1. Kunyaka weshumi ukumkani uZedekiya elawula kwaJuda, owawungunyaka weshumi elinesibhozo kulawula ukumkani uNebhukadenezare eBhabheli, lavakala kuJeremiya ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo.
2. Ngelo xesha umkhosi wokumkani waseBhabheli wawuyingqingile iJerusalem, yena uJeremiya evalelwe eyadini yabalindi ebhotwe lakwaJuda.
3. Wayevalelwe entolongweni apho ngukumkani wakwaJuda uZedekiya, esithi: “Kutheni le nto ushumayela ngolu hlobo? Kaloku uthi: ‘Utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: Esi sixeko ndiza kusinikezela esandleni sokumkani waseBhabheli, ndimvumele asithimbe.
4. Ke yena uZedekiya ukumkani wakwaJuda naye akayi kusinda esandleni samaKaledi, koko wonikezelwa esandleni sokumkani waseBhabheli, babonane ngamehlo, bathethe ubuso ngobuso.
5. Ukumkani waseBhabheli womthatha uZedekiya, amse eBhabheli, apho aya kuhlala khona kude kufike ithuba lokuba ndimvele, lowo ngumlomo kaNdikhoyo. Nokuba ningade nilwe nomkhosi wamaKaledi anisayi kuphumelela.’ ”
6. UJeremiya wathi: “Livakele ilizwi likaNdikhoyo lisithi kum:
7. UHanameli, unyana kayihlokazi uShalum, uza kuza kuwe, athi: ‘Wuthenge umhlaba wam oseAnatoti. Kaloku nguwe isizalwana segazi esinelungelo lokukhulula loo mhlaba.’
8. “Eneneni ke, weza kum apho kuloo yadi yasebhotwe uHanameli unyana kabawokazi, wathi: ‘Khawuwuthenge umhlaba wam oseAnatoti kummandla wakwaBhenjamin. Kaloku nguwe isizalwana segazi esinelungelo lokuwukhulula loo mhlaba uwuthenge.’“Ndaqonda ke ukuba ngenene nguNdikhoyo lo ubethetha nam.
9. Ndawuthenga loo mhlaba kuHanameli, ndayibala imali ngokuyibeka esikalini, ndamnika isiliva ebunzima buziigram ezimakhulu mabini.
10. Ndayibhala incwadi yentengiso, ndayisayina, ndayitywina, yangqinwa, ndaza imali ndayikhangela ubunzima bayo esikalini.
11. Ndazithatha iincwadi zentengiso, nditsho incwadi etywiniweyo equlethe imiqathango yentengiso kunye nekopi yayo engatywinwanga,
12. ndaza ndazinika uBharuki unyana kaNeriya unyana kaMaseya. Ndamnika kukho uHanameli unyana kabawokazi kunye namangqina awayisayinayo incwadi yentengiso, kwakunye namaJuda onke awayekho apho kuloo yadi.
13. Ndamyalela uBharuki emehlweni abo bonke, ndathi: