1 Lavakala kuJeremiya ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo malunga nembalela, lisithi:
2 “Libalele kwaJuda;kunyembelekile kwizixeko zakhe.Abemi bathe fohlololo emhlabeni, bambethe ezokuzila.Kuvakala isikhalo eJerusalem.
3 Iindwalutho zithuma iindwayi amanzi,zona zifike amaqula ome qoko.Zibuya zidanile, zityhafile, zithokombise intloko,zingaphethe nto ngezo ngqayi zazo.
4 Sele waba ngumqwebedu umhlaba;kaloku imvula ayisani.Bafane bee makatha abalimi;bayanyoshoza ziintloni, bethokombise iintloko.
5 Phaya endle nemazi yexhama izala ithole,ibuye ilibukule,kuba akukho luhlaza lukhoyo.
6 Amaqwarha ema eluqayini,asezele umoya, axel' udyakalashe.Sele amehlo elusizi,kub' uhlaz' alubonwa.”
7 Naxa izono zethu zisigwebasincede, Ndikhoyo, ngenxa yegama lakho.Ewe, kufuthi-futhi sikreqa,sakona amaxesha ngamaxesha.
8 Wena Themba likaSirayeli,wena Mhlanguli wakhe ngamaxesha okubandezeleka,yini na ukuba ubenjengomngeneleli kweli lizwe,ube njengomhambi othe vu ubusuku kuphela?
9 Kutheni wafana nomntu odidekileyo,kanye njengegorha elingenamandla okuhlangula?Ngenene ukho phakathi kwethu, Ndikhoyo,singabantu ababizwa ngegama lakho, uze ungasilahli.
10 Malunga naba bantu utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi:“Bayakuthanda ukuzula-zula;iinyawo zabo abakwazi ukuzilawula.Abamkholisi konke uNdikhoyo.Uya kuhlala ebukhumbula ubungwenxa babo,abohlwaye ngenxa yesono sabo.”
11 Uthe kum uNdikhoyo: “Aba bantu uze ungabacengeli kum ukuba kulunge kubo.
12 Nokuba bangade bazile ukutya, andiyi kubaphulaphula xa bekhala kum. Nokuba bangade benze amadini atshiswayo neminikelo, andisobe ndikholiseke. Ndosuka ndibatshabalalise ngekrele, ngendlala, nangesibetho sesifo.”
13 Ndithe ke mna: “Awu, Nkosi Ndikhoyo, uyazi ukuba abashumayeli bathetha nabantu besithi: ‘Akuzi kubakho krele nandlala apha. Ngaphaya koko utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: Kuyo le ndawo ndininika uxolo olungasoze luphele.’ ”
14 UNdikhoyo uthe ukundiphendula: “Abo bashumayeli bathetha ubuxoki ngegama lam. Abathunywanga ndim, ndingakhange ndibayalele oko, ndingazange ndithethe nokuthetha oku nabo. Bashumayela nje imibono ebubuxoki, nokuvumisa okungento, nenkohliso yeentliziyo zabo.”
15 Ke ngoko malunga nabo bashumayeli bashumayela ngegama lakhe bengathunywanga nguye utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: “Bathi: ‘Abayi kufikelwa likrele kwakunye nendlala abantu beli lizwe.’ Kambe abo bashumayeli bona ngokwabo baya kutshabalala ngekrele nayindlala.
16 Nabo bantu babashumayezayo baya kukhutshelwa ngaphandle ezitalatweni zaseJerusalem ngenxa yendlala nalikrele. Akuyi kubakho bani uya kubangcwaba, kungayi kubakho bani uya kungcwaba nkqu nabafazi, noonyana, neentombi zabo. Ndiya kubahlisela ishwangusha ngenxa yenkohlakalo yabo.
17 “Wena ke thetha eli lizwi kubo uthi:“ ‘Antywizisa iinyembezi amehlo am imini nobusuku,ziqukuqele ngokungenasiphelo.Kaloku intombi engabantu bam yenzakele kakubi;yoselwe lelinzulu lona inxeba eli.
18 Ndithi ndakuphumela ngaphandle,ndithane nqwakaqha nâbo bawe ngekrele;ndithi ndakungena esixekweni,ndithi mandla nâbo bawiswe liphango.Kaloku abashumayeli kwakunye nababingelelibayayabula nje kwilizwe lonke.’ ”
19 Ngaba, Ndikhoyo, umlahle kwaphela na uJuda?Ngaba ikucaphuzelisa intliziyo na iZiyon?Yini na ukuba usibethe singabi nakuphiliswa?Besilindele uxolo, suka kwavela ububi.Besijonge ukuphiliswa, nâko sifikelwa lunxunguphalo.
20 Siyayivuma inkohlakalo yethu, Ndikhoyo,kwakunye nobugwenxa boobawo-mkhulu.Ewe, sikonile, Ndikhoyo!
21 Ngenxa yegama lakho musa ukusibukula,ungayihlazi iJerusalem ibhotwe lakho elidumileyo.Wukhumbule umnqophiso owenze nathi,ungaze uwaphule nanini na.
22 Ngaba oothixo abangento beentlanga bayakwazi ukunisa imvula?Ngaba sona ngokunokwaso isibhakabhaka singehlisa imikhwitsho?Hayi, nguwe, Ndikhoyo, Thixo wethu, esithembele kuye;nguwe ozenzayo zonke ezo zinto.