UJeremiya 1
1 La ngamazwi kaJeremiya indodana kaHilikhiya, omunye wabaphristi base-Anathothi elizweni lakoBhenjamini.
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.
2 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye ngomnyaka wetshumi lantathu ekubuseni kukaJosiya indodana ka-Amoni inkosi yakoJuda,
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 njalo ekubuseni kukaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, kwaze kwaba yinyanga yesihlanu emnyakeni wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngesikhathi sokuthunjwa kwabantu baseJerusalema.
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 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi,
Now Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
5 “Ngingakakubumbi esiswini ngakwazi, ungakazalwa ngakukhetha ngakubeka ukuba ngumphrofethi ezizweni.”
“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 Mina ngathi, “Awu Thixo Somandla; ukukhuluma angikwazi, ngoba ngingumntwana nje.”
Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”
7 Kodwa uThixo wathi kimi, “Ungaze wathi, ‘Ngingumntwana nje.’ Kumele uye kubo bonke engikuthuma kubo njalo utsho loba kuyini engikulaya khona.
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 Ungabesabi, ngoba mina ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,” kutsho uThixo.
Don’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh.
9 UThixo waseselula isandla sakhe wathinta umlomo wami wathi kimi, “Khathesi, sengifake amazwi ami emlonyeni wakho.
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 Khangela, lamhla ngikubeka phezu kwezizwe lemibuso ukuba usiphune udilize, ubhubhise njalo uchithe; ukuba wakhe njalo uhlanyele.”
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 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lathi, “Kuyini okubonayo, Jeremiya?” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Ngibona ugatsha lwesihlahla se-alimondi.”
Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Ubone kuhle, ngoba ngilindele ukubona ukuthi ilizwi lami ligcwalisekile.”
Then Yahweh said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.”
13 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi futhi: “Kuyini okubonayo?” Mina ngaphendula ngathi, “Ngibona imbiza ebilayo, ithambeke ifulathele inyakatho.”
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 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Incithakalo evela enyakatho izakwehliselwa phezu kwabo bonke abahlala elizweni.
Then Yahweh said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on all the inhabitants of the land.
15 Sekuseduze ukuba ngibize bonke abantu bemibuso yasenyakatho,” kutsho uThixo. “Amakhosi abo azakuza amise izihlalo zawo zobukhosi emasangweni aseJerusalema; bazakumelana lemiduli yalo yonke eligombolozeleyo kanye lamadolobho wonke akoJuda.
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 Ngizamemezela ukwahlulela kwami ebantwini bami ngenxa yobubi babo bokungidela, betshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha, langokukhonza lokho okwenziwa ngezandla zabo.
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 Wena zilungiselele! Sukuma ubatshele lokho engizakulaya khona. Ungathuthumeliswa yibo hlezi ngikwenze uthuthumele phambi kwabo.
“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 Lamhla sengikwenze waba lidolobho elivikelweyo, insika yensimbi lomduli wethusi ukuba umelane lelizwe lonke, umelane lamakhosi akoJuda, izikhulu zakhona, abaphristi bakhona kanye labantu bakhona.
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 Bazakulwa lawe, kodwa kabayikukwehlula, ngoba ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,” kutsho uThixo.
They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says Yahweh, “to rescue you.”
