1 UThixo uthi:
2 Ngizathumela abezizweni eBhabhiloni
3 Lingavumeli mtshoki ebopha idandili lakhe
4 Bazawela phansi bebulewe eBhabhiloni
5 Ngoba u-Israyeli loJuda kabalahlwanga
6 Balekani eBhabhiloni!
7 IBhabhiloni yayiyinkezo yegolide esandleni sikaThixo;
8 IBhabhiloni izakuwa masinyane idilike.
9 ‘IBhabhiloni kade singayelapha
10 UThixo usebonakalisile ukuthi kasilacala,
11 Lolani imitshoko;
12 Phakamiselani imiduli yaseBhabhiloni uphawu!
13 Lina elihlala ngasemanzini amanengi,
14 UThixo uSomandla usefungile ngayo wathi:
15 Wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe;
16 Lapho evungama, amanzi asemazulwini ayahlokoma;
17 Abantu bonke kabalangqondo njalo kabalalwazi;
18 Ziyize, izinto zenhlekisa nje;
19 Lowo oyingxenye yesizwe sikaJakhobe kafani lalaba,
20 Wena uyinduku yami yempi,
21 ngawe ngihlifiza ibhiza lomgadi walo,
22 ngawe ngihlifiza indoda lomfazi,
23 ngawe ngihlifiza abelusi lemihlambi,
24 Emehlweni enu ngizaphindisela kuyo iBhabhiloni lakubo bonke abahlala kuyo ngenxa yobubi bonke ababenzileyo eZiyoni,” kutsho uThixo.
25 “Ngimelana lawe, wena ntaba echithayo,
26 Akulalitshe elizasuswa kuwe ukuba libe ngelekhoneni,
27 “Phakamisani uphawu elizweni!
28 Lungisani izizwe ukuba zilwe layo,
29 Ilizwe liyaqhaqhazela libhinqike
30 Amabutho aseBhabhiloni aseyekele ukulwa;
31 Esinye isithunywa silandela esinye;
32 amazibuko emifula athethwe,
33 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli:
34 “UNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni usesidlile,
35 Udlakela olwenziwe emizimbeni yethu kalube phezu kweBhabhiloni,”
36 Ngakho uThixo uthi:
37 IBhabhiloni izakuba yinqumbi yonxiwa,
38 Abantu bayo bonke bayabhonga njengezilwane ezincane,
39 Kodwa lapho besesebukhali,
40 “Ngizabehlisela phansi
41 Yeka ukuthunjwa okuzakwenziwa iSheshaki,
42 Ulwandle luzaphakama phezu kweBhabhiloni;
43 Amadolobho ayo azachitheka,
44 Ngizamjezisa uBheli eBhabhiloni
45 Bantu bami, phumani kulo iBhabhiloni!
46 Lingaphelelwa lithemba kumbe lesabe
47 Ngoba isikhathi sizafika impela
48 Lapho-ke izulu lomhlaba lakho konke okukukho
49 “IBhabhiloni kumele idilike ngenxa yabako-Israyeli ababulawayo,
50 Lina eliphephileyo enkembeni,
51 “Siyangekile, ngoba siqalekisiwe,
52 UThixo uthi, “Kodwa insuku ziyeza,
53 Lanxa iBhabhiloni ingafinyelela emkhathini
54 “Umsindo wokukhala uvela eBhabhiloni,
55 UThixo uzayichitha iBhabhiloni;
56 Umchithi uzakuzahlasela iBhabhiloni;
57 Ngizadakisa izikhulu lezihlakaniphi zayo,
58 UThixo uSomandla uthi:
59 Leli yilizwi uJeremiya umphrofethi alinika induna yamabutho uSeraya indodana kaNeriya, indodana kaMahaseyiya, esesiya eBhabhiloni loZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda ngomnyaka wesine wokubusa kwakhe.
60 UJeremiya wayelobe emqulwini ngomonakalo wonke owawuzakwehlela iBhabhiloni lakho konke okwakubhalwe ngeBhabhiloni.
61 Wathi kuSeraya, “Lapho usufikile eBhabhiloni ubowafunda wonke amazwi la ngelizwi eliphakemeyo.
62 Ube ususithi, ‘Awu Thixo, wathi indawo le uzayichitha ukuze kungabi lamuntu kumbe inyamazana ezahlala kuyo; izaphundleka kuze kube nininini.’
63 Lapho usuqedile ukubala umqulu lo, ubophele ilitshe kuwo uwuphosele kuYufrathe,
64 ubususithi, ‘Izatshona kanje iBhabhiloni ingabe isavumbuluka ngenxa yomonakalo engizayehlisela wona. Labantu bayo bazakuwa.’ ”