UJeremiya 8:1-22
8 UJehova uthi: “Ngalesosikhathi amathambo amakhosi akoJuda, lamathambo ezikhulu zawo, lawabaphristi, lawabaphrofethi kanye lawabantu abahlala eJerusalema azakhitshwa emangcwabeni abo.
2 Azachaywa elangeni lasenyangeni lakulo lonke ibutho elisemazulwini* ababelithanda futhi belikhonza, belilandela njalo belitshisekela, bekhothama phambi kwalo.+ Kawasoze abuthwe loba angcwatshwe. Azakuba ngumquba emhlabathini.”+
3 “Abazasala emulini le eyenza okubi, bazakubona kungcono ukuthi bafe kulokuthi baphile ezindaweni engizabenza basabalale kuzo,” kutsho uJehova wamabutho.
4 “Kumele uthi kubo, ‘UJehova uthi:
“Bazakuwa bangavuki yini?
Nxa oyedwa angaphenduka, omunye laye kasoze aphenduke yini?
5 Kungani abantu beJerusalema beqhubeka bengathembekanga kimi?
Ababutshiyi ubuqili babo,Bayala ukuphenduka.+
6 Ngathiya indlebe ngaqhubeka ngilalele, kodwa babekhuluma izinto ezingalunganga.
Akulamuntu owaphenduka watshiya okubi ayekwenza kumbe owayezibuza esithi, ‘Kanti kuyini engikwenzayo?’+
Bonke baqhubeka bebuyela kulokho okwenziwa ngabantu abanengi angathi libhiza ligijimela empini.
7 Ingabuzane elisemkhathini liyasazi isikhathi salo,Lejuba lenkonjane kanye lezinye inyoni ezincane ziphenduka ngaso kanye isikhathi sazo.*
Kodwa abantu bami bona abazizwisisi izahlulelo zikaJehova.”’+
8 ‘Lingatsho njani ukuthi lihlakaniphile lokuthi lilawo umthetho kaJehova?
Phela ababhali benu babhala amanga wodwa ngosiba lwabo.+
9 Abahlakaniphileyo bayangisiwe,+Bethukile futhi bazabanjwa.
Abalilalelanga ilizwi likaJehova.
Pho balenhlakanipho bani?
10 Ngizathatha abafazi babo ngibanike amanye amadoda,Ngithathe amasimu abo ngiwanike abanye abantu,+Ngoba kusukela komncane kusiya komkhulu, bonke benza inzuzo ngobuqili,+Kusukela kumphrofethi kusiya kumphristi, bonke nje baqila abantu.+
11 Belapha inxeba labantu bami besenza angathi alilibi kakhulu besithi,“Kulokuthula! Kulokuthula!”
Khona kungelakuthula.+
12 Bayayangeka yini ngezinto ezenyanyekayo abazenzileyo?
Abalanhloni ngitsho!
Akusathi thiki kubo nxa besenza okubi!+
Yikho bazakuwa ndawonye labawayo.
Bazakhubeka nxa sengibajezisa,’+ kutsho uJehova.
13 UJehova uthi, ‘Nxa sengibabutha ngizabaqeda bonke.
Akusoze kusale amagilebisi ezihlahleni zamagilebisi loba amakhiwane ezihlahleni zomkhiwa, njalo amahlamvu azabuna.
Engabapha khona kuzabalahlekela.’”
14 “Kanti sihlaleleni lapha?
Asiqoqaneni siyengena emadolobheni avikelwe ngemiduli+ siyefela khona,Ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu uzasiqeda sonke.
Usipha amanzi aletshefu ukuthi siwanathe,+Ngoba sonile kuJehova.
15 Besilethemba lokuthi kuzakuba lokuthula kodwa akulanto enhle efikileyo,Besilethemba lokuthi sizasiliswa kodwa sehlelwe yibunzima obukhulu!+
16 Kuzwakala ukuthimula kwamabhiza koDani.
Nxa amabhiza esitha ekhonya,Ilizwe lonke liyazamazama.
Isitha siyangena sitshabalalise ilizwe kanye lakho konke okukulo,Sitshabalalise idolobho kanye labantu abahlala kulo.”
17 “Ngithumela izinyoka phakathi kwenu,Izinyoka eziyingozi elingeke lizenzele amasalamusi,Zizaliluma sibili,” kutsho uJehova.
18 Usizi lwami alupheli,Inhliziyo yami ibuhlungu.
19 Kuzwakala isililo sabantu bekhalela uncedo elizweni elikhatshana,Sizwakala endodakazini yabantu bami, bathi:
“UJehova kakho yini eZiyoni?
Lenkosi yeZiyoni kayikho yini phakathi kwayo?”
“Kungani bengithukuthelisile ngezithombe zabo,Langabonkulunkulu bezinye izizwe abangelancedo?”
20 “Isikhathi sokuvuna siphelile, lehlobo selidlulile,Kodwa thina asisindiswanga!”
21 Ngidabukile enhliziyweni ngenxa yokuwa kwendodakazi yabantu bakithi,+Ngidanile,Njalo ngiyesaba kakhulu.
22 Kanti akulabhalisamu* yini eGiliyadi,+Loba umelaphi khonale?+
Kungani indodakazi yabantu bakithi ingazange yelatshwe?+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Lapha kutshiwo ilanga lenyanga lezinkanyezi.
^ Kumbe, “ziyasazi isikhathi sazo sokuthutha.”
^ Kumbe, “akulamuthi.”
