1 Ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaSedekiya indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, kwafika leli zwi kuJeremiya livela kuJehova, lathi:
2 Usho kanje uJehova kimi, uthi: “Zenzele izintambo namajoka, ukubeke entanyeni yakho,
3 ukuthume enkosini yakwa-Edomi, nasenkosini yakwaMowabi, nasenkosini yabantwana bakwa-Amoni, nasenkosini yaseTire, nasenkosini yaseSidoni ngesandla sezithunywa ezifika eJerusalema kuSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda,
4 uziyale ukuba zithi emakhosini azo: ‘Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: “Niyakusho kanje emakhosini enu, nithi:
5 Mina ngenzile umhlaba, nomuntu, nesilwane okukhona emhlabeni ngamandla ami amakhulu nangengalo yami eyeluliweyo, ngiwunika lowo ofanele emehlweni ami.
6 Manje senginikele onke lawa mazwe esandleni sikaNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabele, inceku yami; futhi ngiyakumnika izilwane zasendle ukuba zimkhonze.
7 Zonke izizwe ziyakumkhonza, yena nendodana yakhe, nendodana yendodana yakhe, kuze kufike isikhathi sezwe lakhe, izizwe eziningi namakhosi amakhulu babakhonzise.
8 “ ‘ “Kuyakuthi isizwe nombuso okungayikumkhonza yena, uNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, kungabeki intamo yakho phansi kwejoka lenkosi yaseBabele, leso sizwe ngisijezise, usho uJehova, ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo, ngize ngisiqede ngesandla sakhe.
9 Kepha nina ningabalaleli abaprofethi benu, nababhuli benu, namaphupho enu, nabahlola imihlola phakathi kwenu, nabalumbi benu abakhuluma kini, bethi: ‘Aniyikuyikhonza inkosi yaseBabele,’
10 ngokuba baprofetha amanga kini ukuba nisuswe kude nezwe lakini, nginixoshe, niphele.
11 Kepha isizwe esiyakuyibeka intamo yaso phansi kwejoka lenkosi yaseBabele, siyikhonze, leso ngiyakusiphumuza ezweni laso, usho uJehova, sililime, sihlale kulo.” ’ ”
12 Ngakhuluma kuSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda njengawo onke lawa mazwi, ngathi: “Bekani izintamo zenu phansi kwejoka lenkosi yaseBabele, niyikhonze, yona nabantu bayo, niphile.
13 Niyakufelani wena nabantu bakho ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo, njengalokho uJehova ekhulumile ngesizwe esingayikuyikhonza inkosi yaseBabele, na?
14 Ningawalaleli amazwi abaprofethi ababesho kini ukuthi: ‘Aniyikuyikhonza inkosi yaseBabele,’ ngokuba baprofetha amanga kini.
15 ‘Ngokuba angibathumanga,’ usho uJehova; ‘baprofetha amanga ngegama lami ukuze nginixoshe, niphele, nina nabaprofethi abaprofetha kini.’ ”
16 Ngase ngikhuluma kubapristi nakubo bonke laba bantu, ngithi: “Usho kanje uJehova, uthi: Ningawalaleli amazwi abaprofethi benu abaprofetha kini ukuthi: ‘Bhekani, izitsha zendlu kaJehova ziyakubuyiswa eBabele masinyane.’ Ngokuba baprofetha amanga kini.
17 Ningabalaleli; khonzani inkosi yaseBabele nize niphile; ubuyakuchithelwani lo muzi na?
18 Kepha uma bengabaprofethi, uma izwi likaNkulunkulu likubo, mabamnxuse uJehova Sebawoti, ukuba izitsha ezisele endlini kaJehova, nasendlini yenkosi yakwaJuda, naseJerusalema zingayi eBabele.
19 Ngokuba usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti ngezinsika, nangolwandle, nangezinqe, nangensali yezitsha ezisele kulo muzi,
20 angazithathanga uNebukadinesari inkosi yaseBabele ekuthumbeni kwakhe uJekoniya indodana kaJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, eJerusalema, wamyisa eBabele nabakhulu bonke bakwaJuda nabaseJerusalema;
21 yebo, usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngezitsha ezisele endlini kaJehova, nasendlini yenkosi yakwaJuda, naseJerusalema, uthi:
22 ‘Ziyakuyiswa eBabele, zibe khona, kuze kufike usuku lokuzihambela kwami,’ usho uJehova. ‘Bese ngizikhuphula, ngizibuyisele kule ndawo.’ ”