Yeremia 1
1 Maneno ya Yeremia mwana wa Hilkia, mmoja wa makuhani katika mji wa Anathothi, katika nchi ya Benyamini.
The words of Jeremias the son of Helcias, of the priests that 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 Josias the son of Amon 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 which came to him in the days of Joakim the son of Josias king of Juda, unto the end of the eleventh year of Sedecias the son of Josias king of Juda, even unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive, 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 thee in the bowels of thy mother, I knew thee: and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and made thee a prophet unto the nations.
6 Nami nikasema, “Aa, Bwana Mwenyezi, sijui kusema, kwani mimi ni mtoto mdogo tu.”
And I said: Ah, ah, ah, Lord God: behold, I cannot 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 that I shall send thee: and whatsoever I shall command thee, thou shalt speak.
8 Usiwaogope, kwa maana niko pamoja nawe nikuokoe,” asema Bwana.
Be not afraid at their presence: 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 put forth his hand, and touched my mouth: and the Lord said to me: Behold I have given my words in thy mouth:
10 Tazama, leo nimekuweka juu ya mataifa na falme ili kungʼoa na kubomoa, kuharibu na kuangamiza, kujenga na kupanda.”
Lo, I have set thee this day over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to root up, and pull down, and to waste, and to destroy, and to build, 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, Jeremias? And I said: I see a rod watching.
12 Bwana akaniambia, “Umeona vyema kwa maana ninaliangalia neno langu ili kuona kwamba limetimizwa.”
And the Lord said to me: Thou hast seen well: for I will watch over my word to perform 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 seest thou? I see a boiling caldron, and the face thereof from 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 shall an evil break forth 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 will call together all the families of the kingdoms of the north: saith the Lord: and they shall come, and shall set every one his throne in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and upon all the walls thereof round about, and upon 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 pronounce my judgements against them, touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have sacrificed to strange gods, and have adored the work of their own hands.
17 “Jiandae! Simama useme chochote nitakachokuamuru. Usiwaogope, la sivyo nitakufanya uwaogope wao.
Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee. Be not afraid at their presence: for I will make thee not to fear 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 behold I have made thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass, over all the land, to the kings of Juda, to the princes thereof, 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 shall fight against thee, and shall not prevail: for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.
