Jeremiah 1
1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkijah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
La ngamazwi kaJeremiya indodana kaHilikhiya, omunye wabaphristi base-Anathothi elizweni lakoBhenjamini.
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;
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye ngomnyaka wetshumi lantathu ekubuseni kukaJosiya indodana ka-Amoni inkosi yakoJuda,
3 it came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive, in the fifth month.
njalo ekubuseni kukaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, kwaze kwaba yinyanga yesihlanu emnyakeni wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngesikhathi sokuthunjwa kwabantu baseJerusalema.
4 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi,
5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I hallowed thee, I appointed thee a prophet unto the nations.
“Ngingakakubumbi esiswini ngakwazi, ungakazalwa ngakukhetha ngakubeka ukuba ngumphrofethi ezizweni.”
6 And I said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child.
Mina ngathi, “Awu Thixo Somandla; ukukhuluma angikwazi, ngoba ngingumntwana nje.”
7 But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for thou shalt go to whomsoever I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
Kodwa uThixo wathi kimi, “Ungaze wathi, ‘Ngingumntwana nje.’ Kumele uye kubo bonke engikuthuma kubo njalo utsho loba kuyini engikulaya khona.
8 Be not afraid of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah.
Ungabesabi, ngoba mina ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,” kutsho uThixo.
9 And Jehovah put forth his hand and touched my mouth; and Jehovah said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
UThixo waseselula isandla sakhe wathinta umlomo wami wathi kimi, “Khathesi, sengifake amazwi ami emlonyeni wakho.
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.
Khangela, lamhla ngikubeka phezu kwezizwe lemibuso ukuba usiphune udilize, ubhubhise njalo uchithe; ukuba wakhe njalo uhlanyele.”
11 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree.
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lathi, “Kuyini okubonayo, Jeremiya?” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Ngibona ugatsha lwesihlahla se-alimondi.”
12 And Jehovah said unto me, Thou hast well seen; for I am watchful over my word to perform it.
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Ubone kuhle, ngoba ngilindele ukubona ukuthi ilizwi lami ligcwalisekile.”
13 And the word of Jehovah came to me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething-pot, and its face is from the north.
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi futhi: “Kuyini okubonayo?” Mina ngaphendula ngathi, “Ngibona imbiza ebilayo, ithambeke ifulathele inyakatho.”
14 And Jehovah said unto me, Out of the north shall evil break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Incithakalo evela enyakatho izakwehliselwa phezu kwabo bonke abahlala elizweni.
15 For behold, I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith Jehovah, and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah:
Sekuseduze ukuba ngibize bonke abantu bemibuso yasenyakatho,” kutsho uThixo. “Amakhosi abo azakuza amise izihlalo zawo zobukhosi emasangweni aseJerusalema; bazakumelana lemiduli yalo yonke eligombolozeleyo kanye lamadolobho wonke akoJuda.
16 and I will pronounce my judgments against them for all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
Ngizamemezela ukwahlulela kwami ebantwini bami ngenxa yobubi babo bokungidela, betshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha, langokukhonza lokho okwenziwa ngezandla zabo.
17 Thou, therefore, gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I shall command thee: be not dismayed at them, lest I cause thee to be dismayed before them.
Wena zilungiselele! Sukuma ubatshele lokho engizakulaya khona. Ungathuthumeliswa yibo hlezi ngikwenze uthuthumele phambi kwabo.
18 And I, behold, I appoint thee this day as a strong city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land; against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land.
Lamhla sengikwenze waba lidolobho elivikelweyo, insika yensimbi lomduli wethusi ukuba umelane lelizwe lonke, umelane lamakhosi akoJuda, izikhulu zakhona, abaphristi bakhona kanye labantu bakhona.
19 And they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to deliver thee.
Bazakulwa lawe, kodwa kabayikukwehlula, ngoba ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,” kutsho uThixo.
