1 Kwathi, kwakuvakala kuSanebhalati, nakuTobhiya, nakuGeshem umArabhi, nakwezinye iintshaba zethu, ukuba ndilwakhile udonga, akwasala luthanda kulo (nakuba kwada kwalelo xesha ndingazimisanga iingcango emasangweni),
2 bathumela kum uSanebhalati noGeshem, besithi, Yiza, sihlangane komnye wemizana esesihlanjeni seOno. Babecinga ukundenza into embi.
3 Ndathumela abathunywa kubo, ndathi, Ndenza umsebenzi omkhulu, andinakuhla; yini na ukuba ume umsebenzi lo, ngokuthi ndiwuyeke, ndihle ndize kuni?
4 Bathumela kum ngokunjalo izihlandlo zazine, ndabaphendula kwangelo lizwi.
5 USanebhalati wathumela ngokunjalo kum indodana yakwakhe, isihlandlo sesihlanu, inencwadi evulekileyo esandleni sayo;
6 kubhalwe kuyo kwathiwa, Kuvakele ezintlangeni, utsho noGashemu ukuthi, Wena namaYuda nicinga ukugwilika; ulwakha ngenxa yoko udonga olo; unqwenele ukuba ngukumkani wawo, ngokwaloo mazwi.
7 Kananjalo umise abaprofeti bokumemeza ngawe eYerusalem, besithi, Kumkani wamaYuda! Ngoko ke kuya kuvakala kukumkani ngokwaloo mazwi; yiza ke ngoko, sicebisane.
8 Ndathumela kuye, ndathi, Akukho nto injengaleyo uyithethayo, iyiloo nto uyicamngce entliziyweni yakho.
9 Ngokuba bonke bephela bebesoyikisa, besithi, Izandla zawo ziya kuwuyeka lo msebenzi, ungenziwa. Ngoko, Thixo, zomeleze izandla zam.
10 Ndaya endlwini kaShemaya unyana kaDelaya, unyana kaMehetabheli, evalelwe; wathi, Masihlangane endlwini kaThixo, ngaphakathi kwetempile, sizivale iingcango zetempile leyo; ngokuba baza kukubulala; ebusuku baya kuza kukubulala.
11 Ndathi, Kubaleke indoda enjengam nje na? Yiyiphi na enjengam eya kungena etempileni isinde? Andiyi kungena.
12 Ndaqonda: O! AsinguThixo lo umthumileyo; isiprofeto esi usithethe ngam ngokuqeshwa nguSanebhalati noTobhiya.
13 Ubeqeshelwe ukuze ndoyike, ndenze loo nto, ndone; ndibe negama elibi kubo, ukuze bandingcikive.
14 Bakhumbule, Thixo wam, ooTobhiya noSanebhalati ngokwezo zenzo zabo, kwanoNowadiya umprofetikazi, nabanye abaprofeti ababendoyikisa.
15 Lwagqitywa udonga ngomhla wamashumi amabini anesihlanu kaEluli, ngemihla emashumi mahlanu anamibini.
16 Kwathi zakukuva oko iintshaba zethu zonke, zoyika zonke iintlanga ezisijikelezileyo, zetha amandla emehlweni azo, zazi ukuba kuvele kuThixo wethu ukwenziwa kwalo msebenzi.
17 Kananjalo ngaloo mihla, abanumzana bakwaYuda bazongeza iincwadi eziya kuTobhiya, nezikaTobhiya bezisiza kubo.
18 Ngokuba bebebaninzi kwaYuda ababemfungele; ngokuba ebengumyeni kwaShekaniya unyana ka-Ara; noYohanan unyana wakhe ubezeke intombi kaMeshulam unyana kaBherekiya.
19 Kananjalo ukulunga kwakhe babekuthetha phambi kwam, namazwi am bewasa kuye. UTobhiya wathumela iincwadi zokundoyikisa.