Jeremiah 13

Ibhanti LeLineni

1 UThixo wathi kimi: “Hamba uyethenga ibhanti lelineni ubophe ukhalo lwakho ngalo, kodwa lingathinti amanzi.” 2Ngakho ngathenga ibhanti, njengokulaya kukaThixo, ngabopha ukhalo lwami ngalo.

3Ilizwi likaThixo labuya lafika kimi ngokwesibili lathi: 4“Thatha ibhanti olithengileyo obophe ngalo ukhalo lwakho, uye eYufrathe, khathesi nje ulifihle khona eminkenkeni yamatshe.” 5Ngakho ngahamba ngayalifihla eYufrathe, njengokutsho kukaThixo kimi.

6Sekudlule insuku ezinengi uThixo wathi kimi, “Hamba khathesi eYufrathe uyethatha ibhanti engathi lifihle khona.” 7Ngakho ngaya eYufrathe ngagebha lapho engangifihle khona ibhanti, kodwa laselonakele impela lingaselasizo.

8Lapho-ke kwafika ilizwi likaThixo kimi lisithi: 9“UThixo uthi: ‘Ngendlela efanayo ngizakuchitha ukuzigqaja kukaJuda lokuzigqaja okukhulu kweJerusalema. 10Lababantu abangalunganga, abalayo ukulalela amazwi ami, abalandela ubulukhuni bezinhliziyo zabo badinge abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babasebenzele njalo babakhonze, bazakuba njengebhanti leli, bengelasizo loluncane! 11Ngoba njengebhanti libopha ukhalo lomuntu, ngayibophela kanjalo kimi yonke indlu ka-Israyeli layo yonke indlu kaJuda, kutsho uThixo, ukuba babengabantu bami ngenxa yodumo lwami, ukubongwa lokudunyiswa. Kodwa kabalalelanga.’ ” 

Izikhumba Zewayini

12“Batshele uthi, ‘UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, zonke izikhumba zewayini kumele zigcwaliswe ngewayini.’ Bona bangathi kuwe, ‘Kanti thina kasikwazi yini ukuthi izikhumba zonke kumele zigcwaliswe ngewayini?’ 13wena uthi kubo, ‘UThixo uthi: Ngizabenza badakwe bonke abahlala kulelilizwe, kanye lamakhosi ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida, abaphristi, abaphrofethi labo bonke abahlala eJerusalema. 14Ngizabamahlaza omunye komunye, oyise lamadodana ngokufananayo, kutsho uThixo. Angiyikuvumela isihawu loba umusa kumbe uzwelo ukuba kungivimbele ukubabhubhisa.’ ”

Isisongo Sokuthunjwa

15Zwanini lilalele,
lingazigqaji,
ngoba uThixo usekhulumile.
16Dumisani uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu
engakalethi ubumnyama,
inyawo zenu zingakakhubeki
emaqaqeni asesembeswa yibumnyama.
Lilindele ukukhanya,
kodwa yena uzakwenza kube yibumnyama,
akuphendule kube yibumnyama obesabekayo.
17Kodwa nxa lingalaleli,
ngizakhalela ensitha
ngenxa yokuzigqaja kwenu;
amehlo ami azalila kabuhlungu,
ageleze inyembezi,
ngoba umhlambi kaThixo uzathunjwa.

18Tshono enkosini lasendlovukazini uthi,
“Yehlani ezihlalweni zenu zobukhosi lize phansi,
ngoba imiqhele yenu emihle kakhulu
izakuwa emakhanda enu.”
19Amadolobho aseNegebi azavalwa,
njalo akuyikuba khona ozawavula.
UJuda wonke uzathathwa asiwe ekuthunjweni,
uzasiwa ekuthunjweni ngokupheleleyo.

20Phakamisani amehlo enu libone
labo abavela enyakatho.
Ungaphi umhlambi ababewugcinisiwe,
izimvu elalizazisa ngazo na?
21Lizakuthini lapho uThixo esebabeka phezu kwenu
labo elabenza babangabangane benu abaqakathekileyo na?
Kaliyikubanjwa yibuhlungu
obufana lobowesifazane ehelelwa na?
22Njalo nxa uzibuza usithi,
“Kungani lokhu kwenzakele kimi na?”
Kungenxa yezono zakho ezinengi
ukuthi izidwaba zakho zidatshulwe
lomzimba wakho waphathwa kubi.
23UmTopiya angaliguqula yini ijwabu lakhe
loba ingwe iguqule amabala ayo na?
Lani lingeke lenze okuhle
lina selajwayela ukwenza okubi.

24“Ngizalihlakaza njengamakhoba
ephetshulwa ngumoya wasenkangala.
25Lokhu yikho okungokwenu,
isabelo engilimisele sona,” kutsho uThixo,
“ngoba lingikhohliwe
lathemba onkulunkulu bamanga.
26Ngizaphekulela izidwaba zakho ebusweni bakho
ukuba kubonakale ihlazo lakho,
27ubufebe bakho lokububuliswa yisigwebo,
ukufeba kwakho ungelanhloni!
Ngizibonile izenzo zakho ezenyanyekayo
phezu kwamaqaqa lasegangeni.
Maye kuwe, wena Jerusalema!
Koze kube nini ungahlambulukanga na?”