Yeremia 1
1 Hili ndilo neno la Yeremia mwana wa Hilikia; yeye alikuwa mmoja wa makuhani kule Anatothi katika nchi ya Benjamini.
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were 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.
Yahweh’s word came to him in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, 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.
It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
4 Neno la BWANA lilinijia, likisema,
Now Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
5 “kabla sijakuumba tumboni, Nilikuchagua; kabla hujazailiwa toka tumboni Nilikutenga; Nilikufanya kuwa nabii kwa mataifa.”
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 “Ahaa, BWANA!” Nilisema, “mimi sijui kusema, kwa kuwa mimi ni mtoto.”
Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know 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!
But Yahweh said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for you must go to whomever I send you, and you must say whatever I command you.
8 Usiwaogpe hao, kwa kuwa Mimi niko pamoja na wewe kukuokoa- asema BWANA.”
Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh.
9 Kisha BWANA akanyosh mkono wake, akagusa kinywa changu, na akaniambia, “Nimeweka maneno yangu kinywani mwako.
Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. Then Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in 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 today set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
11 Neno la BWANA lilinijia, likisema, “Yeremia, unaona nini?” Nikasema, “Ninaona tawi la mlozi.”
Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12 BWANA akaniambia, “umeona vyema, kwa kuwa ninaliangalia neno langu ili nilitimize.”
Then Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.”
13 Neno la BWANA likaniji mara ya pili likisema, “Unaona nini? “Nikasema, “Ninaona chungu kikichemuka, ambacho mdomo wake unaelekea toka upande wa kaskazini,”
Yahweh’s word came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?” I said, “I see a boiling cauldron; and it is tipping away from the north.”
14 BWANA akaniambia, “Janga litatokea kaskazini juu ya wote wanaoishi katika nchi hii.
Then Yahweh said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on 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 will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says Yahweh. “They will come, and they will each set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls all around, and against all the cities of Judah.
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.
I will utter my judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands.
17 Jiandae! Simama ukawaambie kila kitu ninachokuamuru. Usifdhaike mbele zao nisije nikakufadhaisha wewe mbele zao!
“You therefore put your belt on your waist, arise, and say to them all that I command you. Don’t be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them.
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.
For behold, I have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land.
19 Watapigana na wewe, lakinai hawatakushinda, kwa kuwa nitakuwa pamoja na wewe ili kukuokoa- asema BWANA.”
They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says Yahweh, “to rescue you.”
