UJeremiya 3:1-25
3 Abantu bayabuza bathi: “Nxa indoda ingaxotsha umkayo abesesuka ayethathwa ngenye indoda, kambe indoda eyamxotshayo ingambuyelela yini?”
Ilizwe lingcoliswe kakhulu.+
“Wena usufebe lamadoda amanengi,+Manje usungaphenduka kimi futhi?” kutsho uJehova.
2 “Phakamisa amehlo akho ukhangele emaqaqeni angelazihlahla.
Kungaphi lapho ongazange ubanjwe khona iganyavu?
Wawuhlala eceleni kwemigwaqo ulinde amadoda,Njengomuntu ozulazula* enkangala.
Uqhubeka ungcolisa ilizweNgobufebe bakho langezenzo zakho ezimbi.+
3 Ngenxa yalokho izulu livaliwe,+Lezulu lokucina alisoze line.
Uyakhanya ukuthi uyisifebe esixhwalileyo,Awulanhloni ngitsho.+
4 Kodwa khathesi uyangibiza usithi,‘Baba, wena ungumngane wami kusukela ebutsheni bami!+
5 Kambe kulomuntu ongahlala ezondile,Kumbe ahlale ebambe isikhwili?’
Ukhuluma njalo,Kodwa uqhubeka usenza konke okubi ongakwenza.”+
6 Ngensuku zeNkosi uJosiya,+ uJehova wathi kimi: “‘Ukubonile yini okwenziwe ngu-Israyeli ongathembekanga? Ukhwele phezu kwazo zonke izintaba eziphakemeyo, waya langaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziyizithingithingi esiyafeba.+
7 Uthe esenze konke lokhu, ngaqhubeka ngimtshela ukuthi aphenduke kimi,+ kodwa kazange aphenduke. UJuda yena wayelokhu embukele udadewabo ongathembekanga.+
8 Ngathi ngikubona lokhu ngamxotsha u-Israyeli ongathembekanga,+ ngamnika incwadi yokumdivosa ngenxa yobufebe bakhe.+ Kodwa udadewabo oliqili uJuda kazange esabe, laye wasuka wayafeba.+
9 Wayefeba engagqize qhakala njalo waqhubeka engcolisa ilizwe efeba lamatshe lezihlahla.+
10 Phezu kwakho konke lokhu, udadewabo oliqili uJuda wayesenza angathi uyaphenduka kimi kodwa engiqila, kazange aphenduke ngenhliziyo yonke,’ kutsho uJehova.”
11 UJehova wasesithi kimi: “U-Israyeli ongathembekanga ungcono kuloJuda oliqili.+
12 Hamba enyakatho uyememezela amazwi la uthi:+
“‘“Phenduka wena Israyeli ohlamukayo,” kutsho uJehova.’+ ‘“Angisoze ngikukhangele ngizondile+ ngoba ngiqotho,” kutsho uJehova.’ ‘“Angisoze ngihlale ngikuzondele.
13 Wena vuma icala lakho ngoba uhlamukele uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho. Phela waqhubeka ulala labezinye izizwe* ngaphansi kwazo zonke izihlahla eziyizithingithingi. Ilizwi lami awuzange ulilalele,” kutsho uJehova.’”
14 “Phendukani kimi lina bantwana abahlamukayo,” kutsho uJehova, “ngoba mina sengibe yinkosi yenu.* Ngizathatha oyedwa edolobheni, ngithathe lababili esizwaneni, ngiliqoqe ngililethe eZiyoni.+
15 Ngizalinika abelusi abazakwenza lokho okuthokozisa inhliziyo yami+ njalo bazalinika ulwazi kanye lokuhlakanipha.*
16 Ngalezonsuku lizakuba banengi futhi lizathela izithelo elizweni,” kutsho uJehova.+ “Abasoze baphinde bathi, ‘Ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova!’ Abasoze baphinde balicabange kumbe balikhumbule loba balikhanuke. Kalisoze liphinde lenziwe.
17 Ngalesosikhathi bazakuthi iJerusalema yisihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova+ njalo izizwe zonke zizabuya eJerusalema zizodumisa ibizo likaJehova.+ Abasoze baphinde baqinise amakhanda belandela inhliziyo zabo ezimbi.”
18 “Ngalezonsuku abendlu yakoJuda labendlu yako-Israyeli+ bazahamba bonke. Bazabuya bonke bevela elizweni elisenyakatho besiza elizweni engalinika okhokho babo ukuthi libe lilifa labo.+
19 Ngangicabanga ngisithi, ‘Ngizakubeka phakathi kwamadodana ami, ngikunike ilizwe elihle, ilifa elihle kakhulu phakathi kwezizwe.’*+ Ngangicabanga lokuthi uzangibiza uthi, ‘Baba,’ lokuthi awusoze ungitshiye.
20 ‘Ungiqilile wena ndlu ka-Israyeli, njengowesifazana ongathembekanga otshiya umkakhe,’+ kutsho uJehova.”
21 Kuzwakala umsindo emaqaqeni angelazihlahla.
Abantu bako-Israyeli bayakhala futhi bayancenga,Ngoba baphambukile endleleni,Bamkhohlwa uJehova uNkulunkulu wabo.+
22 “Phendukani kimi lina madodana ahlamukayo.
Ngizalisilisa ukuze lingaphindi lihlamuke.”+
“Sesibuyile, sesiphendukile kuwe,Ngoba wena Jehova unguNkulunkulu wethu.+
23 Ukuxokozela esasikwenza ezintabeni lemaqaqeni kwakuyikuziyenga nje.+
UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu nguye umsindisi ka-Israyeli.+
24 Kodwa into le elihlazo iqede* konke okwasetshenzelwa ngokhokho bethu kusukela sisesebatsha,+Iqede izimvu zabo lenkomo zabo,Lamadodana abo kanye lamadodakazi abo.
25 Asilaleni phansi siyangekile,Sembeswe lihlazo lethu,Ngoba sonile kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,+Thina labobaba bethu kusukela ebutsheni bethu kuze kube lamuhla.+
Asililalelanga ilizwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.”
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “Njengom-Arabhu.”
^ Kumbe, “labonkulunkulu bezinye izizwe.”
^ Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “ngumkenu.”
^ Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “bazalelusa ngokwazi langokuhlakanipha.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “elamabutho ezizwe.”
^ Kumbe, “unkulunkulu olihlazo uqede.”
