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].
Pawòl a Jérémie yo, fis a Hilkija a, yon nan prèt yo ki te nan Anathoth nan peyi Benjamin.
2 Yahweh started to give me these messages when Josiah had been ruling Judah for almost 13 years.
Pawòl SENYÈ a te vini kote li nan jou Josias yo, fis a Amon an, wa Juda a, nan trèzyèm ane règn li an.
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].
Li te anplis, vin rive nan jou Jojakim yo, fis a Josias la, wa Juda a, jis rive nan fen onzyèm ane Sédécias, fis a Josias la, wa Juda a, jis rive nan egzil a Jérusalem nan senkyèm mwa a.
4 [One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
Alò, pawòl SENYÈ a te vin kote mwen e te di:
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.”
Avan Mwen te fòme ou nan vant, Mwen te konnen ou, e avan ou te fèt mwen te konsakre ou. Mwen te deziye ou kon yon pwofèt a nasyon yo.
6 I replied, “O, Yahweh my God, I am [not qualified to] speak [for you], because I am very young!”
Konsa, mwen te di: “Malè a mwen, Senyè BONDYE! Gade byen, mwen pa menm konnen kijan pou m pale, paske mwen se sèlman yon jennonm.”
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.
Men SENYÈ a te di mwen: “Pa di: ‘Mwen se sèlman yon jennonm’, paske tout kote Mwen voye ou, ou va ale, e tout sa ke Mwen kòmande ou, ou va pale l.
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!”
Pa pè yo, Paske Mwen avèk ou pou delivre ou”, SENYÈ a di.
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).
Epi SENYÈ a te lonje men L e te touche bouch mwen. Konsa, SENYÈ a te di mwen: “Gade byen, Mwen te mete pawòl Mwen nan bouch ou.
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.”
Ou wè, Mwen te deziye ou nan jou sa a sou nasyon yo, ak sou wayòm yo, pou rache, pou demoli, pou detwi, pou boulvèse, pou bati ak pou plante.”
11 Then Yahweh said to me, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
Pawòl SENYÈ a te rive kote mwen. Li te di: “Se kisa ou wè, Jérémie?” Mwen te reponn: “Mwen wè yon bout branch zanmann.”
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.”
Konsa, SENYÈ a te di mwen: “Ou te wè byen; paske Mwen ap veye sou pawòl Mwen pou pawòl Mwen vin fèt.”
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.”
Pawòl SENYÈ a te vin kote mwen yon dezyèm fwa epi te di: “Se kisa ou wè”? Epi mwen te di: “Mwen wè yon chodyè k ap bouyi, k ap apiye fas li kont nò a.”
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].
Konsa, SENYÈ a te di mwen: “Depi nan nò a, mal la va pete vin parèt sou tout sila ki rete nan peyi a.
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.
Paske gade byen, Mwen ap rele tout fanmi a wayòm yo nan nò”, deklare SENYÈ a; “Yo va vini, e yo chak va plase twòn yo nan antre pòtay Jérusalem nan, kont tout miray antoure li yo, e kont tout vil Juda yo.
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!
Mwen va pwononse jijman Mwen sou yo pou tout mechanste yo, akòz yo te abandone Mwen, te ofri sakrifis a lòt dye yo, e te adore pwòp zèv men pa yo.
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!
“Alò, pou sa a, mare senti ou, epi leve pou pale yo tout sa ke M kòmande ou. Pa pè devan yo, sinon Mwen va fè ou pè devan yo.
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.
Gade byen, Mwen te fè ou menm jodi a kon yon vil fòtifye, kon yon pilye fè e kon miray an bwonz kont yon peyi nèt—a wa Juda yo, ak prens li yo, vè prèt li yo e a pèp a peyi a.
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!”
Yo va goumen kont ou, men yo p ap reyisi; paske Mwen avèk ou pou delivre ou,” deklare SENYÈ a.
