1 This book is the account of what was said by Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests of the town of Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. 2 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah, 3 and he spoke to him again when Josiah's son Jehoiakim was king. After that, the Lord spoke to him many times, until the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah. In the fifth month of that year the people of Jerusalem were taken into exile.
The Call of Jeremiah
4 The Lord said to me, 5 “I chose you before I gave you life, and before you were born I selected you to be a prophet to the nations.”
6 I answered, “Sovereign Lord, I don't know how to speak; I am too young.”
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say that you are too young, but go to the people I send you to, and tell them everything I command you to say. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I will be with you to protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
9 Then the Lord reached out, touched my lips, and said to me, “Listen, I am giving you the words you must speak. 10 Today I give you authority over nations and kingdoms to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
Two Visions
11 The Lord asked me, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
I answered, “A branch of an almond tree.”
12 “You are right,” the Lord said, “and I am watching to see that my words come true.”
13 Then the Lord spoke to me again. “What else do you see?” he asked.
I answered, “I see a pot boiling in the north, and it is about to tip over this way.”
14 He said to me, “Destruction will boil over from the north on all who live in this land, 15 because I am calling all the nations in the north to come. Their kings will set up their thrones at the gates of Jerusalem and around its walls and also around the other cities of Judah. 16 I will punish my people because they have sinned; they have abandoned me, have offered sacrifices to other gods, and have made idols and worshiped them. 17 Get ready, Jeremiah; go and tell them everything I command you to say. Do not be afraid of them now, or I will make you even more afraid when you are with them. 18-19 Listen, Jeremiah! Everyone in this land—the kings of Judah, the officials, the priests, and the people—will be against you. But today I am giving you the strength to resist them; you will be like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. They will not defeat you, for I will be with you to protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Omuxunganeki Jeremia ta ifanenwa oshilonga shomuxunganeki kuKalunga
1 Eendjovo daJeremia, omona waHilkia womovapristeli vokuAnatot, medu laBenjamin, 2 ou a hangika kondjovo yOmwene momafiku aJosia yaAmon, ohamba yaJuda momudo omutimulongo nomutitatu wepangelo laye, 3 nokwa hangikululwa momafiku aJehoiakim yaJosia, ohamba yaJuda, fiyo okexulilo lomudo omutimulongo nowotete waSedekia yaJosia, ohamba yaJuda, fiyo Ovajerusalem va twalwa moupika mohani onhinhano.
4 Ame onda hangika kondjovo yOmwene tai ti: 5 “Ame onde ku hoolola nokuli fimbo inandi ku shitila medimo lanyoko, nonde ku yapula, fimbo ino dja mo medimo lanyoko, ndele nde ku ninga omuxunganeki woiwana.” 6 Opo nee ame onda tya: “Akutu Omwene Kalunga! Tala, ame kandi shii kupopya, osheshi aame omunyasha.” 7 Ndelenee Omwene okwa lombwela nge, ta ti: “Ino tya: ‘Aame omunyasha,’ osheshi keshe apa handi ku tumu ou nokuya po, nakeshe eshi handi shi ku lombwele ou noku shi popya. 8 Ino va tila, osheshi Ame ondi li pamwe naave ndele handi ku xupifa.” Omwene osho ta ti. 9 Opo nee Omwene okwa nana eke laye nokwa kuma nge kokanya. Ndele Omwene okwa tya kwaame: “Tala, ohandi tula eendjovo dange mokanya koye. 10 Tala, nena eli ohandi ku tula po kombada yoiwana noyomauhamba oku i dikula po noku i nyona po, noku i hanauna po noku i tunga noku i twika.”
11 Ondjovo yOmwene oya hanga nge vali, ndele tai ti: “Jeremia, ove u wete shike?” Ndele nda nyamukula: Ondi wete oshitai shomuti waamandel. 12 Opo Omwene okwa lombwela nge: “Heeno, ou shi wete shili, osheshi Ame ohandi kala nokupashukila ondjovo yange ndi i wanife.”
13 Ndele ame nda hangika lutivali kondjovo yOmwene, ya tya: “Ove u wete shike?” Ndele ame nda nyamukula: “Ondi wete ombiya ya fuluka ya taalela koumbangalanhu.” 14 Opo Omwene okwa lombwela nge: “Oumbangalanhu oko taku di omupya tau hange oonakukalamo aveshe vomoshilongo. 15 Osheshi tala, Ame ohandi ifana oiwana aishe yomauhamba okoumbangalanhu, Omwene osho ta ti. Ndele vo otave uya ndele tave liyalele omalukalwapangelo, keshe umwe olukalwa laye, poivelo yaJerusalem nopeehotekuma adishe tadi shi dingilile, noilando aishe yaJuda. 16 Ndele Ame onda hala oku va hololela omatokolo ange molwowii wavo aushe, eshi ve liteeka nge, ndele va twimina oikalunga imwe ndele ve linyongamena koilonga yomake avo vene. 17 Ove hano limangeleka moshiya shoye, fikama u tonge kuvo adishe handi di ku lombwele. Ino va tila, opo Ame ndihe ku halukife moipafi yavo. 18 Osheshi tala, onena tuu eli ohandi ku ningi ohotengulu ya pama nongudi yoshivela nekumahote loshikushu okukondjifa oshilongo ashishe, eehamba daJuda, omalenga aye omakulunhu, ovapristeli noshiwana shomoshilongo. 19 Ndele vo otave ke ku lwifa, ndelenee itave ku dulu nande, osheshi Ame ondi li pwoove nohandi ku xupifa,” Omwene osho ta ti.
