulu ngokuqinisekile ayoba mnyama.+ Kungenxa yokuthi ngikhulumile, ngikucabangele, angizange ngidabuke, futhi ngeke ngibuye kukho.+ 29 Ngenxa yomsindo wezinkweli zamahhashi nabacibishela iminsalo wonke umuzi uyabaleka.+ Bangene emahlozini, bakhuphukele nasemadwaleni.+ Yonke imizi ishiyiwe, futhi akukho muntu ohlala kuyo.”
30 Manje njengoba uphangiwe, yini ozoyenza, njengoba wawugqoka okubomvu, njengoba wawuvunula ngemihlobiso yegolide, njengoba wawugqamisa amehlo akho ngesigqabo esimnyama?+ Wawuzenza muhle ngeze.+ Labo ababekukhanukela bakwalile; baqhubeka befuna umphefumulo wakho.+ 31 Ngoba ngizwé izwi elinjengelowesifazane ogulayo, usizi olunjengolowesifazane obeletha ingane yakhe yokuqala,+ izwi lendodakazi yaseZiyoni elokhu ibitoza ifuna umoya. Iqhubeka yeneka izintende zezandla zayo ithi:+ “Maye kimi, manje, ngoba umphefumulo wami ukhathele ngababulali!”+