1 Wayesethi uJehova kimi: “Noma bekumi phambi kwami oMose noSamuweli, inhliziyo yami ibingebe kulaba bantu; balahle ebusweni bami, baphume.

2 Kuyakuthi lapho bethi kuwe: ‘Siyakuphuma siyephi na?’ usho kubo ukuthi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova, uthi:

“ ‘Abokufa, mabaye ekufeni,

nabenkemba, enkembeni,

nabendlala, endlaleni,

nabokuthunjwa, ekuthunjweni.’

3 “Ngiyakubamisela izinhlobo ezine,” usho uJehova: “inkemba yokubulala, nezinja zokudonsa, nezinyoni zezulu nezilwane zomhlaba zokudla nezokuchitha.

4 Ngiyakubenza ukuba bahlupheke emibusweni yonke yomhlaba ngenxa kaManase indodana kaHezekiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, ngalokho akwenza eJerusalema.

5 “Ngokuba ngubani oyakukuhawukela

wena Jerusalema na?

Ngubani oyakukukhalela?

Ngubani oyakuphambukela

ukubuza ngempilo yakho na?

6 Wena ungishiyile,” usho uJehova,

“wabuyela emuva;

ngiselulele isandla sami kuwe,

ngakuchitha;

sengikhathele ukuhawukela.

7 Ngibelile ngembenge emasangweni ezwe,

ngabaphuca abantwana,

ngachitha abantu bami;

ababuyanga ezindleleni zabo.

8 Abafelokazi babo bandile kimi

kunesihlabathi solwandle,

ngehlisele phezu kwawonina

bezinsizwa umchithi emini,

ngehlisele ukwesaba nengebhe phezu kwabo.

9 Owazala abayisikhombisa usedangele,

waphuma umoya;

ilanga lakhe lishonile kuse semini;

ujabhile, wayangaza;

insali yabo ngiyakuyinikela enkembeni

ngaphambi kwezitha zabo,” usho uJehova.

Ukukhala kukaJeremiya

10 Maye kimina, mame,

ukuthi ungizalile,

ngibe ngumuntu wokuphikisana

nokuxabana emhlabeni wonke!

Angibizanga inzalo,

futhi akubizwanga inzalo kimi,

nokho bayangiqalekisa bonke.

11 Wathi uJehova:

“Ngiyakukukhulula

kube kuhle;

impela ngiyakwenza ukuba isitha sikunxuse

ngesikhathi esibi nangesikhathi sokuhlupheka.

12 “Umuntu angaphula insimbi yini,

insimbi yasenyakatho, nethusi, na?

13 Ngiyakunikela imfuyo yakho

nengcebo yakho kube yimpango

kungengantengo,

ngazo zonke izono zakho

emikhawulweni yakho yonke.

14 Ngiyakwenza ukuba uzikhonze izitha zakho

ezweni ongalaziyo,

ngokuba kuphenjiwe umlilo olakeni lwami

oyakuvutha kini.”

15 Uyazi wena Jehova;

ngikhumbule, ngihambele,

ungiphindisele kwabangizingelayo;

ungangisusi ngokubekezela kwakho;

yazi ukuthi ngenxa yakho ngithwale ihlazo.

16 Amazwi akho afunyanwa, ngawadla;

amazwi akho aba ngukujabula kimi

nokuthokoza kwenhliziyo yami,

ngokuba ngibizwa ngegama lakho,

Jehova Nkulunkulu Sebawoti.

17 Angihlalanga emhlanganweni wabahlekayo,

angithokozanga;

ngahlala ngedwa ngenxa yesandla sakho,

ngokuba ungigcwalisile ngokufutheka.

18 Yini ukuba ubuhlungu bami

bube khona njalonjalo,

nesilonda sami singapholiswa,

sala ukuphulukiswa, na?

Impela uyakuba ngamanzi aphuthayo kimi,

amanzi angathembekile, na?

19 Ngalokho usho kanje uJehova, uthi:

“Uma ubuya, ngiyakukubuyisa,

ume phambi kwami;

uma ukhipha okuyigugu kokungamanyala,

uyakuba ngumlomo wami;

laba bayakubuyela kuwe,

kepha wena awuyikubuyela kubo.

20 Ngiyakukwenza ukuba ube lugange

lwethusi oluqinileyo kulaba bantu;

bayakulwa nawe,

kepha abayikukwahlula,

ngokuba mina nginawe ukukusindisa nokukophula,” usho uJehova.

21 “Ngiyakukophula esandleni sababi,

ngikuhlenge esandleni sabacindezeli.”