Jeremiah 1
1 These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests living in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
La ngamazwi kaJeremiya indodana kaHilikhiya, omunye wabaphristi base-Anathothi elizweni lakoBhenjamini.
2 The Lord's message came to Jeremiah beginning in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, son of Amon, king of Judah,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye ngomnyaka wetshumi lantathu ekubuseni kukaJosiya indodana ka-Amoni inkosi yakoJuda,
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.
njalo ekubuseni kukaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, kwaze kwaba yinyanga yesihlanu emnyakeni wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngesikhathi sokuthunjwa kwabantu baseJerusalema.
4 The Lord came and told me,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi,
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.”
“Ngingakakubumbi esiswini ngakwazi, ungakazalwa ngakukhetha ngakubeka ukuba ngumphrofethi ezizweni.”
6 “Oh no, Lord God!” I replied. “I really don't know how to speak in public because I'm still too young!”
Mina ngathi, “Awu Thixo Somandla; ukukhuluma angikwazi, ngoba ngingumntwana nje.”
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.
Kodwa uThixo wathi kimi, “Ungaze wathi, ‘Ngingumntwana nje.’ Kumele uye kubo bonke engikuthuma kubo njalo utsho loba kuyini engikulaya khona.
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.”
Ungabesabi, ngoba mina ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,” kutsho uThixo.
9 The Lord stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and told me: “Look, I've put my words in your mouth.
UThixo waseselula isandla sakhe wathinta umlomo wami wathi kimi, “Khathesi, sengifake amazwi ami emlonyeni wakho.
10 Today I've placed you over nations and kingdoms to pull up and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.”
Khangela, lamhla ngikubeka phezu kwezizwe lemibuso ukuba usiphune udilize, ubhubhise njalo uchithe; ukuba wakhe njalo uhlanyele.”
11 The Lord's message came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what can you see?” “I see a twig from an almond tree,” I answered.
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lathi, “Kuyini okubonayo, Jeremiya?” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Ngibona ugatsha lwesihlahla se-alimondi.”
12 “That's right, because I am watching to make sure what I say happens,” the Lord said.
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Ubone kuhle, ngoba ngilindele ukubona ukuthi ilizwi lami ligcwalisekile.”
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.”
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi futhi: “Kuyini okubonayo?” Mina ngaphendula ngathi, “Ngibona imbiza ebilayo, ithambeke ifulathele inyakatho.”
14 Then the Lord told me, “Trouble brewing from the north will sweep out over everyone living in the country.
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Incithakalo evela enyakatho izakwehliselwa phezu kwabo bonke abahlala elizweni.
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.
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 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.
Ngizamemezela ukwahlulela kwami ebantwini bami ngenxa yobubi babo bokungidela, betshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha, langokukhonza lokho okwenziwa ngezandla zabo.
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.
Wena zilungiselele! Sukuma ubatshele lokho engizakulaya khona. Ungathuthumeliswa yibo hlezi ngikwenze uthuthumele phambi kwabo.
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.
Lamhla sengikwenze waba lidolobho elivikelweyo, insika yensimbi lomduli wethusi ukuba umelane lelizwe lonke, umelane lamakhosi akoJuda, izikhulu zakhona, abaphristi bakhona kanye labantu bakhona.
19 They will fight against you but they won't defeat you, because I'll be there to rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Bazakulwa lawe, kodwa kabayikukwehlula, ngoba ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,” kutsho uThixo.
