Yeremiya 1
1 Ebigambo ebyayogerwa Yeremiya, mutabani wa Kirukiya, ow’oku bakabona abaali mu Anasosi mu nsi ya Benyamini.
[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 Mukama Katonda yayogera naye mu mirembe gya Yosiya, kabaka wa Yuda, mutabani wa Amoni, nga yakafugira emyaka kkumi n’esatu,
Yahweh started to give me these messages when Josiah had been ruling Judah for almost 13 years.
3 ne mu biro bya Yekoyakimu mutabani wa Yosiya kabaka wa Yuda, okutuusa mu mwezi ogwokutaano, ogw’omwaka ogw’ekkumi n’ogumu ogw’obufuzi bwa Zeddekiya mutabani wa Yosiya kabaka wa Yuda, abantu b’e Yerusaalemi lwe baatwalibwa mu buwaŋŋanguse.
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 Ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ne kinzijira, ng’agamba nti,
[One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
5 “Nakumanya bwe nnali sinnakubumba mu lubuto lwa maama wo; nga tonnava mu lubuto n’akutukuza. Nakulonda okubeera nnabbi eri amawanga.”
“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 Ne ndyoka ŋŋamba nti, “Laba nno, Mukama Katonda! Simanyi kwogera mu bantu, ndi mwana muto.”
I replied, “O, Yahweh my God, I am [not qualified to] speak [for you], because I am very young!”
7 Naye Mukama Katonda n’aŋŋamba nti, “Toyogera nti, ‘Ndi mwana bwana;’ kubanga yonna gye nnaakutumanga gy’onoogendanga, era byonna bye nnaakulagiranga by’onooyogeranga.
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 Tobatyanga, kubanga nze ndi naawe okukuwonya,” bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda.
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 Awo Mukama Katonda n’agolola omukono gwe, n’akwata ku mimwa gyange, n’aŋŋamba, nti, “Wuliriza. Nkuwa ebigambo by’onooyogeranga.
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 Leero nkutaddewo okuba n’obuyinza ku mawanga era ne ku bwakabaka. Okusimbula n’okumenya, okuzikiriza n’okuwamba; okuzimba n’okusimba.”
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 Ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ate ne kinzijira nga kigamba nti, “Yeremiya kiki ekyo ky’olaba?” Ne ŋŋamba nti, “Ndaba ettabi ly’omuti ogw’omulozi.”
Then Yahweh said to me, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
12 Awo Mukama Katonda n’aŋŋamba nti, “Olabye bulungi, kubanga neetegereza ndabe ng’ekigambo kyange kituukirira.”
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 Ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ne kinzijjira nate nti, “Kiki ky’olaba, kaakano?” Ne ŋŋamba nti, “Ndaba ensuwa ey’amazzi ageesera, ng’etunudde waggulu mu bukiikakkono.”
[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 Awo Mukama Katonda n’aŋŋamba nti, “Okuzikirira kujja kubaawo nga kutandikira mu bukiikakkono kutuuke ku bantu bonna abali mu ggwanga.
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 Kubanga laba nnaatera okuyita abantu bonna ab’omu bwakabaka obuli mu bukiikakkono,” bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda. Bakabaka baabwe balyoke bajje bateeke entebe zaabwe ez’obwakabaka mu miryango egiyingira ekibuga Yerusaalemi, balizinda bbugwe waakyo yenna era bazinde n’ebibuga byonna ebya 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 Era ndibonereza abantu bange olw’ebibi byabwe byonna, kubanga banvaako ne booteeza obubaane eri bakatonda abalala, era ne basinza ebibajje bye beekolera n’emikono gyabwe.
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 “Naye ggwe weetegeke! Yimirira obabuulire byonna bye nkulagira. Tobatya kubanga bw’onoobatya nzija kubakutiisa.
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 Kubanga leero nze nkufudde ekibuga ekiriko enkomera ez’amaanyi, era empagi ey’ekyuma, era bbugwe ow’ekikomo eri ensi yonna, eri bakabaka ba Yuda, eri abakungu baayo, ne bakabona n’abantu ab’omu nsi.
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 Balirwana naawe naye tebalikuwangula; kubanga nze ndi wamu naawe okukununula,” bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda.
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!”
