Izwi elafika kuJeremiya ngawo wonke amaJuda ahlala ezweni laseGibithe, ahlala eMigidoli, naseThagpanesi, naseNofi, nasezweni lasePhatirosi, lithi:
Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Nikubonile konke okubi engikwehlisele phezu kweJerusalema naphezu kwayo yonke imizi yakwaJuda; bheka, bayihlane namuhla, akuhlali muntu kubo.
Ngenxa yobubi babo ababenzayo ukungithuka, ngokuya bashisa impepho, bakhonza abanye onkulunkulu ababengabazi, bona, nina, nawoyihlo.
Kepha ngathuma kini zonke izinceku zami abaprofethi, ngavuka ekuseni, ngabathuma, ngathi: ‘Ningenzi lesi sinengiso engizondayo.
Kodwa kabalalelanga, kababekanga izindlebe zabo ukuthi babuye ebubini babo, bangabeki impepho iye kwabanye onkulunkulu.
Ngalokho ukufutheka kwami nokufutheka kwami kuyathululwa, kuvutha emizini yakwaJuda nasezitaladini zaseJerusalema; futhi zachithwa futhi ziyincithakalo njengoba zinjalo namuhla.
Ngakho-ke, itsho njalo iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli; Ngakho-ke yenzani lobu bubi obukhulu phezu kwemiphefumulo yenu, ukunquma owesilisa nowesifazane, umntwana nosane, kwaJuda, ukuze kungabikho muntu osalayo;
Ngokuba nangicunula ngemisebenzi yezandla zenu ngokushisela abanye onkulunkulu impepho ezweni laseGibithe enangena kulo ukuba nigogobale kulo, ukuba nizinqume, nibe yisiqalekiso nesihlamba phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba?
Senikhohliwe yini ububi bawoyihlo nobubi bamakhosi akwaJuda nobubi babafazi bawo nobubi benu nobubi bawomkenu ababenza ezweni lakwaJuda nasezitaladini zezwe laseJerusalema?
Abazange bajabhiswe kuze kube yilolu suku, futhi abesabanga futhi abahambanga ngomthetho wami nasezimisweni zami engazibeka phambi kwenu nawoyihlo.
Ngalokho usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Bhekani, ngibhekise ubuso bami kini ukuba ngenze okubi, ngichithe wonke uJuda.
Ngiyakuthatha insali yakwaJuda ebhekise ubuso bayo ukuba iye ezweni laseGibithe ukuba igogobale khona, futhi iyoqedwa yonke, iwe ezweni laseGibithe; bayoqedwa ngisho nangenkemba nangendlala; bayakufa, kusukela komncane kuye komkhulu ngenkemba nangendlala; bayakuba yinhlekisa, nesimangaliso, nesiqalekiso, nesihlamba.
Ngokuba ngiyakubahambela abakhileyo ezweni laseGibithe, njengalokho ngahambela iJerusalema ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo.
Ukuze kungabikho noyedwa owasalayo wakwaJuda owaya ezweni laseGibithe ukuba agogobale khona oyophunyuka noma osalayo ukuba abuyele ezweni lakwaJuda efisa ukubuyela kulo ukuba ahlale khona; akekho oyobuya ngaphandle kwalabo ababalekile.
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
