Yeremia 1
1 Maneno ya Yeremia mwana wa Hilkia, mmoja wa makuhani katika mji wa Anathothi, katika nchi ya Benyamini.
The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah of the priests who were 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,
The word of the Lord, which came to him in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, 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 which came to him in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, even until the completion of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, even until the transmigration of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
4 Neno la Bwana lilinijia, kusema,
And the word of the Lord came to me, 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 you in the womb, I knew you. And before you went forth from the womb, I sanctified you. And I made you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Nami nikasema, “Aa, Bwana Mwenyezi, sijui kusema, kwani mimi ni mtoto mdogo tu.”
And I said: “Alas, alas, alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am a boy.”
7 Lakini Bwana akaniambia, “Usiseme, ‘Mimi ni mtoto mdogo tu.’ Utaenda popote nitakapokutuma na kunena lolote nitakalokuagiza.
And the Lord said to me: “Do not choose to say, ‘I am a boy.’ For you shall go forth to everyone to whom I will send you. And you shall speak all that I will command you.
8 Usiwaogope, kwa maana niko pamoja nawe nikuokoe,” asema Bwana.
You should not be afraid before their face. For I am with you, so that I may deliver you,” says the Lord.
9 Kisha Bwana akaunyoosha mkono wake na kugusa kinywa changu, akaniambia, “Sasa nimeyaweka maneno yangu kinywani mwako.
And the Lord put forth his hand, and he touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have placed my words in your mouth.
10 Tazama, leo nimekuweka juu ya mataifa na falme ili kungʼoa na kubomoa, kuharibu na kuangamiza, kujenga na kupanda.”
Behold, today I have appointed you over nations and over kingdoms, so that you may root up, and pull down, and destroy, and scatter, and so that you may build and 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 do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a staff, keeping watch.”
12 Bwana akaniambia, “Umeona vyema kwa maana ninaliangalia neno langu ili kuona kwamba limetimizwa.”
And the Lord said to me: “You have seen well. For I will keep watch over my word, so that I may accomplish it.”
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 do you see?” And I said, “I see a cooking pot upon a fire, and its face is before the face of the north.”
14 Bwana akaniambia, “Kutoka kaskazini maafa yatamwagwa kwa wote waishio katika nchi.
And the Lord said to me: “From the north, an evil will spread over all the inhabitants of the earth.
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 will call together all the close associates of the kingdoms of the north, says the Lord. And they will arrive, and each one of them will place his throne at the entrance to the gates of Jerusalem, and over all its surrounding walls, and over all the cities of Judah.
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 my judgments with them, concerning all the wickedness of those who have forsaken me, and who have offered libations to strange gods, and who have adored the work of their own hands.
17 “Jiandae! Simama useme chochote nitakachokuamuru. Usiwaogope, la sivyo nitakufanya uwaogope wao.
Therefore, you should gird your waist, and rise up, and speak to them everything that I instruct you. You should not have dread before their face. For I will cause you to be unafraid of their countenance.
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.
For certainly, this day, I have made you like a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and a brass wall, over all the land, to the kings of Judah, to its leaders, and to the priests, and to the people of the land.
19 Watapigana nawe lakini hawatakushinda, kwa kuwa niko pamoja nawe, nami nitakuokoa,” asema Bwana.
And they will make war against you, but they will not prevail. For I am with you, says the Lord, so that I may free you.”
