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 Vārdi, ko teicis Jeremija, kura tēvs Hilkija bija no priesteriem, kas Anātotā, Benjāmina zemē. 2 Jūdas ķēniņa Jošijāhu, Amona dēla, valdīšanas trīspadsmitajā gadā pār viņu nāca Kunga vārds. 3 Tas nāca pār viņu arī Jūdas ķēniņa Jehojākīma, Jošijāhu dēla, laikā un līdz pat Jūdas ķēniņa Cedekijas, Jošijāhu dēla, vienpadsmitajam gadam – līdz pat Jeruzālemes trimdas piektajam mēnesim.
Jeremijas aicinājums
4 Pār mani nāca Kunga vārds:
5 “Pirms tevi radīju mātes miesās,
es jau pazinu tevi,
pirms vēl tu pameti mātes klēpi,
es jau svētīju tevi,
par pravieti tautām es iecēlu tevi.”
6 Es teicu: “Ak, Kungs Dievs!
Es nezinu, ko lai runāju,
es esmu vēl zēns!”
7 Kungs man teica:
“Nesaki: es esmu vēl zēns, –
jo tu iesi visur, kurp tevi sūtīšu, un runāsi visu, ko pavēlēšu!
8 Nebaidies no viņiem, es esmu ar tevi!
Es glābšu tevi!” saka Kungs.
9 Kungs izstiepa savu roku un pieskārās manai mutei, Kungs teica: “Redzi, es ielieku savus vārdus tev mutē! 10 Redzi, šodien es tevi ceļu pār tautām un valstībām, lai tu rautu un plēstu, izdeldētu un plosītu, celtu un dēstītu.”
Līdzības par mandeļkoka zaru un verdošu katlu
11 Un pār mani nāca Kunga vārds: “Ko tu redzi, Jeremija?” Es sacīju: “Redzu mandeļkoka zaru.” 12 Kungs man sacīja: “Tu taču redzi, ka es esmu nomodā par to, lai mans vārds tiktu pildīts.”
13 Un Kunga vārds nāca pār mani otrreiz: “Ko tu redzi?”
Es teicu: “Es redzu verdošu katlu, kas no ziemeļiem gāžas.”
14 Tad Kungs man teica:
“No ziemeļiem gāzīsies ļaunums
pār visiem, kas apdzīvo zemi.
15 Jo es sasaukšu
visas ziemeļu ķēniņvalstu ciltis,
saka Kungs,
tās nāks un visas
liks savu troni Jeruzālemes vārtu priekšā,
apkārt tās mūriem un
ap visām pilsētām Jūdā.
16 Tad es teikšu savu spriedumu
viņu ļaunumam, ka tie mani atmetuši
un kvēpinājuši citiem dieviem,
zemojušies savu roku darinājumiem.
17 Bet tu joz savus gurnus,
celies un saki tiem visu, ko es pavēlu!
Nebaidies no tiem, lai man
nav tevi jāizbiedē viņu priekšā!
18 Redzi, šodien es tevi daru
par nocietinātu pilsētu,
par dzelzs stabu, par vara mūri
pār visu zemi, –
pret visiem Jūdas ķēniņiem,
augstmaņiem, priesteriem,
pret visiem ļaudīm.
19 Tie gan pret tevi cīnīsies,
bet nepievārēs tevi,
jo es esmu ar tevi,
saka Kungs,
es glābšu tevi!”
