UJeremiya 42:1-22
42 Zonke izinduna zamabutho, loJohanani+ indodana kaKhareya, loJezaniya indodana kaHoshaya, labantu bonke kusukela komncane kusiya komkhulu, baya
2 kuJeremiya umphrofethi bafika bathi: “Sicela ulalele isicelo sethu. Sicela usithandazele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, uncengele bonke abantu laba abaseleyo ngoba sasibanengi kodwa kusele abalutshwana nje,+ njengoba lawe ubona.
3 Kwangathi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho angasitshela indlela okumele sihambe ngayo lalokho okumele sikwenze.”
4 UJeremiya umphrofethi wabaphendula wathi: “Ngilizwile futhi ngizalithandazela kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, ngimtshele lokho elikucelayo. Ngizalitshela konke uJehova azakutsho eliphendula, angisoze ngilifihlele lutho.”
5 Baphendula uJeremiya bathi: “UJehova kabe ngufakazi oleqiniso futhi othembekileyo, asijezise nxa singayekela ukwenza konke uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu azakuthi usitshele khona.
6 Thina sizalilalela ilizwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu esikuthuma kuye, kungelani lokuthi asitshela khona kuhle kumbe kubi. Sizalalela ilizwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ukuze kusihambele kuhle.”
7 Ngemva kwamalanga alitshumi ilizwi likaJehova lafika kuJeremiya.
8 Ngakho wabiza uJohanani indodana kaKhareya lazo zonke izinduna zamabutho kanye labantu bonke, kusukela komncane kusiya komkhulu.+
9 Wathi kubo: “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, lowo elingithume ukuthi ngilithandazele kuye ngilincengela, uthi:
10 ‘Nxa lingaqhubeka lihlala elizweni leli ngizalakha, angisoze ngilidilize njalo ngizalihlanyela ngingalisiphuni ngoba ngizazisola* ngomonakalo engilehlisele wona.+
11 Lingayesabi inkosi yeBhabhiloni, leyo eliyesabayo.’+
“‘Lingayesabi ngoba ngilani ukuze ngilisindise futhi ngilikhulule esandleni sayo,’ kutsho uJehova.
12 ‘Ngizakuba lesihawu kini+ njalo layo izakuba lesihawu kini ilibuyisele elizweni lenu.
13 “‘Kodwa nxa lingathi, “Hatshi, asisoze sihlale elizweni leli!” beseliyekela ukulalela ilizwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu
14 lithi, “Hatshi, thina sizakuya elizweni leGibhithe+ lapho esingasoze sibone khona impi loba sizwe ukukhala kophondo kumbe siswele ukudla. Yikho lapho esizahlala khona,”
15 zwanini ilizwi likaJehova lina abaseleyo bakoJuda. Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Nxa lizimisele ngenhliziyo yonke ukuya eGibhithe beselihamba liyehlala khona,*
16 inkemba leyo eliyesabayo izalithola elizweni leGibhithe, lendlala eliyesabayo izalilandela khonale futhi lizafela khona.+
17 Bonke abantu abazimisele ukuya eGibhithe bayehlala khona bazabulawa yinkemba loba yindlala kumbe yisifo esitshabalalisayo. Kakho loyedwa wabo ozasinda loba ozawubalekela umonakalo engizabehlisela wona.”’
18 “UJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Njengoba ngathululela intukuthelo yami lolaka lwami ebantwini ababehlala eJerusalema,+ ngizathululela ulaka lwami phezu kwenu nxa lingaya eGibhithe. Ngizaliqalekisa ngilehlisele umonakalo owesabekayo futhi lizathukwa libe lihlazo,+ njalo alisoze liphinde liyibone indawo le.’
19 “UJehova ulitshelile lina abaseleyo bakoJuda ukuthi lingayi eGibhithe. Kumele lazi ukuthi ngilixwayisile lamuhla
20 ngalitshela ukuthi isono senu sizalibulalisa. Phela lingithume kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu lathi, ‘Sicela usithandazele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, ubususitshela konke uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu akukhulumileyo, sizakwenza.’+
21 Mina ngilitshelile lamuhla kodwa lina alisoze lililalele ilizwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu futhi alisoze likwenze lokho angithume ukuthi ngilitshele khona.+
22 Ngakho yazini ukuthi loba sekutheni lizabulawa yinkemba, yindlala kanye lesifo esitshabalalisayo endaweni leyo elifisa ukuyahlala kuyo.”+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “ngizezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu.”
^ Kumbe, “liyehlala khona okwesikhatshana.”
