1ILIZWI elezayo ku‐Jeremiya livela kuyehova, emveni kwokuba u‐Nebuzaradane inkosi yomlisela ebemndulule e‐Rama; akuba emtabatile enxityiwe ngemixokolelwane pakati kwabo bonke abatinjwa base‐Yerusaleme nabakwa‐Juda, abebefuduselwa e‐Babilone.
2Yaza inkosi yomlisela yamtabata u‐Jeremiya, yati kuye: Uyehova, utixo wako, utetile elilishwa ngakuyo lendawo. 3Ewe, uyehova ulizisile, wenzile njengokuba ebeteta: ngokokuba nonile ngakuye uyehova, ningevanga ilizwi lake nje, kukona nihlelwe yilento. 4Nakaloku, bona ke, ndikukulule namhla emixokolelwaneni ebipezu kwezandla zako: ukuba kulungile emehlweni ako ukuza nam e‐Babilone, yiza ke, ndandiya kubeka iliso lam pezu kwako; kodwa ukuba kubi emehlweni ako ukuza nam e‐Babilone, yeka ke: kangela, ilizwe lonke lipambi kwako; indawo elungileyo nefaneleyo emehlweni ako ukuba uye kuyo, yiya kwa kona. 5Nxa angekabuyi, yati: Uze ubuyele ku‐Gedaliya, unyana ka‐Ahikame, unyana ka‐Shafane, lowo ukumkani we‐Babilone umenzile umongama pezu kwezixeko zakwa‐Juda, uhlale naye pakati kwabantu: umhlaumbi uye apo kusukuba kufanele emehlweni ako ukuya kona. Yaza inkosi yomlisela yamnika umpako wendlela, nebaso, yamndulula. 6Kwa njalo u‐Jeremiya weza ku‐Gedaliya unyana ka‐Ahikame e‐Mitsipa, wahlala naye pakati kwabantu ababesele elizweni.
7Zati zakuva zonke inkosi zezimpi ezibe zisezindle, zona namadoda azo, ukuba ukumkani we‐Babilone wenzile u‐Gedaliya unyana ka‐Ahikame umongama pezu kwelizwe, nokuba umpatisile amadoda, nabafazi, nentsapo, namahlwempu elizwe, abo ababengafuduselwanga e‐Babilone, 8zandula zeza ku‐Gedaliya e‐Mitsipa: kwa u‐Shimayeli unyana ka‐Netaniya, no‐Johanane no‐Jonatane onyana baka‐Kareha, no‐Seraya unyana ka‐Tanehumete, nonyana baka‐Hefai um‐Netofati, no‐Yezaniya unyana wom‐Mahaka, bona namadoda abo. 9Waza u‐Gedaliya, unyana ka‐Ahikame, unyana ka‐Shafane, wafunga kubo nakumadoda abo, ngokuti: Ningoyiki ukukonza ama‐Kaledine; hlalani elizweni, nimkonze ukumkani we‐Babilone, kwakuya kulunga kuni. 10Kekaloku mna, bona ke, ndiya kuhlala e‐Mitsipa, ukuma ebusweni bama‐Kaledine aya kuza kuti; kodwa nina, butani, iveyine, neziqa̔mo zehlobo, neoli, nizibeke ezityeni zenu, nihlale ezixekweni enizibambileyo. 11Kanjalo onke ama‐Juda abese‐Mowabi, napakati kwosapo luka‐Hamoni, nase‐Edome, nalawo abesemazweni onke, akuva ukuba ukumkani we‐Babilone ushiyile isisalela so‐Juda, nokuba umisile pezu kwabo u‐Gedaliya, unyana ka‐Ahikame, unyana ka‐Shafane; 12andula onke ama‐Juda abuya kuzo zonke indawo apo ebegxotelwe kona, eza elizweni lakwa‐Juda, ku‐Gedaliya e‐Mitsipa, abuta iveyine, neziqa̔mo zehlobo, into eninzi kakulu.
13Kuloko u‐Johanane unyana ka‐Kareha, nazo zonke inkosi zezimpi ezibe zisezindle, beza ku‐Gedaliya e‐Mitsipa, 14bati kuye: Uka wazi na ukuba u‐Balisi, ukumkani wosapo luka‐Hamoni, utumile u‐Shimayeli unyana ka‐Netaniya ukuza kukubulala ubomi? Kodwa u‐Gedaliya unyana ka‐Ahikame ebengakolwa ngabo. 15Waza u‐Johanane unyana ka‐Kareha wateta ku‐Gedaliya ngasese e‐Mitsipa, esiti: Mandihambe ke, ndiye ndimbulale u‐Shimayeli unyana ka‐Netaniya, kwakungayi kubako umntu owaziyo: kunganina ukuba akubulale ubomi, nokuba onke ama‐Juda abutelweyo kuwe atiwe sa, nesisalela so‐Juda sibube? 16Kodwa u‐Gedaliya unyana ka‐Ahikame wati ku‐Johanane unyana ka‐Kareha: Akuyi kuyenza lento, ngokuba uteta ubuxoki ngaye u‐Shimayeli.
