UJeremiya 8:1-22
8 “Ngaleso sikhathi,” kusho uJehova, “amathambo amakhosi akwaJuda, amathambo ezikhulu zakhona, amathambo abapristi, amathambo abaprofethi namathambo ezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema ayokhishwa emathuneni awo.
2 Ayonekwa elangeni nasenyangeni nakuzo zonke izinkanyezi zamazulu ababezithanda, bezikhonza, bezilandela, bezifuna futhi bezikhothamela. + Ngeke abuthwe futhi ngeke angcwatshwe. Ayoba njengomquba phezu komhlabathi.” +
3 “Abasele kulo mndeni okhohlakele, labo abasindile bazokhetha ukufa kunokuphila kuzo zonke izindawo engiyobe ngibahlakazele kuzo,” kusho uJehova wamabutho.
4 “Kumelwe uthi kubo, ‘Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo:
“Bazowa bangabe besavuka yini?
Uma omunye eshintsha indlela yakhe, ngeke yini nomunye ayishintshe?
5 Kwenziwa yini ukuba lesi sizwe, iJerusalema, silokhu siziphatha ngokungathembeki kimi?
Sibambelele ekukhohliseni;Siyenqaba ukushintsha. +
6 Nganaka, ngaqhubeka ngilalele, kodwa indlela ababekhuluma ngayo yayingalungile.
Akukho noyedwa owaphenduka ebubini bakhe noma owabuza wathi, ‘Yini le engiyenzile?’ +
Ngamunye ulokhu ebuyela endleleni ethandwayo, njengehhashi eligijimela empini.
7 Ngisho nonogolantethe esibhakabhakeni uyasazi isikhathi sakhe;*Ijuba nenkonjane nonohhemu* yileyo naleyo isigcina kahle isikhathi sokufuduka* kwayo.
Kodwa abantu bami bona, abasiqondi isahlulelo sikaJehova.” ’ +
8 ‘Ningasho kanjani ukuthi: “Sihlakaniphile, sinomthetho* kaJehova”?
Ngoba empeleni uthi lokubhala* lwamanga + lonobhala* lusetshenziselwe amanga wodwa.
9 Abahlakaniphile bahlazisiwe. +
Besabe kakhulu futhi bazobanjwa.
Bheka! Balenqabile izwi likaJehova,Banakuhlakanipha kuni?
10 Ngakho abafazi babo ngizobanika amanye amadoda,Amasimu abo ngiwanike abanye abantu; +Ngoba, kusukela komncane kunabo bonke kuya komkhulu kunabo bonke, ngamunye uzitholela inzuzo ngokungathembeki; +Kusukela kumprofethi kuya kumpristi, ngamunye uyakhwabanisa. +
11 Bazama ukwelapha amanxeba* endodakazi yabantu bami ngokunganaki,* bethi,“Kukhona ukuthula! Kukhona ukuthula!”
Kube kungekho ukuthula. +
12 Ingabe banamahloni ngenxa yezinto ezinyanyekayo abazenzile?
Abanawo nhlobo amahloni!
Abazi ngisho nokuthi kunjani ukuphoxeka. +
Ngakho bayokuwa kanye nabawayo.
Lapho ngibajezisa bayokhubeka,’ + kusho uJehova.
13 ‘Lapho ngibaqoqa, ngiyobaqeda,’ kusho uJehova.
‘Ngeke kube namagilebhisi asele ezihlahleni zawo, kungabi namakhiwane esihlahleni somkhiwane, amaqabunga ayobuna.
Izinto engabanika zona ziyobalahlekela.’ ”
14 “Sihlaleleni lapha?
Masibuthaneni singene emadolobheni anezivikelo eziqinile + sifele khona.
Ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu uzosiqothula,Usinika amanzi anoshevu ukuba siwaphuze, +Ngoba sonile kuJehova.
15 Sasinethemba lokuthola ukuthula, kodwa akufikanga lutho oluhle,Ithemba lokwelashwa, kodwa kukhona ukwesaba! +
16 KwaDani kuzwakale ukuthimula kwamahhashi akhe.
Ngenxa yomsindo wokukhala kwezinkunzi zamahhashi akhe,Lonke izwe liyazamazama.
Amabutho esitha ayangena alibhubhise izwe nakho konke okutholakala kulo,Idolobha nezakhamuzi zalo.”
17 “Ngoba ngithumela izinyoka phakathi kwenu,Izinyoka ezinesihlungu ezingalawuleki,Nakanjani zizoniluma,” kusho uJehova.
18 Usizi lwami alwelapheki;Inhliziyo yami iyagula.
19 Kukhona umsindo wokukhalela usizo ovela ezweni elikudeOvela kubantu bami:
“UJehova akekho yini eZiyoni?
Noma ingabe inkosi yalo ayikho kulo?”
“Kungani bengicasulile ngemifanekiso yabo ebaziwe,Ngonkulunkulu babo bezinye izizwe abayize?”
20 “Ukuvuna kudlulile, ihlobo liphelile,Kodwa thina asizange sisindiswe!”
21 Ngishaqekile ngenxa yamanxeba abantu bakithi; +Ngidabukile.
Ngifikelwe ukwesaba okukhulu.
22 Alikho yini ibhalsamu* eGileyadi? +
Noma akekho yini owelaphayo* khona? +
Pho kungani abantu bakithi bengazange belashwe? +
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Noma, “isikhathi sakhe sokufuduka.”
^ Noma kungaba, “nelanda.”
^ Noma, “sokubuya.”
^ Noma, “sinomyalo.”
^ Noma, “ipeni.”
^ Noma, “lababhali.”
^ Noma, “ukwephuka.”
^ Noma, “kalula.”
^ Noma, “Awekho yini amafutha okugcoba.”
^ Noma, “udokotela.”
