1 Ndafikelwa lilizwi livela *kuNdikhoyo, esaqala ukulawula uJoyakim, ukumkani wakwaJuda, unyana kaJosiya, lisithi:
2 “Utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: Yiya phaya eyadini yendlu kaNdikhoyo, ufike uthethe nabo bonke abantu beedolophu zakwaJuda abeze kunqulela endlwini kaNdikhoyo, ubaxelele konke endakuyalela kona, ungashiyi nento le.
3 Mhlawumbi bangeva aba bantu, elowo aguquke ayiyeke imikhwa yakhe emibi. Nam ke ndorhoxa ekubahliseleni intlekele njengoko besendigqibe ukwenjenjalo ngenxa yezenzo zabo ezimdaka.
4 “Yithi kubo: Utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: ‘Ukuba nineenkani, naza anawuthobela umyalelo endinimisele wona,
5 ningawahoyi namazwi ezicaka zam abashumayeli endiphindelele ukubathumela kuni naxa beningaphulaphuli kakade,
6 le ndlu ndoyenza ifane neShilo, nesi sixeko sitsho sibe yinto ekuqalekiswa ngayo phakathi kwezizwe zehlabathi.’ ”
7 Ababingeleli, nabashumayeli, kwakunye nabantu xa bebonke, bamva uJeremiya ewathetha la mazwi endlwini kaNdikhoyo.
8 Uthe nje akugqiba ukuthetha yonke loo nto kwakuthiwe aze ayithethe nguNdikhoyo, ababingeleli nabashumayeli, bekunye nabantu bonke, bamthi hlasi, bathi: “Uza kufa wena!
9 Kutheni ukuba ushumayele ngegama likaNdikhoyo uthi le ndlu iza kufana neShilo, esi sixeko sitshabalale sibe yinkangala ngamanxuwa, singahlalwa mntu?” Bamvingcela kuloo ndlu kaNdikhoyo uJeremiya bonke abantu.
10 Zithe ezi ndaba zakufika kwiziphathamandla zakwaJuda, zatsho zagxalathelana ukusuka ebhotwe, zisiya endlwini kaNdikhoyo, zafika zaya kutsho ezihlalweni zazo ngakwiSango eLitsha lendlu kaNdikhoyo.
11 Ababingeleli nabashumayeli babhekisa kwiziphathamandla nabo bonke abantu, besithi: “Lo mntu ufanelwe kukugwetyelwa ukufa; niyive ngokwenu into ayishumayele ngesi sixeko!”
12 UJeremiya ubhekise kwiziphathamandla nakubantu bonke, wenjenje: “NguNdikhoyo ondithume ukuba ndishumayele ezi zinto benindiva ndizithetha ngale ndlu nesi sixeko.
13 Ngoko yahlukanani nale mikhwa mibi yenu nezenzo zenu ezimdaka, nimthobele uNdikhoyo uThixo wenu. Uya kwandula ke uNdikhoyo ukusirhoxisa isigqibo sokunihlisela intlekele.
14 Mna okokwam ndisezandleni zenu; yenzani loo nto nibona ifanele ukwenziwa.
15 Kambe ke nize nazi kakuhle ukuba xa nindibulala noba netyala lokuphalaza igazi elimsulwa, nikunye nesi sixeko nabemi baso, kuba mna ngenene ndithunywe nguNdikhoyo ukuba ndize kuwathetha kuni la mazwi niwevileyo.”
16 Iziphathamandla zikunye nabantu bonke, zathi kubabingeleli nabashumayeli: “Lo mntu akasifanelanga isigwebo sokufa! Uthetha nathi egameni likaNdikhoyo uThixo wethu.”
17 Kwavela amadoda amakhulu elo zwe, abhekisa kuloo ntlanganiso, athi:
18 “Ngemihla kakumkani uHezekiya wakwaJuda kwabakho umfo waseMoreshete, owayenguMika igama, owathetha nabantu bonke bakwaJuda esithi: ‘Utsho uNdikhoyo uSomandla-onke ukuthi:“ ‘Iya kuphethulwa ixel' intsim' ilinywa iZiyon,yona iJerusalem ibe yimfumba yamabhodlo,intaba yendlu kaThixo yona ibe ziinduli ezinamahlathi.’
19 “Ingaba uMika wabulawa na ngukumkani uHezekiya kunye nabantu bakwaJuda? Akazange na uHezekiya amoyike uNdikhoyo azicelele isisa kuye? Akazange na yena uNdikhoyo ayirhoxise intlekele abeselegqibe ukubahlisela yona? Thina sisemngciphekweni wokuzihlisela ishwangusha!”(
20 Kukwakho nomnye umfo owayengu-Uriya unyana kaShemaya waseKiriyati-yarim owayeshumayela naye egameni likaNdikhoyo, ethetha kwale nto ithethwe nguJeremiya ngesi sixeko neli lizwe.
21 Ukumkani uJoyakim kunye namagorha akhe neziphathamandla zonke wafuna ukumbulala akuliva udaba lwakhe. Wathi akuyiva loo nto u-Uriya, wasabela eJiputa.
22 Ukumkani uJoyakim wamthumela eJiputa apho uElinatan unyana ka-Akebhore, eneqela lamadoda, ukuba aye kumlanda u-Uriya.
23 Babuye naye eJiputa, bamsa kukumkani Joyakim, owathi u-Uriya makaxatyelwe ngekrele, umzimba wakhe uye kulahlwa apho kungcwatyelwa khona abantu abaphantsi.)
24 Kwavela uAhikam unyana kaShafan, waxhasa uJeremiya, akabi sanikezelwa ke eluntwini ukuba abulawe.