¹Shoko, rakauya kuna Jeremiya, richibva kuna Jehovha, panguva yakatuma mambo Zedhekia kwaari Pashuri mwanakomana waMarikija, naZefaniya mwanakomana waMaaseya mupristi, achiti,

¹The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, in the king Zedekiah`s sending unto him Pashhur son of Malchiah, and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, saying,

²Dotibvunziraiwo kuna Jehovha, nekuti Nebhukadhirezari mambo weBhabhironi worwa nesu; zvimwe Jehovha ungatiitira chishamiso chakafanana namabasa ake ose anoshamisa, kuti abve kwatiri.

²`Inquire, we pray thee, for us at Jehovah, for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath fought against us; perhaps Jehovah doth deal with us according to all His wonders, and doth cause him to go up from off us.`

³Ipapo Jeremiya akati kwavari, Itiyi kuna Zedhekia,

³And Jeremiah saith unto them, `Thus do ye say unto Zedekiah,

⁴Zvanzi naJehovha, Mwari walsiraeri, tarirai, ndichadzosa nhumbi dzokurwa dziri mumaoko enyu, dzamunorwa nadzo namambo weBhabhironi navaKaradhea vanokukombai kunze mukati meguta rino,

⁴Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel: Lo, I am turning round the weapons of battle That [are] in your hand, With which ye do fight the king of Babylon, And the Chaldeans, who are laying siege against you, At the outside of the wall, And I have gathered them into the midst of this city,

⁵Ini ndimene ndicharwa nemwi nechanza chakatambanudzwa noruoko rune simba, nokutsamwa nehasha, neshungu kwadzo.

⁵And I — I have fought against you, With a stretched-out hand, and with a strong arm, And in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath,

⁶Ndicharova vagere muguta rino, vanhu nezvipfuwo zvose; zvichafa nehosha yakaipa.

⁶And I have smitten the inhabitants of this city, Both man and beast, By a great pestilence do they die.

⁷Pashure ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha ndichaisa Zedhekia mambo waJudha, navaranda vake navanhu vake, ivo vakasara muguta rino, vakapukunyuka pahosha, napamunondo, napanzara, mumaoko aNebhukadhirezari mambo weBhabhironi, nomumaoko avavengi vavo, nomumaoko avanotsvaka kuvauraya; iye uchavarova nomunondo unopinza, haangavaregi, kana kuvanzwira tsitsi, kana kuva nenyasha navo.

⁷And after this — an affirmation of Jehovah, I give Zedekiah king of Judah, And his servants, and the people, And those left in this city, From the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, Into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, And into the hand of their enemies, And into the hand of those seeking their life, And he hath smitten them by the mouth of the sword, He hath no pity on them, Nor doth he spare, nor hath he mercy.

⁸Iwe uti kuvanhu ava, Zvanzi naJehovha, Tarirai, ndinoisa pamberi penyu nzira yohupenyu nenzira yorufu.

⁸And unto this people thou dost say, Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am setting before you the way of life, And the way of death!

⁹Ani naani unorambira muguta rino uchaurawa nomunondo nenzara nehosha; asi ani naani unobuda akaenda kuvaKaradhea vanokukombai, iye uchararama, hupenyu hwake huchava kwaari chinhu chaakapamba.

⁹Whoso is abiding in this city — dieth, By sword, and by famine, and by pestilence, And whoso is going forth, And hath fallen unto the Chaldeans, Who are laying siege against you — liveth, And his life hath been to him for a spoil.

¹⁰nekuti zvanzi naJehovha, Ndakarinzira guta rino chiso changu kuti ndiriitire zvakaipa, ndirege kuriitira zvakanaka; richaiswa mumaoko amambo weBhabhironi, iye ucharipisa nomoto.

¹⁰For I have set My face against this city for evil, And not for good — an affirmation of Jehovah. Into the hand of the king of Babylon it is given, And he hath burned it with fire.

¹¹Zvino kana iri imba yamambo waJudha, inzwai shoko raJehovha,

¹¹And as to the house of the king of Judah, Hear ye a word of Jehovah;

¹²Nhai imba yaDhavhidhi ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha tongai zvakarurama mangwanani, murwire wakabirwa muruoko rwounomumanikidza, kuti kutsamwa kwangu kurege kubuda somoto, kuchipfuta kusina ungakudzima, nokuda kwezvakaipa zvamabasa enyu.

¹²O house of David, thus said Jehovah: Decide ye judgment at morning, And deliver the plundered from the hand of the oppressor, Lest My fury go forth as fire, And hath burned, and none is quenching, Because of the evil of your doings.

¹³Tarira, ndine mhosva newe, iwe ugere mumupata, padombo romubani ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha; imi, munoti, Ndiani uchapinda mudzimba dzedu?

¹³Lo, I [am] against thee — an affirmation of Jehovah, O inhabitant of the valley, rock of the plain, Who are saying, Who cometh down against us? And who cometh into our habitations?

¹⁴Ndichakurovai zvakaenzana nezvibereko zvamabasa enyu ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha; ndichabatidza moto mudondo raro, uchapedza zvose zvakaripoteredza.

¹⁴And I have laid a charge against you, According to the fruit of your doings, An affirmation of Jehovah, And I have kindled a fire in its forest, And it hath consumed — all its suburbs!