1 Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
2 “Zwana izimiso zesivumelwano lesi uzitshele abantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema.
3 Batshele uthi uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Uqalekisiwe umuntu ongalandeli izimiso zesivumelwano lesi,
4 izimiso engalaya ngazo okhokho benu ekubakhupheni kwami eGibhithe, esasiyisithando sokuncibilikisa insimbi.’ Ngathi, ‘Lalelani ilizwi lami lenze konke engililaya khona, lizakuba ngabantu bami, mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu.
5 Lapho-ke ngizagcwalisa isifungo sami engasifunga kubokhokho benu, ukubanika ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju,’ ilizwe elihlezi kulo khathesi.”
6 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Memezela wonke amazwi la emadolobheni akoJuda lasemigwaqweni yaseJerusalema uthi: ‘Zwanini izimiso zesivumelwano lesi lizilandele.
7 Kusukela ekukhupheni kwami okhokho benu eGibhithe kuze kube lamhla, ngabalaya njalonjalo ngisithi, “Lalelani ilizwi lami.”
8 Kodwa kabazange balalele kumbe banake; esikhundleni salokho, bona balandela inkani yezinhliziyo zabo ezimbi. Ngakho ngabehlisela zonke izithuko zesivumelwano engangibalaye ukuba basilandele kodwa kabaze basigcina.’ ”
9 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Kulokuhlamuka okukhona ebantwini bakoJuda lakulabo abahlala eJerusalema.
10 Sebebuyele ezonweni zabokhokho babo, abalayo ukulalela amazwi ami. Balandele abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babakhonze. Indlu ka-Israyeli lendlu kaJuda, zombili zisephule isivumelwano engasenza labokhokho bazo.
11 Ngakho nanku akutshoyo uThixo: ‘Ngizabehlisela umonakalo abangeke baphephe kuwo. Lanxa sebekhala kimi kangiyikubalalela.
12 Amadolobho akoJuda labantu baseJerusalema bazakuyakhala kubonkulunkulu ababatshisela impepha, kodwa kabasoze babasize ngalutho lapho uhlupho selubehlela.
13 Wena Juda ubunengi babonkulunkulu bakho bunjengobamadolobho akho, njalo lama-alithare owakhele ukutshisela impepha kulowonkulunkulu olihlazo, uBhali, ubunengi bawo bunjengobemigwaqo yaseJerusalema.’
14 Abantu laba ungabakhulekeli kumbe ubakhulumele loba ubacelele, ngoba angiyikulalela lapho bekhala kimi esikhathini sokuhlupheka kwabo.
15 Othandekayo wami wenzani ethempelini
16 UThixo wakubiza ngokuthi uyisihlahla se-oliva
17 UThixo uSomandla, owakuhlanyelayo, usememezele umonakalo kuwe, ngoba indlu ka-Israyeli lendlu kaJuda zenze okubi zangithukuthelisa ngokutshisela uBhali impepha.
18 Ngenxa yokuthi uThixo waveza icebo labo kimi, ngalazi, ngoba ngalesosikhathi wangitshengisa ababekwenza.
19 Ngangifana lewundlu elithambileyo lisiwa ekuhlatshweni; ngangingazi ukuthi basebebumbe icebo ngami, besithi,
20 Kodwa, wena, Thixo Somandla,
21 Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo mayelana labantu base-Anathothi abafuna ukukubulala besithi, “Ungaphrofethi ngebizo likaThixo funa sikubulale”
22 ngakho uThixo uSomandla uthi: “Ngizabajezisa. Amajaha akibo azabulawa yinkemba, amadodana lamadodakazi abo abulawe yindlala.
23 Akuyikuba khona osalayo kubo, ngoba ngizaletha incithakalo ebantwini base-Anathothi ngomnyaka wokujeziswa kwabo.”