1 Ngenyanga yeshumi kunyaka wethoba ukumkani uZedekiya elawula kwaJuda, ukumkani uNebhukadenezare waseBhabheli nomkhosi wakhe uphela, waya kungqinga isixeko saseJerusalem.
2 Kwathi ngomhla wethoba ngenyanga yesine kunyaka weshumi linanye uZedekiya engukumkani agqobhoza angena kweso sixeko amaKaledi.
3 Zesuka zonke iziphathamandla zekumkani yaseBhabheli zaya kutsho ngakwiSango eliseMbindini, zafika zee nqwadalala ezihlalweni apho; yayingooNerigale-sharezere, noSamagare-nebho, noSarsekim umphathi oyintloko, nomnye uNerigale-sharezere owayeyingqwayi-ngqwayi yomkhosi, kunye nezinye iindwalutho zokumkani waseBhabheli.
4 Bathe bakuzibona ezi ziphathamandla ooZedekiya ukumkani wakwaJuda ekunye nomkhosi wakhe wonke, basaba; bemka ngobusuku esixekweni ngendlela edlula ngasesitiyeni sikakumkani, baphuma ngesango eliphahlwe ziindonga, babalekela entilini yeJordan.
5 Umkhosi wamaKaledi wabasukela wamfumana uZedekiya kuloo mathafa aseJeriko. Amthatha amsa kukumkani uNebhukadenezare waseBhabheli owayeseRibhela ezweni laseHamati. Lathethwa apho ityala likaZedekiya, waza wagwetywa.
6 Ukumkani waseBhabheli wababulala apho eRibhela oonyana bakaZedekiya ejongile, ngokunjalo wazibulala neendwalutho zonke zakwaJuda.
7 Wamtyhaphaza amehlo uZedekiya, wamfaka amakhamandela enziwe ngobhedu, ukuze asiwe eBhabheli.
8 Ibhotwe lokumkani, nezindlu zabantu, zatshiswa ngomlilo ngamaKaledi, adiliza neendonga zeJerusalem.
9 Umphathi wabalindi bekumkani, uNebhuzaradan, wabaqhubela eBhabheli ekuthinjweni abantu abasala esixekweni, bekunye nabo babezinikezele, nabanye abantu abaseleyo.
10 Kodwa inxalenye yabantu ababengamahlwempu angenanto tu, wabashiya ezweni lakwaJuda umphathi uNebhuzaradan, wababela amasimi nezidiliya.
11 Mayela noJeremiya ukumkani uNebhukadenezare wayalela umphathi-balindi bakomkhulu uNebhuzaradan wathi:
12 “Mthathe uJeremiya, umphathe kakuhle, ungamenzakalisi, umenzele loo nto ayifunayo.”
13 Ngoko ke umphathi-balindi uNebhuzaradan ekunye noNebhushazibhan umphathi oyintloko, nengqwayi-ngqwayi yomkhosi uNerigale-sharezere, bekunye nezinye iindwalutho zokumkani waseBhabheli,
14 bathi makuye kukhutshwa uJeremiya kulaa nkundla yabalindi wayehlala kuyo. Bamnikezela kuGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam unyana kaShafan ukuba amgoduse. Wasala wahlala phakathi kwabantu bakowabo ke uJeremiya.
15 Ngexesha uJeremiya wayevaleleke enkundleni yabalindi lavakala kuye ilizwi likaNdikhoyo, lisithi:
16 “Yiya kuxelela uEbhedi-meleki umKushe uthi: ‘Utsho *uNdikhoyo uSomandla-onke, uThixo kaSirayeli, ukuthi: Amazwi am mayela nesi sixeko ndiya kuwazalisekisa ngokusihlisela intlekele, ingabi kokulungileyo. Loo nto iza kuhla uyijongile, lakufika ixesha.
17 Kodwa wena ndokuhlangula ngaloo mini. Lowo ngumlomo kaNdikhoyo. Wena akuyi kunikezelwa esandleni saloo madoda uwaxhaleleyo.
18 Inene, ndiza kukuhlangula, ungawi likrele, businde ubomi bakho, kuba ubuthembele ngam wena. Lowo ngumlomo kaNdikhoyo.’ ”