< Yeremia 1 >
1 Hili ndilo neno la Yeremia mwana wa Hilikia; yeye alikuwa mmoja wa makuhani kule Anatothi katika nchi ya Benjamini.
The word of God which came to Jeremias the [son] of Chelcias, of the priests, who lived in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2 Neno la BWANA lilimjia katika siku za Yosia mwana wa Amoni, mfalme wa Yuda, katika mwaka wa kumi na tatu wa utawala wake.
[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 Lakini pia lilimjia katika wakati wa Yehoyakimu mwana wa Yosia, mfalme wa Yuda, mpaka mwezi wa tano wa mwaka wa kumi na moja wa Zedekia mwana wa Yosia, mfalme wa Yuda, wakati watu wa Yerusalemu walipochukuliwa kuwa watumwa.
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, likisema,
And the word of the Lord came to him, [saying],
5 “kabla sijakuumba tumboni, Nilikuchagua; kabla hujazailiwa toka tumboni Nilikutenga; Nilikufanya kuwa nabii kwa mataifa.”
Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you; and before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
6 “Ahaa, BWANA!” Nilisema, “mimi sijui kusema, kwa kuwa mimi ni mtoto.”
And I said, O Lord, you that are supreme Lord, behold, I know not [how] to speak, for I am a child.
7 Lakini BWANA akaniambia, “Usiseme, 'mimi ni mtoto.' Utaenda kila mahali ninapokutuma, na utasema kila kitu ninachokuamuru!
And the Lord said to me, Say not, I am a child: for you shall go to all to whoever I shall send you, and according to all [the words] that I shall command you, you shall speak.
8 Usiwaogpe hao, kwa kuwa Mimi niko pamoja na wewe kukuokoa- asema BWANA.”
Be not afraid before them: for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.
9 Kisha BWANA akanyosh mkono wake, akagusa kinywa changu, na akaniambia, “Nimeweka 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 your mouth.
10 Nimekuchagua leo juu ya mataifa na juu ya mataifa, ili kung'oa na kuvunja, kuharibu na kutupa, kujenga na kupanda.”
Behold, I have appointed you 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 lilinijia, likisema, “Yeremia, unaona nini?” Nikasema, “Ninaona tawi la mlozi.”
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, What see you? And I said, A rod of an almond tree.
12 BWANA akaniambia, “umeona vyema, kwa kuwa ninaliangalia neno langu ili nilitimize.”
And the Lord said to me, You have well seen: for I have watched over my words to perform them.
13 Neno la BWANA likaniji mara ya pili likisema, “Unaona nini? “Nikasema, “Ninaona chungu kikichemuka, ambacho mdomo wake unaelekea toka upande wa kaskazini,”
And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, What see you? And I said, A caldron on the fire; and the face of it is toward the north.
14 BWANA akaniambia, “Janga litatokea kaskazini juu ya wote wanaoishi katika nchi hii.
And the Lord said to me, From the north shall flame forth evils upon all the inhabitants of the land.
15 Kwa kuwa ninayaita makabila yote ya falme za kaskazini, asema BWANA. Yatakuja, na kila mmoja atasimika enzi yake katika malango ya Yerusalemu, dhidi ya kuta zote zinazoizunguka, na dhidi ya miji ya Yuda.
For, behold, I call together all the kingdoms of the earth from the north, says 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 Nitatamka hukumu dhidi yao juu ya uovu wao wa kuniacha, kwa kufukiza uvumba kwa miungu mingine, na kwa kuabudu kile walichotengeneza kwa mikono yao.
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 ukawaambie kila kitu ninachokuamuru. Usifdhaike mbele zao nisije nikakufadhaisha wewe mbele zao!
And do you gird up your loins, and stand up, and speak all [the words] that I shall command you: be not afraid of their face, neither be you alarmed before them; for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.
18 Tazama! Leo nimekufanya kuwa mji ulio na ngome, kuwa ngome ya chuma, na ukata wa shaba dhidi ya nchi yote - dhidi ya wafalme wa Yuda, na juu ya wakuu wake, na juu ya makuhani wake, na juu ya watu wote wa nchi.
Behold, I have made you 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 na wewe, lakinai hawatakushinda, kwa kuwa nitakuwa pamoja na wewe ili kukuokoa- asema BWANA.”
And they shall fight against you; but they shall by no means prevail against you; because I am with you, to deliver you, says the Lord.