1. Ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaJehoyakimi indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, kwafika leli zwi livela kuJehova, lathi:
2. “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Yima egcekeni lendlu kaJehova, ukhulume kuyo yonke imizi yakwaJuda efika ukukhuleka endlini kaJehova onke amazwi engikuyala ukuwakhuluma kubo, ungagodli zwi.
3. Mhlawumbe bayakulalela, baphenduke, kube yilowo nalowo endleleni yakhe embi, ngibuye kukho okubi ebengicabanga ukukwenza kubo ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zabo.
4. Uyakuthi kubo: ‘Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Uma ningangilaleli ukuba nihambe emthethweni wami engiwubeke phambi kobuso benu,
5. niwalalele amazwi ezinceku zami abaprofethi engibathumile kini, ngibathuma njalonjalo, nina ningalalelanga,
6. ngiyakwenza le ndlu ibe njengeShilo, nalo muzi ngiyakuwenza ube yisiqalekiso ezizweni zonke zomhlaba.’ ”
7. Abapristi, nabaprofethi, nabo bonke abantu bezwa uJeremiya ekhuluma lawo mazwi endlini kaJehova.
8. Kwathi lapho uJeremiya eseqedile ukukhuluma konke uJehova amyale ngakho ukuba akukhulume kubo bonke abantu, abapristi, nabaprofethi, nabantu bonke, bambamba, bathi: “Uyakufa nokufa.
9. Uprofetheleni egameni likaJehova ukuthi: ‘Le ndlu iyakuba njengeShilo, nalo muzi uyakuchithwa kungabe kusaba khona owuhlalayo,’ na?” Bonke abantu babebuthene kuJeremiya endlini kaJehova.
10. Izikhulu zakwaJuda zazizwa lezo zinto, zakhuphuka endlini yenkosi, zaya endlini kaJehova, zahlala esikhaleni sesango elisha lendlu kaJehova.
11. Base bethi abapristi nabaprofethi ezikhulwini nakubo bonke abantu, bathi: “Lo muntu ufanele ukufa, ngokuba uprofethile ngalo muzi, njengalokho nizwile ngezindlebe zenu.”
12. Wayesesho uJeremiya kuzo zonke izikhulu nakubo bonke abantu, ethi: “UJehova wangithuma ukuprofetha ngale ndlu nangalo muzi onke amazwi eniwezwileyo.
13. Ngalokho lungisani izindlela zenu nezenzo zenu, nilalele izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, uJehova abuye kukho okubi akukhulume kini.
14. Kepha mina, bhekani, ngisesandleni senu; yenzani kimi okuhle nokulungile emehlweni enu.
15. Yazini nokwazi kuphela ukuthi uma ningibulala, niyakwehlisela igazi elingenacala phezu kwenu, naphezu kwalo muzi, naphezu kwabakhileyo kuwo, ngokuba ngeqiniso uJehova ungithume kini ukuba ngikhulume onke lawa mazwi ezindlebeni zenu.”
16. Zase zithi izikhulu nabo bonke abantu kubo abapristi nakubo abaprofethi: “Lo muntu akafanele ukufa, ngokuba ukhulume kithi egameni likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.”