1Ilizwi elafikayo kuYeremiya, livela kuYehova, emveni kokuba ebendululwe eRama nguNebhuzaradan, umthetheli wabasiki, ekumthabatheni kwakhe ekhonkxiwe ngemixokelelwane phakathi kwabafudusiweyo bonke baseYerusalem nabakwaYuda, ababefuduselwa eBhabheli. 2Umthetheli wabasiki wamthabatha ke uYeremiya, wathi kuye, UYehova uThixo wakho wathetha obu bubi ngale ndawo; 3uYehova wabufikisa, wenza njengoko wakuthethayo; ngokuba nonayo kuYehova, analiphulaphula izwi lakhe, yabakho ke le nto kuni. 4Kaloku ke yabona, ndiyayicombulula namhla imixokelelwane esezandleni zakho. Ukuba kuthe kwalunga emehlweni akho ukuya nam eBhabheli, yiza, ndolimisa iliso lam kuwe; ukuba kuthe kwakubi emehlweni akho ukuya nam eBhabheli, yeka ke. Uyabona, ilizwe lonke liphambi kwakho; ukuya apho kuthe kwalunga kwathi tye emehlweni akho, oko kokwakho, yiya khona.
5Uthe ke engekabuyi, wathi, Buyela kuGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam, unyana kaShafan, owenziwa umveleli ngukumkani waseBhabheli emizini yakwaYuda, uhlale naye phakathi kwabantu; okanye uye apho kuthe tye emehlweni akho ukuya khona. Umthetheli wabasiki wamnika umxhesho nesipho, wamndulula. 6UYeremiya waya kuGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam eMizpa, wahlala naye phakathi kwabantu ababesele elizweni.
UGedaliya umveleli eYerusalem
7Ke kaloku beva bonke abathetheli bezimpi ezisendle, bona namadoda abo, ukuba ukumkani waseBhabheli umenze umveleli welizwe uGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam, nokuba umenze umveleli wamadoda, nabafazi, nabantwana, nezisweli zelizwe, kwababengafuduselwanga eBhabheli. 8Beza ke kuGedaliya eMizpa, inguIshmayeli unyana kaNetaniya, noYohanan noYonatan oonyana bakaKareha, noSeraya unyana kaTanumete, noonyana bakaEfayi waseNetofa, noYezaniya umntu waseMahaka, bona namadoda abo. 9UGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam, unyana kaShafan, wabafungela namadoda abo, esithi, Musani ukoyika ukuwakhonza amaKaledi; hlalani kweli lizwe, nimkhonze ukumkani waseBhabheli, kulunge kuni. 10Yabonani, ndihleli eMizpa, ukuze ndime phambi kwamaKaledi, aya kuza kuthi; ke nina hlanganisani iwayini, neziqhamo zasehlotyeni, neoli, nibeke ezityeni zenu, nihlale emizini yenu, enithe nayithimba.
11NamaYuda onke abe ekwelakwaMowabhi, nakoonyana baka-Amon, nakwelakwaEdom, nabasemazweni onke, eva ukuba ukumkani waseBhabheli umise amasalela kwaYuda, nokuba umenzé umveleli wawo uGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam, unyana kaShafan. 12Abuya ke onke amaYuda, ezindaweni zonke abegxothelwe kuzo, eza elizweni lakwaYuda kuGedaliya eMizpa, abutha iwayini neziqhamo zasehlotyeni, zazininzi kakhulu.
13Ke kaloku uYohanan unyana kaKareha, nabathetheli bonke bezimpi ababesemaphandleni, beza kuGedaliya eMizpa. 14Bathi kuye, Uhleli usazi na ukuba uBhahalisi, ukumkani woonyana baka-Amon, uthume uIshmayeli unyana kaNetaniya, ukuba akubulale? Ke uGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam ubengakholwa ngabo. 15UYohanan unyana kaKareha wathetha kuGedaliya ngasese eMizpa, wathi, Makhe ndiye ndimbulale uIshmayeli unyana kaNetaniya, kungàzi mntu; yini na ukuba ade abulale wena, achithwachithwe amaYuda onke ahlanganisene kuwe, atshabalale amasalela akwaYuda? 16UGedaliya unyana ka-Ahikam wathi kuYohanan unyana kaKareha, Musa ukuyenza loo nto; ngokuba ùthetha ubuxoki ngoIshmayeli.