1 Palavras de Jeremias, filho de Hilquias, um dos sacerdotes que estavam em Anatote, na terra de Benjamim; 2 a ele veio a palavra do Senhor, nos dias de Josias, filho de Amom e rei de Judá, no décimo terceiro ano do seu reinado; 3 e também nos dias de Jeoaquim, filho de Josias, rei de Judá, até ao fim do ano undécimo de Zedequias, filho de Josias, rei de Judá, e ainda até ao quinto mês do exílio de Jerusalém.

4 A mim me veio, pois, a palavra do Senhor, dizendo: 5 Antes que eu te formasse no ventre materno, eu te conheci, e, antes que saísses da madre, te consagrei, e te constituí profeta às nações. 6 Então, lhe disse eu: ah! Senhor Deus! Eis que não sei falar, porque não passo de uma criança. 7 Mas o Senhor me disse: Não digas: Não passo de uma criança; porque a todos a quem eu te enviar irás; e tudo quanto eu te mandar falarás. 8 Não temas diante deles, porque eu sou contigo para te livrar, diz o Senhor. 9 Depois, estendeu o Senhor a mão, tocou-me na boca e o Senhor me disse: Eis que ponho na tua boca as minhas palavras. 10 Olha que hoje te constituo sobre as nações e sobre os reinos, para arrancares e derribares, para destruíres e arruinares e também para edificares e para plantares.

11 Veio ainda a palavra do Senhor, dizendo: Que vês tu, Jeremias? Respondi: vejo uma vara de amendoeira. 12 Disse-me o Senhor: Viste bem, porque eu velo sobre a minha palavra para a cumprir.

13 Outra vez, me veio a palavra do Senhor, dizendo: Que vês? Eu respondi: vejo uma panela ao fogo, cuja boca se inclina do Norte. 14 Disse-me o Senhor: Do Norte se derramará o mal sobre todos os habitantes da terra. 15 Pois eis que convoco todas as tribos dos reinos do Norte, diz o Senhor; e virão, e cada reino porá o seu trono à entrada das portas de Jerusalém e contra todos os seus muros em redor e contra todas as cidades de Judá. 16 Pronunciarei contra os moradores destas as minhas sentenças, por causa de toda a malícia deles; pois me deixaram a mim, e queimaram incenso a deuses estranhos, e adoraram as obras das suas próprias mãos. 17 Tu, pois, cinge os lombos, dispõe-te e dize-lhes tudo quanto eu te mandar; não te espantes diante deles, para que eu não te infunda espanto na sua presença. 18 Eis que hoje te ponho por cidade fortificada, por coluna de ferro e por muros de bronze, contra todo o país, contra os reis de Judá, contra os seus príncipes, contra os seus sacerdotes e contra o seu povo. 19 Pelejarão contra ti, mas não prevalecerão; porque eu sou contigo, diz o Senhor, para te livrar.

1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: 2 to whom the word of Jehovah came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.

4 Now the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations. 6 Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am a child. 7 But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak. 8 Be not afraid because of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah. 9 Then Jehovah put forth his hand, and touched my mouth; and Jehovah said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth: 10 see, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.

11 Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree. 12 Then said Jehovah unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I watch over my word to perform it.

13 And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a boiling caldron; and the face thereof is from the north. 14 Then Jehovah said unto me, Out of the north evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith Jehovah; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. 16 And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands. 17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at them, lest I dismay thee before them. 18 For, behold, I have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. 19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to deliver thee.

1 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

2 The word of the LORD came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah,

3 and through the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.

4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew "you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

6 "Alas, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am too young."

7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.

8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.

9 Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "I have put my words in your mouth.

10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."

11 The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "I see the branch of an almond tree," I replied.

12 The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching "to see that my word is fulfilled."

13 The word of the LORD came to me again: "What do you see?" "I see a pot that is boiling," I answered. "It is tilting toward us from the north."

14 The LORD said to me, "From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land.

15 I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms," declares the LORD. "Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah.

16 I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.

17 "Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.

18 Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land —against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.

19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.