Yeremia 1
1 Maneno ya Yeremia mwana wa Hilkia, mmoja wa makuhani katika mji wa Anathothi, katika nchi ya Benyamini.
The word of God which came to Jeremias the [son] of Chelcias, of the priests, who dwelt in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2 Neno la Bwana lilimjia katika mwaka wa kumi na tatu wa utawala wa Yosia mwana wa Amoni mfalme wa Yuda,
[accordingly] as the word of God came to him in the days of Josias son of Amos king of Juda, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3 na pia wakati wa utawala wa Yehoyakimu mwana wa Yosia mfalme wa Yuda, mpaka mwezi wa tano wa mwaka wa kumi na moja wa utawala wa Sedekia mwana wa Yosia mfalme wa Yuda, wakati watu wa Yerusalemu walipopelekwa uhamishoni.
And it was in the days of Joakim, son of Josias king of Juda, until the eleventh year of Sedekias king of Juda, [even] until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
4 Neno la Bwana lilinijia, kusema,
And the word of the Lord came to him, [saying],
5 “Kabla sijakuumba ndani ya tumbo la mama yako, nilikujua; kabla hujazaliwa nilikutenga kwa kazi maalum; nilikuweka uwe nabii kwa mataifa.”
Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth from the womb, I sanctified thee; I appointed thee a prophet to the nations.
6 Nami nikasema, “Aa, Bwana Mwenyezi, sijui kusema, kwani mimi ni mtoto mdogo tu.”
And I said, O Lord, thou that art supreme Lord, behold, I know not [how] to speak, for I am a child.
7 Lakini Bwana akaniambia, “Usiseme, ‘Mimi ni mtoto mdogo tu.’ Utaenda popote nitakapokutuma na kunena lolote nitakalokuagiza.
And the Lord said to me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all to whomsoever I shall send thee, and according to all [the words] that I shall command thee, thou shalt speak.
8 Usiwaogope, kwa maana niko pamoja nawe nikuokoe,” asema Bwana.
Be not afraid before them: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
9 Kisha Bwana akaunyoosha mkono wake na kugusa kinywa changu, akaniambia, “Sasa nimeyaweka maneno yangu kinywani mwako.
And the Lord stretched forth his hand to me, and touched my mouth: and the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words into thy mouth.
10 Tazama, leo nimekuweka juu ya mataifa na falme ili kungʼoa na kubomoa, kuharibu na kuangamiza, kujenga na kupanda.”
Behold, I have appointed thee this day over nations and over kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to rebuild, and to plant.
11 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema, “Je, Yeremia unaona nini?” Nami nikajibu, “Naona tawi la mti wa mlozi.”
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, What seest thou? And I said, A rod of an almond tree.
12 Bwana akaniambia, “Umeona vyema kwa maana ninaliangalia neno langu ili kuona kwamba limetimizwa.”
And the Lord said to me, Thou hast well seen: for I have watched over my words to perform them.
13 Neno la Bwana likanijia tena, “Unaona nini?” Nikajibu, “Naona chungu kinachochemka, kikiwa kimeinama kutoka kaskazini.”
And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, A caldron on the fire; and the face of it is toward the north.
14 Bwana akaniambia, “Kutoka kaskazini maafa yatamwagwa kwa wote waishio katika nchi.
And the Lord said to me, From the north shall flame forth evils upon all the inhabitants of the land.
15 Nitawaita watu wote wa falme za kaskazini,” asema Bwana. “Wafalme wao watakuja na kuweka viti vyao vya enzi katika maingilio ya malango ya Yerusalemu, watakuja dhidi ya kuta zake zote zinazouzunguka, na dhidi ya miji yote ya Yuda.
For, behold, I call together all the kingdoms of the earth from the north, saith the Lord; and they shall come, and shall set each one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls round about her, and against all the cities of Juda.
16 Nitatoa hukumu zangu kwa watu wangu kwa sababu ya uovu wao wa kuniacha mimi, kwa kufukiza uvumba kwa miungu mingine na kuabudu kile ambacho mikono yao imekitengeneza.
And I will speak to them in judgment, concerning all their iniquity, [forasmuch] as they have forsaken me, and sacrificed to strange gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
17 “Jiandae! Simama useme chochote nitakachokuamuru. Usiwaogope, la sivyo nitakufanya uwaogope wao.
And do thou gird up thy loins, and stand up, and speak all [the words] that I shall command thee: be not afraid of their face, neither be thou alarmed before them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
18 Leo nimekufanya mji wenye ngome, nguzo ya chuma, na ukuta wa shaba ili kusimama dhidi ya nchi yote: dhidi ya wafalme wa Yuda, maafisa wake, makuhani wake na watu wa nchi hiyo.
Behold, I have made thee this day as a strong city, and as a brazen wall, strong [against] all the kings of Juda, and the princes thereof, and the people of the land.
19 Watapigana nawe lakini hawatakushinda, kwa kuwa niko pamoja nawe, nami nitakuokoa,” asema Bwana.
And they shall fight against thee; but they shall by no means prevail against thee; because I am with thee, to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
