Jer 4 | NdeIBE | STEP | “Nxa uphenduka, we Israyeli, buyela kimi,” kutsho uJehova. “Ungazisusa phambi kwami izithombe zakho ezenyanyekayo ungabe usaphambuka futhi,

Jeremiah 4

1 “Nxa uphenduka, we Israyeli, buyela kimi,” kutsho uJehova. “Ungazisusa phambi kwami izithombe zakho ezenyanyekayo ungabe usaphambuka futhi,

2 njalo uma uzafunga ngobuqotho, ngokulunga langokuqonda, uthi, ‘Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uJehova ekhona, ngakho izizwe uzazibusisa ziziqhenye ngaye.”

3 Ebantwini bakoJuda labeJerusalema uJehova uthi, “Limani izingqatho zenu, lingahlanyeli emeveni.

4 Zisokeleni kuJehova, lisoke izinhliziyo zenu, lina bantu bakoJuda lani bantu baseJerusalema, hlezi ulaka lwami luvuke luvuthe njengomlilo ngenxa yobubi elibenzileyo – lutshise kungekho muntu ongalucitsha.

Umonakalo Ovela Enyakatho

5 “Bikani koJuda limemezele laseJerusalema lithi: ‘Tshayani icilongo elizweni lonke!’ Klabalalani lithi: ‘Buthanani ndawonye! Kasibalekeleni emadolobheni avikelweyo!’

6 Phakamisani uphawu lokuya eZiyoni! Balekelani ekusileni ngokuphangisa! Ngoba ngiletha umonakalo ovela enyakatho, lencithakalo embi kakhulu.”

7 Isilwane sesiphumile esikhundleni saso, umchithi wezizwe usephumile. Usesukile endaweni yakhe ukuba achithe ilizwe lenu. Amadolobho enu azakuba ngamanxiwa angelamuntu ohlala kuwo.

8 Ngakho gqokani amasaka, khalani lilile, ngoba ulaka lukaJehova olwesabekayo kalususwanga kithi.

9 UJehova uthi, “Ngalolosuku inkosi lezikhulu bazaphelelwa lithemba, abaphristi bazathuthumela, abaphrofethi bazakwesaba.”

10 Lapho-ke mina ngathi, “Awu, Jehova Wobukhosi, ubakhohlisile sibili abantu laba kanye leJerusalema ngokuthi, ‘Lizakuba lokuthula,’ inkemba yona isemiphinjeni yethu.

11 Ngalesosikhathi abantu laba leJerusalema kuzathiwa kubo, “Umoya otshisayo ovela enkangala emiqolweni elugwadule uvunguza usiya ebantwini bami, kodwa kungayisikwela kumbe ukuhlungula, 12 umoya olamandla kakhulu uvela kimi. Khathesi-ke sengimemezela ukwahlulela kwami kubo.”

13 Khangela! Uyeza njengamayezi, izinqola zakhe zempi ziza njengesivunguzane, amabhiza akhe alesiqubu esedlula esezingqungqulu. Maye! Sesiphelile!

14 We Jerusalema, geza ububi obusenhliziyweni yakho usile. Koze kube nini ugcine imicabango emibi na?

15 Ilizwi elivela koDani liyamemeza, libika umonakalo ovela emaqaqeni ako-Efrayimi

16 “Izizwe zitshele lokhu, ukubike laseJerusalema uthi: “Ibutho elivimbezelayo liyeza livela elizweni elikhatshana, limemezela umkhosi wempi emadolobheni akoJuda.

17 Balihanqile njengabantu abalinda insimu, ngoba langihlamukela,’ ” kutsho uJehova.

18 “Ukuziphatha kwakho lezenzo zakho kwehlisele lokhu phezu kwakho. Lesi yisijeziso sakho. Sibuhlungu kakhulu. Sihlaba enhliziyweni.”

19 Maye, ngobuhlungu, ubuhlungu engibuzwayo. Ngiyazitshila ngenxa yobuhlungu. Maye, ngokufuthelwa kwenhliziyo yami! Inhliziyo yami iyatshaya ngaphakathi kwami, angingeke ngithule, ngoba ukukhala kwecilongo sengikuzwile; umkhosi wempi sengiwuzwile.

20 Incithakalo ilandela incithakalo; ilizwe lonke selingamanxiwa. Ngesikhatshana nje amathente ami adiliziwe, lamakhetheni ami ngomzuzwana nje.

21 Koze kube nini ngibona uphawu lwempi ngisizwa lokukhala kwecilongo na?

22 “Abantu bami bayiziwula; kabangazi. Bangabantwana abangelangqondo; kabalakho ukuqedisisa. Bahlakaniphele ukwenza okubi; kabakwazi ukwenza okulungileyo.”

23 Ngakhangela umhlaba, wawungelasimo njalo ungelalutho; lasemazulwini, ukukhanya kwawo kwakungasekho.

24 Ngakhangela ezintabeni, zazinyikinyeka; lamaqaqa wonke ayezunguzeka.

25 Ngakhangela, kwakungelabantu; izinyoni zonke zasezisukile emkhathini.

26 Ngakhangela, ilizwe elithelayo laseliyinkangala; amadolobho alo wonke ayesengamanxiwa phambi kukaJehova, phambi kolaka lwakhe olwesabekayo.

27 UJehova uthi: “Ilizwe lonke lizachitheka lanxa ngingayikulitshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo.

28 Ngakho umhlaba uzalila iphezulu libe mnyama, ngoba sengikhulumile njalo angiyikuyekethisa, sengenze isinqumo angiyikubuyela emuva.

29 Ekuzwakaleni komsindo wabagadi bamabhiza labemitshoko amadolobho wonke ayabaleka. Abanye bangena ezixukwini; abanye bakhwele emadwaleni. Amadolobho wonke atshiyiwe; akulamuntu ohlala kuwo.

30 Wenzani na, wena ohlutshwe kakhulu? Kungani ugqoka okubomvu gebhu ufaka lezigqoko zegolide na? Kungani ucomba amehlo akho ngomphendulo na? Uzicecisela ize. Izithandwa zakho ziyakweyisa, zifuna ukukubulala.

31 Ngizwa ukukhala okunjengokowesifazana ohelelwayo, ukububula okufana lozuza umntwana wakhe wakuqala – ukukhala kweNdodakzi yaseZiyoni ikhefuzela, yelule izandla zayo isithi: “Maye mina! Amandla ami asephela, ukuphila kwami sekunikelwe kubabulali.”