1 My name is Jeremiah. I am a priest, and my father Hilkiah and everyone else in my family are from Anathoth in the territory of the Benjamin tribe. This book contains the things that the Lord told me to say. 2 The Lord first spoke to me in the thirteenth year that Josiah was king of Judah, 3 and he continued to speak to me during the rule of Josiah's son Jehoiakim. The last time the Lord spoke to me was in the fifth month of the eleventh year that Josiah's son Zedekiah was king. That was also when the people of Jerusalem were taken away as prisoners.
The Lord Chooses Jeremiah
4 The Lord said:
5 “Jeremiah, I am your Creator,
and before you were born,
I chose you to speak for me
to the nations.”
6 I replied, “I'm not a good speaker, Lord, and I'm too young.”
7 “Don't say you're too young,” the Lord answered. “If I tell you to go and speak to someone, then go! And when I tell you what to say, don't leave out a word! 8 I promise to be with you and keep you safe, so don't be afraid.”
9 The Lord reached out his hand, then he touched my mouth and said, “I am giving you the words to say, 10 and I am sending you with authority to speak to the nations for me. You will tell them of doom and destruction, and of rising and rebuilding again.”
11 The Lord showed me something in a vision. Then he asked, “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
I answered, “A branch of almonds that ripen early.”
12 “That's right,” the Lord replied, “and I always rise early to keep a promise.”
13 Then the Lord showed me something else and asked, “What do you see now?”
I answered, “I see a pot of boiling water in the north, and it's about to spill out toward us.”
14 The Lord said:
I will pour out destruction
all over the land.
15 Just watch while I send
for the kings of the north.
They will attack and capture
Jerusalem and other towns,
then set up their thrones
at the gates of Jerusalem.
16 I will punish my people,
because they are guilty
of turning from me
to worship idols.
17 Jeremiah, get ready!
Go and tell the people
what I command you to say.
Don't be frightened by them,
or I will make you terrified
while they watch.
18 My power will make you strong
like a fortress
or a column of iron
or a wall of bronze.
You will oppose all of Judah,
including its kings and leaders,
its priests and people.
19 They will fight back,
but they won't win.
I, the Lord, give my word—
I won't let them harm you.
1 Ndhika oohapu dhaJeremia yaHilkia, gumwe gwomaayambi yokuAnatot mOshikandjo shaBenjamin. 2 Oohapu dhOmuwa odha adha Jeremia momumvo omutimulongo nomutitatu gwepangelo lyaJosia yaAmmon, omukwaniilwa gwaJuda, 3 niishewe muuyuni waJehoiakim yaJosia, omukwaniilwa gwaJuda, sigo omomwedhi omutitano gwomomumvo omutimulongo nagumwe gwepangelo lyaSedekia yaJosia, omukwaniilwa gwaJuda, uuna Aajerusalem ya falwa muupongekwa.
Eithano lyaJeremia
4 Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: 5 “Onde ku hogolola, manga inaandi ku shitila moshivalelo shanyoko, nomanga inoo valwa, onde ku yapula nonde ku lenge omuhunganeki gwiigwana.”
6 Onda yamukula nda ti: “Omuwa Omupangeliawike, kandi shi okupopya, oshoka ngame omunona.”
7 Ihe Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: “Ino tya, ngoye omunona; inda kaantu mboka tandi ku tumu kuyo, ngoye u ya lombwele ashihe tandi shi ku lombwele, u shi popye. 8 Ino ya tila, oshoka ondi li pungoye notandi ku gamene. Ongame Omuwa nda popi!”
9 Omuwa okwa ganeke oshikaha she ta gumu omilungu dhandje e ta lombwele ndje ta ti: “Tala, otandi tula oohapu dhandje mokana koye. 10 Otandi ku lenge u vule iigwana niilongo, opo u dhikule nokuhalakanitha, u hanagule nokuhata pevi nou tungulule nokutsika.”
Omamoniko gaali
11 Omuwa okwa pula ndje a ti: “Jeremia, ou wete shike?”
Onda yamukula: “Ondi wete oshitayi shomuti omumandeli.”
12 Omuwa okwa ti: “Ou li mondjila, otandi tonata ndi tale oohapu dhandje dhi tsakanithwe.”
13 Omuwa okwa pula ndje ishewe a ti: “Ou wete shike?”
Onda yamukula: “Ondi wete ombiga yi li kuumbangalantu, tayi fuluka, ye endamena kuumbangalantu.”
14 Omuwa okwa ti kungame: “Kuumbangalantu okwo taku zi oshiponga shoka tashi ka adha oonakukala moshilongo, 15 oshoka otandi ithana iigwana ayihe yokuumbangalantu yi ye. Aakwaniilwa yayo otaa ka tula iipangelapundi yawo pomiyelo dhaJerusalem nokukunduka omankolo gasho nokukunduka wo iilando yilwe yaJuda. 16 Otandi ka geela aantu yandje, oshoka oya yono, oye etha ndje, oya yambele iikalunga iikwiilongo noya hambula iimenka e taye yi longele. 17 Jeremia, ilongekidha, u ye u ka lombwele aantu ayihe mbyoka nde ku lombwele u yi ya lombwele. Ino ya tila, opo ndaaye ku tule uumbanda, ngele to kala puyo. 18 Nena ndjika otandi ku ningi oshilando sha kola, ongundhi yosheela nekuma lyoshikushu okukondjitha oshilongo ashihe, aakwaniilwa yaJuda, omalenga, naayambi. Aantu yomoshilongo 19 otaye ke ku kondjitha, ihe itaye ku sindi, oshoka ondi li pamwe nangoye notandi ku hupitha. Ongame Omuwa nda popi.”
