UJeremiya 7:1-34
7 Leli lilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuJehova lisithi:
2 “Mana egedini lendlu kaJehova umemezele ilizwi leli uthi, ‘Zwanini ilizwi likaJehova lonke lina bantu bakoJuda, elingena ngamagedi la lisiyakhothama phambi kukaJehova.
3 UJehova wamabutho, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: “Tshintshani izindlela zenu lezenzo zenu. Lingenza njalo ngizalivumela ukuthi liqhubeke lihlala endaweni le.+
4 Lingawathembi amazwi obuqili lithi, ‘Leli lithempeli likaJehova, lithempeli likaJehova, lithempeli likaJehova!’+
5 Nxa lingazitshintsha sibili izindlela zenu lezenzo zenu, lahlulele kuhle phakathi komuntu lomakhelwane wakhe,+
6 liyekele ukucindezela abantu bezinye izizwe lezintandane labafelokazi,+ lingabulali abantu abangelacala endaweni le futhi lingalandeli abanye onkulunkulu ukuze lingaziletheli uhlupho,+
7 lapho-ke ngizalivumela ukuthi liqhubeke lihlala endaweni le, elizweni engalinika okhokho benu ukuthi libe ngelabo kokuphela.”’”
8 “Kodwa lina lithembe amazwi obuqili,+ awasoze alincede ngalutho.
9 Kambe lingatshontsha,+ libulale abantu, lifebe, lifunge amanga,+ lenzele uBhali imihlatshelo+ futhi lilandele abanye onkulunkulu elalingabazi,
10 beselibuya lizokuma phambi kwami endlini le ebizwa ngebizo lami lisithi lizasindiswa, lina lisenza zonke izinto lezi ezenyanyekayo?
11 Kanti selibona angathi indlu le ebizwa ngebizo lami ilubhalu lwamasela?+ Khathesi sengizibonele ngawami okwenzakalayo,” kutsho uJehova.
12 “‘Hambani endaweni yami eShilo,+ indawo engayikhetha kuqala ukuthi ibizo lami lihlale kuyo,+ liyebona ukuthi ngayenzani ngenxa yezinto ezimbi ezazisenziwa ngabako-Israyeli.+
13 Kodwa lina liqhubeke lisenza konke lokhu,’ kutsho uJehova. ‘Lanxa bengilokhu ngikhuluma lani ngiphindaphinda,* alizange lilalele.+ Bengiqhubeka ngilibiza kodwa belingasabeli.+
14 Lokho engakwenza eShilo+ yikho engizakwenza endlini le ebizwa ngebizo lami+ elithembele kuyo,+ lasendaweni le engalinika yona lina labokhokho benu.
15 Ngizalixotsha phambi kwami, njengoba nje ngaxotsha bonke abafowenu, zonke izizukulwane zako-Efrayimi.’+
16 “Kodwa wena ungabathandazeli abantu laba. Ungathandazi loba ukhale ubancengela+ ngoba angisoze ngikulalele.+
17 Awukuboni yini lokho abakwenzayo emadolobheni akoJuda lasemigwaqweni yeJerusalema?
18 Amadodana atheza inkuni, oyise babasa umlilo futhi abesifazana bavuba ifulawa ukuze benzele iNdlovukazi Yezulu*+ iminikelo yamakhekhe. Bathululela abanye onkulunkulu iminikelo yokunathwayo ukuze bangithukuthelise.+
19 ‘Kanti balimaza mina yini? Hatshi, bayazilimaza bona njalo bazilethela ihlazo,’+ kutsho uJehova.
