1 Izwi elafika kuJeremiya, livela kuJehova, ekuthumeni kwenkosi uSedekiya uPhashuri indodana kaMalikhiya noZefaniya indodana kaMahaseya, umpristi, kuye ethi:
2 “Ake usibuzele kuJehova, ngokuba uNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabele usihlasele; mhlawumbe uJehova angenza kithi njengazo zonke izimangaliso zakhe ukuba akhuphuke, asuke kithi.”
3 UJeremiya wathi kubo: “Niyakusho kanje kuSedekiya, nithi:
4 ‘Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Bheka, ngiyakubuyisa izikhali zokulwa ezisezandleni zenu, enilwa ngazo nenkosi yaseBabele namaKaledi anivimbezelayo ngaphandle kogange, ngizibuthe phakathi nalo muzi.
5 Mina ngiyakulwa nani ngesandla eseluliweyo, nangengalo enamandla, nangentukuthelo, nangokufutheka, nangolaka olukhulu.
6 Ngiyakubashaya abakhileyo kulo muzi, abantu nezilwane; bayakufa ngesifo esikhulu.
7 Ngasemuva, usho uJehova, ngiyakunikela uSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda, nezinceku zakhe, nabantu abasele kulo muzi esifweni, nasenkembeni, nasendlaleni, nasesandleni sikaNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabele, nasesandleni sezitha zabo, nasesandleni sabafuna ukuphila kwabo, abashaye ngosiko lwenkemba, angabasindisi, angabahawukeli, angabi namusa kubo.’