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UNkulunkulu Uyasala Isicelo SikaZedekhiya
1 Ilizwi lafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lapho uZedekhiya inkosi wayethume kuye uPhashuri indodana kaMalikhija lomphristi uZefaniya indodana kaMaseya. Bathi:
2 “Ake usibuzele kuThixo khathesi nje, ngoba uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni uyasihlasela. Mhlawumbe uThixo angasenzela izimanga njengasezikhathini ezedlulayo ukuze asuke kithi.”
3 Kodwa uJeremiya wathi kubo, “Tshelani uZedekhiya lithi:
4 ‘UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Sekuseduze ukuthi ngiziphendulele kuwe izikhali zempi ezisezandleni zakho, ozisebenzisayo ekulweni lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni lamaKhaladiya angaphandle komduli ekuvimbezele. Njalo ngizawaqoqa phakathi kwalelidolobho.
5 Mina uqobo ngizakulwa lawe ngesandla eseluliweyo langengalo elamandla ngentukuthelo langokufuthelana kanye lolaka olukhulu.
6 Ngizabatshaya abahlala kulelidolobho, abantu lezifuyo njalo bazabulawa yisifo esesabekayo.
7 Emva kwalokho, kutsho uThixo, uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, lezikhulu zakhe kanye labantu bakulelidolobho abaphepha emkhuhlaneni, enkembeni lasendlaleni, ngizabanikela kuNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni lasezitheni zabo ezifuna ukubabulala. Uzababulala ngenkemba; kayikuba lomusa kumbe uzwelo loba isihawu.’
8 Phezu kwalokho, abantu batshele uthi, ‘UThixo uthi: Khangelani, ngiyalimisela phambi kwenu indlela yokuphila lendlela yokufa.
9 Loba ngubani osala kulelidolobho uzabulawa ngenkemba, yindlala loba ngumkhuhlane. Kodwa loba ngubani ophumayo kulo ayezinikela kumaKhaladiya alivimbezeleyo uzasila, aphunyuke lokuphila kwakhe.
10 Sengiqonde ukwenza okubi kulelidolobho hatshi okuhle, kutsho uThixo. Lizanikelwa ezandleni zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni, ezalitshabalalisa ngomlilo.’
11 Phezu kwalokho, wothi endlini yenkosi yakoJuda, ‘Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo;
12 lina abendlu kaDavida, uThixo uthi:
Yenzani ukulunga insuku zonke ekuseni;
mhlengeni esandleni somncindezeli wakhe
lowo ophangiweyo,
hlezi ulaka lwami luqubuke, lutshise njengomlilo
ngenxa yobubi elibenzileyo,
lutshise engekho ongalucitsha.
13 Ngimelane lawe, Jerusalema,
wena ohlala ngaphezu kwalesisigodi,
emagcekeni alamadwala, kutsho uThixo,
lina elithi, “Ngubani ongazasihlasela na?
Ngubani ongangena esiphephelweni sethu na?”
14 Ngizalijezisa njengokufanele izono zenu,
kutsho uThixo.
Ngizaphemba umlilo emahlathini enu
ozalobisa konke okuseduze lani.’ ”