1 Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
2 “Suka wehlele endlini yombumbi, lapho engizakutshelela khona ilizwi lami.”
3 Ngakho ngehlela endlini yombumbi, ngambona esebenza ngevili.
4 Kodwa imbiza ayeyibumba ngebumba yonakala ezandleni zakhe; ngakho umbumbi wayenza yaba ngenye imbiza, ngendlela ayibona ingcono kuye.
5 Ilizwi 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.
7 Nxa ngimemezela langasiphi isikhathi ukuthi isizwe loba umbuso uzasuswa udilizwe, uchithwe,
8 kuthi isizwe leso engisixwayisileyo siphenduke ebubini baso, ngizaxola ngingabe ngisasehlisela ebesengimise ukusehlisela khona.
9 Njalo nxa ngesinye isikhathi ngimemezela ukuthi isizwe kumbe umbuso ngizawakha ngiwumise,
10 ube ususenza ububi emehlweni ami njalo ungangilaleli, ngizacabanga kutsha ngokuhle ebesengicebe ukukwenzela khona.
11 Ngakho 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.’
12 Kodwa bazaphendula bathi, ‘Akusizi lutho. Sizaqhubeka ngamacebo ethu; lowo lalowo wethu uzalandela ubulukhuni benhliziyo yakhe embi.’ ”
13 Ngakho uThixo uthi:
14 Ungqwaqwane waseLebhanoni
15 Kodwa abantu bami sebengikhohliwe;
16 Ilizwe labo lizatshabalaliswa,
17 Njengomoya ovela empumalanga,
18 Bona 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.”
19 Ake ungizwe, awu Thixo;
20 Okuhle kuphindiselwa ngokubi na?
21 Ngakho-ke abantwababo banikele endlaleni;
22 Kakuzwakale ukukhala ezindlini zabo,
23 Kodwa uyawazi, wena Thixo,