Jeremiæ 1
1 Verba Ieremiæ filii Helciæ, de sacerdotibus, qui fuerunt in Anathoth, in Terra Beniamin.
These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests living in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
2 Quod factum est verbum Domini ad eum in diebus Iosiæ filii Amon regis Iuda, in tertiodecimo anno regni eius.
The Lord's message came to Jeremiah beginning in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, son of Amon, king of Judah,
3 Et factum est in diebus Ioakim filii Iosiæ regis Iuda, usque ad consummationem undecimi anni Sedeciæ filii Iosiæ regis Iuda, usque ad transmigrationem Ierusalem, in mense quinto.
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.
4 Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens:
The Lord came and told me,
5 Priusquam te formarem in utero, novi te: et antequam exires de vulva, sanctificavi te, et prophetam in gentibus dedi te.
“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.”
6 Et dixi: A, a, a, Domine Deus: ecce nescio loqui, quia puer ego sum.
“Oh no, Lord God!” I replied. “I really don't know how to speak in public because I'm still too young!”
7 Et dixit Dominus ad me: Noli dicere: Puer sum: quoniam ad omnia, quæ mittam te, ibis: et universa, quæcumque mandavero tibi, loqueris.
“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.
8 Ne timeas a facie eorum: quia tecum ego sum ut eruam te, dicit Dominus.
Don't be afraid of them because I'll go with you and I'll look after you. This is the Lord's promise.”
9 Et misit Dominus manum suam, et tetigit os meum: et dixit Dominus ad me: Ecce dedi verba mea in ore tuo:
The Lord stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and told me: “Look, I've put my words in your mouth.
10 ecce constitui te hodie super gentes, et super regna ut evellas, et destruas, et disperdas, et dissipes, et ædifices, et plantes.
Today I've placed you over nations and kingdoms to pull up and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.”
11 Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens: Quid tu vides, Ieremia? Et dixi: Virgam vigilantem ego video.
The Lord's message came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what can you see?” “I see a twig from an almond tree,” I answered.
12 Et dixit Dominus ad me: Bene vidisti, quia vigilabo ego super verbo meo ut faciam illud.
“That's right, because I am watching to make sure what I say happens,” the Lord said.
13 Et factum est verbum Domini secundo ad me, dicens: Quid tu vides? Et dixi: Ollam succensam ego video, et faciem eius a facie Aquilonis.
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.”
14 Et dixit Dominus ad me: Ab Aquilone pandetur malum super omnes habitatores terræ.
Then the Lord told me, “Trouble brewing from the north will sweep out over everyone living in the country.
15 Quia ecce ego convocabo omnes cognationes regnorum Aquilonis, ait Dominus: et venient et ponent unusquisque solium suum in introitu portarum Ierusalem, et super omnes muros eius in circuitu, et super universas urbes Iuda.
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.
16 Et loquar iudicia mea cum eis super omnem malitiam eorum, qui dereliquerunt me, et libaverunt diis alienis, et adoraverunt opus manuum suarum.
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.
17 Tu ergo accinge lumbos tuos, et surge, et loquere ad eos omnia quæ ego præcipio tibi. Ne formides a facie eorum: nec enim timere te faciam vultum eorum.
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.
18 Ego quippe dedi te hodie in civitatem munitam, et in columnam ferream, et in murum æreum, super omnem terram, regibus Iuda, principibus eius, et sacerdotibus, et populo terræ.
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.
19 Et bellabunt adversum te, et non prævalebunt: quia ego tecum sum, ait Dominus, ut liberem te.
They will fight against you but they won't defeat you, because I'll be there to rescue you,” declares the Lord.
