Jeremiah 1
1 [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].
Esiawoe nye Yeremia, Hilkia ƒe vi ƒe nyawo. Hilkia nye Nunɔla siwo nɔ Anatɔt le Benyaminyigba dzi la dometɔ ɖeka.
2 Yahweh started to give me these messages when Josiah had been ruling Judah for almost 13 years.
Yehowa ƒe nya va nɛ le Yuda fia Yosia, Amon ƒe vi ƒe fiaɖuɖu ƒe ƒe wuietɔ̃lia me.
3 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].
Egblɔ nya ɖi le Yehoyakim, Yosia ƒe vi, Yuda fia ƒe ɣeyiɣiwo me hã va se ɖe Yuda fia, Zedekia, Yosia ƒe vi ƒe fiaɖuɖu ƒe ƒe wuiɖekɛlia ƒe ɣleti atɔ̃lia me. Ɣe ma ɣie wokplɔ Yerusalem nɔlawo yi aboyo mee.
4 [One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
Yehowa ƒe nya va nam be,
5 “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.”
“Hafi mava me wò ɖe dawò ƒe dɔ me la, menya wò; hafi woava dzi wò la, mekɔ ŋutiwò da ɖi eye meɖo wò Nyagblɔɖilae na dukɔwo.”
6 I replied, “O, Yahweh my God, I am [not qualified to] speak [for you], because I am very young!”
Ke megblɔ be, “O, Aƒetɔ Mawu, nyemenya nuƒoƒo o eye ɖevi ko meganye.”
7 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.
Ke Yehowa gblɔ nam be, “Mègagblɔ be, ‘Ɖevi ko menye’ o. Ele na wò be nàyi ame sia ame si gbɔ medɔ wò ɖo eye nàwɔ nu sia nu si ƒe se mede na wò.
8 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!”
Mègavɔ̃ na wo o, elabena meli kpli wò be maɖe wò.” Yehowae gblɔe.
9 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).
Emegbe Yehowa do eƒe asi ɖa tsɔ tɔ nu nam eye wògblɔ nam be, “Azɔ metsɔ nye nyawo de wò nu me.
10 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.”
Kpɔ ɖa, egbe meɖo wò nyagblɔɖilae na dukɔwo kple fiaɖuƒewo be nàho nu, avuvu nu, agblẽ nu, amu nuwo aƒu anyi, nàtso aƒe, eye nàdo nu.”
11 Then Yahweh said to me, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
Yehowa ƒe nya va nam bena, “Nu ka kpɔm nèle, Yeremia?” Meɖo eŋu be, “Mele yevuziti ƒe alɔdze kpɔm.”
12 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.”
Yehowa ƒe nya va nam be, “Èkpɔe tututu, elabena manɔ ŋute akpɔ egbɔ be nye nya va eme.”
13 [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.”
Yehowa ƒe nya gava nam be, “Nu ka kpɔm nèle?” Meɖo eŋu be, “Mekpɔ ze si me tsi le fiefiem le, eye wòviã ɖe anyiehe gome.”
14 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].
Yehowa gblɔ nam be, “Gbegblẽ atso anyiehe ava ƒo ɖe anyigbadzinɔlawo katã dzi.
15 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.
Esusɔ vie maƒo dzigbemefiaɖuƒe la me nɔlawo katã nu ƒu.” Yehowae gblɔe. “Woƒe fiawo ava li woƒe fiazikpuiwo anyi ɖe Yerusalem ƒe agbowo nu, woava ɖe to ɖe eƒe gliwo katã kple Yuda duwo katã ŋu.
16 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!
Mabu fɔ nye amewo ɖe nu vɔ̃ɖi si wowɔ hegblẽm ɖi, eye wodo dzudzɔ ʋeʋĩ na mawu bubuwo hesubɔ nu siwo woawo ŋutɔ wɔ kple asi la ta.
17 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!
“Dzra ɖokuiwò ɖo! Tso kpla ne nàgblɔ nu siwo katã megblɔ na wò la na wo. Womegadzi ŋɔ na wò o, ne menye nenema o la, mado ŋɔdzi na wò le wo ŋkume.
18 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.
Kpɔ ɖa, egbe mewɔ wò nènye du si woɖo gli sesẽwo ƒo xlãe. Mewɔ wò gasɔti kple akɔbliglii, be nàtsi tsitre ɖe anyigba blibo la ŋuti, ɖe Yuda fiawo, woƒe dumegãwo, nunɔlawo kple anyigbadzinɔlawo katã ŋuti.
19 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!”
Woawɔ avu kpli wò, gake womaɖu dziwò o, elabena meli kpli wò be maɖe wò.” Yehowae gblɔe.
