UJeremiya 34:1-22
34 Leli lilizwi likaJehova elafika kuJeremiya ngesikhathi uNebhukhadinezari* inkosi yeBhabhiloni lalo lonke ibutho lakhe, layo yonke imibuso yomhlaba engaphansi kwakhe kanye labantu bakhe bonke, behlasela iJerusalema lawo wonke amadolobho ayeseduze kwayo:+
2 “UJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Hamba uyekhuluma loZedekhiya+ inkosi yakoJuda uthi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova, ‘Ngizanikela idolobho leli esandleni senkosi yeBhabhiloni futhi izalithungela ngomlilo.+
3 Awusoze uphunyuke enkosini yeBhabhiloni kodwa uzabanjwa loba sekutheni unikelwe kuyo.+ Uzayibona ngamehlo akho likhulume likhangelene njalo uzathathwa uhanjiswe eBhabhiloni.’+
4 Lanxa kunjalo zwana ukuthi ilizwi likaJehova lithini kuwe Zedekhiya nkosi yakoJuda, ‘Nanku uJehova akutshoyo ngawe: “Awusoze ubulawe ngenkemba.
5 Uzakufa ngokuthula+ njalo bazakutshisela impepha nxa usungcwatshwa njengalokho abakwenzela oyihlo ababengamakhosi phambi kwakho. Bazakukhalela besithi, ‘Maye ngenkosi yethu!’ ngoba ‘mina sengikhulumile,’ kutsho uJehova.”’”’”
6 Umphrofethi uJeremiya wakhuluma wonke amazwi la kuZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda eJerusalema,
7 ngesikhathi amabutho eBhabhiloni esilwa leJerusalema lawo wonke amadolobho akoJuda ayesele.+ Ayesilwa leLakhishi+ le-Azekha+ ngoba yiwo wodwa amadolobho ayevikelwe ngemiduli ayesasele koJuda.
8 Leli lilizwi likaJehova elafika kuJeremiya ngemva kokuthi iNkosi uZedekhiya yenze isivumelwano labo bonke abantu beJerusalema esokuthi bakhulule izigqili zabo.+
9 Bonke kwakumele bakhulule izigqili zabo ezingamaHebheru ukuze kungabi lomJuda olesigqili esingumJuda.
10 Ngakho zonke izikhulu labo bonke abantu balalela. Balandela okwakutshiwo yisivumelwano leso, esokuthi bonke abantu kwakumele bakhulule izigqili lezigqilikazi zabo, bangaphindi babenze izigqili. Balalela babayekela bahamba.
11 Kodwa ngemva kwesikhathi baphinda baziphendukisa izigqili lezigqilikazi zabo ababezikhululile, bazibamba ngamandla ukuthi zibasebenzele.
12 Ngakho ilizwi likaJehova lafika kuJeremiya livela kuJehova lathi:
13 “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ‘Ngenza isivumelwano labokhokho benu+ ngelanga engabakhipha ngalo elizweni leGibhithe, ilizwe lobugqili,+ ngathi:
14 “Ngomnyaka wesikhombisa ngamunye wenu kufanele akhulule isigqili sakhe esingumHebheru asithengayo esesimsebenzele iminyaka eyisithupha. Kufanele amkhulule umfowabo ahambe.”+ Okhokho benu abazange bangilalele kumbe babe lendaba lalokho engangibatshela khona.
15 Kodwa lina like latshintsha izenzo zenu lenza okulungileyo phambi kwami, lakhulula izigqili zenu ezingabafowenu njalo lenza isivumelwano phambi kwami endlini ebizwa ngebizo lami.
16 Lanxa kunjalo seliphinde langitshiya langcolisa ibizo lami.+ Liphendukise izigqili lezigqilikazi zenu elalizikhulule lazivumela ukuthi ziye lapho ezifuna ukuya khona. Liziphendukisile lazibamba ngamandla ukuthi zilisebenzele.’
17 “Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguJehova: ‘Alingilalelanga endabeni yokukhulula izigqili zenu ezingabafowenu labomakhelwane benu.+ Nansi-ke inkululeko engiyimemezela kini,’ kutsho uJehova, ‘lizabulawa ngenkemba, liqedwe yindlala+ lesifo esitshabalalisayo. Ngizalehlisela umonakalo ozakwenza yonke imibuso yomhlaba yesabe.+
18 Lokhu yikho okuzakwenzakala ebantwini abangazange bagcine isivumelwano sami, abangawalandelanga amazwi esivumelwano abasenza phambi kwami ngesikhathi bequma ithole lisiba yiziqa ezimbili futhi bedabula phakathi kweziqa lezo.+
19 Abakhokheli bakoJuda labeJerusalema, leziphathamandla zesigodlweni, labaphristi, labo bonke abantu abaselizweni abadabula phakathi kweziqa ezimbili zethole,
20 ngizabanikela ezitheni zabo lakulabo abafuna ukubabulala. Izidumbu zabo zizakuba yikudla kwenyoni zezulu lokwezinyamazana.+
21 Ngizanikela loZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lezikhulu zakhe ezitheni zabo lakulabo abafuna ukubabulala. Ngizabanikela lasezandleni zamabutho enkosi yeBhabhiloni,+ asebuyele emuva ayekela ukulihlasela.’+
22 “UJehova uthi, ‘Ngizakhipha umlayo ngiwaphendukise edolobheni leli. Azakulwa lalo alinqobe abeselitshisa ngomlilo.+ Ngizakwenza amadolobho akoJuda abe yinkangala engahlali muntu.’”+
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “uNebhukhadirezari.” Le ngenye indlela ibizo lakhe elibhalwa ngayo.
