Jeremiah 1
1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,
The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.
2 to whom the word of Jehovah came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
The word of the Lord, which came to him in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign,
3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the carrying away captive of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
and which came to him in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, even until the completion of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, even until the transmigration of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
4 Now the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou came forth out of the womb I sanctified thee. I have appointed thee a prophet to the nations.
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. And before you went forth from the womb, I sanctified you. And I made you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, Ah, lord Jehovah! Behold, I know not how to speak, for I am a child.
And I said: “Alas, alas, alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am a boy.”
7 But Jehovah said to me, Say not, I am a child. For to whomever I shall send thee thou shall go, and whatever I shall command thee thou shall speak.
And the Lord said to me: “Do not choose to say, ‘I am a boy.’ For you shall go forth to everyone to whom I will send you. And you shall speak all that I will command you.
8 Be not afraid because of them, for I am with thee to deliver thee, says Jehovah.
You should not be afraid before their face. For I am with you, so that I may deliver you,” says the Lord.
9 Then Jehovah put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And Jehovah said to me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
And the Lord put forth his hand, and he touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have placed my words in your mouth.
10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.
Behold, today I have appointed you over nations and over kingdoms, so that you may root up, and pull down, and destroy, and scatter, and so that you may build and plant.”
11 Moreover the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what do thou see? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a staff, keeping watch.”
12 Then Jehovah said to me, Thou have well seen. For I watch over my word to perform it.
And the Lord said to me: “You have seen well. For I will keep watch over my word, so that I may accomplish it.”
13 And the word of Jehovah came to me the second time, saying, What do thou see? And I said, I see a boiling caldron, and the face of it is from the north.
And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a cooking pot upon a fire, and its face is before the face of the north.”
14 Then Jehovah said to me, Out of the north evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
And the Lord said to me: “From the north, an evil will spread over all the inhabitants of the earth.
15 For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, says Jehovah. And they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls of it round about, and against all the cities of Judah.
For behold, I will call together all the close associates of the kingdoms of the north, says the Lord. And they will arrive, and each one of them will place his throne at the entrance to the gates of Jerusalem, and over all its surrounding walls, and over all the cities of Judah.
16 And I will utter my judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands.
And I will speak my judgments with them, concerning all the wickedness of those who have forsaken me, and who have offered libations to strange gods, and who have adored the work of their own hands.
17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee. Be not dismayed at them, lest I dismay thee before them.
Therefore, you should gird your waist, and rise up, and speak to them everything that I instruct you. You should not have dread before their face. For I will cause you to be unafraid of their countenance.
18 For, behold, I have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the rulers of it, against the priests of it, and against the people of the land.
For certainly, this day, I have made you like a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and a brass wall, over all the land, to the kings of Judah, to its leaders, and to the priests, and to the people of the land.
19 And they shall fight against thee. But they shall not prevail against thee, for I am with thee, says Jehovah, to deliver thee.
And they will make war against you, but they will not prevail. For I am with you, says the Lord, so that I may free you.”
