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:
14Ungqwaqwane waseLebhanoni
15Kodwa abantu bami sebengikhohliwe;
16Ilizwe labo lizatshabalaliswa,
17Njengomoya ovela empumalanga,
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;
20Okuhle kuphindiselwa ngokubi na?
21Ngakho-ke abantwababo banikele endlaleni;
22Kakuzwakale ukukhala ezindlini zabo,
23Kodwa uyawazi, wena Thixo,