Verse 1: Izwi elafika kuJeremiya ngabaJuda bonke ababehlala ezweni laseGibithe, ababehlala eMigidoli, naseThahipanesi, naseNofi, nasezweni lasePhatirosi, lathi:
Verse 2: “Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Nikubonile konke okubi engikwehlisele phezu kweJerusalema naphezu kwayo yonke imizi yakwaJuda; bhekani, namuhla iyincithakalo, akakho ohlala kuyo
Verse 3: ngenxa yobubi babo ababenzileyo ukuba bangicunule, behamba beshisa impepho, bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu abangabazanga bona, nani, nawoyihlo.
Verse 4: Kepha ngathuma kini zonke izinceku zami abaprofethi, ngizithuma njalonjalo, ngathi: ‘Maningenzi le nto enengekayo engiyizondayo.’
Verse 5: Kepha abalalelanga, ababekanga izindlebe zabo ukuba babuye ebubini babo, bangashiseli abanye onkulunkulu impepho.
Verse 6: Kwase kuthululwa ukufutheka kwami nentukuthelo yami, kwavutha emizini yakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema, kwaba yincithakalo nokuchitheka njenganamuhla.
Verse 7: “Manje usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Nenzelani lokhu okubi okukhulu kuyo imiphefumulo yenu, ninqume kini abesilisa nabesifazane, izingane nabancelayo phakathi kukaJuda, nize ningashiyelwa nsali,
Verse 8: ngokungicunula ngemisebenzi yezandla zenu, nishisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho ezweni laseGibithe, lapho niyile khona ukugogobala, ukuba ninqunywe, nibe yisiqalekiso nehlazo phakathi kwezizwe zonke zomhlaba, na?
Verse 9: Nikhohliwe yini ububi bukayihlo, nobubi bamakhosi akwaJuda, nobubi bamakhosikazi awo, nobubi benu, nobubi bawomkenu ababebenza ezweni lakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema, na?
Verse 10: Abazithobanga kuze kube namuhla, abesabanga, abahambanga ngomthetho wami nangezimiso zami engikubeke phambi kwenu naphambi kwawoyihlo.
Verse 11: “Ngalokho usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Bheka, ngiyakubhekisa ubuso bami kini kube kubi, kunqunywe uJuda wonke.
Verse 12: Ngiyakuthatha insali yakwaJuda ebhekise ubuso bayo ukuba ingene ezweni laseGibithe ukuba igogobale khona, baphele bonke, bawe ezweni laseGibithe, baphele ngenkemba nangendlala, abakhulu nabancane bafe ngenkemba nangendlala, babe yisithuko, nesimangaliso, nesiqalekiso, nehlazo.
Verse 13: Ngiyakubajezisa abahlala ezweni laseGibithe, njengalokho ngilijezisile iJerusalema, ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo,
Verse 14: kungaphunyuki, kungasali muntu ensalini yakwaJuda eye ezweni laseGibithe ukuba igogobale khona ukubuyela ezweni lakwaJuda, efisa ukubuyela kulo ukuba ihlale khona, ngokuba akuyikubuya muntu, abaphunyukileyo bodwa.”
Verse 15: Ayesephendula uJeremiya onke amadoda ayekwazi ukuthi omkawo bashisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho nabo bonke abesifazane ababemi khona, ibandla elikhulu, bonke abantu ababehlala ezweni laseGibithe ePhatirosi; bathi:
Verse 16: “Izwi olikhulume kithi egameni likaJehova asiyikulilalela.
Verse 17: Kepha siyakwenza nokwenza onke amazwi aphumile emilonyeni yethu, sishisele inkosikazi yezulu impepho, siyithululele iminikelo yokuphuzwa, njengalokho senzile, thina nawobaba, namakhosi ethu, nezikhulu zethu emizini yakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema, ngokuba sasisuthi isinkwa, sahlala kahle, asabona okubi.
Verse 18: Kepha selokhu sayeka ukushisela inkosikazi yezulu impepho nokuyithululela iminikelo yokuphuzwa, siswele konke, siqedwe ngenkemba nangendlala.
Verse 19: “Lapho sesishisela inkosikazi yezulu impepho, siyithululele iminikelo yokuphuzwa, siyenzela amaqebelengwane anesithombe sayo, siyithululelele iminikelo yokuphuzwa ngaphandle kwamadoda ethu, na?”
Verse 20: UJeremiya washo kubantu bonke, kwabesilisa nakwabesifazane, kubo bonke abantu abamphendule kanjalo, wathi:
Verse 21: “Impepho enayishisa emizini yakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema nina nawoyihlo, namakhosi enu, nezikhulu zenu, nabantu bezwe, uJehova akayikhumbulanga, ayingenanga enhliziyweni yakhe, na?
Verse 22: UJehova wayengasenakuthwala okubi kwemisebenzi yenu nezinengiso zenu enizenzileyo; ngalokho izwe lakini seliyincithakalo, nesimangaliso, nesiqalekiso, kungekho owakhile kulo njenganamuhla.
Verse 23: Ngokuba niyishisile impepho nangokuba nonile kuJehova, ningalilalelanga izwi likaJehova, ningahambanga ngomthetho wakhe, nangezimiso zakhe, nangobufakazi bakhe, ngalokho le ngozi ihlangabezene nani njenganamuhla.”
Verse 24: UJeremiya wathi futhi kubantu bonke nakubo bonke abesifazane: “Yizwani izwi likaJehova nina nonke bakwaJuda enisezweni laseGibithe.
Verse 25: Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Nina nawomkenu nikhulumile ngemilomo yenu, nakugcwalisa ngezandla zenu, nathi: ‘Siyakugcwalisa nokugcwalisa izithembiso zethu esizenzileyo zokushisela inkosikazi yezulu impepho nokuyithululela iminikelo yokuphuzwa.’ Qinisani nokuqinisa izithembiso zenu, nigcwalise nokugcwalisa izithembiso zenu.
Verse 26: Ngalokho yizwani izwi likaJehova nina nonke bakwaJuda enihlala ezweni laseGibithe: ‘Bhekani, ngifungile igama lami elikhulu,’ usho uJehova, ‘ukuthi igama lami alisayikubizwa mlomo wamuntu wakwaJuda ezweni lonke laseGibithe ukuthi: “Kuphila kukaJehova.”
Verse 27: Bheka, ngiyabalinda kube kubi, kungabi kuhle; bonke abantu bakwaJuda abasezweni laseGibithe bayakuphela ngenkemba nangendlala, baze baqedwe.
Verse 28: Abaphunyuka enkembeni bayakubuya ezweni laseGibithe, babuyele ezweni lakwaJuda, bengaba yingcosana ngomumo; yonke insali yakwaJuda eye ezweni laseGibithe ukuba igogobale khona iyakwazi ukuthi yiliphi izwi eliyakuma, elami noma elabo.
Verse 29: “ ‘Lesi siyakuba yisibonakaliso kini,’ usho uJehova, ‘ukuthi ngiyakunijezisa kule ndawo ukuba nazi ukuthi amazwi ami ayakuma amelane nani kube kubi.’
Verse 30: Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Bhekani, ngiyakunikela uFaro uHofira inkosi yaseGibithe esandleni sezitha zakhe nasesandleni sabafuna ukuphila kwakhe, njengalokho nganikela uSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda esandleni sikaNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, isitha sakhe esasifuna ukuphila kwakhe.’ ”