1Izwi likaSimakade elafika kuJeremiya maqondana nesomiso, lathi:
2“UJuda uyalila, amasango akhe awile, balilela izwe; ukukhala kweJerusalema kwenyukele phezulu.
3Izikhulu zakhona zithumele izinceku zazo ukuyokha amanzi emithonjeni, kodwa azitholanga manzi; zibuye nezimbiza zazo zingenalutho, zinamahloni, zijabhile, zimboze amakhanda azo.
4Abalimi banamahloni, bamboze amakhanda abo, ngenxa yomhlabathi ogcwele izimfa, ngokuba akufikanga mvula ezweni.
5Yebo, nendluzelakazi izalele endle, yalishiya lapho izinyane, ngokuba abukho utshani.
6Izimbongolo zasendle zima emadulini angamaqwaqwasi, zikhefuzele njengamakhanka; amehlo azo ayafiphala, ngoba abukho utshani.”
7Simakade, nakuba izono zethu zifakaza ngathi, kodwa yenza okuthile, ngenxa yegama lakho, ngokuba ukuhlubuka kwethu kukhulu; sonile kuwe.
8Themba lika-Israyeli, msindisi wakhe ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka; kungani unjengomfokazi ezweni, nanjengesihambi esingenise ukufihla ikhanda busuku bunye na?
9Kungani ufana nomuntu omangele, nanjengeqhawe elingenakusindisa na? Wena Simakade, uphakathi kwethu; sibizwa ngegama lakho, ungasishiyi.
10Usho kanje uSimakade kulaba bantu, uthi: “Njengoba bethandile ukuzulazula, bangazinqanda izinyawo zabo; uSimakade akabemukelanga. Manje uyakukhumbula isiphambeko sabo, abajezisele izono zabo.”
11USimakade wathi kimi: “Ungabakhulekeli laba bantu ukuba babe nokuhle.
12Bayakuzila ukudla, kodwa angiyukuzwa ukunxusa kwabo; bayakunikela ngomnikelo wokushiswa nangowokusanhlamvu; angiyukuthokoza ngabo, kodwa ngiyakubaqeda ngenkemba, ngendlala, nangobhubhane.”
13Ngase ngithi: “Maye! Nkosi Simakade, abaphrofethi bathi kubo: ‘Aniyukubona nkemba, aniyukwehlelwa yindlala, kodwa ngiyakuninika ukuthula okungenakuphela kule ndawo.’ ”
14USimakade wayesethi kimi: “Abaphrofethi baphrofetha amanga egameni lami. Angibathumanga, angibamisanga futhi angikhulumanga kubo. Baphrofetha kini imibono engamanga, nokubhula, nokuyize, nenkohliso yezingqondo zabo.
15Ngakho-ke usho kanje uSimakade ngabaphrofethi abaphrofetha egameni lami, ngingabathumanga, bathi: ‘Akuyukuba bikho nkemba nandlala kuleli lizwe,’ bazokufa ngenkemba, nangendlala laba baphrofethi.
16Abantu abaphrofetha kubo bayakuphonswa emigwaqweni eJerusalema ngenxa yendlala nenkemba. Akuyukuba bikho muntu oyobangcwaba, bona nomkabo, namadodana namadodakazi abo, ngiyakuthela okubi phezu kwabo.
17“Uyokhuluma leli lizwi kubo, uthi: “ ‘Amehlo ami mawagobhoze izinyembezi imini nobusuku, zinganqamuki, ngokuba intombi, indodakazi yabantu bami, ilimele kakhulu impela; ukulimala kwayo kuyenze yagula kakhulu.
18Uma ngiphumela endle, ngibona ababulewe ngenkemba; nalapho ngingena emzini, kunezifo, nendlala, ngokuba umphrofethi nomphristi bahambele ezweni abangazi lutho ngalo.’ ”
19Ngabe uJuda usumlahle impela na? Umphefumulo wakho usunengiwe yini iZiyoni na? Usishayeleni size singabi nakuphiliswa na? Besibheke ukuthula, kodwa akukho okuhle; nesikhathi sokusindiswa, kodwa luvalo lodwa.
20Simakade, siyabazi ububi bethu nokona kokhokho bethu, ngokuba sonile kuwe.
21Ungasideleli ngenxa yegama lakho, ungaseyisi isihlalo sobukhosi sodumo lwakho; sikhumbule, ungasephuli isivumelwano sakho nathi.
22Ngabe kukhona yini phakathi konkulunkulu babezizwe abayize onganisa imvula na? Amazulu angaziletha yini izihlambi na? Akunguwe yini Simakade esiyakukulindela ngesineke na? Ngokuba nguwe owenze konke lokhu.