1 UThixo wathi kimi: “Hamba uyethenga ibhanti lelineni ubophe ukhalo lwakho ngalo, kodwa lingathinti amanzi.”
2 Ngakho ngathenga ibhanti, njengokulaya kukaThixo, ngabopha ukhalo lwami ngalo.
3 Ilizwi likaThixo labuya lafika kimi ngokwesibili lathi:
4 “Thatha ibhanti olithengileyo obophe ngalo ukhalo lwakho, uye eYufrathe, khathesi nje ulifihle khona eminkenkeni yamatshe.”
5 Ngakho ngahamba ngayalifihla eYufrathe, njengokutsho kukaThixo kimi.
6 Sekudlule insuku ezinengi uThixo wathi kimi, “Hamba khathesi eYufrathe uyethatha ibhanti engathi lifihle khona.”
7 Ngakho ngaya eYufrathe ngagebha lapho engangifihle khona ibhanti, kodwa laselonakele impela lingaselasizo.
8 Lapho-ke kwafika ilizwi likaThixo kimi lisithi:
9 “UThixo uthi: ‘Ngendlela efanayo ngizakuchitha ukuzigqaja kukaJuda lokuzigqaja okukhulu kweJerusalema.
10 Lababantu abangalunganga, abalayo ukulalela amazwi ami, abalandela ubulukhuni bezinhliziyo zabo badinge abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babasebenzele njalo babakhonze, bazakuba njengebhanti leli, bengelasizo loluncane!
11 Ngoba njengebhanti libopha ukhalo lomuntu, ngayibophela kanjalo kimi yonke indlu ka-Israyeli layo yonke indlu kaJuda, kutsho uThixo, ukuba babengabantu bami ngenxa yodumo lwami, ukubongwa lokudunyiswa. Kodwa kabalalelanga.’ ”
12 “Batshele uthi, ‘UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, zonke izikhumba zewayini kumele zigcwaliswe ngewayini.’ Bona bangathi kuwe, ‘Kanti thina kasikwazi yini ukuthi izikhumba zonke kumele zigcwaliswe ngewayini?’
13 wena uthi kubo, ‘UThixo uthi: Ngizabenza badakwe bonke abahlala kulelilizwe, kanye lamakhosi ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida, abaphristi, abaphrofethi labo bonke abahlala eJerusalema.
14 Ngizabamahlaza omunye komunye, oyise lamadodana ngokufananayo, kutsho uThixo. Angiyikuvumela isihawu loba umusa kumbe uzwelo ukuba kungivimbele ukubabhubhisa.’ ”
15 Zwanini lilalele,
16 Dumisani uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu
17 Kodwa nxa lingalaleli,
18 Tshono enkosini lasendlovukazini uthi,
19 Amadolobho aseNegebi azavalwa,
20 Phakamisani amehlo enu libone
21 Lizakuthini lapho uThixo esebabeka phezu kwenu
22 Njalo nxa uzibuza usithi,
23 UmTopiya angaliguqula yini ijwabu lakhe
24 “Ngizalihlakaza njengamakhoba
25 Lokhu yikho okungokwenu,
26 Ngizaphekulela izidwaba zakho ebusweni bakho
27 ubufebe bakho lokububuliswa yisigwebo,