1 Izwi likaJehova elafika kuJeremiya ngesigagadu.
2 “UJuda uyalila,amasango akhe adangele,ahlezi emhlabathini edabukile,nokukhala kweJerusalema kwenyukile.
3 Abakhulu babo bathuma abancane babo emanzini;bafika emigodini, kepha abafumani manzi,babuya, izitsha zabo zingenalutho;banamahloni, bajabhile,bamboza amakhanda abo.
4 Ngenxa yomhlabathi odabukileyo,ngokuba akubangakho mvula ezweni,abalimi banamahloni,bamboza amakhanda abo.
5 Yebo, nendluzele izalela endle,ilishiye izinyane,ngokuba utshani abukho.
6 Izimbongolo zasendle ziyema emadulini angenalutho,zihogela umoya njengamakhanka;amehlo azo ayaphela,ngokuba kungekho tshani.”
7 Noma izono zethu zifakaza ngathi,sebenza, Jehova, ngenxa yegama lakho;ngokuba ukuhlehla kwethu kuningi,sonile kuwe.
8 Themba lika-Israyeli,msindisi wakhe ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka,yini ukuba ube njengomfokazi ezweninanjengesihambi esingenisayoukuba silale ubusuku nje na?
9 Yini ukuba ube ngumuntu odidekileyo,njengeqhawe elingenakusindisa, na?Nokho uphakathi kwethu, Jehova,sibiziwe ngegama lakho;ungasishiyi.
10 Usho kanje uJehova ngalaba bantu, uthi:“Bathanda ukuzula kanjalo,abazibambi izinyawo zabo;uJehova akathokozi ngabo;manje uyakubukhumbula ububi babo,azihambele izono zabo.”
11 UJehova wathi kimi: “Ungabakhulekeli laba bantu ukuba baphiwe okuhle.
12 Noma bezila ukudla, angiyikuzwa ukumemeza kwabo; noma benikela ngomnikelo wokushiswa nangowempuphu, angiyikuthokoza ngabo, kepha ngiyakubaqeda ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo.”
13 Ngase ngithi: “E, Nkosi Jehova, bheka, abaprofethi bathi kubo: ‘Aniyikubona inkemba, nendlala ayiyikunehlela, kepha ngiyakuninika ukuthula okuqinisileyo kule ndawo.’ ”
14 Wayesethi uJehova kimi: “Abaprofethi baprofetha amanga egameni lami; angibathumanga, angibayalanga, angikhulumanga kubo; baprofetha imibono yamanga, nokubhula, nokuyize, nenkohliso yenhliziyo yabo.
15 Ngalokho usho kanje uJehova ngabaprofethi abaprofetha ngegama lami, ngingabathumanga, bathi: ‘Akuyikubakho inkemba nendlala kuleli zwe,’ uthi: Ngenkemba nangendlala bayakuphela laba baprofethi.
16 Abantu abaprofetha kubo bayakuphonswa ezitaladini zaseJerusalema ngenxa yendlala nenkemba; abayikuba namuntu wokubembela, bona nawomkabo, namadodana abo, namadodakazi abo; ngiyakuthela okubi kwabo phezu kwabo.
17 “Kepha uyakusho leli zwi kubo lokuthi:“ ‘Amehlo ami mahlengezele izinyembezi imini nobusuku,zinganqamuki,ngokuba intombi,indodakazi yabantu bami,ilimele ngokulimala okukhulu,ngokushaywa okunzima kakhulu.
18 Uma ngiphumela endle,bheka, nampo ababuleweyo ngenkemba,nalapho ngingena emzini, bheka,nampo abaphethwe yindlala,ngokuba umprofethi nompristi bahamba izwebengazi lutho.’ ”
19 Umlahlile nokumlahla uJuda na?Umphefumulo wakho unengiwe yiSiyoni na?Usishayeleni, singabi nakuphulukiswa, na?Sihlalela ukuthula,kepha okuhle akukho;nesikhathi sokuphulukiswa,kepha luvalo.
20 Jehova,siyazi ububi bethu nokona kwawobaba,ngokuba sonile kuwe.
21 Ungasideleli ngenxa yegama lakho,ungaseyisi isihlalo sobukhosi sodumo lwakho;sikhumbule, ungasaphuli isivumelwano sakho nathi.