Jeremiah 18

Endlini Yombumbi

1Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi: 2“Suka wehlele endlini yombumbi, lapho engizakutshelela khona ilizwi lami.” 3Ngakho ngehlela endlini yombumbi, ngambona esebenza ngevili. 4Kodwa imbiza ayeyibumba ngebumba yonakala ezandleni zakhe; ngakho umbumbi wayenza yaba ngenye imbiza, ngendlela ayibona ingcono kuye.

5Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kimi lisithi; 6“Wena ndlu ka-Israyeli, ngingeze ngenza kuwe njengokwenziwa ngumbumbi lo na?” kutsho uThixo. “Njengebumba esandleni sombumbi lawe unjalo esandleni sami, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli. 7Nxa ngimemezela langasiphi isikhathi ukuthi isizwe loba umbuso uzasuswa udilizwe, uchithwe, 8kuthi isizwe leso engisixwayisileyo siphenduke ebubini baso, ngizaxola ngingabe ngisasehlisela ebesengimise ukusehlisela khona. 9Njalo nxa ngesinye isikhathi ngimemezela ukuthi isizwe kumbe umbuso ngizawakha ngiwumise, 10ube ususenza ububi emehlweni ami njalo ungangilaleli, ngizacabanga kutsha ngokuhle ebesengicebe ukukwenzela khona.

11Ngakho khathesi tshela abantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: Khangelani! Ngilungisela ukulehlisela umonakalo njalo ngibumba lecebo ngani. Ngakho phendukani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi, omunye lomunye wenu, lilungise izindlela zenu lezenzo zenu.’ 12Kodwa bazaphendula bathi, ‘Akusizi lutho. Sizaqhubeka ngamacebo ethu; lowo lalowo wethu uzalandela ubulukhuni benhliziyo yakhe embi.’ ”

13Ngakho uThixo uthi:

“Buzani phakathi kwezizwe ukuthi:
Ngubani owake wezwa okunjengalokhu na?
Kwenziwe into eyesabekayo kakhulu,
yenziwe yintombi egcweleyo u-Israyeli.
14Ungqwaqwane waseLebhanoni
uyake unyamalale emithezukweni yayo elamatshe na?
Amanzi akhona aqandayo avela kude
ayake eme ukugeleza na?
15Kodwa abantu bami sebengikhohliwe;
batshisela izithombe eziyize impepha,
ezabenza bakhubeka ezindleleni zabo
lasemikhondweni yasendulo.
Zabenza bahamba ngezindledlana zeganga
lasemigwaqweni engalungiswanga.
16Ilizwe labo lizatshabalaliswa,
into yokuhlekwa usulu;
bonke abadlula khona bazakwethuka
banyikinye amakhanda abo.
17Njengomoya ovela empumalanga,
ngizabahlakaza phambi kwezitha zabo;
ngizabafulathela ngibancitshe ubuso bami
ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwabo.”
18Bona bathi, “Wozani sicebe amacebo amabi ngoJeremiya; ngoba ukufundisa kwabaphristi umthetho akusoze kuphuthe, kumbe ukweluleka kwezihlakaniphi, loba ilizwi elivela kubaphrofethi. Ngakho wozani, simhlasele ngemilomo yethu singananzi lutho alutshoyo.”

19Ake ungizwe, awu Thixo;
ulalele okutshiwo yizitha zami!
20Okuhle kuphindiselwa ngokubi na?
Ikanti sebengimbele igodi.
Khumbula ukuba ngema phambi kwakho
ngabakhulumela
ukuba ususe ulaka lwakho kubo.
21Ngakho-ke abantwababo banikele endlaleni;
ubaqhubele emandleni enkemba.
Abafazi babo kabangabi labantwana njalo babe ngabafelokazi;
amadoda abo kawabulawe,
amajaha akhona abulawe ngenkemba empini.
22Kakuzwakale ukukhala ezindlini zabo,
lapho usulethe abahlaseli ukuba babajume,
ngoba sebegebhe igodi ukuba bangithumbe
njalo bathiya inyawo zami ngemijibila.
23Kodwa uyawazi, wena Thixo,
wonke amaqhinga abo okungibulala.
Ungabathetheleli amacala abo
loba ucitshe izono zabo phambi kobuso bakho.
Kabachithwe phambi kwakho;
bahlasele ngesikhathi sokuthukuthela kwakho.