Jeremiya Chapter 4

1. “Uma uphenduka, Israyeli,” usho uJehova, “uyakuphendukela kimi; uma ususa ebusweni bami izinengiso zakho, awuyikuntengantenga.

2. Uyakufunga ngeqiniso, nangokwahlulela, nangokulunga, ngokuthi: ‘Kuphila kukaJehova,’ izizwe ziyakuzibusisa kuye, zizibonge kuye.”

3. Ngokuba usho kanje uJehova kubantu bakwaJuda nabaseJerusalema, uthi: “Qathani umqatho wenu, ningatshali phakathi kwameva.

4. Zisokeleni kuJehova, nisuse amajwabu ezinhliziyo zenu nina bantu bakwaJuda nabakhileyo eJerusalema, funa ukufutheka kwami kuphume njengomlilo, kuvuthe, kungabikho ongakucima, ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zenu.

5. “Khulumani kwaJuda, nizwakalise eJerusalema, nithi: ‘Bethani amacilongo ezweni,’ nimemeze nithi: ‘Buthanani, singene emizini ebiyelweyo.’

6. Misani ibhanela elibheka ngaseSiyoni, nibaleke ningemi, ngokuba ngiyakuletha okubi kuvele ngasenyakatho nokubhujiswa okukhulu.”

7. Ingonyama ikhuphukile esihlahleni sayo, umchithi wezizwe uyeza; uphumile endaweni yakhe ukuba ulenze izwe lakho libe yincithakalo, ichithwe imizi yakho, kungabikho ohlala kuyo.

8. Ngalokho bhincani izindwangu zamasaka, nikhale, nihewule, ngokuba ulaka oluvuthayo lukaJehova alubuyanga kithi.

9. “Kuyakuthi ngalolo suku,” usho uJehova, “inhliziyo yenkosi iphele kanye nezinhliziyo zezikhulu; abapristi bayakumangala, abaprofethi bethuke.”

10. Ngase ngithi: “Awu, Nkosi Jehova, ubakhohlisile nokubakhohlisa laba bantu neJerusalema ngokuthi: ‘Niyakuba nokuthula;’ nokho inkemba ifinyelele emphefumulweni.”

11. Ngaleso sikhathi kuyakuthiwa kulaba bantu nakulo iJerusalema: “Ishisandlu elivela emadulini angenalutho liya endodakazini yabantu bami, lingayikubahlakaza, lingayikubahlunga.

12. Umoya omkhulu kunokuba kwenziwe lokhu uyakuphuma kimi. Manje sengiyakukhuluma nami ukwahlulela kubo.”

13. Bhekani, uyakhuphuka njengamafu, izinqola zakhe zinjengesivunguvungu, amahhashi akhe anejubane kunezinkozi. Maye kithina, ngokuba sichithiwe!

14. Jerusalema, hlanza inhliziyo yakho, kuphume ububi, ukuze usindiswe. Koze kube nini imicabango yakho emibi ihlala phakathi kwakho na?

15. Ngokuba izwi liyamemezela liphuma kwaDani; lizwakalisa okubi kuvela ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi.

16. “Khumbuzani izizwe; bhekani, nizwakalise eJerusalema ukuthi kufika abavimbezeli abaphuma ezweni elikude; baliphakamisa izwi labo ngakuyo imizi yakwaJuda.

17. Njengabalinda insimu baphezu kwalo nxazonke, ngokuba lingihlubukile,” usho uJehova.

18. “Ukuhamba kwakho nezenzo zakho kukwenzele lokhu; lokhu kuyingozi yakho ngokuba imunyu; ifinyelele enhliziyweni yakho.”

19. Zibilini zami, zibilini zami, nginobuhlungu enhliziyweni yami; inhliziyo yami ikhala phakathi kwami, anginakuthula, ngokuba ulizwile, mphefumulo wami, izwi lecilongo, ukuhlatshwa komkhosi wempi.

20. Kuyamenyezelwa ukubhujiswa phezu kokubhujiswa, ngokuba izwe lonke liyachithwa. Amatende ami ayachithwa masinyane, nezilenge zami ngokuphazima kweso.

21. Koze kube nini ngibona ibhandela, ngizwe izwi lecilongo, na?

22. “Yebo, abantu bami bayiziwula, abangazi; bangabantwana abayiziphukuphuku, abanakuqonda; bahlakaniphele ukwenza okubi, kepha ukwenza okuhle kabakwazi.”

23. Ngabuka umhlaba; bheka, wawuyize, wawungenalutho, nezulu lalingenakukhanya.

24. Ngabuka izintaba; bheka, zazamazama; onke amagquma anyakaza.

25. Ngabuka; bheka, kwakungekho muntu; izinyoni zonke zezulu zazibalekile.

26. Ngabuka; bheka, izwe elivundileyo laliyihlane, nemizi yalo yonke yayidiliziwe ebusweni bukaJehova naphambi kolaka lwakhe oluvuthayo.

27. Ngokuba uJehova usho kanje, uthi: “Izwe lonke liyakuba yincithakalo, kepha angiyikuliqeda ngokupheleleyo.

28. Umhlaba uyakhala ngalokhu, izulu phezulu limnyama, ngokuba ngikukhulumile, ngikuhlosile, ngingazisolanga; futhi angiyikubuya kukho.”

29. Umuzi wonke uyabaleka ngenxa yomsindo wabamahhashi nowabemicibisholo; bayangena ezihlahleni, bakhuphukele emadwaleni; imizi yonke ishiyiwe, akakho ohlala kuyo.

30. Lapho usuchithiwe, uyakwenzani na? Noma wembatha okubomvu, noma uzivunulisa ngezivunulo zegolide, noma ugqaba amehlo akho ngomuthi, uzenza muhle ngeze; izithandwa zakho ziyakudelela, zifuna ukukubulala.

31. Ngizwile izwi njengokungathi elonemihelo, usizi lozibulayo, izwi lendodakazi yaseSiyoni eheheza, ezelula izandla zayo, ithi: “Maye kimina! Ngokuba umphefumulo wami uphele amandla ngababulali.”