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.”
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!”
