1. Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuJehova, lapho uNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, nayo yonke impi yakhe, nayo yonke imibuso yomhlaba ebuswa yisandla sakhe, nabantu bonke belwa neJerusalema nayo yonke imizi yalo, lathi:
2. “Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Hamba usho kuSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda, uthi kuye: ‘Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Bheka, ngiyakuwunikela lo muzi esandleni senkosi yaseBabele, iwushise ngomlilo.
3. Awuyikuphunyuka esandleni sayo; uyakubanjwa nokubanjwa, unikelwe esandleni sayo; amehlo akho ayakubheka amehlo enkosi yaseBabele, ikhulume nawe umlomo nomlomo; uyakuya eBabele.
4. “ ‘Kepha yizwa izwi likaJehova, Sedekiya, nkosi yakwaJuda. Usho kanje uJehova ngawe, uthi: Awuyikufa ngenkemba;
5. uyakufa ngokuthula; njengokushiselwa kwawoyihlo, amakhosi okuqala ayengaphambi kwakho, kanjalo bayakukushisela wena, bakulilele, bathi: “Maye, nkosi!” Ngokuba ngilikhulumile izwi, usho uJehova.’ ”
6. UJeremiya umprofethi wayesekhuluma onke lawo mazwi kuSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda eJerusalema,
7. lapho impi yenkosi yaseBabele ilwa neJerusalema nayo yonke imizi yakwaJuda eseleyo, iLakishi ne-Azeka, ngokuba yiyo eyayisele phakathi kwemizi yakwaJuda iyimizi ebiyelweyo.
8. Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuJehova, lapho inkosi uSedekiya isenzile isivumelwano nabo bonke abantu baseJerusalema ukubamemezela ukukhululeka,
9. ukuba yilowo nalowo akhulule isigqila sakhe, yilowo nalowo isigqilakazi sakhe, umHeberu nomHeberukazi, ukuze kungabikho muntu okhonzisa umfowabo kwaJuda.
10. Zalalela zonke izikhulu, nabo bonke abantu ababengene esivumelwaneni ukuba bavumele, kube yilowo nalowo isigqila sakhe, yilowo nalowo isigqilakazi sakhe, ukuba zihambe, zikhululeke, kungabe kusaba khona okhonzisayo; bezwa, bavuma ukuba bahambe.
11. Kepha emva kwalokho baphenduka, bazibuyisa izigqila nezigqilakazi ababezivumele ukuba zihambe, zikhululeke, bazithobisa zaba yizigqila nezigqilakazi.
12. Ngalokho izwi likaJehova lafika kuJeremiya livela kuJehova, lathi:
13. “Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Mina ngenza isivumelwano nawoyihlo mhla ngibakhipha ezweni laseGibithe endlini yeziboshwa, ngathi:
14. ‘Ngasekugcineni kweminyaka eyisikhombisa niyakuvumela, kube yilowo nalowo umfowabo ongumHeberu othengisiwe kuwe, wakukhonza iminyaka eyisithupha, ukuba ahambe, nimdedele, akhululeke kini.’ Kepha oyihlo abangilalelanga, ababekanga izindlebe.
15. Nina-ke seniphendukile namuhla, nenza okulungile emehlweni ami ngokumemezela ukukhululeka, kube yilowo nalowo kumakhelwane wakhe, nenza isivumelwano ngaphambi kwami endlini ebizwa ngegama lami.