The Broken Covenant

¹Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuJehova, lithi:

²“Zwanini amazwi alesi sivumelwano, nikhulume kubantu bakwaJuda nakwabakhileyo eJerusalema,

³uthi kubo: Usho kanje uJehova, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: ‘Makaqalekiswe umuntu ongezwa amazwi alesi sivumelwano,

⁴engayala ngawo oyihlo mhla ngibakhipha ezweni laseGibithe, isithando sensimbi,’ ngokuthi: ‘Zwanini izwi lami, nilenze njengakho konke enginiyala ngakho, nibe ngabantu bami, mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu,

⁵ukuba ngisiqinise isifungo engasifunga koyihlo ukubanika izwe elichichima ubisi nezinyosi’ — njenganamuhla.” Ngase ngiphendula ngithi: “Amen, Jehova.”

⁶Wayesethi uJehova kimi: “Memeza onke lawa mazwi emizini yakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema, uthi: ‘Zwanini amazwi alesi sivumelwano, niwenze.

⁷Ngokuba ngibayalile nokubayala oyihlo osukwini engabakhuphula ngalo ezweni laseGibithe kuze kube namuhla, ngibayalile, ngathi: “Yizwani izwi lami.”

⁸Kepha abalalela, ababekanga izindlebe zabo, kepha bahamba, kwaba yilowo nalowo ngobulukhuni benhliziyo yakhe embi; ngase ngehlisela phezu kwabo onke amazwi alesi sivumelwano engabayala ukuwenza, kepha kabawenzanga.’ ”

⁹Wayesethi uJehova kimi: “Kufunyenwe uzungu phakathi kwabantu bakwaJuda naphakathi kwabakhileyo eJerusalema.

¹⁰Babuyele ebubini bawoyise bokuqala abala ukuzwa amazwi ami, balandela abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babakhonze: indlu ka-Israyeli nendlu kaJuda zisaphulile isivumelwano sami engasenza nawoyise.

¹¹Ngalokho usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Bheka, ngiyakwehlisela okubi phezu kwabo abangayikuba nakuphuma kukho; bayakukhala kimi, kepha angiyikubezwa.

¹²Imizi yakwaJuda nabakhileyo eJerusalema bayakukhala konkulunkulu ababashisela impepho, kepha abayikubasindisa neze ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka kwabo.

¹³Ngokuba njengomumo wemizi yakho, banjalo onkulunkulu bakho, Juda, nanjengomumo wezitaladi zaseJerusalema nimisele uBosheti ama-altare, ama-altare okushisela uBali impepho.’

¹⁴“Ngalokhu ungabakhulekeli laba bantu, ungabaphakamiseli ukukhala nokuthandaza, ngokuba angiyikubezwa mhla bekhala kimi ngokuhlupheka kwabo.

¹⁵“Othandiweyo wami unani endlini yami lapho enza amacebo nabaningi na? Inyama engcwele ingavela kuwe, lokhu ujabula ngokwenza okubi, na?”

¹⁶UJehova wabiza igama lakho ngokuthi umnqumo oluhlaza obukekayo, onezithelo ezinhle; ngomsindo wesidumo esikhulu uyakuphemba umlilo kuwo, kwaphuke amagatsha awo.

¹⁷UJehova Sebawoti owakutshala ukhulumile okubi phezu kwakho ngenxa yokubi kwendlu yakwa-Israyeli nokwendlu yakwaJuda abakwenzile ukuba bangicunule ngokushisela uBali impepho.

¹⁸UJehova wangazisa, ngakwazi; khona wangibonisa izenzo zabo.

¹⁹Kepha mina nganginjengewundlu eliyiswa ekuhlatshweni; ngangingazi ukuthi bangicebela amacebo, bethi: “Masiwuchithe umuthi kanye nezithelo zawo, simnqume ezweni labaphilayo, igama lakhe lingabe lisakhunjulwa.”

²⁰Jehova Sebawoti, mahluleli olungileyo, ovivinya izinso nenhliziyo, mangibone ukuphindisela kwakho kubo, ngokuba ngibonakalisile indaba yami kuwe.

²¹“Ngalokho usho kanje uJehova ngabantu base-Anathoti abafuna ukuphila kwakho, bathi: ‘Awuyikuprofetha ngegama likaJehova, ukuze ungafi ngesandla sethu;’

²²ngalokho usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: ‘Bheka, ngiyakubahambela; izinsizwa ziyakufa ngenkemba; amadodana abo namadodakazi abo ayakufa ngendlala,

²³nensali ayiyikuba khona kubo, ngokuba ngiyakubehlisela abantu base-Anathoti okubi ngomnyaka wokuhanjelwa kwabo.’ ”