UJeremiya 1
1 La ngamazwi kaJeremiya indodana kaHilikhiya, omunye wabaphristi base-Anathothi elizweni lakoBhenjamini.
The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests, who dwelt in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin;
2 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye ngomnyaka wetshumi lantathu ekubuseni kukaJosiya indodana ka-Amoni inkosi yakoJuda,
to whom the word of Jehovah came in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign;
3 njalo ekubuseni kukaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, kwaze kwaba yinyanga yesihlanu emnyakeni wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngesikhathi sokuthunjwa kwabantu baseJerusalema.
to whom it also came in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem into captivity in the fifth month.
4 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi,
The word of Jehovah came to me, saying:
5 “Ngingakakubumbi esiswini ngakwazi, ungakazalwa ngakukhetha ngakubeka ukuba ngumphrofethi ezizweni.”
Before I formed thee in the womb, I knew thee; and before thou camest into the world, I chose thee; I appointed thee to be a prophet to the nations.
6 Mina ngathi, “Awu Thixo Somandla; ukukhuluma angikwazi, ngoba ngingumntwana nje.”
Then said I, Alas, O Lord Jehovah! Behold, I am not able to speak; for I am a child.
7 Kodwa uThixo wathi kimi, “Ungaze wathi, ‘Ngingumntwana nje.’ Kumele uye kubo bonke engikuthuma kubo njalo utsho loba kuyini engikulaya khona.
But Jehovah said to me, Say not, I am a child; but go to whomever I send thee, and speak whatever I command thee!
8 Ungabesabi, ngoba mina ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,” kutsho uThixo.
Be not afraid of them! For I am with thee to help thee, saith Jehovah.
9 UThixo waseselula isandla sakhe wathinta umlomo wami wathi kimi, “Khathesi, sengifake amazwi ami emlonyeni wakho.
Then Jehovah put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. Jehovah also said to me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
10 Khangela, lamhla ngikubeka phezu kwezizwe lemibuso ukuba usiphune udilize, ubhubhise njalo uchithe; ukuba wakhe njalo uhlanyele.”
Behold, I have set thee this day over nations and over kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to overthrow; and to build, and to plant.
11 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lathi, “Kuyini okubonayo, Jeremiya?” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Ngibona ugatsha lwesihlahla se-alimondi.”
Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, I see a rod of almond-wood.
12 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Ubone kuhle, ngoba ngilindele ukubona ukuthi ilizwi lami ligcwalisekile.”
And Jehovah said to me, Thou hast seen right; for I am watchful over my word to perform it.
13 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi futhi: “Kuyini okubonayo?” Mina ngaphendula ngathi, “Ngibona imbiza ebilayo, ithambeke ifulathele inyakatho.”
And the word of Jehovah came to me a second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a boiling pot, whose face is turned from the north.
14 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Incithakalo evela enyakatho izakwehliselwa phezu kwabo bonke abahlala elizweni.
And Jehovah said to me, From the north shall evil break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
15 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.
For, behold, I will call all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, saith Jehovah; and they shall come, and shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all her walls around, and against all the cities of Judah.
16 Ngizamemezela ukwahlulela kwami ebantwini bami ngenxa yobubi babo bokungidela, betshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha, langokukhonza lokho okwenziwa ngezandla zabo.
And I will pronounce my judgments against them for all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the work of their own hands.
17 Wena zilungiselele! Sukuma ubatshele lokho engizakulaya khona. Ungathuthumeliswa yibo hlezi ngikwenze uthuthumele phambi kwabo.
Thou, therefore, gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee; be not afraid of them, lest I confound thee before them.
18 Lamhla sengikwenze waba lidolobho elivikelweyo, insika yensimbi lomduli wethusi ukuba umelane lelizwe lonke, umelane lamakhosi akoJuda, izikhulu zakhona, abaphristi bakhona kanye labantu bakhona.
For, behold, I make thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass against all this land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
19 Bazakulwa lawe, kodwa kabayikukwehlula, ngoba ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,” kutsho uThixo.
They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I will be with thee, saith Jehovah, to help thee.
