UJeremiya 31:7-34

Ngokuba usho kanje uJehova, uthi: “Hlabelelani kuJakobe ngokujabula, nimemezele inhloko yezizwe, nizwakalise, nidumise nithi: ‘Jehova, sindisa abantu bakho, insali yakwa-Israyeli.’ Bheka, ngiyakubabuyisa ezweni lasenyakatho, ngibabuthe emikhawulweni yomhlaba, okuphakathi kwabo kuyizimpumputhe nezinyonga, abakhulelweyo nababelethayo kanyekanye, babuyele lapha beyibandla elikhulu. Bayakufika bekhala, ngibahambise bekhuleka, ngibayise emifuleni yamanzi ngendlela eqondileyo abangayikukhubeka kuyo, ngokuba nginguyise ka-Israyeli, no-Efrayimi uyizibulo lami. “Zwanini izwi likaJehova nina zizwe, nilimemeze eziqhingini ezikude, nithi: ‘Owamhlakaza u-Israyeli uyakumbutha amlondoloze njengomalusi umhlambi wakhe.’ Ngokuba uJehova umhlawulele uJakobe, wamhlenga esandleni sonamandla kunaye. Bayakufika, bahlabelele ngokujabula ekuphakameni kwaseSiyoni, bagobhozele kukho okuhle kukaJehova, yebo, emabeleni, nasewayinini, nasemafutheni, nakuwo amazinyane ezimvu nawezinkomo, umphefumulo wabo ube njengensimu eniselweyo, bangabe besaba nosizi futhi. Khona intombi iyakuthokoza ekusineni, nezinsizwa nabadala kanyekanye; ngiyakuphendula ukukhala kwabo kube ngukujabula, ngibaduduze, ngibathokozise, bangabe besaba nosizi. Ngiyakudelisa umphefumulo wabapristi ngamanoni, abantu bami basuthe ngokuhle kwami,” usho uJehova. Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: “Izwi liyezwakala eRama, ukulila nokukhala okumunyu, uRaheli ekhalela abantwana bakhe; uyala ukududuzwa ngabantwana bakhe, ngokuba abasekho.” Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: “Bamba izwi lakho, ungakhali, amehlo akho angabi nazinyembezi, ngokuba umsebenzi wakho uyakuba nomvuzo,” usho uJehova, “babuye ezweni lesitha. Kukhona ithemba lokugcina kwakho,” usho uJehova; “abantwana bayakubuyela emikhawulweni yabo. “Ngimzwile nokumuzwa u-Efrayimi ezidabukela, ethi: ‘Ungishayile, ngashaywa njengethole elingajwayele ijoka; ngibuyise ukuba ngibuye, ngokuba wena unguJehova uNkulunkulu wami. Impela lapho sengibuyisiwe, ngazisola, nalapho ngifundisiwe, ngashaya ithanga lami, ngaba namahloni, yebo, ngajabha, ngokuba ngathwala ihlazo lobusha bami.’ U-Efrayimi uyindodana yami yini eyigugu kimi, ungumntwana othandekayo na? Ngokuba njalo lapho ngikhuluma okubi ngaye, ngisamkhumbula nokumkhumbula; ngalokho izibilini zami ziyamhawukela; ngiyakuba nesihe impela kuye,” usho uJehova. “Zibekele amatshe, zimisele iziqondiso zendlela; yibeke inhliziyo yakho emendweni, indlela owahamba ngayo; buya, ntombi yakwa-Israyeli, ubuyele kule mizi yakho. Koze kube nini uhambahamba wena ndodakazi ehlubukayo na? Ngokuba uJehova udalile into entsha emhlabeni: owesifazane uyakuyihaqa indoda.” Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Bayakubuye basho leli zwi ezweni lakwaJuda nasemizini yalo, lapho ngibuyisa ukuthunjwa kwabo, lokuthi: ‘UJehova makakubuyise wena khaya lokulunga, ntaba yobungcwele.’ UJuda nayo yonke imizi yakhe bayakuhlala kulo ndawonye, abalimi nabahamba nemihlambi. Ngokuba nganelisile imiphefumulo eyethileyo, ngigcwalisile yonke imiphefumulo enosizi.” Kulokhu ngase ngivuka, ngabheka; ubuthongo bami babumnandi kimi. “Bheka, izinsuku ziyeza,” usho uJehova, “lapho ngiyakuhlwanyela indlu ka-Israyeli nendlu kaJuda ngembewu yabantu nangembewu yezinkomo. Kuyakuthi njengalokhu ngibalindile ukuba ngibasiphule, ngibadilize, ngibabhidlize, ngibachithe, ngibahluphe, kanjalo ngiyakubalinda ukuba ngibakhe, ngibatshale,” usho uJehova. “Ngalezo zinsuku abasayikusho ukuthi: “ ‘Oyise badlile izithelo zomvini ezimuncu, amazinyo abantwana aba bushelezi.’ “Ngokuba yilowo nalowo uyakufa ngobubi bakhe; bonke abantu abazidla izithelo zomvini ezimuncu amazinyo abo ayakuba buthuntu. “Bheka, izinsuku ziyeza,” usho uJehova, “lapho ngiyakwenza isivumelwano esisha nendlu ka-Israyeli nendlu kaJuda, kungenjengesivumelwano engasenzayo nawoyise mhla ngibabamba ngesandla ukubakhipha ezweni laseGibithe, isivumelwano sami abasaphula noma ngangiyinkosi yabo,” usho uJehova. “Kepha yilesi esiyisivumelwano engizakusenza nendlu ka-Israyeli emva kwalezo zinsuku,” usho uJehova: “ngiyakufaka umthetho wami ezibilinini zabo, ngiwulobe ezinhliziyweni zabo, ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, bona babe ngabantu bami; abasayikufundisana, kube yilowo nalowo umakhelwane wakhe, kube yilowo nalowo umfowabo, ngokuthi: ‘Yazi uJehova,’ ngokuba bonke bayakungazi, kusukela kwabancane kuya kwabakhulu babo,” usho uJehova, “ngokuba ngiyakuthethelela ububi babo, nesono sabo angisayikusikhumbula.”