1 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi: 2 “Ndodana yomuntu, yenza umzekeliso utshele indlu yako-Israyeli umfanekiso. 3 Wothi kubo, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Ingqungqulu enkulu elezimpiko ezilamandla, izinsiba ezinde njalo zinengi zimibalabala yafika eLebhanoni. Ibambe isihloko somsedari, 4 yephula ihlumela elalingaphezu kwawo wonke yalisa elizweni labathengisi lapho eyalihlanyela khona edolobheni labathengisi.

5 Yathatha enye yenhlanyelo yelizwe lakini yayifaka emhlabathini ovundileyo: Yayihlanyela njengomnyezane phansi kwamanzi amanengi, 6 yahluma yaba livini elifitshane elinabayo. Ingatsha zalo zaphendukela kuyo, kodwa impande zalo zaba ngaphansi kwalo. Ngakho laba livini laba lezingatsha ezilamahlamvu amanengi.

7 Kodwa kwakulenye ingqungqulu enkulu elezimpiko ezilamandla lezinsiba ezinengi. Khathesi ivini lakhuphela impande zalo kuyo zisuka esivandeni elalihlanyelwe kuso njalo lelulela ingatsha zalo kuyo zifuna amanzi. 8 Lalihlanyelwe emhlabathini omuhle phansi kwamanzi amanengi ukuze liveze ingatsha, lithele izithelo libe livini elihle.’

9 Wothi kubo, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Kambe lizakhula kuhle na? Kaliyikusitshunwa izithelo zalo ziqhululwe ukuba libune na? Wonke amahlumela alo azabuna. Akuyikusweleka ingalo elamandla kumbe abantu abanengi ukuba balisiphune. 10 Lanxa lingayagxunyekwa kwenye indawo lingakhula kuhle na? Kambe kaliyikubuna okupheleleyo nxa umoya wasempumalanga ulihangula libune esivandeni elakhulela kuso na?’ ”

11 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kimi lisithi: 12 “Tshono kule indlu ehlamukayo uthi, ‘Kalazi ukuthi izinto lezi zitshoni na?’ Tshono kubo uthi, ‘Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yaya eJerusalema yathumba inkosi yalo kanye lezikhulu zalo yabuyela labo eBhabhiloni. 13 Yathatha omunye wabenzalo yasesikhosini, yenza isivumelwano laye, yamfungisa. Yathumba lamanye amadoda elizwe adumileyo, 14 ukuze umbuso uye phansi, ungavuki futhi, ume nje kuphela ngokugcina isivumelwano sayo. 15 Kodwa inkosi yamhlamukela ngokuthuma isithunywa eGibhithe ukuba ziyethatha amabhiza kanye lebutho elikhulu. Kambe izaphumelela na? Kambe lowo owenza izinto ezinje uzaphunyuka na? Kambe uzakwephula isivumelwano kodwa aphunyuke na?

16 Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, uzafela eBhabhiloni, elizweni lenkosi eyambeka esihlalweni sobukhosi, esifungo sayo wasidelela wephula lesivumelwano sayo. 17 UFaro lebutho lakhe elilamandla kanye lexuku elikhulu akuyikumsiza empini, lapho sekwakhiwe amadundulu kwamiswa lemiduli yokuvimbezela ukuba kuchithwe imiphefumulo eminengi. 18 Wadelela isifungo ngokwephula isivumelwano. Ngoba wazibopha ngesifungo kodwa wasesenza zonke lezizinto akayikuphunyuka.

19 Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, ngizakwehlisela phezu kwekhanda lakhe isifungo sami asidelayo kanye lesivumelwano sami asephulayo. 20 Ngizamendlalela imbule lami, njalo uzabanjwa yisifu sami. Ngizamusa eBhabhiloni, ngenzele khona ukumahlulela kwami ngoba wayengathembekanga kimi. 21 Wonke amabutho akhe abalekayo azabulawa ngenkemba, abasindayo bazahlakazelwa emimoyeni. Lapho-ke lizakwazi ukuthi mina Thixo sengikhulumile.

22 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Mina ngokwami ngizathatha ihlumela kuso kanye isihloko somsedari ngilihlanyele; ngizakwephula ihlumela elibuthakathaka eklintini lawo eliphezulu kakhulu kulamanye ngilihlanyele phezu kwentaba ende ephakemeyo. 23 Ngizalihlanyela ezingqongeni zentaba yako-Israyeli; lizaveza ingatsha lithele lezithelo njalo libe ngumsedari omuhle. Izinyoni zezinhlobo zonke zizakwakhela izidleke zazo kuwo; zizathola ukusitheka emthunzini wezingatsha zawo. 24 Zonke izihlahla zeganga zizakwazi ukuthi mina Thixo ngifinyeza isihlahla eside ngenze esifitshane sikhule sibeside. Ngomisa isihlahla esiluhlaza ngenze esomileyo sihlume.

Mina Thixo sengikhulumile, njalo ngizakwenza.’ ”