Yeremiya 34:1-22
34 Ilizwi elafika kuYeremiya livela kuYehova, xa uKumkani uNebhukadenetsare* waseBhabhiloni nayo yonke imikhosi yakhe yamajoni nazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba ezazilawulwa nguye, nazo zonke izizwana ezazisilwa neYerusalem nazo zonke izixeko zayo, lalisithi:+
2 “Uthi uYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, ‘Hamba, uyokuthi kuKumkani uZedekiya+ wakwaYuda: “Uthi uYehova, ‘Esi sixeko ndiza kusinikela kukumkani waseBhabhiloni, yaye uza kusitshisa.+
3 Wena awuzukusinda kuye, kuba nakanjani uza kubanjwa unikelwe kuye.+ Uza kumjonga emehlweni ukumkani waseBhabhiloni, athethe nawe nijongene ebusweni, yaye wena uza kuya eBhabhiloni.’+
4 Kodwa ke, live ilizwi likaYehova, Kumkani uZedekiya wakwaYuda, ‘Uthi uYehova ngawe: “Awuzukubulawa likrele.
5 Uza kufa ngoxolo,+ ibe baza kukwenzela isiqhumiso kanye njengokuba benzayo kookhokho bakho, ookumkani ababengaphambi kwakho, baze bakuzilele besithi, ‘Awu, nkosi!’ kuba ‘ndilithethile eli lizwi,’ utsho uYehova.”’”’”
6 Umprofeti uYeremiya wawathetha onke la mazwi kuKumkani uZedekiya wakwaYuda eYerusalem,
7 xa imikhosi yamajoni kakumkani waseBhabhiloni yayisilwa neYerusalem nazo zonke izixeko zakwaYuda ezazishiyekile,+ neLakishe+ neAzeka;+ kuba yayizizo kuphela izixeko ezikhuselekileyo ezazishiyekile kwizixeko zakwaYuda.
8 Eli lilizwi elafika kuYeremiya livela kuYehova emva kokuba uKumkani uZedekiya enze isivumelwano nabo bonke abantu ababeseYerusalem ethetha ngenkululeko kubo,+
9 lisithi ngamnye umele akhulule amakhoboka akhe angamaHebhere, angamadoda nangabafazi, ukuze kungabikho mntu umenza ikhoboka umYuda wakowabo.
10 Ngoko zonke iinkosana nabo bonke abantu bathobela. Babenze isivumelwano sokuba wonke umntu umele akhulule ikhoboka nekhobokazana lakhe, ayeke ukubenza amakhoboka. Bathobela baza babakhulula.
11 Kodwa emva koko baphinda bawabuyisa amakhoboka namakhobokazana ababewakhulule, baphinda bawenza amakhoboka.
12 Ngoko ilizwi likaYehova lafika kuYeremiya livela kuYehova, lisithi:
13 “Uthi uYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, ‘Ndenza isivumelwano nookhokho benu+ ngemini endabakhupha ngayo kwilizwe laseYiputa, ndibakhupha kwindlu yamakhoboka,+ ndisithi:
14 “Xa kuphela iminyaka esixhenxe, ngamnye wenu umele akhulule umzalwana wakhe ongumHebhere, owathengiswa kuye noye wamsebenzela iminyaka emithandathu; umele amkhulule.”+ Kodwa ookhokho benu abazange bandimamele, bengazange bayibaze indlebe yabo kum.
15 Yaye kutshanje* nina niye najika nenza izinto ezilungileyo emehlweni am ngokuthetha ngenkululeko kwabanye abantu, ibe niye nenza isivumelwano phambi kwam kule ndlu ibizwa ngegama lam.
16 Kodwa niye naphinda najika nalingcolisa igama lam+ ngokubuyisa amakhoboka namakhobokazana enu awayefuna niwakhulule, naphinda nawenza amakhoboka.’
17 “Ngoko uthi uYehova: ‘Khange niwuthobele umyalelo wam wokuba nithethe ngenkululeko kubantakwenu nakwabanye abantu.+ Ngoku ndiza kunenza nikhululeke ngokuthi nibulawe likrele, sisifo esingubhubhani nayindlala,’+ utsho uYehova, ‘yaye ndiza kunenza into eyoyikekayo kuzo zonke izizwe zomhlaba.+
18 Nantsi into eza kwenzeka kumadoda aphula isivumelwano sam ngokungenzi ngokwamazwi eso sivumelwano asenza phambi kwam, xa acanda ithole lenkomo kubini aza ahamba phakathi kwaloo macala,+
19 oko kukuthi, iinkosana zakwaYuda, iinkosana zaseYerusalem, amagosa enkundla, ababingeleli nabo bonke abantu belizwe abahamba phakathi kwamacala ethole lenkomo:
20 Ndiza kubanikela kwiintshaba zabo nakwabo bafuna ukubabulala; izidumbu zabo ziza kuba kukutya kweentaka zezulu nezamarhamncwa omhlaba.+
21 Ndiza kunikela uKumkani uZedekiya wakwaYuda neenkosana zakhe kwiintshaba zabo, kwabo bafuna ukubabulala nakwimikhosi yamajoni kakumkani waseBhabhiloni+ eyekayo ukunihlasela.’+
22 “‘Ndiza kukhupha umyalelo,’ utsho uYehova, ‘yaye ndiza kubabuyisela kwesi sixeko, balwe naso, basithimbe baze basitshise;+ nezixeko zakwaYuda ndiza kuzenza indawo etshabaleleyo engenamntu.’”+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Ngokoqobo, “uNebhukaderetsare,” enye indlela yokubhala eli gama.
^ Ngokoqobo, “namhlanje.”
