Chapter 21
1 Ilizwi lafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lapho uZedekhiya inkosi wayethume kuye uPhashuri indodana kaMalikhija lomphristi uZefaniya indodana kaMaseya. Bathi:
2 "Ake usibuzele kuThixo khathesi nje, ngoba uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni uyasihlasela. Mhlawumbe uThixo angasenzela izimanga njengasezikhathini ezedlulayo ukuze asuke kithi."
3 Kodwa uJeremiya wathi kubo, "Tshelani uZedekhiya lithi:
4 ‘ UThixo , uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Sekuseduze ukuthi ngiziphendulele kuwe izikhali zempi ezisezandleni zakho, ozisebenzisayo ekulweni lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni lamaKhaladiya angaphandle komduli ekuvimbezele. Njalo ngizawaqoqa phakathi kwalelidolobho.
5 Mina uqobo ngizakulwa lawe ngesandla eseluliweyo langengalo elamandla ngentukuthelo langokufuthelana kanye lolaka olukhulu.
6 Ngizabatshaya abahlala kulelidolobho, abantu lezifuyo njalo bazabulawa yisifo esesabekayo.
7 Emva kwalokho, kutsho uThixo , uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, lezikhulu zakhe kanye labantu bakulelidolobho abaphepha emkhuhlaneni, enkembeni lasendlaleni, ngizabanikela kuNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni lasezitheni zabo ezifuna ukubabulala. Uzababulala ngenkemba; kayikuba lomusa kumbe uzwelo loba isihawu.’
8 Phezu kwalokho, abantu batshele uthi, ‘ UThixo uthi: Khangelani, ngiyalimisela phambi kwenu indlela yokuphila lendlela yokufa.
9 Loba ngubani osala kulelidolobho uzabulawa ngenkemba, yindlala loba ngumkhuhlane. Kodwa loba ngubani ophumayo kulo ayezinikela kumaKhaladiya alivimbezeleyo uzasila, aphunyuke lokuphila kwakhe.
10 Sengiqonde ukwenza okubi kulelidolobho hatshi okuhle, kutsho uThixo . Lizanikelwa ezandleni zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni, ezalitshabalalisa ngomlilo.’
11 Phezu kwalokho, wothi endlini yenkosi yakoJuda, ‘Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo ;
12 lina abendlu kaDavida, uThixo uthi: Yenzani ukulunga insuku zonke ekuseni; mhlengeni esandleni somncindezeli wakhe lowo ophangiweyo, hlezi ulaka lwami luqubuke, lutshise njengomlilo ngenxa yobubi elibenzileyo, lutshise engekho ongalucitsha.
13 Ngimelane lawe, Jerusalema, wena ohlala ngaphezu kwalesisigodi, emagcekeni alamadwala, kutsho uThixo , lina elithi, "Ngubani ongazasihlasela na? Ngubani ongangena esiphephelweni sethu na?"
14 Ngizalijezisa njengokufanele izono zenu, kutsho uThixo . Ngizaphemba umlilo emahlathini enu ozalobisa konke okuseduze lani.’ "