20 Ngakho-ke iNkosi Enkulu uJehova ithi, ‘Ngizathululela intukuthelo yami lolaka lwami endaweni le.+ Ngizayithululela phezu kwabantu laphezu kwezinyamazana, lasezihlahleni ezisegangeni laphezu kwezithelo zomhlabathi. Ulaka lwami luzavutha futhi alusoze lucitshwe.’+
21 “UJehova wamabutho uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Hambani liyehlanganisa iminikelo yenu yokutshiswa leminye imihlatshelo, lidle inyama.+
22 Ngelanga okhokho benu engabakhipha ngalo elizweni leGibhithe, angizange ngibatshele loba ngibanike imilayo ephathelane leminikelo yokutshiswa kanye lemihlatshelo.+
23 Kodwa ngabanika umlayo othi: “Lalelani ilizwi lami, ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wenu lina libe ngabantu bami.+ Kumele lihambe ngezindlela zonke engithe lihambe ngazo ukuze liphumelele.”’+
24 Kodwa abazange balalele loba babe lendaba lalokho engakutshoyo.+ Balandela abakucabangayo,* baqinisa intamo belandela inhliziyo zabo ezimbi+ njalo babuyela emuva kulokuthi baye phambili.
25 Lokhu bakwenza kusukela ngelanga okhokho benu abaphuma ngalo elizweni leGibhithe kuze kube lamuhla.+ Ngakho ngaqhubeka ngithuma kini izinceku zami ezingabaphrofethi. Ngangizithuma nsuku zonke ngiphindaphinda.*+
26 Kodwa abazange balalele futhi abazange babe lendaba lalokho engangikutsho.+ Baqinisa intamo, benza okubi okwedlula lokho okwakwenziwe ngokhokho babo!
27 “Uzabatshela amazwi la+ kodwa abasoze bakulalele, uzababiza kodwa abasoze basabele.
28 Wena uzakuthi kubo, ‘Lesi yisizwe esingazange sililalele ilizwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu waso futhi esingazange sivume ukulaywa. Akula loyedwa othembekileyo futhi kakho okhuluma ngokuthembeka.’+
29 “Gela inwele zakho ezinde* uzilahle, ulile emaqaqeni angelazihlahla ngoba uJehova usesitshiyile isizukulwane lesi futhi uzasilahla ngoba simthukuthelisile.
30 ‘Abantu bakoJuda benze okubi phambi kwami. Bafake izithombe zabo ezenyanyekayo endlini ebizwa ngebizo lami ukuze bayingcolise,’+ kutsho uJehova.
31 ‘Bakhe izindawo eziphakemeyo* eThofethi, esigodini sendodana kaHinomi,*+ ukuze batshisele khona amadodana lamadodakazi abo emlilweni,+ into engingazange ngibatshele ukuthi bayenze njalo engazange ifike enhliziyweni yami.’*+
32 “‘Ngakho ziyeza izinsuku lapho indawo le engasoze ibizwe ngokuthi yiThofethi loba isigodi sendodana kaHinomi,* kodwa izabizwa ngokuthi yisigodi sokubulawa. Bazangcwaba abantu eThofethi kuze kusale kungaselandawo,’+ kutsho uJehova.
33 ‘Izidumbu zabantu laba zizakuba yikudla kwenyoni lezinyamazana njalo akulamuntu ozazethusa zibaleke.+
34 Ngizaqeda umsindo wokuthokoza lowokujabula futhi akusoze kuzwakale ilizwi lomyeni lelikamakoti+ emadolobheni akoJuda lasemigwaqweni yeJerusalema ngoba ilizwe lizasala lingamanxiwa.’”+
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “ngangivuka ngovivi ngikhuluma.”
^ Lo kwakungunkulunkulukazi owayekhonzwa ngabako-Israyeli ababehlamukile. Kungenzakala ukuthi wayengunkulunkulukazi wenzalo.
^ Kumbe, “amacebo abo.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “ngivuka ngovivi.”
^ Kumbe, “zesifungo.”
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala.
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala ebaleni elithi, “IGehena.”
^ Kumbe, “engqondweni yami.”
^ Khangela iNgcazelo Yamabala ebaleni elithi, “IGehena.”
