1 Amanye amadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli eza kum, afika ahlala phambi kwam.
2 Ndaza ndeva ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lisithi:
3 “Mntundini, la madoda aqulathe *izithixo ezintliziyweni zawo, aza abeka izikhubekiso ezikhohlakeleyo phambi kobuso bawo. Ndiwavumele na ukuba abe nento ayibuzayo kum?
4 Ngako oko thetha nawo uwaxelele uthi: ‘Itsho iNkosi uNdikhoyo ukuthi: Xeshikweni nawuphi na umSirayeli equlathe izithixo entliziyweni yakhe, waza wabeka isikhubekiso senkohlakalo phambi kwakhe, aze aye *kumshumayeli, uya kuphendulwa ndim Ndikhoyo siqu ngokunqula kwakhe izithixo okungaka.
5 Oku ndiya kukwenzela ukubuyisa iintliziyo zabo bonke abantu bam bakwaSirayeli, abathe bandilahla ngenxa yezithixo.’
6 “Ngoko ke yithi kwindlu kaSirayeli: ‘Itsho iNkosi uNdikhoyo ukuthi: Guqukani, nishenxe kwizithixo zenu, nahlukane nezenzo zenu zamanyundululu!’
7 “Xeshikweni nawuphi na umSirayeli okanye umngeneleli uthe wazikhwebula kum, waza waqulatha izithixo entliziyweni yakhe, wabeka nesikhubekiso senkohlakalo phambi kwakhe, asuke aye kubuza ngam kumshumayeli, mna Ndikhoyo ndiya kumphendula ngokwam.
8 Ndoyichasa loo ndoda, ndiyenze umzekelo nondaba-mlonyeni. Ndiya kuyishenxisa ebantwini bam. Niya kuqonda ngoko ukuba mna ndinguNdikhoyo.
9 “Ukuba umshumayeli uthe walukuhlwa washumayela into engeyiyo, uya kuba ulahlekiswe ndim Ndikhoyo. Ke mna ndiya kusolula isandla sam, ndimtshabalalise angabikho phakathi kwabantu bam amaSirayeli.
10 Baya kusithwala isono sabo – isono somshumayeli siya kulingana nesalowo ebeze kubuzisa.
11 Xa kunjalo abantu bakwaSirayeli baya kukuyeka ukuphambuka ezindleleni zam, bahlukane nokuzityikila ngezikreqo zabo. Baya kuba ngabantu bam, nam ndibe nguThixo wabo, itsho iNkosi uNdikhoyo.”
12 Ndeva ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lisithi:
13 “Mntundini, xa lithe ilizwe landona ngokungathembeki, ndaza ndalohlwaya ngokuvalela ukuba lingakufumani ukutya, ukuze abantu balo nezilwanyana zalo zife yindlala,
14 ngokwenene ke nokuba la madoda mathathu, uNowa, noDaniyeli, noYobi, bebenokuba kwelo zwe, bebeya kuzisindisa bona kuphela ngenxa yobulungisa babo, itsho iNkosi uNdikhoyo.
15 “Okanye ndingathi ndithe ndathumela amarhamncwa asendle kweli lizwe, aze akashiya nempunde kulo, atsho layindawo engahanjwayo ngenxa yamarhamncwa,
16 ngokwenene ndiyafunga, itsho iNkosi uNdikhoyo, nokuba la madoda mathathu ebenokuba kwelo zwe ebengenakubasindisa oonyana neentombi zawo. Bekuya kusinda wona kuphela, libe lona ilizwe lisebugxwayibeni.
17 “Okanye ndingathi ndiliphethele ikrele ilizwe, ndithi: ‘Ikrele malityakatye kulo lonke ilizwe,’ lize libulale abantu nemfuyo yabo,
18 ngokwenene ndiyafunga, itsho iNkosi uNdikhoyo, nokuba la madoda mathathu ebenokuba lapho ebengayi kuba nako ukuzisindisa iintombi noonyana bawo. Bekuya kusinda wona odwa.
19 “Kungenjalo ngendithumela ubhubhani kwelo zwe, ndiwukhuphele kulo umsindo wam, ndibulale abantu nemfuyo yabo ngempalalo-gazi.
20 Ngokwenene ndiyafunga, itsho iNkosi uNdikhoyo, nokuba babelapho, ooNowa, noDaniyeli, noYobi, bebengenakuyisindisa nentsapho yabo. Bebeya kuzisindisa bona bodwa ngenxa yobulungisa babo.
21 “Kaloku itsho iNgangalala uNdikhoyo ukuthi: IJerusalem ndingayigweba ndiyithumele ngezibetho ezine, ezona zibi – imfazwe, nendlala, namarhamncwa, nobhubhani – ndibulale abemi bayo kunye nemfuyo yabo.
22 Naxa kunjalo baya kubakho abasindayo – oonyana neentombi abaya kubhunca esixekweni. Baya kuphuma beze kuni, niyibone imikhwa yabo nezenzo zabo, nize nizibonele ngokwenu isizathu sokuba iJerusalem ndiyithumele ngentlekele – nditsho yonke intlekele endiyizisele yona.
23 Ewe, niya kuzibonela ngokwenu, nixole yakubonakala kuni imikhwa yabo nezenzo zabo, niqonde ukuba andifumananga ndakwenza konke endakwenzayo kwiJerusalem, itsho iNgangalala uNdikhoyo.”