Amazwi Esivumelwano
1Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuSimakade, lithi: 2“Zwanini amazwi alesi sivumelwano, niwatshele bonke abantu bakwaJuda nezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema, 3uyothi kubo usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Uqalekisiwe umuntu ongawalaleli amazwi alesi sivumelwano, 4engayala ngaso okhokho benu mhla ngibakhipha eGibhithe, esithandweni sensimbi, athi: “Yizwani izwi lami, nikwenze konke lokho enginiyala ngakho, niyoba ngabantu bami, Mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu; 5ukuba ngifeze isifungo engasifunga kokhokho benu, sokubanika izwe elichichima ubisi noju,” njengoba kwenzeka namuhla.’ ”
Ngase ngiphendula ngithi: “Amen, Simakade.”
6USimakade wayesethi kimi: “Memezela wonke lawa mazwi emizini kwaJuda nasemigwaqweni eJerusalema, uthi: ‘Yizwani amazwi alesi sivumelwano, niwenze. 7Ngokuba okhokho benu ngabayala nokubayala ngosuku engabakhuphula ngalo eGibhithe, kuze kube namuhla, ngabayala ngathi: “Lalelani izwi lami.”
8“ ‘Kepha abalalelanga, abayibekanga indlebe yabo kulo, kodwa bahamba, kwaba yilowo nalowo ngobulukhuni benhliziyo yakhe embi. Ngehlisela phezu kwabo wonke amazwi alesi sivumelwano engabayala ukuba basigcine, kodwa abasigcinanga.’ ”
9USimakade wayesethi kimi: “Kukhona uzungu phakathi kwabantu bonke bakwaJuda nezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema. 10Babuyele eziphambukweni zokhokho babo bokuqala, abala ukulalela amazwi ami, balandela abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babakhonze. Indlu ka-Israyeli nendlu kaJuda zasephula isivumelwano sami engasenza nokhokho babo. 11Ngakho-ke usho kanje uSimakade, uthi: ‘Bheka, ngiyakwehlisela inhlekelele phezu kwabo abangayukuphunyuka kuyo; bayakukhala kimi, kepha angiyukubezwa. 12Imizi yakwaJuda nabakhileyo eJerusalema bayakuhamba, bakhale konkulunkulu ababashisela impepho, kepha abayukubasindisa nakancu, lapho behlelwa yinhlekelele. 13Ngokuba ngangobuningi bemizi yenu, bangako onkulunkulu bakho, Juda, nanjengomumo wemigwaqo eJerusalema, angako ama-althare eniwamisele le nto enengekayo, ama-althare enishisela kuwo uBhali impepho.’
14“Ngalokho-ke ungabakhulekeli laba bantu, ungabenzeli izinxuso; ungabakhulekeli, ngokuba angiyukubalalela mhla bekhala kimi ngenhlekelele yabo.
15“Unalungelo lini othandiweyo wami
endlini yami,
lapho enza izinto eziningi ezimbi na?
Inyama eyehlukaniselwe ingasiguqula yini isijeziso sakho,
ujabule ngokwenza okubi na?”
16USimakade wabiza igama lakho
ngokuthi umnqumo oluhlaza obukekayo,
onezithelo ezinhle.
Kepha ngomsindo wesiphepho esikhulu,
uyakuphemba umlilo kuwo,
kuphuke amagatsha awo.
Abase-Anathothi Bazingela Impilo KaJeremiya
17“USimakade Wamabandla owakutshala ukhulume okubi ngawe, ngenxa yobubi obenziwe yindlu ka-Israyeli nendlu yakwaJuda, bachukuluza ulaka lwami ngokushisela uBhali impepho.”
18USimakade wangazisa, ngase ngazi; wangibonisa izenzo zabo. 19Kepha mina nganginjengewundlu eliholwa liyohlatshwa; ngangingazi ukuthi kanti bangicebela amacebo, bethi:
“Masisicekele phansi isihlahla nezithelo zaso,
simnqume ezweni labaphilayo,
ukuze igama lakhe lingabe lisakhunjulwa.”
20Simakade Wamabandla,
mehluleli olungileyo,
ovivinya ingqondo nenhliziyo,
mangibone impindiselo yakho kubo,
ngokuba indaba yami ngiyibeke kuwe.
21“Ngakho-ke usho kanje uSimakade kubantu base-Anathothi abazingela ukuphila kwakho, bethi: ‘Ungalokothi uphrofethe egameni likaSimakade, ukuze singakubulali ngezandla zethu.’
22“Ngakho-ke usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uthi: ‘Bheka, ngiyakubajezisa; izinsizwa ziyokufa ngenkemba. Amadodana namadodakazi azo ayobulawa yindlala, 23akuyukuba bikho nsali kubo, ngokuba ngiyakubehlisela inhlekelele abantu base-Anathothi, ngonyaka wokujeziswa kwabo.’ ”
