Jeremiah 40
1 This is the Lord's message that came to Jeremiah after Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard had released him at Ramah Nebuzaradan had discovered Jeremiah bound in chains along with all the prisoners from Jerusalem and Judah who were being taken into exile in Babylon.
Neno likamjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana baada ya Nebuzaradani kiongozi wa walinzi wa mfalme kumfungua huko Rama. Alikuwa amemkuta Yeremia akiwa amefungwa kwa minyororo miongoni mwa mateka wote kutoka Yerusalemu na Yuda waliokuwa wakipelekwa uhamishoni Babeli.
2 When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah and he told him, “The Lord your God announced that disaster would come to this place,
Kiongozi wa walinzi alipomwona Yeremia, akamwambia, “Bwana Mungu wako aliamuru maafa haya kwa mahali hapa.
3 and now the Lord has made it happen—he has done just what he said he would. This happened to you people because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey what he said.
Sasa Bwana ameyaleta haya, amefanya sawasawa na vile alivyosema angefanya. Yote haya yametokea kwa sababu ninyi mlifanya dhambi dhidi ya Bwana na hamkumtii.
4 But notice that now I'm removing the chains from your wrists and releasing you. If you want to come with me to Babylon then you can come, and I will look after you. But if you think it's a bad idea to come with me to Babylon, you don't have to go any farther. Look, you're free to go anywhere in the country. Go wherever is good for you—do what you think is right.”
Lakini leo ninakufungua minyororo iliyo kwenye viwiko vya mikono yako. Twende pamoja mpaka Babeli ikiwa unataka, nami nitakutunza. Lakini kama hutaki, basi usije. Tazama, nchi yote iko mbele yako, nenda kokote unakotaka.”
5 Since Jeremiah didn't answer right away, Nebuzaradan went on, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan. He's been appointed as governor over Judah by the king of Babylon. You can stay with him with your people, or you can go anywhere you want.” The commander of the guard gave him a food allowance and some money and let him go.
Lakini kabla Yeremia hajageuka kuondoka, Nebuzaradani akaongeza kusema, “Rudi kwa Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu mwana wa Shafani, ambaye mfalme wa Babeli amemchagua awe juu ya miji ya Yuda, ukaishi naye miongoni mwa watu, au uende popote panapokupendeza.” Kisha huyo kiongozi akampa posho yake na zawadi, akamwacha aende zake.
6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him with the people who were still left in the country.
Kwa hiyo Yeremia akaenda kwa Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu huko Mispa, na kuishi naye miongoni mwa watu walioachwa katika nchi.
7 The Judean army commanders and their men who were still in field found out that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor of the country and had put him in charge of the poorest people of the country—the men, women, and children who hadn't been exiled to Babylon.
Maafisa wote wa jeshi na watu wao waliokuwa bado wapo kwenye eneo la wazi waliposikia kwamba mfalme wa Babeli amemteua Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu kuwa mtawala wa nchi, na amemweka kuwa kiongozi wa wanaume, wanawake na watoto waliokuwa maskini zaidi katika nchi ambao hawakuchukuliwa kwenda uhamishoni Babeli,
8 So they along with their men came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maacathite.
wakamjia Gedalia huko Mispa. Hawa walikuwa Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania, Yohanani na Yonathani wana wa Karea, Seraya mwana wa Tanhumethi, wana wa Efai Mnetofathi, na Yezania mwana wa Mmaaka, pamoja na watu wao.
9 Geladaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, made them a solemn promise, saying, “Don't worry about serving the Babylonians. Stay here in the country and serve the king of Babylon, and things will go well for you.
Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu mwana wa Shafani akaapa ili kuwatia moyo wao na watu wao. Akasema: “Msiogope kuwatumikia Wakaldayo. Kaeni katika nchi na kumtumikia mfalme wa Babeli, na itakuwa vyema kwenu.
10 I myself will stay here in Mizpah to represent you to the Babylonians when they come to meet with us. You yourselves should get busy harvesting grapes and summer fruit and olive oil, storing them in jars, and living in the towns you have occupied.”
Mimi mwenyewe nitakaa Mispa ili kuwawakilisha mbele ya Wakaldayo wanaotujia, lakini ninyi mtavuna divai, matunda ya kiangazi na mafuta, nanyi mtaweka katika vyombo vyenu vya kuhifadhia, na kuishi katika miji mliyojitwalia.”
11 Those people of Judea who were living in Moab, Ammon, Edom, and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left some people behind in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as their governor.
Wayahudi wote waliokuwa Moabu, Amoni, Edomu na nchi nyingine zote waliposikia kwamba mfalme wa Babeli ameacha mabaki ya watu katika Yuda na amemweka Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu mwana wa Shafani kuwa mtawala wao,
12 So they all came back from the different places where they'd been scattered and went to Gedaliah at Mizpah in Judah. They were able to harvest a large quantity of grapes and summer fruit.
wakarudi wote katika nchi ya Yuda kwa Gedalia huko Mispa, kutoka nchi zote ambazo walikuwa wametawanywa. Nao wakavuna divai na matunda tele wakati wa kiangazi.
13 Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the men in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah
Yohanani mwana wa Karea pamoja na maafisa wote wa jeshi waliokuwa bado wapo kwenye eneo la wazi wakamjia Gedalia huko Mispa
14 and told him, “Do you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to kill you?” But Gedaliah didn't believe them.
na kumwambia, “Je, hujui kwamba Baalisi mfalme wa Waamoni amemtuma Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania akuue?” Lakini Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu hakuwaamini.
15 Johanan went and talked privately to Gedaliah at Mizpah. “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah,” he told him. “No one will find out. Why should he be allowed to kill you? All the people of Judah who have joined you would be scattered, so that even those who have survived here would be killed!”
Kisha Yohanani mwana wa Karea akamwambia Gedalia kwa siri huko Mispa, “Acha niende nikamuue Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania, wala hakuna atakayejua. Kwa nini akuue na kusababisha Wayahudi wote waliokuzunguka watawanyike, na mabaki wa Yuda waangamie?”
16 But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “Don't do it! What you're saying about Ishmael isn't true.”
Lakini Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu akamwambia Yohanani mwana wa Karea, “Usifanye jambo kama hilo! Unalosema kuhusu Ishmaeli si kweli.”
