1 "Balekani ukuze liphephe, bantu bakoBhenjamini!

Balekani eJerusalema!

Tshayani icilongo eThekhowa!

Phakamisani uphawu phezu kweBhethi-Hakheremi.

Ngoba umonakalo uyabonakala ngasenyakatho,

kanye lencithakalo eyesabekayo.

2 Indodakazi yaseZiyoni

enhle kangaka lebucayi ngizayibhubhisa.

3 Abelusi lemihlambi yabo bazakuza bamelane layo;

bazamisa amathente abo eyihanqile,

lowo lalowo elinde indawo yakhe."

4 "Lungelani ukulwa layo!

Vukani, kasihlaseleni emini!

Kodwa, habe, ukukhanya sekufiphala,

lamathunzi okuhlwa asesiba made.

5 Ngakho vukani, kasihlaseleni ebusuku

sidilize izinqaba zayo!"

6 UThixo uSomandla uthi:

"Gamulani izihlahla liziwise

lakhe imiduli yokuvimbezela iJerusalema.

Idolobho leli kumele lijeziswe,

ligcwele ukuncindezela.

7 Njengomthombo ugobhoza amanzi awo,

ngokunjalo lalo ligobhoza ububi balo.

Udlakela lokubhubhisa kuyezwakala phakathi kwalo,

umkhuhlane walo lamanxeba ngihlezi ngikukhangele.

8 Xwayiseka, we Jerusalema,

hlezi ngikutshiye,

lelizwe lakho ngilichithe,

kungabi lomuntu ohlala kulo."

9 UThixo uSomandla uthi:

"Kababuthe izinsalela zako-Israyeli

ngokupheleleyo njengevini,

dlulisa futhi isandla sakho phezu kwezingatsha,

njengomuntu ovuna amavini."

10 Ngubani engingakhuluma laye ngimxwayise na?

Ngubani ozangilalela na?

Indlebe zabo zivalekile*

ngakho abangeke bezwe.

Ilizwi likaThixo liyisinengiso kubo.

Kabafumani ntokozo kulo.

11 Kodwa mina ngiyafuthelana ngolaka lukaThixo,

ngingeke ngibe ngisalugodla ngaphakathi.

"Lwehlisele phezu kwabantwana emgwaqweni

laphezu kwamajaha abuthene ndawonye,

bobabili indoda lomkayo luzabehlela,

kanye labadala, labo abakhulelwa yiminyaka.

12 Izindlu zabo zizanikwa abanye,

konke lamasimu abo kanye labafazi babo,

lapho ngiselula isandla sami

ngimelana lalabo abahlala elizweni,"

kutsho uThixo.

13 "Kusukela kwabancane kusiya kwabakhulu,

bonke bayizihwaba ezifuna inzuzo,

banjalo abaphrofethi kanye labaphristi,

bonke benza inkohliso.

14 Babopha inxeba labantu bami

kungathi kalilibi kakhulu.

Bathi, ‘Ukuthula, ukuthula,’

khona ukuthula kungekho.

15 Bayayangeka na ngokuziphatha kwabo okwenyanyekayo?

Hatshi, bavele kabalazo inhloni

lokuyangeka kabakwazi.

Ngakho bazawela phakathi kwabawileyo,

bazakwehliselwa phansi lapho sengibajezisa,"

kutsho uThixo.

16 UThixo, uthi:

"Manini emahlanganweni emigwaqo likhangele,

libuze izindledlana ezindala,

libuze lapho okulendlela enhle khona, lihambe ngayo,

lizathola ukuphumula kwemiphefumulo yenu.

Kodwa lina lithe, ‘Kasiyikuhamba ngayo.’

17 Ngalibekela abantu bokulilinda ngathi,

‘Lalelani ukukhala kwecilongo!’

Kodwa lina lathi, ‘Kasiyikulalela.’

18 Ngakho zwanini, lina zizwe,

khangelani, lina elingofakazi,

libone okuzakwenzakala kubo.

19 Zwana, wena mhlaba,

ngiletha umonakalo phezu kwabantu laba,

izithelo zamaqhinga abo,

ngoba kabawalalelanga amazwi ami

njalo bawalile lomthetho wami.

20 Ngilani lempepha yaseShebha

loba imfe evela elizweni elikude na?

Iminikelo yenu yokutshiswa kayamukeleki,

imihlatshelo yenu kayingithokozisi."

21 Ngakho uThixo uthi:

"Ngizabeka imigoqo phambi kwalababantu.

Abazali labantwana bazakhubeka kuyo,

omakhelwane labangane bazabhubha."

22 UThixo uthi:

"Khangelani, ibutho liyeza

livela elizweni lasenyakatho,

isizwe esikhulu siyadungwa

kusukela emikhawulweni yomhlaba.

23 Bahlome ngamadandili langemikhonto,

balesihluku kabalasihawu.

Bezwakala njengolwandle oluhlokomayo

lapho begade amabhiza abo,

beza njengabantu abalungele impi ukuba bakuhlasele,

wena Ndodakazi yaseZiyoni."

24 Sesizwe imibiko ngabo,

njalo izandla zethu zilenga zingelamandla.

Usizi lusibambile,

ubuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ohelelwayo.

25 Lingayi phandle egangeni,

loba lihambe emigwaqweni,

ngoba isitha silenkemba,

njalo silencithakalo emaceleni wonke.

26 Awu bantu bami, gqokani amasaka,

lizibhuqe emlotheni,

khalani lilile kabuhlungu

njengokwendodana eyiyo yodwa,

ngoba masinyane nje umchithi

uzafika kithi.

27 "Ngikwenze umhloli wezinsimbi

labantu bami babayilitshe elixubene lensimbi

ukuba ukhangele ubone

ube usuhlola izindlela zabo.

28 Bonke bangabahlamuki abalukhuni,

abahamba behleba.

Balithusi lensimbi,

bonke benza ukuxhwala.

29 Imvutho ivutha okwesabekayo

incibilikisa umnusu ngokutshisa komlilo

kodwa ukucenga kuqhubeka kuyize,

ababi kabakhutshwanga.

30 Kuthiwa bayisiliva esilahliweyo,

ngoba uThixo usebalahlile."