UJeremiya 44:1-14

Izwi elafika kuJeremiya mayelana nabaJuda bonke ababehlala eGibhithe, eMigidoli, eThahiphanesi, eNofi, nasePhathirosi, lathi: “Usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: niyibonile yonke inhlekelele engiyehlisele iJerusalema nemizi yonke yakwaJuda. Bhekani, namuhla iyincithakalo, akusekho muntu ohlala kuyo, ngenxa yobubi babo ababenzayo, bachukuluza ulaka lwami, ngokuhamba bayoshisa impepho, bakhonza abanye onkulunkulu abangazange babazi bona, nani, nokhokho benu. Kepha ngathumela kini zonke izinceku zami, abaphrofethi, ngazithumela ngiphindelela, ngithi: ‘Maningakwenzi lokhu okunengekayo engikuzondayo.’ Nokho abangilalelanga, abangishayanga mkhuba, ukuba baphenduke ebubini babo, bangabe besashisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho. Ngase ngithulula intukuthelo nolaka lwami, kwavutha emizini yakwaJuda nasemigwaqweni eJerusalema, kwaphenduka incithakalo nembumbiso njengoba kunjalo nanamuhla. “Ngakho-ke usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: nikwenzelani lokhu okubi kangaka kinina uqobo, niqede kini abesilisa, abesifazane, izingane nabasancelayo kubaJuda, nize ningazishiyeli nansali na? Niluchukuluzeleni ulaka lwami ngemisebenzi yezandla zenu, nishisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho eGibhithe, lapho niye ukuba niyogogobala na? Nizibhubhisa nina, ukuze nibe yisiqalekiso nehlazo ezizweni zonke zomhlaba. Senizikhohliwe yini izenzo ezimbi zokhokho benu, ezamakhosi akwaJuda, nezamakhosikazi awo; izenzo zenu ezimbi nezamakhosikazi enu enazenzayo ezweni lakwaJuda nasemigwaqweni eJerusalema na? Abazithobanga kuze kube namuhla, abesabanga, abahambanga ngomthetho wami nangezimiso zami, engikubeke phambi kwenu naphambi kokhokho benu. “Ngakho-ke usho kanje uSimakade Wamabandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: bheka, ngiyakubhekana nani ngqo, kube kubi, ngimbhubhise wonke uJuda. Ngiyakuyishabalalisa insali yakwaJuda, eqoke ukuya eGibhithe ukuyogogobala khona, bonke bayofela eGibhithe, babulawe yinkemba nendlala; kanjalo abancane nabadala, bayobulawa yinkemba nendlala, babe yisithuko, into esabekayo, isiqalekiso nehlazo. “Ngiyobajezisa bonke abahlala eGibhithe njengoba ngajezisa iJerusalema ngenkemba, ngendlala nangobhubhane. Akuyukuphunyuka namunye, akuyukusinda muntu ensalini yakwaJuda eye eGibhithe ukuyogogobala khona, ukuze ibuyele ezweni lakwaJuda, efisa ukubuyela kulo ukuze ihlale khona, ngokuba akuyukubuya muntu, kuphela ingcosana ephunyukile.”