1 Esaqala ukulawula uZedekiya, unyana kaJosiya ukumkani wakwaJuda, lavakala ilizwi kuJeremiya, livela *kuNdikhoyo, lisithi:
2 “Utshilo uNdikhoyo kum ukuthi: Zenzele iidyokhwe ezinezitrophu, enye uyithwale entanyeni,
3 ezinye uzithumele kookumkani base-Edom, eMowabhi, eAmon, eTire, naseSidon, uzithumela ngezi zigidimi zize apha eJerusalem kuZedekiya ukumkani wakwaJuda.
4 Ziyalele ukuba zixelele iinkosi zazo zithi: Utsho uNdikhoyo uSomandla-onke, uThixo kaSirayeli, ukuthi:
5 ‘Lenziwe ndim ngamandla am amakhulu nengalo yam eyomeleleyo ihlabathi, nabantu abakulo, nezilwanyana ezikulo; ndaye ndilinika nabani na endifuna ukumnika lona.
6 Ke ngoko onke amazwe enikuwo ndiza kuwanikezela esandleni sikaNebhukadenezare, isicaka sam, ongukumkani waseBhabheli. Nditsho nezilwanyana ezi zasendle ziza kuba zezakhe.
7 Zonke izizwe ziza kuba phantsi kwakhe, nonyana wakhe, nomzukulwana wakhe, lide lifike ixesha lokuwa kwelo lizwe lakhe. Emva koko ke kuya kufika izizwe ngezizwe, zinookumkani bazo abanamagama, zimoyise.
8 “ ‘Xa kuthe kwabakho isizwe okanye ulawulo esingafuni ukuzithoba phantsi kukaNebhukadenezare ukumkani waseBhabheli, nditsho esingavumiyo ukuyithwala entanyeni idyokhwe yakhe, eso sizwe ndosohlwaya ngekrele, nendlala, nangobhubhani, side sinikezelwe ngokupheleleyo esandleni sikaNebhukadenezare.’ Lowo ngumlomo kaNdikhoyo.
9 ‘Ngoko ke musani ukubaphulaphula abashumayeli benu, noosiyazi benu, nabalawuli-maphupha benu, namatola enu, nezanuse zenu, abathi kuni: “Anisoze naba zizicaka zikakumkani waseBhabheli.”
10 Banishumayeza ubuxoki abo; bona baya kunibangela ukuba nikhutshelwe kude kumhlaba wenu. Ndonichitha-chitha nitshabalale.
11 Kanti sona isizwe esimthobelayo ukumkani waseBhabheli, sifake intamo edyokhweni yakhe, simthobele, sona ndosiyeka emhlabeni waso: sohlala kuwo, siwulime.’ ” Lowo ngumlomo kaNdikhoyo.
12 NakuZedekiya ukumkani wakwaJuda, ndithethe kwaloo nto inye. Ndithe: “Mthobeleni ukumkani waseBhabheli, niyithwale idyokhwe yakhe, nimkhonze yena nabantu bakhe, khon' ukuze niphile.
13 Ngani ukuba nizibulalise ngekrele, nendlala, nobhubhani, zinto ezo eziya kuthunyelwa nguNdikhoyo kwisizwe esingafuni ukuthobela ukumkani waseBhabheli?
14 Ze ningawaphulaphuli amazwi abashumayeli abathi: ‘Anisokuze nibe phantsi kolawulo lukakumkani waseBhabheli,’ kuba bashumayela ubuxoki bodwa xa batshoyo.
15 Abathunywanga ndim abo.” Lowo ngumlomo kaNdikhoyo. “Bathetha ubuxoki egameni lam. Ngoko ke ndonigxotha, nitshabalale kunye nâbo bashumayeli banishumayeze ubuxoki.”
16 Ke ndithe kubabingeleli nakubantu bonke: “Utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: Ze ningawaphulaphuli amazwi abashumayeli abathi: ‘Iimpahla zendlu kaNdikhoyo ziza kubuya kwakamsinyane eBhabheli.’ Banishumayeza ubuxoki.
17 Ze ningabaphulaphuli. Ze nithobele ukumkani waseBhabheli xa nifuna ukuphila. Ngani ukuba esi sixeko sibe ngamabhodlo?
18 Ukuba bangabashumayeli – ukuba likho kubo ilizwi likaNdikhoyo – mabambongoze uNdikhoyo uSomandla-onke, khon' ukuze impahla eseleyo yendlu yakhe, neyasebhotwe lokumkani wakwaJuda, neyabantu baseJerusalem, ingathinjwa isiwe eBhabheli.”(
19-20 Xa ukumkani uNebhukadenezare wayebamba ukumkani wakwaJuda uJekoniya, unyana kaJoyakim, kunye neziphathamandla zakwaJuda naseJerusalem, ebasa eBhabheli, wazishiya iintsika kunye netanki yobhedu, neenqwelwana, kunye nezinye izinto ezashiywayo endlwini kaThixo.)
21 Ngokubhekisele kwimpahla eseleyo endlwini kaNdikhoyo, nasebhotwe lokumkani, naseJerusalem, utsho uNdikhoyo uSomandla-onke uThixo kaSirayeli ukuthi:
22 “Iya kusiwa eBhabheli, ihlale apho ndide mna ndibuye ndiyilande ngokwam,” lowo ngumlomo kaNdikhoyo, “ndiyibuyisele kwakule ndawo.”