1Ngenyanga yesihlanu yawonalowo umnyaka, umnyaka wesine, ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, umphrofethi uHananiya indodana ka-Azuri, owayevela eGibhiyoni, wathi kimi endlini kaThixo* phambi kwabaphristi labantu bonke:
2“UThixo* uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: ‘Ngizalephula ijogwe lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni.
3Phakathi kweminyaka emibili ngizazibuyisela kule indawo zonke izitsha zendlu kaThixo* ezathathwa nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni wazisa eBhabhiloni.
4Ngizambuyisela kule indawo futhi uJekhoniya indodana kaJehoyakhimi inkosi yakoJuda kanye labanye bonke abathunjwa koJuda baya eBhabhiloni,’ kutsho uThixo*, ‘ngoba ngizalephula ijogwe lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni.’ ”
5Umphrofethi uJeremiya waphendula umphrofethi uHananiya phambi kwabaphristi labantu bonke ababemi endlini kaThixo*.
6Wathi, “Ameni! Sengathi uThixo* angamenzenjalo! Sengathi uThixo* angagcwalisa amazwi owaphrofethayo ngokubuyisela kule indawo izitsha zendlu kaThixo* labo bonke abathunjelwa eBhabhiloni.
7Lanxa kunjalo, lalela kulokhu engikutsho lawe usizwa kanye labantu bonke besizwa ukuthi:
8Kusukela ezikhathini zakuqala abaphrofethi abandulela wena lami baphrofetha ngempi, ngomonakalo langesifo emazweni amanengi lasemibusweni emikhulu.
9Kodwa umphrofethi ophrofetha ngokuthula uzakwaziwa njengothunywe nguThixo* sibili lapho ilizwi lakhe seligcwalisekile.”
10Lapho-ke uHananiya umphrofethi wasusa ijogwe entanyeni kaJeremiya umphrofethi walephula,
11wasesithi phambi kwabantu bonke, “UThixo* uthi: ‘Ngizalephula kanjalo ijogwe likaNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni entanyeni zezizwe zonke phakathi kweminyaka emibili.’ ” Ngemva kwalokho umphrofethi uJeremiya wasuka wazihambela.
12Masinyane nje emuva kokuba umphrofethi uHananiya ephule ijogwe entanyeni kaJeremiya umphrofethi, kwafika ilizwi likaThixo* kuJeremiya lisithi:
13“Hamba uyetshela uHananiya uthi, ‘UThixo* uthi: Wephule ijogwe lesigodo, kodwa esikhundleni salo uzakuba lejogwe lensimbi.
14UThixo* uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: Ngizabeka ijogwe lensimbi entanyeni zezizwe zonke lezi ukuba zisebenzele uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, zizamsebenzela. Ngizamnika amandla laphezu kwezinyamazana zeganga.’ ”
15Umphrofethi uJeremiya wasesithi kuHananiya umphrofethi, “Lalela, Hananiya! UThixo* kakuthumanga, kodwa usuwenze isizwe lesi sathemba amanga.
16Ngakho, uThixo* uthi, ‘Sekuseduze ukuthi ngikususe ebusweni bomhlaba. Ngawonalo umnyaka uzakufa, ngoba uphrofithe ukuhlamukela uThixo*.’ ”