1 Izwi elafika kuJeremiya ngabantu bonke bakwaJuda ngomnyaka wesine kaJehoyakimi indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, ongumnyaka wokuqala kaNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele,
2 alikhulumayo uJeremiya umprofethi kubo bonke abantu bakwaJuda nakubo bonke abakhileyo eJerusalema, ethi:
3 “Kusukela emnyakeni weshumi nantathu kaJosiya indodana ka-Amoni, inkosi yakwaJuda, kuze kube namuhla, le minyaka engamashumi amabili nantathu izwi likaJehova lifikile kimi, ngalikhuluma, ngilisho kini njalonjalo, kepha kanilalelanga.”
4 UJehova uthumile kini zonke izinceku zakhe abaprofethi, ebathuma njalonjalo, kepha anilalelanga, anibekanga indlebe ukuba nizwe
5 lapho kwathiwa: “Ake nibuye, kube yilowo nalowo endleleni yakhe embi, nasebubini bezenzo zenu, nihlale ezweni uJehova alinike nina nawoyihlo, kusukela phakade kuze kube phakade,
6 ningalandeli abanye onkulunkulu ukuba nibakhonze, nikhuleke kubo, ningangicunuli ngemisebenzi yezandla zenu; khona angiyikunenzela okubi.
7 “Kepha aningilalelanga,” usho uJehova, “naze nangicunula ngemisebenzi yezandla zenu, kwaba kubi kini.”
8 Ngalokho usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: “Ngenxa yokuba ningawalalelanga amazwi ami,
9 bheka, ngiyakuthumela, ngilande yonke imindeni yasenyakatho,” usho uJehova, “noNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, inceku yami, ngibehlisele phezu kwaleli zwe nabakhileyo kulo, naphezu kwazo zonke lezi zizwe nxazonke, ngibaqalekise, ngibenze babe yisimangaliso nento encimfelwayo, nencithakalo ephakade.
10 Futhi ngiyakususa kubo izwi lokujabula nezwi lokuthokoza, izwi lomyeni nezwi lomakoti, nomsindo wamatshe okugaya nokukhanya kwesibani.
11 Izwe lonke leli liyakuba yincithakalo nesimangaliso, nalezi zizwe ziyakuyikhonza inkosi yaseBabele iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa.
12 “Kuyakuthi lapho iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa isigcwalisekile, ngihambele inkosi yaseBabele nesizwe leso,” usho uJehova, “ngobubi babo, kanye nezwe lamaKaledi, ngilenze libe yincithakalo ephakade.
13 Ngiyakwehlisela phezu kwalelo zwe onke amazwi ami engiwakhulume phezu kwalo, konke okulotshwe kule ncwadi, uJeremiya akuprofethile ngazo zonke izizwe.
14 Ngokuba bayakukhonziswa nabo yizizwe eziningi nangamakhosi amakhulu, ngiphindise kubo ngezenzo zabo nangemisebenzi yezandla zabo.”
15 Ngokuba washo kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli kimi, wathi: “Thatha le ndebe yewayini lokufutheka esandleni sami, uphuzise kuyo zonke izizwe engikuthuma kuzo.
16 Ziyakuphuza, zintengantenge, zihlanye ngaphambi kwenkemba engiyakuyithuma phakathi kwazo.”
17 Ngase ngiyithatha indebe esandleni sikaJehova, ngaziphuzisa zonke izizwe uJehova angithuma kuzo:
18 iJerusalema nemizi yakwaJuda, namakhosi alo, nezikhulu zalo, ukuba ngikwenze kube yincithakalo, nesimangaliso, nento encimfelwayo, nesiqalekiso njenganamuhla;
19 kanye noFaro inkosi yaseGibithe, nezinceku zakhe, nezikhulu zakhe, nabantu bakhe bonke,
20 nayo yonke ingxubevange yabantu; onke amakhosi ase-Uzi, nawo onke amakhosi asezweni lamaFilisti e-Ashikeloni, naseGaza, nase-Ekroni, nensali yase-Ashidodi;
21 o-Edomi, noMowabi, nabantwana bakwa-Amoni,
22 nawo onke amakhosi aseTire, nawo onke amakhosi aseSidoni, namakhosi aseziqhingini ezingaphesheya kolwandle;
23 iDedani, neThema, neBuzi, nabo bonke abadilingiwe emaceleni amakhanda abo,
24 nawo onke amakhosi ase-Arabiya, nawo onke amakhosi engxubevange yabantu ehlala ehlane,
25 nawo onke amakhosi aseZimri, nawo onke amakhosi ase-Elamu, nawo onke amakhosi aseMediya,
26 nawo onke amakhosi asenyakatho, akude naseduze, yileyo naleyo, nayo yonke imibuso yezwe esebusweni bomhlaba; nenkosi yaseSheshaki iyakuphuza emva kwabo.
27 “Uyakusho kubo ukuthi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Phuzani, nidakwe, nihlanze, niwe, ningabe nisasukuma ngenxa yenkemba engiyakuyithuma phakathi kwenu.’
28 Kuyakuthi lapho bala ukuthatha indebe esandleni sakho ukuba bayiphuze, usho kubo ukuthi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: Impela niyakuphuza.
29 Ngokuba bheka, ngiyaqala ukwenza okubi emzini obizwe ngegama lami; nina beniyakuba ngabangenacala na? Aniyikuba ngabangenacala, ngokuba ngiyakubiza bonke abakhileyo emhlabeni beze enkembeni, usho uJehova Sebawoti.’
30 “Manje, profetha kubo onke lawa mazwi, uthi kubo:“ ‘UJehova uyakuduma ephezulu,aliphumise izwi lakheesendaweni yakhe engcwele;uyakuduma nokuduma phezu kwekhaya lakhe,amemeze njengabanyathela iwayinikubo bonke abakhileyo emhlabeni.
31 Umsindo uyakufinyelela emkhawulweni womhlaba,ngokuba uJehova uyamelana nezizwe;uyahlulela inyama yonke,kepha ababi uyakubanikela enkembeni,’ ” usho uJehova.
32 Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi:“Bheka, okubi kuyaphumakwesinye isizwe kuye kwesinye,nesivunguvungu siyavuswa emikhawulweni yomhlaba.”
33 Ngalolo suku ababuleweyo bakaJehova bayakusukela komunye umkhawulo womhlaba, baze bafike komunye; abayikukhalelwa, abayikubuthwa, abayikumbelwa, bayakuba ngumquba ebusweni bomhlaba.
34 Hhewulani nina belusi, nikhale,nihuquzele emlotheninina zikhulu zomhlambi,ngokuba sezipheleleizinsuku zenu zokuba nihlatshwe,nginihlakaze, niwe njengesitsha esihle.
35 Abelusi abayikuba nandawo ukubalekela kuyo,izikhulu zomhlambi zingabi nasiphephelo.
36 Yizwi lokukhala kwabelusi,nokuhhewula kwezikhulu zomhlambi,ngokuba uJehova uyachitha idlelo labo,
37 nezibaya ezithuleyo ziqediwengenxa yokufutheka kolaka oluvuthayo lukaJehova.
38 Uwushiyile umphandu wakhe njengengonyama,ngokuba izwe labo seliyincithakalongenxa yokufutheka kwenkemba ecindezelayonangenxa yokufutheka kolaka lwalo.