UJeremiya 1
1 Amazwi kaJeremiya, indodana kaHilikhiya wabapristi ababeseAnathothi elizweni lakoBhenjamini;
These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests living in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
2 okwafika kuye ilizwi leNkosi ensukwini zikaJosiya indodana kaAmoni, inkosi yakoJuda, ngomnyaka wetshumi lantathu wokubusa kwakhe.
The Lord's message came to Jeremiah beginning in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, son of Amon, king of Judah,
3 Lafika futhi ensukwini zikaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakoJuda, kwaze kwaba sekupheleni komnyaka wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakoJuda, kwaze kwaba sekuthunjweni kweJerusalema enyangeni yesihlanu.
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 Kwasekufika kimi ilizwi leNkosi lisithi:
The Lord came and told me,
5 Ngingakakubumbi esiswini ngakwazi, njalo ungakaphumi esizalweni ngakwehlukanisa; ngakubeka waba ngumprofethi ezizweni.
“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 Ngasengisithi: Hawu Nkosi Jehova! Khangela, angikwazi ukukhuluma, ngoba ngingumntwana.
“Oh no, Lord God!” I replied. “I really don't know how to speak in public because I'm still too young!”
7 Kodwa iNkosi yathi kimi: Ungatsho ukuthi: Ngingumntwana; ngoba uzakuya kubo bonke engikuthuma kubo, lakho konke engikulaya khona uzakukhuluma.
“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 Ungesabi ubuso babo, ngoba mina ngilawe ukukophula, itsho iNkosi.
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 INkosi yasiselula isandla sayo, yathinta umlomo wami; iNkosi yasisithi kimi: Khangela, ngibekile amazwi ami emlonyeni wakho.
The Lord stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and told me: “Look, I've put my words in your mouth.
10 Bona, ngikubekile lamuhla phezu kwezizwe laphezu kwemibuso, ukusiphuna, lokudiliza, lokubhubhisa, lokuphosela phansi, ukwakha, lokuhlanyela.
Today I've placed you over nations and kingdoms to pull up and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.”
11 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi: Ubonani, Jeremiya? Ngasengisithi: Ngibona uswazi lwesihlahla se-alimondi.
The Lord's message came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what can you see?” “I see a twig from an almond tree,” I answered.
12 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Ubone kuhle, ngoba ngizalinda ilizwi lami ukuze ngilenze.
“That's right, because I am watching to make sure what I say happens,” the Lord said.
13 Njalo ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi ngokwesibili lisithi: Ubonani? Ngasengisithi: Ngibona imbiza ebilayo, njalo ubuso bayo bungasenyakatho.
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 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Okubi kuzaqutshulwa kuvela enyakatho phezu kwabo bonke abakhileyo belizwe.
Then the Lord told me, “Trouble brewing from the north will sweep out over everyone living in the country.
15 Ngoba khangela, ngibiza insapho zonke zemibuso yenyakatho, itsho iNkosi; njalo zizafika, zimise ngasinye isihlalo salo sobukhosi ekungeneni kwamasango eJerusalema, zimelene lemiduli yayo yonke inhlangothi zonke, zimelene lemizi yonke yakoJuda.
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 Ngizakhuluma izigwebo zami zimelene labo ngenxa yabo bonke ububi babo, abangidelileyo, batshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha, bakhonza imisebenzi yezandla zabo.
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 Wena-ke, bopha ukhalo lwakho, usukume, ukhulume kibo konke mina engikulaya khona. Ungethuki ngenxa yobuso babo, hlezi ngikwethuse phambi kwabo.
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 Ngoba khangela, mina ngikubekile lamuhla ube ngumuzi ovikelweyo, njalo ube yinsika yensimbi, njalo ube yimiduli yethusi, ukumelana lelizwe lonke, ukumelana lamakhosi akoJuda, ukumelana leziphathamandla zayo, ukumelana labapristi bayo, lokumelana labantu belizwe.
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 Njalo bazakulwa bemelene lawe; kodwa kabayikukwehlula; ngoba ngilawe, itsho iNkosi, ukukophula.
They will fight against you but they won't defeat you, because I'll be there to rescue you,” declares the Lord.
