1. Kunyaka wesine ukumkani uJoyakim, unyana kaJosiya, elawula kwaJuda, lavakala ilizwi kuJeremiya, livela *kuNdikhoyo, limayela nabantu bakwaJuda xa bebonke. Lo yayingunyaka wokuqala uNebhukadenezare elawula eBhabheli.
2. UJeremiya wathetha nabantu bakwaJuda nabemi baseJerusalem xa bebonke, wenjenje:
3. “Kwiminyaka engamashumi mabini anantathu ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, kususela kunyaka weshumi linantathu elawula ukumkani uJosiya unyana ka-Amon, ilizwi likaNdikhoyo lalisoloko lifika kum, ndibe nam ndiphindelela ukubhekisa kuni. Koko nina nisuke anahoya nto kwaphela.
4. Naxa ephindelela uNdikhoyo ukunithumela zonke izicaka zakhe ezingabashumayeli, nisuke nina aneva, analibekela indlebe ilizwi lakhe.
5. Abo bashumayeli babesithi: ‘Guqukani elowo kwimikhwa yakhe emibi, nakwizenzo zakhe ezimdaka, khon' ukuze niwuhlale ngonaphakade kanaphakade lo mhlaba wanikwa nina nooyihlo-mkhulu nguNdikhoyo.’
6. Babesithi: ‘Ze ningalandeli thixo bambi, nibakhonze, niqubude kubo. Ze ningamcaphukisi uNdikhoyo ngezithixo enizenze ngezenu izandla, ukuze anganihliseli intlekele.’
7. Nguwo lo umlomo kaNdikhoyo, uthi: ‘Nina anindiphulaphulanga, suka nandicaphukisa ngoothixo enibenze ngezandla zenu, naza nazibizela ububi.’
8. “Ngoko ke, utsho uNdikhoyo uSomandla-onke ukuthi: ‘Niyabona, ngenxa yokuba ningafunanga kundiva,
9. ndinibizela izizwe zonke zangasentla, kunye nesicaka sam ukumkani uNebhukadenezare waseBhabheli.’ Lowo ngumlomo kaNdikhoyo. ‘Ndibathumela kweli lizwe nabemi balo nazo zonke iintlanga ezilingqongileyo. Ndiza kunitshabalalisa kuphele tu, ndinenze nibe ngumbono ombi, into enezothe, kube linxuwa kuni ngonaphakade.’
10. “Ndoyiphelisa loo ntswahla yemigcobo nemincili yabo, lingabi savakala izwi lomyeni nelomtshakazi. Sophela isandi selitye lokuguba, izibane zabo zicime.
11. Liya kutsho libe yinkangala ngamanxuwa lonke ilizwe, zize ezi zizwe zibe zizicaka zokumkani waseBhabheli iminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe.
12. “Emva kwaloo minyaka imashumi asixhenxe ke ukumkani waseBhabheli ndomohlwaya kunye nesizwe sakhe ngenxa yobugwenxa babo.” Lowo ngumlomo kaNdikhoyo. “Nelizwe lamaKaledi ndolenza libe yinkangala ngonaphakade.
13. Elo lizwe ndolihlisela zonke izinto endazithethayo – nditsho zonke ezibhaliweyo kuyo le ncwadi, ezo bezishunyayelwa nguJeremiya ngeentlanga zonke.