UJeremiya 1
1 Amazwi kaJeremiya, indodana kaHilikhiya wabapristi ababeseAnathothi elizweni lakoBhenjamini;
These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.
2 okwafika kuye ilizwi leNkosi ensukwini zikaJosiya indodana kaAmoni, inkosi yakoJuda, ngomnyaka wetshumi lantathu wokubusa kwakhe.
The word of Yahweh came to him in the days of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
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.
It also came in the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem were taken away as prisoners.
4 Kwasekufika kimi ilizwi leNkosi lisithi:
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
5 Ngingakakubumbi esiswini ngakwazi, njalo ungakaphumi esizalweni ngakwehlukanisa; ngakubeka waba ngumprofethi ezizweni.
“Before I formed you in the womb, I chose you; before you came out from the womb I set you apart; I made you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Ngasengisithi: Hawu Nkosi Jehova! Khangela, angikwazi ukukhuluma, ngoba ngingumntwana.
“Ah, Lord Yahweh!” I said, “I do not know how to speak, for I am too young.”
7 Kodwa iNkosi yathi kimi: Ungatsho ukuthi: Ngingumntwana; ngoba uzakuya kubo bonke engikuthuma kubo, lakho konke engikulaya khona uzakukhuluma.
But Yahweh said to me, “Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go everywhere I send you, and you must say whatever I command you!
8 Ungesabi ubuso babo, ngoba mina ngilawe ukukophula, itsho iNkosi.
Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to rescue you—this is Yahweh's declaration.”
9 INkosi yasiselula isandla sayo, yathinta umlomo wami; iNkosi yasisithi kimi: Khangela, ngibekile amazwi ami emlonyeni wakho.
Then Yahweh reached out with his hand, touched my mouth, and said to me, “Now, I have placed my word in your mouth.
10 Bona, ngikubekile lamuhla phezu kwezizwe laphezu kwemibuso, ukusiphuna, lokudiliza, lokubhubhisa, lokuphosela phansi, ukwakha, lokuhlanyela.
I am appointing you today over nations and over kingdoms, to uproot and break down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”
11 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi: Ubonani, Jeremiya? Ngasengisithi: Ngibona uswazi lwesihlahla se-alimondi.
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “I see an almond branch.”
12 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Ubone kuhle, ngoba ngizalinda ilizwi lami ukuze ngilenze.
Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to carry it out.”
13 Njalo ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi ngokwesibili lisithi: Ubonani? Ngasengisithi: Ngibona imbiza ebilayo, njalo ubuso bayo bungasenyakatho.
The word of Yahweh came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” I said, “I see a heated pot, whose surface is churning, tipping away from the north.”
14 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Okubi kuzaqutshulwa kuvela enyakatho phezu kwabo bonke abakhileyo belizwe.
Yahweh said to me, “Disaster will be opened up out of the north on all who live in this land.
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.
For I am calling all the tribes of the northern kingdoms, declares Yahweh. They will come, and everyone will set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all the walls that surround it, and against all the cities of Judah.
16 Ngizakhuluma izigwebo zami zimelene labo ngenxa yabo bonke ububi babo, abangidelileyo, batshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha, bakhonza imisebenzi yezandla zabo.
I will pronounce sentence against them for all their evil in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods, and in worshiping what they made with their own hands.
17 Wena-ke, bopha ukhalo lwakho, usukume, ukhulume kibo konke mina engikulaya khona. Ungethuki ngenxa yobuso babo, hlezi ngikwethuse phambi kwabo.
Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be shattered before them, or I will shatter you before 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.
Behold! Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.
19 Njalo bazakulwa bemelene lawe; kodwa kabayikukwehlula; ngoba ngilawe, itsho iNkosi, ukukophula.
They will fight against you, but they will not defeat you, for I will be with you to rescue you—this is Yahweh's declaration.”
