UJeremiya 21

1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini lapho inkosi uZedekhiya ethuma kuye uPashuri indodana kaMalikiya, loZefaniya indodana kaMahaseya, umpristi, isithi:

2 Ake usibuzele eNkosini, ngoba uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni ulwa emelene lathi; mhlawumbe iNkosi ingasenzela njengokwezimangaliso zayo zonke, ukuze enyuke asuke kithi.

3 UJeremiya wasesithi kubo: Lizakutsho njalo kuZedekhiya:

4 Itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Khangelani, ngizaphendulela emuva izikhali zempi ezisezandleni zenu, elilwa ngazo lenkosi yeBhabhiloni lamaKhaladiya, abalivimbezeleyo ngaphandle komduli, ngibaqoqe ngaphakathi kwalumuzi.

5 Njalo mina ngizakulwa lani ngesandla eseluliweyo, langengalo elamandla, langentukuthelo, langokufutheka, langolaka olukhulu.

6 Njalo ngizatshaya abakhileyo balumuzi, umuntu kanye lesifuyo; bazakufa ngomatshayabhuqe wesifo omkhulu.

7 Kuthi emva kwalokhu, itsho iNkosi, uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, lenceku zakhe, labantu, labaseleyo phakathi kwalumuzi kumatshayabhuqe wesifo, enkembeni, lendlaleni, ngizabanikela esandleni sikaNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni, lesandleni sezitha zabo, lesandleni salabo abadinga impilo yabo. Njalo uzabatshaya ngobukhali benkemba; kayikubayekela, kayikuhawukela, kayikuba lomusa.

8 Njalo kulababantu uzakuthi: Itsho njalo INkosi: Khangelani, ngibeka phambi kwenu indlela yokuphila lendlela yokufa.

9 Osala kulumuzi uzakufa ngenkemba langendlala langomatshayabhuqe wesifo; kodwa ophumayo, awele kumaKhaladiya alivimbezelayo, uzaphila, lempilo yakhe izakuba yimpango kuye.

10 Ngoba ngimisile ubuso bami bumelene lalumuzi ngokubi, hatshi ngokuhle, itsho iNkosi; uzanikelwa esandleni senkosi yeBhabhiloni, iwutshise ngomlilo.

11 Lamayelana lendlu yenkosi yakoJuda, zwanini ilizwi leNkosi:

12 Wena ndlu kaDavida, itsho njalo INkosi: Yehlulelani isahlulelo ekuseni, lophule ophangiweyo esandleni somcindezeli, hlezi ulaka lwami luphume njengomlilo, lutshise, ukuthi kungabi khona ocitshayo, ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zenu.

13 Khangela, ngimelene lawe, wena mhlali wesigodi, dwala legceke, itsho iNkosi; lina elithi: Ngubani ozakwehla amelane lathi? Kumbe ngubani ozangena endaweni zethu zokuhlala?

14 Kodwa ngizalijezisa njengokwesithelo sezenzo zenu, itsho iNkosi, ngiphembe umlilo ehlathini lakho, ozaqeda konke inhlangothi zonke zakho.