Verse 1: Izwi likaJehova elafika kuJeremiya ngesigagadu.
Verse 2: “UJuda uyalila, amasango akhe adangele, ahlezi emhlabathini edabukile, nokukhala kweJerusalema kwenyukile.
Verse 3: Abakhulu babo bathuma abancane babo emanzini; bafika emigodini, kepha abafumani manzi, babuya, izitsha zabo zingenalutho; banamahloni, bajabhile, bamboza amakhanda abo.
Verse 4: Ngenxa yomhlabathi odabukileyo, ngokuba akubangakho mvula ezweni, abalimi banamahloni, bamboza amakhanda abo.
Verse 5: Yebo, nendluzele izalela endle, ilishiye izinyane, ngokuba utshani abukho.
Verse 6: Izimbongolo zasendle ziyema emadulini angenalutho, zihogela umoya njengamakhanka; amehlo azo ayaphela, ngokuba kungekho tshani.”
Verse 7: Noma izono zethu zifakaza ngathi, sebenza, Jehova, ngenxa yegama lakho; ngokuba ukuhlehla kwethu kuningi, sonile kuwe.
Verse 8: Themba lika-Israyeli, msindisi wakhe ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka, yini ukuba ube njengomfokazi ezweni nanjengesihambi esingenisayo ukuba silale ubusuku nje na?
Verse 9: Yini ukuba ube ngumuntu odidekileyo, njengeqhawe elingenakusindisa, na? Nokho uphakathi kwethu, Jehova, sibiziwe ngegama lakho; ungasishiyi.
Verse 10: Usho kanje uJehova ngalaba bantu, uthi: “Bathanda ukuzula kanjalo, abazibambi izinyawo zabo; uJehova akathokozi ngabo; manje uyakubukhumbula ububi babo, azihambele izono zabo.”
Verse 11: UJehova wathi kimi: “Ungabakhulekeli laba bantu ukuba baphiwe okuhle.
Verse 12: Noma bezila ukudla, angiyikuzwa ukumemeza kwabo; noma benikela ngomnikelo wokushiswa nangowempuphu, angiyikuthokoza ngabo, kepha ngiyakubaqeda ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo.”
Verse 13: Ngase ngithi: “E, Nkosi Jehova, bheka, abaprofethi bathi kubo: ‘Aniyikubona inkemba, nendlala ayiyikunehlela, kepha ngiyakuninika ukuthula okuqinisileyo kule ndawo.’ ”
Verse 14: Wayesethi uJehova kimi: “Abaprofethi baprofetha amanga egameni lami; angibathumanga, angibayalanga, angikhulumanga kubo; baprofetha imibono yamanga, nokubhula, nokuyize, nenkohliso yenhliziyo yabo.
Verse 15: Ngalokho usho kanje uJehova ngabaprofethi abaprofetha ngegama lami, ngingabathumanga, bathi: ‘Akuyikubakho inkemba nendlala kuleli zwe,’ uthi: Ngenkemba nangendlala bayakuphela laba baprofethi.
Verse 16: Abantu abaprofetha kubo bayakuphonswa ezitaladini zaseJerusalema ngenxa yendlala nenkemba; abayikuba namuntu wokubembela, bona nawomkabo, namadodana abo, namadodakazi abo; ngiyakuthela okubi kwabo phezu kwabo.
Verse 17: “Kepha uyakusho leli zwi kubo lokuthi: “ ‘Amehlo ami mahlengezele izinyembezi imini nobusuku, zinganqamuki, ngokuba intombi, indodakazi yabantu bami, ilimele ngokulimala okukhulu, ngokushaywa okunzima kakhulu.
Verse 18: Uma ngiphumela endle, bheka, nampo ababuleweyo ngenkemba, nalapho ngingena emzini, bheka, nampo abaphethwe yindlala, ngokuba umprofethi nompristi bahamba izwe bengazi lutho.’ ”
Verse 19: Umlahlile nokumlahla uJuda na? Umphefumulo wakho unengiwe yiSiyoni na? Usishayeleni, singabi nakuphulukiswa, na? Sihlalela ukuthula, kepha okuhle akukho; nesikhathi sokuphulukiswa, kepha luvalo.
Verse 20: Jehova, siyazi ububi bethu nokona kwawobaba, ngokuba sonile kuwe.
Verse 21: Ungasideleli ngenxa yegama lakho, ungaseyisi isihlalo sobukhosi sodumo lwakho; sikhumbule, ungasaphuli isivumelwano sakho nathi.
Verse 22: Kukhona yini phakathi kwawonkulunkulu babezizwe abayize onganisa imvula? Amazulu angaletha izihlambi na? Akusuwe Jehova esiyakukuhlalela na? Ngokuba wena wenzile konke lokhu.