UJeremiya 44:1-30
44 Leli yizwi elafika kuJeremiya liya kuwo wonke amaJuda ayehlala ezweni laseGibhithe, + lawo ayehlala eMigidoli, + eThahipanehesi, + eNofi *+ nasezweni lasePhatirosi, + lithi:
2 “Yilokhu uJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akushoyo, ‘Niyibonile yonke inhlekelele engiyilethe eJerusalema + nakuwo wonke amadolobha akwaJuda, namuhla ayincithakalo akukho muntu ohlala kuwo. +
3 Kungenxa yezinto ezimbi enazenza ukuze ningicasule, ngokuhamba niyokwenza imihlatshelo + nikhonze abanye onkulunkulu enaningabazi, nina nokhokho benu. +
4 Ngangilokhu ngithumela kini zonke izinceku zami abaprofethi, ngizithumela ngokuphindaphindiwe,* ngithi: “Ngicela ningayenzi le nto enyanyekayo engiyizondayo.” +
5 Kodwa anizange nilalele noma ninake ukuze nishiye izenzo zenu ezimbi ngokunganikeli imihlatshelo kwabanye onkulunkulu. +
6 Ngakho ngathulula ulaka lwami nentukuthelo yami kwawavuthela amadolobha akwaJuda nemigwaqo yaseJerusalema, kwaba yincithakalo namanxiwa, njengoba kunjalo namuhla.’ +
7 “Manje yilokhu uJehova, uNkulunkulu wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akushoyo, ‘Kungani nizilethela inhlekelele enkulu, ukuze wonke umuntu wesilisa, owesifazane, ingane nosana bashabalale kwaJuda, kungasali muntu?
8 Kungani ningicasula ngemisebenzi yezandla zenu ngokunikela imihlatshelo kwabanye onkulunkulu ezweni laseGibhithe, enihambe nayohlala kulo? Nizoshabalala nibe yisiqalekiso nesihlamba phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba. +
9 Senizikhohliwe yini izenzo ezimbi zokhokho benu, izenzo ezimbi zamakhosi akwaJuda + nezenzo ezimbi zomkawo, + izenzo ezimbi zenu nezenzo ezimbi zomkenu, + ezazenziwa ezweni lakwaJuda nasemigwaqweni yaseJerusalema?
10 Kuze kube namuhla anizange nizithobe,* anizange nesabe, + anizange nihambe ngomthetho wami nangezimiso zami engazibeka phambi kwenu naphambi kokhokho benu.’ +
11 “Ngakho-ke yilokhu uJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akushoyo, ‘Nakanjani ngizonilethela inhlekelele ukuze ngibhubhise wonke uJuda.
12 Ngizothatha abasele bakwaJuda abazimisele ukuya ezweni laseGibhithe ukuze bahlale khona, bonke bazoshabalala ezweni laseGibhithe. + Bazofa ngenkemba baqothulwe nayindlala; kusukela komncane kunabo bonke kuye komkhulu kunabo bonke, bazofa ngenkemba nangendlala. Bazoba yisiqalekiso, into eshaqisayo, into yokuthukwa nesihlamba. +
13 Ngizobajezisa labo abahlala ezweni laseGibhithe njengoba nje ngajezisa iJerusalema ngenkemba, ngendlala nangesifo esiwumshayabhuqe. +
14 Abantu bakwaJuda abasele abaye kohlala ezweni laseGibhithe ngeke baphunyuke noma basinde ukuze babuyele ezweni lakwaJuda. Bayofisa ukubuyela bayohlala khona, kodwa ngeke babuyele, ngaphandle kwabambalwa abayophunyuka.’ ”
15 Wonke amadoda ayazi ukuthi omkawo babenzela abanye onkulunkulu imihlatshelo, nabo bonke abafazi ababemi lapho, ababeyiqembu elikhulu nabo bonke abantu ababehlala ezweni laseGibhithe, + ePhatirosi, + bamphendula uJeremiya, bathi:
16 “Ngeke sililalele izwi ositshele lona elivela kuJehova.
17 Kunalokho, nakanjani sizokwenza konke esikushilo, senzele iNdlovukazi Yezulu* imihlatshelo siyithululele neminikelo ephuzwayo, + njengoba nje thina, okhokho bethu, amakhosi ethu nezikhulu zethu sasenza emadolobheni akwaJuda nasemigwaqweni yaseJerusalema, lapho sasanelisekile ngokudla futhi siphila kahle, kungekho nhlekelele nhlobo esehlelayo.
