< Yeremiya 1 >

1 Mawu a Yeremiya mwana wa Hilikiya, mmodzi mwa ansembe a ku Anatoti, mʼdziko la Benjamini.
[I], Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, [am writing] these messages. [I am] a priest, from Anathoth [town] in the area where the tribe of Benjamin [lives].
2 Mawuwa Yehova anayankhula naye mʼchaka cha 13 cha ulamuliro wa Yosiya mwana wa Amoni mfumu ya Yuda.
Yahweh started to give me these messages when Josiah had been ruling Judah for almost 13 years.
3 Yehova anayankhulanso naye pa nthawi yonse ya ulamuliro wa Yehoyakimu mwana wa Yosiya mfumu ya Yuda, mpaka mwezi wachisanu wa chaka cha 11 cha ufumu wa Zedekiya mwana wa Yosiya mfumu ya Yuda, pamene anthu a ku Yerusalemu anapita ku ukapolo.
Yahweh continued to give me more messages when Josiah’s son Jehoiakim was the king, and he continued to do that until Zedekiah had been the king of Judah for almost eleven years. It was in August of that year that the people of Jerusalem were (exiled/taken as prisoners) [to Babylonia].
4 Yehova anayankhula nane kuti,
[One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
5 “Ndisanakuwumbe mʼmimba mwa amayi ako ndinali nditakudziwa kale, iwe usanabadwe ndinali nditakupatula kale; ndinakuyika kuti ukhale mneneri kwa anthu a mitundu yonse.”
“I knew you before I [finished] forming you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I (set you apart/chose you) and I appointed you to be [my] prophet [whose messages would be] for [all] nations.”
6 Ine ndinati, “Haa! Ambuye Yehova, ine sinditha kuyankhula; popeza ndikanali wamngʼono.”
I replied, “O, Yahweh my God, I am [not qualified to] speak [for you], because I am very young!”
7 Koma Yehova anandiwuza kuti, “Usanene kuti, ‘Ndikanali wamngʼono’ popeza udzapita kwa munthu aliyense kumene ndidzakutuma ndi kunena chilichonse chimene ndidzakulamulira.
Yahweh replied, “Do not say that, because you must go to everyone to whom I will send you, and you must tell them everything that I tell you to say.
8 Usawaope, pakuti Ine ndili nawe, ndipo ndidzakupulumutsa,” akutero Yehova.
And you must not be afraid of the people [to whom you will speak], because I will protect you [from being harmed by them]. [This will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
9 Pamenepo Yehova anatambalitsa dzanja lake nakhudza pakamwa panga, nandiwuza kuti, “Taona, tsopano ndayika mawu anga mʼkamwa mwako.
Then [it was as though] Yahweh touched my mouth and said, “Listen to me! I am (putting my message into your mouth/telling you what you must speak).
10 Lero ndakusankha kuti ukhale ndi ulamuliro pa mitundu ya anthu ndi pa maufumu awo kuti uzule ndi kugwetsa, uwononge ndi kugumula, kuti uwamange ndi kudzala.”
Today I am appointing you to warn nations and kingdoms. You will tell them that I will completely destroy and get rid of [DOU] some of them and that I will establish [MET] others and cause them to be strong.”
11 Yehova anandifunsa kuti, “Yeremiya, kodi ukuona chiyani?” Ine ndinayankha kuti, “Ndikuona nthambi ya mtengo wa mtowo.”
Then Yahweh said to me, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
12 Yehova anandiwuza kuti, “Waona bwino, chifukwa Ine ndikuonetsetsa kuti mawu angawa akwaniritsidwe.”
Yahweh said, “That is correct. And [because the word for ‘almond’ resembles the word for ‘watching’], it means that I am watching [what will happen], and I will make certain that what I have said to you [about destroying nations] will happen.”
13 Yehova anandifunsanso kachiwiri kuti, “Kodi ukuona chiyani?” Ine ndinayankha kuti, “Ndikuona mʼphika wa madzi owira, ndipo wagudukira kuno kummwera.”
[Then] Yahweh spoke to me again and said, “What do you see [now]?” I replied, “I see a pot full of boiling [water] [MTY]. It is tipping [toward me] from the north.”
14 Yehova anandiwuza kuti, “Mavuto a anthu onse okhala mʼdziko lino adzachokera kumpoto.
Yahweh replied, “[Yes! It means that] from the north great trouble/destruction will [spread] [MET] over this land, [like boiling water] [MET] pouring [from a pot].
15 Ine ndikuyitana anthu onse a ku maufumu a kumpoto,” akutero Yehova. “Mafumu awo adzabwera ndipo aliyense adzakhazika mpando wake waufumu polowera pa zipata za Yerusalemu; iwo adzabwera ndi kuzungulira makoma ake ndiponso midzi yonse ya dziko la Yuda.
Listen to what I say: I am summoning [the armies of] kingdoms that will come from the north [of Judah] to Jerusalem. Their kings will set up their thrones at the gates of this city [to indicate that they are now the kings of Judah]. [Their armies] will attack [and break down] the walls of this city, and [they will do the same thing to] all the [other] towns in Judah.
16 Ndidzatulutsa mlandu wanga ndi iwo chifukwa cha zoyipa zimene anachita pondisiya Ine. Iwo anakafukiza lubani kwa milungu ina, ndi kupembedza zimene anapanga ndi manja awo.
I will punish [MTY] my people because of all the evil things that they have done; they have abandoned me and they worship gods/idols. They worship idols that they have made with their own hands!
17 “Koma iwe Yeremiya konzeka! Nyamuka ndipo ukawawuze zonse zimene ndakulamulira. Usachite nawo mantha, kuopa kuti Ine ndingakuchititse mantha iwo akuona.
So, get up and put on your clothes [to get ready for action]! Then go to the people of Judah and tell them everything that I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, because [if you are afraid of them], I will cause you to be truly terrified in front of them!
18 Taona, lero ndakupanga kukhala ngati mzinda wotetezedwa, ngati mzati wachitsulo ndiponso ngati makoma a mkuwa kuti usaopsedwe ndi munthu aliyense wa mʼdzikomo; kaya ndi mafumu a Yuda, akuluakulu ake, ansembe ake, kapena munthu wamba wa mʼdzikomo.
But listen! I will cause you to be [strong, like] [MET] a city that has strong walls around it. You will be [as strong as] [MET] an iron pillar or a bronze wall. None of the kings or officials or priests will be able to defeat you.
19 Iwo adzalimbana nawe koma sadzakugonjetsa, popeza Ine ndili nawe ndipo ndidzakupulumutsa,” akutero Yehova.
They will oppose you, but they will not be able to defeat you, because I will be with you and will protect you. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”

< Yeremiya 1 >