Verse 1: Kwathi ngenyanga yesikhombisa u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ka-Elishama, wozalo lwenkosi nowezikhulu zenkosi, wafika namadoda ayishumi kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu eMispa, badla khona isinkwa kanyekanye eMispa.
Verse 2: Wayesesuka u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya namadoda ayishumi ayenaye, bamshaya uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani ngenkemba, bambulala, yena inkosi yaseBabele ebimenze umbusi ezweni.
Verse 3: U-Ishmayeli wabulala nabo bonke abaJuda ababe naye uGedaliya eMispa, namaKaledi, amadoda empi ayefunyanwa khona.
Verse 4: Kwathi ngosuku lwesibili esembulele uGedaliya, kungaziwa muntu,
Verse 5: kwafika amadoda angamashumi ayisishiyagalombili evela eShekemi, naseShilo, naseSamariya, izilevu zawo ziphuculiwe nezingubo ziklejuliwe, bezisikile, bephethe iminikelo yempuphu nempepho ezandleni zabo ukuba bakulethe endlini kaJehova.
Verse 6: U-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya waphuma eMispa ukubahlangabeza, ehamba ekhala. Kwathi lapho esehlangana nabo, wathi kubo: “Ngenani kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu.”
Verse 7: Kwathi sebengenile phakathi komuzi, u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wababulala, wabalahla emgodini, yena namadoda ayenaye.
Verse 8: Kepha kwafunyanwa amadoda ayishumi phakathi kwabo asho ku-Ishmayeli, athi: “Ungasibulali, ngokuba sinokolweni, nebhali, namafutha, nezinyosi okubekelelwe endle.” Wayesebayeka, akababulalanga kanye nabafowabo.
Verse 9: Umgodi u-Ishmayeli alahla kuwo zonke izidumbu zabantu ayebabulele wawungumgodi omkhulu owenziwa yinkosi u-Asa ngenxa kaBahasha inkosi ka-Israyeli; u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wawugcwalisa ngababuleweyo.
Verse 10: U-Ishmayeli wayesethumba bonke abantu abaseleyo eMispa, amadodakazi enkosi nabo bonke abantu ababesele eMispa, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi ayebanikele kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, yebo, u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya wabathumba, wahamba ukuba adlulele kubantwana bakwa-Amoni.
Verse 11: Kepha lapho uJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazinaye sebezwile konke okubi u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya abekwenzile,
Verse 12: bathatha bonke abantu, baya ukulwa no-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, bamfumana ngasemanzini amaningi aseGibeyoni.
Verse 13: Kwathi lapho bonke abantu ababe no-Ishmayeli bembona uJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazinaye, bathokoza.
Verse 14: Base bephenduka bonke abantu u-Ishmayeli ayebathumbile eMispa, babuya, baya kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya.
Verse 15: Kepha u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya waphunyuka kuJohanani enamadoda ayisishiyagalombili, waya kubantwana bakwa-Amoni.
Verse 16: UJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazinaye base bethatha yonke insali yabantu ayeyibuyisile ku-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya eMispa, yena esembulele uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, amadoda empi, nabesifazane, nabantwana, nabathenwa ayebabuyisile eGibeyoni.
Verse 17: Bahamba, bahlala endaweni yokuphumula eKimihamu elingaseBetlehema ukuba bahambe, bangene eGibithe
Verse 18: ngenxa yamaKaledi, ngokuba babewesaba, lokhu u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ebembulele uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu, inkosi yaseBabele eyamenza umbusi ezweni.