Jeremi 1
1 Mokanda oyo ezali kolobela maloba ya Jeremi, mwana mobali ya Ilikia, moko kati na Banganga-Nzambe ya engumba Anatoti, kati na etuka ya Benjame; ezali mpe kolobela makambo oyo ekomelaki ye.
[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].
2 Yawe alobaki na ye tango mokonzi Joziasi, mwana mobali ya Amoni, mokonzi ya Yuda, akokisaki mibu zomi na misato na bokonzi,
Yahweh started to give me these messages when Josiah had been ruling Judah for almost 13 years.
3 mpe na tango ya Yeoyakimi, mwana mobali ya Joziasi, mokonzi ya Yuda, kino na suka ya sanza ya mitano ya mobu ya zomi na moko ya bokonzi ya Sedesiasi, mwana mobali ya Joziasi, mokonzi ya Yuda, kino tango bato ya Yelusalemi bakendeki na bowumbu.
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].
4 Yawe alobaki na ngai:
[One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
5 — Liboso ete nasala yo kati na libumu ya mama na yo, nayebaki yo; liboso ete obotama, nabulisaki yo: naponaki yo mpo ete ozala mosakoli ya bikolo.
“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.”
6 Nazongisaki: — Oh Nkolo Yawe, nayebi koloba te, pamba te nazali nanu elenge!
I replied, “O, Yahweh my God, I am [not qualified to] speak [for you], because I am very young!”
7 Kasi Yawe alobaki na ngai: — Koloba te: « Nazali elenge. » Osengeli kokende epai ya bato nyonso epai wapi nakotinda yo, mpe osengeli koyebisa bango makambo nyonso oyo nakotinda yo.
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.
8 Kobanga bango te, pamba te nazali elongo na yo mpo na kobatela yo, —elobi Yawe.
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!”
9 Bongo Yawe asembolaki loboko na Ye, asimbaki monoko na ngai mpe alobaki: — Tala, nasili kotia maloba na Ngai kati na monoko na yo.
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).
10 Na mokolo ya lelo, yeba ete nasili kopesa yo bokonzi likolo ya bikolo mpe ya mikili mpo na kopikola mpe kopanza, kobuka mpe kokweyisa, kotonga mpe kolona.
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.”
11 Sima na yango, Yawe atunaki ngai: — Jeremi, ozali komona nini? Nazongisaki: — Nazali komona etape ya nzete ya amande.
Then Yahweh said to me, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
12 Yawe alobaki na ngai: — Omoni malamu, pamba te nasenzelaka maloba na Ngai mpo na kokokisa yango.
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.”
13 Yawe atunaki ngai lisusu: — Ozali komona nini? Nazongisaki: — Nazali komona nzungu moko ezali kotoka, etengama na ngambo ya nor.
[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.”
14 Yawe alobaki na ngai: — Ezali wuta na nor nde pasi ekokomela bavandi ya mokili.
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].
15 Pamba te nakobengisa bato nyonso ya bituka ya nor, —elobi Yawe. Bakonzi na bango bakoya kotia bakiti na bango ya bokonzi liboso ya bikuke ya Yelusalemi; bakozingela bamir nyonso ya Yelusalemi mpe bakobundisa bingumba nyonso ya Yuda.
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.
16 Nakosambisa bato na Ngai mpo na mabe oyo basalaki: basundolaki Ngai, bakomaki kobonza mbeka ya malasi epai ya banzambe mosusu, mpe bakomaki kogumbamela banzambe oyo basalaki na maboko na bango.
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!
17 Mibongisa, yika mpiko! Telema mpe yebisa bango makambo nyonso oyo Ngai nakotinda yo; kozala na somo na bango te, noki te nakokweyisa yo liboso na bango.
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!
18 Na mokolo ya lelo, nakomisi yo engumba batonga makasi, likonzi ya ebende mpe mir ya ebende mpo na komibatela liboso ya mokili mobimba: liboso ya bakonzi ya Yuda, ya bakalaka na yango, ya Banganga-Nzambe na yango mpe ya bavandi nyonso ya mokili yango.
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.
19 Yeba ete bakobundisa yo, kasi bakolonga yo te; pamba te nazali elongo na yo mpo na kobatela yo, elobi Yawe.
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!”
