UJeremiya 1
1 La ngamazwi kaJeremiya indodana kaHilikhiya, omunye wabaphristi base-Anathothi elizweni lakoBhenjamini.
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that [were] 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 the LORD 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.
It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, to the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
4 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi,
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 “Ngingakakubumbi esiswini ngakwazi, ungakazalwa ngakukhetha ngakubeka ukuba ngumphrofethi ezizweni.”
Before I formed thee in embryo I knew thee; and before thou wast born I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet to the nations.
6 Mina ngathi, “Awu Thixo Somandla; ukukhuluma angikwazi, ngoba ngingumntwana nje.”
Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot 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 the LORD said to me, Say not, I [am] a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatever I command thee thou shalt speak.
8 Ungabesabi, ngoba mina ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,” kutsho uThixo.
Be not afraid of their faces: for I [am] with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
9 UThixo waseselula isandla sakhe wathinta umlomo wami wathi kimi, “Khathesi, sengifake amazwi ami emlonyeni wakho.
Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD 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.”
See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
11 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lathi, “Kuyini okubonayo, Jeremiya?” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Ngibona ugatsha lwesihlahla se-alimondi.”
Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Jeremiah, What seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree.
12 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Ubone kuhle, ngoba ngilindele ukubona ukuthi ilizwi lami ligcwalisekile.”
Then said the LORD to me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten 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 the LORD came to me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and its face [is] towards the north.
14 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Incithakalo evela enyakatho izakwehliselwa phezu kwabo bonke abahlala elizweni.
Then the LORD said to me, Out of the north an evil shall 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 lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its 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 utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshiped the works 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 dismayed at their faces, 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 have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against her princes, against her priests, and against the people of the land.
19 Bazakulwa lawe, kodwa kabayikukwehlula, ngoba ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,” kutsho uThixo.
And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I [am] with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
