1 Kwathi, xenikweni iYerusalem ibithinjiwe (ngomnyaka wesithoba kaZedekiya ukumkani wakwaYuda, ngenyanga yeshumi, akubon' ukuba ufikile eYerusalem uNebhukadenetsare nempi yakhe yonke, bayingqinga;
2 ngomnyaka weshumi elinamanye kaZedekiya, ngenyanga yesiné, ngolwesithoba enyangeni leyo, wagqojozwa umzi),
3 bafika bonke abathetheli bokumkani waseBhabheli, bahlala esangweni laphakathi: ooNergale-sharetsere, noSamgare-nebho, noSarsekim umthetheli wamathenwa, noNergale-sharetsere umthetheli wezazi, nabanye abathetheli bonke bokumkani waseBhabheli.
4 Kwathi, akubabona uZedekiya ukumkani wakwaYuda namadoda onke okulwa, babaleka, baphuma ngobusuku phakathi komzi ngendlela yomyezo wokumkani, ngesango eliphakathi kweendonga, baphuma ngendlela yeArabha.
5 Impi yamaKaledi yabasukela, yamfikela uZedekiya ezinkqantosini zaseYeriko; yamthabatha, yenyuka naye, yamsa kuNebhukadenetsare ukumkani waseBhabheli, eRibhela ezweni laseHamati; athethwa khona amatyala akhe.
6 Ukumkani waseBhabheli wababulala oonyana bakaZedekiya eRibhela emehlweni akhe; nabanumzana bonke bakwaYuda wababulala ukumkani waseBhabheli.
7 Wamtyhaphaza amehlo uZedekiya, wamkhonkxa ngamakhamandela obhedu, ukuba asiwe eBhabheli.
8 AmaKaledi ayitshisa ngomlilo indlu yokumkani nezindlu zabantu, azidiliza neendonga zaseYerusalem.
9 Amasalela abantu abaseleyo phakathi komzi, amaphamba aphambeláyo kuye, kwanamasalela abantu abaseleyo, wabafudusela eBhabheli uNebhuzaradan umthetheli wabasiki;
10 ke inxenye yabantu abazizisweli, abangenanto iyinto, uNebhuzaradan, inkulu yabasiki, wayishiya ezweni lakwaYuda, wayinika izidiliya namasimi ngaloo mhla.
11 Ke kaloku, uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani waseBhabheli wawisa umthetho ngoYeremiya ngesandla sikaNebhuzaradan, umthetheli wabasiki, esithi,
12 Mthabathe, umise amehlo akho kuye, ungenzi nto imbi kuye; wòthi, njengoko akuthethayo kuwe, wenjenjalo kuye.
13 Ke bathuma ooNebhuzaradan umthetheli wabasiki, noNebhushazebhan umthetheli wamathenwa, noNergale-sharetsere umthetheli wezazi, nabathetheli bonke bokumkani waseBhabheli;
14 bathuma bamthabatha uYeremiya entendelezweni yabalindi, bamnikela kuGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam, unyana kaShafan, ukuba amkhuphe amse ekhaya. Wahlala ke phakathi kwabantu.
15 Ke kaloku, kwaye kufike ilizwi likaYehova kuYeremiya, akuba evalelwe entendelezweni yabalindi, lisithi,
16 Yiya uthi kuEbhedi-meleki umKushi, Utsho uYehova wemikhosi, uThixo kaSirayeli, ukuthi, Yabona, amazwi am ndiwazisela ububi kulo mzi, andiwaziseli okulungileyo; aya kwenzeka phambi kwakho ngaloo mhla.
17 Ke ndokuhlangula ngaloo mhla, utsho uYehova, ungànikelwa esandleni samadoda onxungupheleyo ngawo.
18 Ngokuba, inene, ndiya kukuzisa, ungawi likrele; úya kuba lixhoba kuwe umphefumlo wakho, ngokuba ukholose ngam; utsho uYehova.