Jeremiah 1
1 [I], Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, [am writing] these messages. [I am] a priest, from Anathoth [town] in the area where the tribe of Benjamin [lives].
Hili ndilo neno la Yeremia mwana wa Hilikia; yeye alikuwa mmoja wa makuhani kule Anatothi katika nchi ya Benjamini.
2 Yahweh started to give me these messages when Josiah had been ruling Judah for almost 13 years.
Neno la BWANA lilimjia katika siku za Yosia mwana wa Amoni, mfalme wa Yuda, katika mwaka wa kumi na tatu wa utawala wake.
3 Yahweh continued to give me more messages when Josiah’s son Jehoiakim was the king, and he continued to do that until Zedekiah had been the king of Judah for almost eleven years. It was in August of that year that the people of Jerusalem were (exiled/taken as prisoners) [to Babylonia].
Lakini pia lilimjia katika wakati wa Yehoyakimu mwana wa Yosia, mfalme wa Yuda, mpaka mwezi wa tano wa mwaka wa kumi na moja wa Zedekia mwana wa Yosia, mfalme wa Yuda, wakati watu wa Yerusalemu walipochukuliwa kuwa watumwa.
4 [One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
Neno la BWANA lilinijia, likisema,
5 “I knew you before I [finished] forming you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I (set you apart/chose you) and I appointed you to be [my] prophet [whose messages would be] for [all] nations.”
“kabla sijakuumba tumboni, Nilikuchagua; kabla hujazailiwa toka tumboni Nilikutenga; Nilikufanya kuwa nabii kwa mataifa.”
6 I replied, “O, Yahweh my God, I am [not qualified to] speak [for you], because I am very young!”
“Ahaa, BWANA!” Nilisema, “mimi sijui kusema, kwa kuwa mimi ni mtoto.”
7 Yahweh replied, “Do not say that, because you must go to everyone to whom I will send you, and you must tell them everything that I tell you to say.
Lakini BWANA akaniambia, “Usiseme, 'mimi ni mtoto.' Utaenda kila mahali ninapokutuma, na utasema kila kitu ninachokuamuru!
8 And you must not be afraid of the people [to whom you will speak], because I will protect you [from being harmed by them]. [This will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
Usiwaogpe hao, kwa kuwa Mimi niko pamoja na wewe kukuokoa- asema BWANA.”
9 Then [it was as though] Yahweh touched my mouth and said, “Listen to me! I am (putting my message into your mouth/telling you what you must speak).
Kisha BWANA akanyosh mkono wake, akagusa kinywa changu, na akaniambia, “Nimeweka maneno yangu kinywani mwako.
10 Today I am appointing you to warn nations and kingdoms. You will tell them that I will completely destroy and get rid of [DOU] some of them and that I will establish [MET] others and cause them to be strong.”
Nimekuchagua leo juu ya mataifa na juu ya mataifa, ili kung'oa na kuvunja, kuharibu na kutupa, kujenga na kupanda.”
11 Then Yahweh said to me, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
Neno la BWANA lilinijia, likisema, “Yeremia, unaona nini?” Nikasema, “Ninaona tawi la mlozi.”
12 Yahweh said, “That is correct. And [because the word for ‘almond’ resembles the word for ‘watching’], it means that I am watching [what will happen], and I will make certain that what I have said to you [about destroying nations] will happen.”
BWANA akaniambia, “umeona vyema, kwa kuwa ninaliangalia neno langu ili nilitimize.”
13 [Then] Yahweh spoke to me again and said, “What do you see [now]?” I replied, “I see a pot full of boiling [water] [MTY]. It is tipping [toward me] from the north.”
Neno la BWANA likaniji mara ya pili likisema, “Unaona nini? “Nikasema, “Ninaona chungu kikichemuka, ambacho mdomo wake unaelekea toka upande wa kaskazini,”
14 Yahweh replied, “[Yes! It means that] from the north great trouble/destruction will [spread] [MET] over this land, [like boiling water] [MET] pouring [from a pot].
BWANA akaniambia, “Janga litatokea kaskazini juu ya wote wanaoishi katika nchi hii.
15 Listen to what I say: I am summoning [the armies of] kingdoms that will come from the north [of Judah] to Jerusalem. Their kings will set up their thrones at the gates of this city [to indicate that they are now the kings of Judah]. [Their armies] will attack [and break down] the walls of this city, and [they will do the same thing to] all the [other] towns in Judah.
Kwa kuwa ninayaita makabila yote ya falme za kaskazini, asema BWANA. Yatakuja, na kila mmoja atasimika enzi yake katika malango ya Yerusalemu, dhidi ya kuta zote zinazoizunguka, na dhidi ya miji ya Yuda.
16 I will punish [MTY] my people because of all the evil things that they have done; they have abandoned me and they worship gods/idols. They worship idols that they have made with their own hands!
Nitatamka hukumu dhidi yao juu ya uovu wao wa kuniacha, kwa kufukiza uvumba kwa miungu mingine, na kwa kuabudu kile walichotengeneza kwa mikono yao.
17 So, get up and put on your clothes [to get ready for action]! Then go to the people of Judah and tell them everything that I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, because [if you are afraid of them], I will cause you to be truly terrified in front of them!
Jiandae! Simama ukawaambie kila kitu ninachokuamuru. Usifdhaike mbele zao nisije nikakufadhaisha wewe mbele zao!
18 But listen! I will cause you to be [strong, like] [MET] a city that has strong walls around it. You will be [as strong as] [MET] an iron pillar or a bronze wall. None of the kings or officials or priests will be able to defeat you.
Tazama! Leo nimekufanya kuwa mji ulio na ngome, kuwa ngome ya chuma, na ukata wa shaba dhidi ya nchi yote - dhidi ya wafalme wa Yuda, na juu ya wakuu wake, na juu ya makuhani wake, na juu ya watu wote wa nchi.
19 They will oppose you, but they will not be able to defeat you, because I will be with you and will protect you. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
Watapigana na wewe, lakinai hawatakushinda, kwa kuwa nitakuwa pamoja na wewe ili kukuokoa- asema BWANA.”
