Verse 1: Kwathi lapho iJerusalema selinqotshiwe ngomnyaka wesishiyagalolunye kaSedekiya, inkosi yakwaJuda, ngenyanga yeshumi kwafika uNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, nempi yakhe yonke eJerusalema, walivimbezela;
Verse 2: ngomnyaka weshumi nanye kaSedekiya ngenyanga yesine ngolwesishiyagalolunye lwenyanga umuzi wafohlwa
Verse 3: kwangena zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBabele, zahlala esangweni eliphakathi, oNerigali Sareseri, noSamigari Nebo, noSaresekimi induna yezinceku, noNerigali Sareseri induna yabapristi, kanye nazo zonke ezinye izikhulu zenkosi yaseBabele.
Verse 4: Kwathi lapho uSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda nawo onke amadoda empi bezibona, babaleka, bephuma emzini ebusuku ngendlela yensimu yenkosi ngesango phakathi kwezingange zombili; waphuma ngendlela yase-Araba.
Verse 5: Kepha impi yamaKaledi yabaxosha, yamfica uSedekiya emahlane aseJeriko, yambamba, yamkhuphulela kuNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, eRibila ezweni laseHamati, wamahlulela.
Verse 6: Inkosi yaseBabele yabulala amadodana kaSedekiya eRibila phambi kwamehlo akhe; futhi inkosi yaseBabele yabulala bonke abakhulu bakwaJuda.
Verse 7: Yakhipha namehlo kaSedekiya, yambopha ngamaketanga ukuba imyise eBabele.
Verse 8: AmaKaledi ashisa indlu yenkosi nezindlu zabantu ngomlilo, azidiliza izingange zaseJerusalema.
Verse 9: Insali yabantu ababesala emzini, nabahlubuki ababehlubukela kuye, nensali yabantu abaseleyo uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi wabathumbela eBabele.
Verse 10: Kepha uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi wabashiya abantu abampofu ababengenalutho ezweni lakwaJuda, wabanika izivini namasimu ngasikhathi sinye.
Verse 11: UNebukadinesari, inkosi yaseBabele, wamyala uNebuzaradani, induna yabalindi, ngoJeremiya, wathi:
Verse 12: “Mthathe, umbheke, ungamenzeli lutho olubi, kepha wenze kuye njengokusho kwakhe kuwe.”
Verse 13: UNebuzaradani induna yabalindi kanye noNebushazibani induna yezinceku, noNerigali Sareseri induna yabapristi, nezikhulu zonke zenkosi yaseBabele base bethumela,
Verse 14: bathuma bamkhipha uJeremiya egcekeni letilongo, bamnikeza kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani ukuba amyise ekhaya; wayesehlala phakathi kwabantu.
Verse 15: Lase lifika izwi likaJehova kuJeremiya esavalelwe egcekeni letilongo, lithi:
Verse 16: “Hamba ukhulume ku-Ebedi Meleki umKushe, uthi: ‘Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Bheka, ngiyakwehlisela amazwi ami kulo muzi kube kubi, kungabi kuhle, abe ngaphambi kwakho ngalolo suku.
Verse 17: Kepha ngiyakukophula ngalolo suku, usho uJehova, unganikelwa esandleni sabantu obesabayo.
Verse 18: Ngokuba ngiyakukukhulula nokukukhulula, awuyikuwa ngenkemba, kepha ukuphila kwakho kuyakuba yimpango kuwe, ngokuba ungethembile, usho uJehova.’ ”