UJeremiya 44:14-30

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.” Ayesephendula uJeremiya onke amadoda ayekwazi ukuthi omkawo bashisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho nabo bonke abesifazane ababemi khona, ibandla elikhulu, bonke abantu ababehlala ezweni laseGibithe ePhatirosi; bathi: “Izwi olikhulume kithi egameni likaJehova asiyikulilalela. Kepha siyakwenza nokwenza onke amazwi aphumile emilonyeni yethu, sishisele inkosikazi yezulu impepho, siyithululele iminikelo yokuphuzwa, njengalokho senzile, thina nawobaba, namakhosi ethu, nezikhulu zethu emizini yakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema, ngokuba sasisuthi isinkwa, sahlala kahle, asabona okubi. Kepha selokhu sayeka ukushisela inkosikazi yezulu impepho nokuyithululela iminikelo yokuphuzwa, siswele konke, siqedwe ngenkemba nangendlala. “Lapho sesishisela inkosikazi yezulu impepho, siyithululele iminikelo yokuphuzwa, siyenzela amaqebelengwane anesithombe sayo, siyithululelele iminikelo yokuphuzwa ngaphandle kwamadoda ethu, na?” UJeremiya washo kubantu bonke, kwabesilisa nakwabesifazane, kubo bonke abantu abamphendule kanjalo, wathi: “Impepho enayishisa emizini yakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema nina nawoyihlo, namakhosi enu, nezikhulu zenu, nabantu bezwe, uJehova akayikhumbulanga, ayingenanga enhliziyweni yakhe, na? UJehova wayengasenakuthwala okubi kwemisebenzi yenu nezinengiso zenu enizenzileyo; ngalokho izwe lakini seliyincithakalo, nesimangaliso, nesiqalekiso, kungekho owakhile kulo njenganamuhla. Ngokuba niyishisile impepho nangokuba nonile kuJehova, ningalilalelanga izwi likaJehova, ningahambanga ngomthetho wakhe, nangezimiso zakhe, nangobufakazi bakhe, ngalokho le ngozi ihlangabezene nani njenganamuhla.” UJeremiya wathi futhi kubantu bonke nakubo bonke abesifazane: “Yizwani izwi likaJehova nina nonke bakwaJuda enisezweni laseGibithe. Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Nina nawomkenu nikhulumile ngemilomo yenu, nakugcwalisa ngezandla zenu, nathi: ‘Siyakugcwalisa nokugcwalisa izithembiso zethu esizenzileyo zokushisela inkosikazi yezulu impepho nokuyithululela iminikelo yokuphuzwa.’ Qinisani nokuqinisa izithembiso zenu, nigcwalise nokugcwalisa izithembiso zenu. Ngalokho yizwani izwi likaJehova nina nonke bakwaJuda enihlala ezweni laseGibithe: ‘Bhekani, ngifungile igama lami elikhulu,’ usho uJehova, ‘ukuthi igama lami alisayikubizwa mlomo wamuntu wakwaJuda ezweni lonke laseGibithe ukuthi: “Kuphila kukaJehova.” Bheka, ngiyabalinda kube kubi, kungabi kuhle; bonke abantu bakwaJuda abasezweni laseGibithe bayakuphela ngenkemba nangendlala, baze baqedwe. Abaphunyuka enkembeni bayakubuya ezweni laseGibithe, babuyele ezweni lakwaJuda, bengaba yingcosana ngomumo; yonke insali yakwaJuda eye ezweni laseGibithe ukuba igogobale khona iyakwazi ukuthi yiliphi izwi eliyakuma, elami noma elabo. “ ‘Lesi siyakuba yisibonakaliso kini,’ usho uJehova, ‘ukuthi ngiyakunijezisa kule ndawo ukuba nazi ukuthi amazwi ami ayakuma amelane nani kube kubi.’ Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Bhekani, ngiyakunikela uFaro uHofira inkosi yaseGibithe esandleni sezitha zakhe nasesandleni sabafuna ukuphila kwakhe, njengalokho nganikela uSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda esandleni sikaNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, isitha sakhe esasifuna ukuphila kwakhe.’ ”