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 Chilkiyahu, one of the priests that 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.
To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon the 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.
And who continued [prophet] in the days of Jehoyakim the son of Josiah the king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah the king of Judah, until the carrying away into exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
4 Neno la BWANA lilinijia, likisema,
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
5 “kabla sijakuumba tumboni, Nilikuchagua; kabla hujazailiwa toka tumboni Nilikutenga; Nilikufanya kuwa nabii kwa mataifa.”
Before yet I had formed thee in thy mother's body I knew thee; and before thou wast yet come forth out of the womb I sanctified thee: a prophet unto the nations did I ordain thee.
6 “Ahaa, BWANA!” Nilisema, “mimi sijui kusema, kwa kuwa mimi ni mtoto.”
And I said, Ah, Lord Eternal! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am [but] a lad.
7 Lakini BWANA akaniambia, “Usiseme, 'mimi ni mtoto.' Utaenda kila mahali ninapokutuma, na utasema kila kitu ninachokuamuru!
And the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am [but] a lad; but to whomsoever I may send thee shalt thou go, and whatsoever I may command thee shalt thou speak.
8 Usiwaogpe hao, kwa kuwa Mimi niko pamoja na wewe kukuokoa- asema BWANA.”
Be not afraid because of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith 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, and touched [me] therewith on my mouth; and the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
10 Nimekuchagua leo juu ya mataifa na juu ya mataifa, ili kung'oa na kuvunja, kuharibu na kutupa, kujenga na kupanda.”
See, I have appointed thee this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down: to build up, and to plant.
11 Neno la BWANA lilinijia, likisema, “Yeremia, unaona nini?” Nikasema, “Ninaona tawi la mlozi.”
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, A staff of all almond-tree do I see.
12 BWANA akaniambia, “umeona vyema, kwa kuwa ninaliangalia neno langu ili nilitimize.”
And the Lord said unto me, Thou hast well seen; for I am watching 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,”
And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, A seething pot do I see; and the front thereof is turned from the north.
14 BWANA akaniambia, “Janga litatokea kaskazini juu ya wote wanaoishi katika nchi hii.
And the Lord said unto me, Out of the north shall the evil break forth over 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, lo, I will call unto all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and upon all its walls round about, and upon [those of] 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.
And I will call them to account touching all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burnt incense unto other gods, and have bowed down unto the works of their own hands.
17 Jiandae! Simama ukawaambie kila kitu ninachokuamuru. Usifdhaike mbele zao nisije nikakufadhaisha wewe mbele zao!
But do thou gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I may command thee; be not discouraged because of them, lest I humble thee 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.
But I, behold, I have made of thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls over 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.”
And [although] they fight against thee, they shall not prevail against thee; for with thee am I saith the Lord, to deliver thee.
