UJeremiya 44:1-14

Izwi elafika kuJeremiya ngabaJuda bonke ababehlala ezweni laseGibithe, ababehlala eMigidoli, naseThahipanesi, naseNofi, nasezweni lasePhatirosi, lathi: “Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Nikubonile konke okubi engikwehlisele phezu kweJerusalema naphezu kwayo yonke imizi yakwaJuda; bhekani, namuhla iyincithakalo, akakho ohlala kuyo ngenxa yobubi babo ababenzileyo ukuba bangicunule, behamba beshisa impepho, bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu abangabazanga bona, nani, nawoyihlo. Kepha ngathuma kini zonke izinceku zami abaprofethi, ngizithuma njalonjalo, ngathi: ‘Maningenzi le nto enengekayo engiyizondayo.’ Kepha abalalelanga, ababekanga izindlebe zabo ukuba babuye ebubini babo, bangashiseli abanye onkulunkulu impepho. Kwase kuthululwa ukufutheka kwami nentukuthelo yami, kwavutha emizini yakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema, kwaba yincithakalo nokuchitheka njenganamuhla. “Manje usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Nenzelani lokhu okubi okukhulu kuyo imiphefumulo yenu, ninqume kini abesilisa nabesifazane, izingane nabancelayo phakathi kukaJuda, nize ningashiyelwa nsali, ngokungicunula ngemisebenzi yezandla zenu, nishisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho ezweni laseGibithe, lapho niyile khona ukugogobala, ukuba ninqunywe, nibe yisiqalekiso nehlazo phakathi kwezizwe zonke zomhlaba, na? Nikhohliwe yini ububi bukayihlo, nobubi bamakhosi akwaJuda, nobubi bamakhosikazi awo, nobubi benu, nobubi bawomkenu ababebenza ezweni lakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema, na? Abazithobanga kuze kube namuhla, abesabanga, abahambanga ngomthetho wami nangezimiso zami engikubeke phambi kwenu naphambi kwawoyihlo. “Ngalokho usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Bheka, ngiyakubhekisa ubuso bami kini kube kubi, kunqunywe uJuda wonke. Ngiyakuthatha insali yakwaJuda ebhekise ubuso bayo ukuba ingene ezweni laseGibithe ukuba igogobale khona, baphele bonke, bawe ezweni laseGibithe, baphele ngenkemba nangendlala, abakhulu nabancane bafe ngenkemba nangendlala, babe yisithuko, nesimangaliso, nesiqalekiso, nehlazo. Ngiyakubajezisa abahlala ezweni laseGibithe, njengalokho ngilijezisile iJerusalema, ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo, kungaphunyuki, kungasali muntu ensalini yakwaJuda eye ezweni laseGibithe ukuba igogobale khona ukubuyela ezweni lakwaJuda, efisa ukubuyela kulo ukuba ihlale khona, ngokuba akuyikubuya muntu, abaphunyukileyo bodwa.”