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 ɛfiri Yeremia nkyɛn nie. Yeremia yɛ Hilkia babarima a na ɔyɛ Anatot asɔfoɔ 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 ɔhene Amon babarima adedie afe a ɛtɔ so dumiɛnsa 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 ɔhene Yosia babarima Yehoiakim ɛberɛ so kɔsii Yuda ɔhene Yosia babarima Sedekia ɛberɛ so a nnipa a wɔte Yerusalem kɔɔ nkoasom mu wɔ adedie afe a ɛtɔ so dubaako no bosome a ɛtɔ so enum.
4 The Lord came and told me,
Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn sɛ,
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 merebɔ wo wɔ awotwaa mu no, na menim wo; ansa na wɔrebɛwo wo no, meyii wo sii nkyɛn; meyɛɛ wo sɛ odiyifoɔ 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!”
Mekaa sɛ, “Aa, Otumfoɔ Awurade mennim kasa; meyɛ abɔfra.”
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 sɛ, “Nka sɛ ‘meyɛ abɔfra.’ Ɛsɛ sɛ wokɔ obiara a mɛsoma wo ne 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, ɛfiri sɛ meka wo ho, na magye wo,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
9 The Lord stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and told me: “Look, I've put my words in your mouth.
Na Awurade tenee ne nsa de kaa mʼano na ɔka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Seesei mede me nsɛm ahyɛ wʼanomu.
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, ɛnnɛ mede wo asi aman ne ahennie so sɛ, tutu na dwiri 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 sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na wohunu yi, Yeremia?” Na mebuaa sɛ, “Mehunu sorɔno dubaa.”
12 “That's right, because I am watching to make sure what I say happens,” the Lord said.
Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Wahunu no yie, 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 sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na wohunu yi?” Mebuaa sɛ, “Mehunu ɛsɛn a ɛrehuru sɛ ano rekyea akyerɛ yɛn firi 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 sɛ, “Wɔbɛfiri 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 ahennie mu nnipa nyinaa,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Wɔn ahemfo de wɔn ahennwa bɛba abɛsisi Yerusalem kuropɔn apono ano; wɔbɛto ahyɛ nʼafasuo a atwa ahyia ne Yuda nkuro 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.
Mɛbu me nkurɔfoɔ atɛn wɔ wɔn amumuyɛ sɛ wɔagya me, sɛ wɔhye nnuhwam ma anyame foforɔ na wɔkoto sɔre deɛ 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 deɛ 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.
Ɛnnɛ, mayɛ wo kuropɔn a ɛwɔ banbɔ, dadeɛ dum ne kɔbere ɔfasuo sɛ wobɛsɔre atia asase no nyinaa, Yuda ahemfo, nʼadwumayɛfoɔ, asɔfoɔ 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, ɛfiri sɛ meka wo ho, na mɛgye wo,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