18 Kusukela ngesikhathi esayeka ngaso ukwenzela iNdlovukazi Yezulu* imihlatshelo nokuyithululela iminikelo ephuzwayo siye saswela yonke into, sashabalala ngenkemba nangendlala.”
19 Abesifazane banezela bathi: “Abayeni bethu basivumela ukuba senzele iNdlovukazi Yezulu* imihlatshelo nokuba siyithululele iminikelo ephuzwayo, siyenzele namakhekhe omhlatshelo enziwe ngomfanekiso wayo.”
20 UJeremiya wabe esethi kubo bonke abantu, amadoda nomkawo nabo bonke abantu ababekhuluma naye:
21 “Imihlatshelo enayenza emadolobheni akwaJuda nasemigwaqweni yaseJerusalema, + nina, okhokho benu, amakhosi enu, izikhulu zenu nabantu bezwe—uJehova wayikhumbula wacabanga ngayo!*
22 Ekugcineni, uJehova wayengasakwazi ukuzibekezelela izenzo zenu ezimbi nezinto ezinyanyekayo enanizenza, ngenxa yalokho izwe lenu laba yincithakalo, into eshaqisayo nesiqalekiso, kwangaba namuntu ohlala kulo, njengoba kunjalo namuhla. +
23 Nehlelwe yile nhlekelele ngenxa yokuthi nenza le mihlatshelo nangenxa yokuthi nona kuJehova, ngokungalilaleli izwi likaJehova nangokungawulandeli umthetho wakhe, izimiso zakhe nezikhumbuzo zakhe, njengoba kunjalo namuhla.” +
24 UJeremiya waqhubeka wathi kubo bonke abantu nakubo bonke abesifazane: “Yizwani izwi likaJehova, nonke nina bantu bakwaJuda enisezweni laseGibhithe.
25 Yilokhu uJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akushoyo, ‘Lokho nina nabafazi benu enikukhulumile, nikwenzile ngezandla zenu, ngoba nithe: “Nakanjani sizokwenza lokho esikufungile, ukuba senzele iNdlovukazi Yezulu* imihlatshelo siyithululele neminikelo ephuzwayo.” + Nina besifazane nakanjani nizozifeza izifungo zenu.’
26 “Ngakho-ke yizwani izwi likaJehova, nonke nina bakwaJuda enihlala ezweni laseGibhithe: ‘ “Ngifunga ngegama lami elikhulu,” kusho uJehova, “ukuthi akukho muntu wakwaJuda oyoke aphinde afunge ngegama lami + kulo lonke izwe laseGibhithe, athi, ‘Ngifunga iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova!’ +
27 Manje ngibaqaphile ukuze ngibalethele inhlekelele hhayi okuhle; + wonke amadoda akwaJuda asezweni laseGibhithe ayoshabalala ngenkemba nangendlala, aze aphele nya. +
28 Bambalwa kuphela abayophunyuka enkembeni, basuke ezweni laseGibhithe babuyele ezweni lakwaJuda. + Bonke abasele bakwaJuda abeza ezweni laseGibhithe ukuba bazohlala khona bazokwazi ukuthi yizwi likabani eligcwalisekile, elami noma elabo!” ’ ”
29 “ ‘Lokhu kuyisibonakaliso kini,’ kusho uJehova, ‘sokuthi ngizonijezisa kule ndawo, ukuze nazi ukuthi uma ngikhipha izwi lokuthi ngizoletha inhlekelele, lizogcwaliseka ngempela.
30 Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo: “Nginikela uFaro Hofira, inkosi yaseGibhithe, ezitheni zakhe nakulabo abafuna ukumbulala, njengoba nje nganikela uZedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda kuNebukhadinezari* inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, owayeyisitha sakhe nowayefuna ukumbulala.” ’ ” +
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Noma, “eMemfisi.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “ngivuka ekuseni ngizithuma.”
^ Noma, “nizizwe nichobozekile.”
^ Unkulunkulukazi owayekhonzwa ama-Israyeli ayizihlubuki; kungenzeka ukuthi unkulunkulukazi wenzalo.
^ Unkulunkulukazi owayekhonzwa ama-Israyeli ayizihlubuki; kungenzeka ukuthi unkulunkulukazi wenzalo.
^ Unkulunkulukazi owayekhonzwa ama-Israyeli ayizihlubuki; kungenzeka ukuthi unkulunkulukazi wenzalo.
^ NgesiHebheru, “yafika enhliziyweni yakhe.”
^ Unkulunkulukazi owayekhonzwa ama-Israyeli ayizihlubuki; kungenzeka ukuthi unkulunkulukazi wenzalo.
^ NgesiHebheru, “kuNebukhadirezari,” enye indlela yokulibhala.
