Jeremiah 1
1 These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests living in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
Nsɛm a efi Yeremia nkyɛn ni. Yeremia yɛ Hilkia babarima a na ɔyɛ Anatot asɔfo no mu baako wɔ Benyamin asase so.
2 The Lord's message came to Jeremiah beginning in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, son of Amon, king of Judah,
Awurade asɛm baa ne nkyɛn wɔ Yosia a ɔyɛ Yuda hene Amon babarima adedi afe a ɛto so dumiɛnsa no mu.
3 and on through the time of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, up to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, which was when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.
Ɛtoaa so wɔ Yuda hene Yosia babarima Yehoiakim bere so, kosii Yuda hene Yosia babarima Sedekia bere so a nnipa a wɔte Yerusalem kɔɔ nkoasom mu wɔ adedi no afe a ɛto so dubaako no ɔsram a ɛto so anum no mu.
4 The Lord came and told me,
Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,
5 “I knew exactly who you would be before I created you in your mother's womb; I chose you before you were born to be a prophet to the nations.”
“Ansa na mereyɛ wo wɔ awotwaa mu no na minim wo; ansa na wɔrebɛwo wo no, miyii wo sii nkyɛn; meyɛɛ wo odiyifo maa aman no.”
6 “Oh no, Lord God!” I replied. “I really don't know how to speak in public because I'm still too young!”
Mekae se, “Aa, Otumfo Awurade minnim kasa; meyɛ abofra.”
7 “Don't say you're too young,” the Lord told me. “Go to everyone I send you to. Tell them everything I order you to say.
Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me se, “Nka se ‘meyɛ abofra.’ Ɛsɛ sɛ wokɔ obiara a mɛsoma wo no nkyɛn na woka asɛm biara a mɛhyɛ wo sɛ ka no.
8 Don't be afraid of them because I'll go with you and I'll look after you. This is the Lord's promise.”
Nsuro wɔn, efisɛ meka wo ho, na magye wo,” nea Awurade se ni.
9 The Lord stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and told me: “Look, I've put my words in your mouth.
Na Awurade teɛɛ ne nsa de kaa mʼano na ɔka kyerɛɛ me se, “Mprempren mede me nsɛm ahyɛ wʼanom.
10 Today I've placed you over nations and kingdoms to pull up and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.”
Hwɛ, nnɛ, mede wo asi aman ne ahenni so sɛ, tutu na dwiriw gu, sɛe na tu gu, kyekyere na dua.”
11 The Lord's message came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what can you see?” “I see a twig from an almond tree,” I answered.
Na Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se, “Dɛn na wuhu yi, Yeremia?” Na mibuae se, “Mihu ɔsonkoran dubaa.”
12 “That's right, because I am watching to make sure what I say happens,” the Lord said.
Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me se, “Wahu no yiye, na merehwɛ anim sɛ mʼasɛm bɛba mu.”
13 The Lord's message came to me again, asking, “What can you see?” “I see a pot that's boiling,” I answered, “and it's tipping in this direction from the north.”
Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn bio se, “Dɛn na wuhu yi?” Mibuae se, “Mihu kuku a ɛrehuru sɛ ano rekyea akyerɛ yɛn fi atifi fam.”
14 Then the Lord told me, “Trouble brewing from the north will sweep out over everyone living in the country.
Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me se, “Wobefi atifi fam de amanehunu aba wɔn a wɔte asase no so nyinaa so.
15 Watch out! I'm going to summon all the nations and kings of the north,” declares the Lord. “Each of these kings will come and set up their thrones right at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and attack all its fortifications and all the towns in Judah.
Merebɛfrɛ atifi ahenni mu nnipa nyinaa,” nea Awurade se ni. “Wɔn ahemfo de wɔn ahengua bɛba abesisi Yerusalem kuropɔn apon ano; wɔbɛtow ahyɛ nʼafasu a atwa ahyia ne Yuda nkurow nyinaa so.
16 I will carry out my sentence against the inhabitants for all their wickedness, because they abandoned me to burn incense to pagan gods, to worship idols they themselves made.
Mebu me nkurɔfo atɛn wɔ wɔn amumɔyɛ sɛ wɔagyaw me, sɛ wɔhyew nnuhuam ma anyame afoforo na wɔkotow sɔre nea wɔde wɔn nsa ayɛ.
17 You need to get yourself ready. You are going to stand before the people and tell them everything that I order you to say. Don't be scared by them, or I will scare you in front of them.
“Siesie wo ho! Sɔre na ka nea mɛka akyerɛ wo biara kyerɛ wɔn. Mma wɔmmmɔ wo hu, anyɛ saa a mɛma woabɔ hu wɔ wɔn anim.
18 Look! Today I have made you like a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze to stand against the whole country—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the country.
Nnɛ, mayɛ wo kuropɔn a ɛwɔ bammɔ, dadedum ne kɔbere fasu sɛ wobɛsɔre atia asase no nyinaa, Yuda ahemfo, nʼadwumayɛfo, asɔfo ne nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so.
19 They will fight against you but they won't defeat you, because I'll be there to rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Wɔbɛko atia wo, nanso wɔrentumi nni wo so nkonim, efisɛ meka wo ho na megye wo,” sɛnea Awurade se ni.
