Jeremiah 38
1 Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchijah heard that Jeremiah had been telling all the people:
Shefatia mwana wa Matani, na Gedalia mwana wa Pashuri, na Yehukali mwana wa Shelemia, na Pashuri mwana wa Malkiya wakasikia kile Yeremia alichokuwa akiwaambia watu wote wakati aliposema,
2 “This is what the LORD says: Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war, and he will live.
“Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: ‘Yeyote akaaye ndani ya mji huu atakufa kwa upanga, njaa au tauni, lakini yeyote atakayejisalimisha kwa Wakaldayo ataishi. Atakayeyatoa maisha yake kama nyara, ataishi.’
3 This is what the LORD says: This city will surely be delivered into the hands of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.”
Tena hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: ‘Mji huu kwa hakika utatiwa mikononi mwa jeshi la mfalme wa Babeli, ambaye atauteka.’”
4 Then the officials said to the king, “This man ought to die, for he is discouraging the warriors who remain in this city, as well as all the people, by speaking such words to them; this man is not seeking the well-being of these people, but their ruin.”
Ndipo maafisa wakamwambia mfalme, “Mtu huyu imempasa kuuawa. Anawakatisha tamaa askari waliobaki katika mji huu, vivyo hivyo na watu wote pia, kwa ajili ya mambo anayowaambia. Mtu huyu hawatakii mema watu hawa, bali maangamizi yao.”
5 “Here he is,” replied King Zedekiah. “He is in your hands, since the king can do nothing to stop you.”
Mfalme Sedekia akajibu, “Yeye yuko mikononi mwenu! Mfalme hawezi kufanya lolote kuwapinga ninyi.”
6 So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.
Basi wakamchukua Yeremia na kumtia kwenye kisima cha Malkiya, mwana wa mfalme, kilichokuwa katika ua wa walinzi. Wakamteremsha Yeremia kwa kamba ndani ya kisima. Hakikuwa na maji ndani yake, ila tope tu, naye Yeremia akazama ndani ya matope.
7 Now Ebed-melech the Cushite, a court official in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah had been put into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin,
Lakini Ebed-Meleki Mkushi, aliyekuwa afisa katika jumba la kifalme, akasikia kuwa walikuwa wamemtia Yeremia ndani ya kisima. Wakati mfalme alipokuwa ameketi katika Lango la Benyamini,
8 Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and said to the king,
Ebed-Meleki akatoka nje ya jumba la kifalme na kumwambia,
9 “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.”
“Mfalme bwana wangu, watu hawa wamefanya uovu kwa yote waliomtendea nabii Yeremia. Wamemtupa ndani ya kisima, mahali ambapo atakufa kwa njaa wakati ambapo hakuna chakula popote katika mji.”
10 So the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”
Basi mfalme akamwamuru Ebed-Meleki Mkushi, akisema, “Chukua watu thelathini kutoka hapa pamoja nawe, mkamtoe nabii Yeremia huko kwenye kisima kabla hajafa.”
11 Then Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the king’s palace, to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.
Basi Ebed-Meleki akawachukua watu pamoja naye, wakaenda mpaka kwenye chumba kilichoko chini ya hazina ndani ya jumba la kifalme. Akachukua matambaa makuukuu pamoja na nguo zilizochakaa kutoka huko, na kumshushia Yeremia kwa kamba ndani ya kisima.
12 Ebed-melech the Cushite cried out to Jeremiah, “Put these worn-out rags and clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so,
Ebed-Meleki Mkushi akamwambia Yeremia, “Weka haya matambaa makuukuu na hizo nguo zilizochakaa makwapani ili kuzuia kamba.” Yeremia akafanya hivyo,
13 and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.
nao wakamvuta juu kwa kamba na kumtoa katika kisima. Yeremia akakaa katika ua wa walinzi.
14 Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance to the house of the LORD. “I am going to ask you something,” said the king to Jeremiah. “Do not hide anything from me.”
Ndipo Mfalme Sedekia akatuma watu wamwitie nabii Yeremia wamlete kwake kwenye ingilio la tatu la Hekalu la Bwana. Mfalme akamwambia Yeremia, “Ninataka kukuuliza jambo fulani, usinifiche kitu chochote.”
