Yeremia 1
1 Maneno ya Yeremia mwana wa Hilkia, mmoja wa makuhani katika mji wa Anathothi, katika nchi ya Benyamini.
[I], Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, [am writing] these messages. [I am] a priest, from Anathoth [town] in the area where the tribe of Benjamin [lives].
2 Neno la Bwana lilimjia katika mwaka wa kumi na tatu wa utawala wa Yosia mwana wa Amoni mfalme wa Yuda,
Yahweh started to give me these messages when Josiah had been ruling Judah for almost 13 years.
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.
Yahweh continued to give me more messages when Josiah’s son Jehoiakim was the king, and he continued to do that until Zedekiah had been the king of Judah for almost eleven years. It was in August of that year that the people of Jerusalem were (exiled/taken as prisoners) [to Babylonia].
4 Neno la Bwana lilinijia, kusema,
[One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
5 “Kabla sijakuumba ndani ya tumbo la mama yako, nilikujua; kabla hujazaliwa nilikutenga kwa kazi maalum; nilikuweka uwe nabii kwa mataifa.”
“I knew you before I [finished] forming you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I (set you apart/chose you) and I appointed you to be [my] prophet [whose messages would be] for [all] nations.”
6 Nami nikasema, “Aa, Bwana Mwenyezi, sijui kusema, kwani mimi ni mtoto mdogo tu.”
I replied, “O, Yahweh my God, I am [not qualified to] speak [for you], because I am very young!”
7 Lakini Bwana akaniambia, “Usiseme, ‘Mimi ni mtoto mdogo tu.’ Utaenda popote nitakapokutuma na kunena lolote nitakalokuagiza.
Yahweh replied, “Do not say that, because you must go to everyone to whom I will send you, and you must tell them everything that I tell you to say.
8 Usiwaogope, kwa maana niko pamoja nawe nikuokoe,” asema Bwana.
And you must not be afraid of the people [to whom you will speak], because I will protect you [from being harmed by them]. [This will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
9 Kisha Bwana akaunyoosha mkono wake na kugusa kinywa changu, akaniambia, “Sasa nimeyaweka maneno yangu kinywani mwako.
Then [it was as though] Yahweh touched my mouth and said, “Listen to me! I am (putting my message into your mouth/telling you what you must speak).
10 Tazama, leo nimekuweka juu ya mataifa na falme ili kungʼoa na kubomoa, kuharibu na kuangamiza, kujenga na kupanda.”
Today I am appointing you to warn nations and kingdoms. You will tell them that I will completely destroy and get rid of [DOU] some of them and that I will establish [MET] others and cause them to be strong.”
11 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema, “Je, Yeremia unaona nini?” Nami nikajibu, “Naona tawi la mti wa mlozi.”
Then Yahweh said to me, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
12 Bwana akaniambia, “Umeona vyema kwa maana ninaliangalia neno langu ili kuona kwamba limetimizwa.”
Yahweh said, “That is correct. And [because the word for ‘almond’ resembles the word for ‘watching’], it means that I am watching [what will happen], and I will make certain that what I have said to you [about destroying nations] will happen.”
13 Neno la Bwana likanijia tena, “Unaona nini?” Nikajibu, “Naona chungu kinachochemka, kikiwa kimeinama kutoka kaskazini.”
[Then] Yahweh spoke to me again and said, “What do you see [now]?” I replied, “I see a pot full of boiling [water] [MTY]. It is tipping [toward me] from the north.”
14 Bwana akaniambia, “Kutoka kaskazini maafa yatamwagwa kwa wote waishio katika nchi.
Yahweh replied, “[Yes! It means that] from the north great trouble/destruction will [spread] [MET] over this land, [like boiling water] [MET] pouring [from a pot].
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.
Listen to what I say: I am summoning [the armies of] kingdoms that will come from the north [of Judah] to Jerusalem. Their kings will set up their thrones at the gates of this city [to indicate that they are now the kings of Judah]. [Their armies] will attack [and break down] the walls of this city, and [they will do the same thing to] all the [other] towns in 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.
I will punish [MTY] my people because of all the evil things that they have done; they have abandoned me and they worship gods/idols. They worship idols that they have made with their own hands!
17 “Jiandae! Simama useme chochote nitakachokuamuru. Usiwaogope, la sivyo nitakufanya uwaogope wao.
So, get up and put on your clothes [to get ready for action]! Then go to the people of Judah and tell them everything that I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, because [if you are afraid of them], I will cause you to be truly terrified in front of them!
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.
But listen! I will cause you to be [strong, like] [MET] a city that has strong walls around it. You will be [as strong as] [MET] an iron pillar or a bronze wall. None of the kings or officials or priests will be able to defeat you.
19 Watapigana nawe lakini hawatakushinda, kwa kuwa niko pamoja nawe, nami nitakuokoa,” asema Bwana.
They will oppose you, but they will not be able to defeat you, because I will be with you and will protect you. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