15 “If I tell you,” Jeremiah replied, “you will surely put me to death. And even if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”
Yeremia akamwambia Sedekia, “Nikikupa jibu, je, hutaniua? Hata kama nikikupa shauri, wewe hutanisikiliza.”
16 But King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us this life, I will not kill you, nor will I deliver you into the hands of these men who are seeking your life.”
Lakini Mfalme Sedekia akamwapia Yeremia kiapo hiki kwa siri, akisema, “Hakika kama aishivyo Bwana, ambaye ametupa pumzi, sitakuua wala sitakutia mikononi mwa wale wanaotafuta uhai wako.”
17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive.
Kisha Yeremia akamwambia Sedekia, “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli: ‘Ikiwa utajisalimisha kwa maafisa wa mfalme wa Babeli, maisha yako yatasalimika, na mji huu hautateketezwa kwa moto. Pia wewe na jamaa yako mtaishi.
18 But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’”
Lakini ikiwa hutajisalimisha kwa maafisa wa mfalme wa Babeli, mji huu utatiwa mikononi mwa Wakaldayo na watauteketeza kwa moto, nawe mwenyewe hutaweza kujiokoa mikononi mwao.’”
19 But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands to abuse me.”
Mfalme Sedekia akamwambia Yeremia, “Ninawaogopa Wayahudi ambao wamekimbilia kwa Wakaldayo, kwa kuwa Wakaldayo wanaweza kunitia mikononi mwao, nao wakanitenda vibaya.”
20 “They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey the voice of the LORD in what I am telling you, that it may go well with you and you may live.
Yeremia akajibu, “Hawatakutia mikononi mwao. Mtii Bwana kwa kufanya kile ninachokuambia. Kisha utafanikiwa na maisha yako yatakuwa salama.
21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the LORD has shown me:
Lakini ukikataa kujisalimisha, hili ndilo Bwana alilonifunulia:
22 All the women who remain in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon, and those women will say: ‘They misled you and overcame you— those trusted friends of yours. Your feet sank into the mire, and they deserted you.’
Wanawake wote walioachwa katika jumba la kifalme la mfalme wa Yuda wataletwa mbele ya maafisa wa mfalme wa Babeli. Wanawake hao watakuambia: “‘Walikupotosha na kukushinda, wale rafiki zako uliowaamini. Miguu yako imezama matopeni; rafiki zako wamekuacha.’
23 All your wives and children will be brought out to the Chaldeans. And you yourself will not escape their grasp, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down.”
“Wake zako wote na watoto wataletwa na kutiwa mikononi mwa Wakaldayo. Wewe mwenyewe hutaweza kujiokoa mikononi mwao. Lakini utatekwa na mfalme wa Babeli, na mji huu utateketezwa kwa moto.”
24 Then Zedekiah warned Jeremiah, “Do not let anyone know about this conversation, or you will die.
Kisha Sedekia akamwambia Yeremia, “Usiruhusu mtu yeyote ajue kuhusu haya mazungumzo, la sivyo utakufa.
25 If the officials hear that I have spoken with you, and they come and demand of you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what he said to you; do not hide it from us, or we will kill you,’
Maafisa wakisikia kwamba nimezungumza nawe, nao wakakujia na kusema, ‘Tuambie kile ulichozungumza na mfalme na kile mfalme alichokuambia, usitufiche au sivyo tutakuua,’
26 then tell them, ‘I was presenting to the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.’”
basi waambie, ‘Nilikuwa ninamsihi mfalme asinirudishe kwenye nyumba ya Yonathani nisije nikafia humo.’”
27 When all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him, he relayed to them the exact words the king had commanded him to say. So they said no more to him, for no one had overheard the conversation.
Maafisa wote wakamjia Yeremia na kumuuliza, naye Yeremia akawaambia kila kitu mfalme alichomwagiza kusema. Kisha hawakusema lolote zaidi na Yeremia kwa sababu hakuna yeyote aliyesikia mazungumzo yake na mfalme.
28 And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured.
Naye Yeremia akabaki katika ua wa walinzi hadi siku Yerusalemu ilipotekwa.
