Jeremiah 39
1 After King Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost nine years, King Nebuchadnezzar came in January with his army, and they surrounded Jerusalem.
Mu mwaka ogwomwenda ogw’obufuzi kwa Zeddekiya kabaka wa Yuda, mu mwezi ogw’ekkumi, Nebukadduneeza kabaka w’e Babulooni, n’alumba Yerusaalemi, n’eggye lye lyonna, n’akizingiza.
2 One and a half years later, after Zedekiah had been ruling for almost eleven years, on July 18, [soldiers from Babylonia] broke through the city [wall. Then they rushed in and captured the city].
Ku lunaku olw’omwenda olw’omwezi ogwokuna ogw’omwaka ogw’ekkumi n’ogumu ogw’obufuzi kwa Zeddekiya, ekisenge ky’ekibuga kyabotolwa.
3 Then all the officers of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate [to decide what they would do to the city. They included] Nergal-Sharezer from Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim who was one of the chief army officers, another Nergal-Sharezer, the king’s advisor, and many other officials.
Awo Nerugalusalezeeri, ne Samugaluneebo, ne Salusekimu, ne Labusalisi, ne Nerugalusalezeeri, ne Labumagi, n’abakungu abalala bonna aba kabaka w’e Babulooni ne bajja ne batuula mu mulyango ogwa wakati ogwa Yerusaalemi.
4 When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers realized that [the army of Babylonia had broken into the city], they fled. [They waited until] it was dark. Then they went out of the city through the king’s garden, through the gate that was between the two walls. Then they started [running] toward the Jordan River Valley.
Awo Zeddekiya kabaka wa Yuda n’abaserikale be bonna bwe babalaba ne bava mu kibuga kiro ne badduka; ne bayita mu nnimiro ya kabaka, nga bayita mu mulyango wakati w’ebisenge ebibiri, ne boolekera Alaba.
5 But the soldiers from Babylonia pursued the king, and they caught him on the plains near Jericho. They took him to the King of Babylon, who was at Riblah [town] in the Hamath [region]. There the king of Babylon told [his soldiers what] they should do to punish Zedekiah.
Naye eggye ly’Abakaludaaya ne libagoba ne lisanga Zeddekiya mu nsenyi ez’e Yeriko, ne bamuwamba, ne bamuleeta eri kabaka Nebukadduneeza ow’e Babulooni e Libuna mu nsi y’e Kamasi; n’amusalira eyo omusango.
6 They forced Zedekiah to watch while they killed his sons and all the officials from Judah.
Kabaka w’e Babulooni n’attira batabani ba Zeddekiya mu maaso ga kitaabwe e Libuna, era kabaka w’e Babulooni n’atta abakungu ba Yuda bonna.
7 [Then] they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes. They fastened him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
Nebukadduneeza n’aggyamu Zeddekiya amaaso, n’amusiba mu masamba n’amutwala e Babulooni.
8 [Meanwhile, ] the Babylonian army burned the palace and all the other buildings in Jerusalem. And they tore down the city walls.
Abakaludaaya ne bookya ennyumba ya kabaka n’ennyumba z’abantu, ne bamenya n’ebisenge bya Yerusaalemi.
9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the [king’s] bodyguards, forced to go to Babylon [most of] the other people who remained in the city and the Jews who had joined the soldiers of Babylonia.
Awo Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi w’eggye n’atwala abantu abaali basigaddewo mu kibuga, n’abo abaali bamwegasseeko, n’abo abaali basigaddewo mu bifo ebirala, e Babulooni.
10 But he allowed some of the very poor people to remain in Judah, and he gave them vineyards and fields [to take care of].
Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi w’eggye, n’aleka abamu ku bantu abaavu abaali batalina kantu, mu nsi ya Yuda; n’abawa ebibanja n’ennimiro z’emizabbibu.
11 King Nebuchadnezzar had [previously] told Nebuzaradan to find me. He said,
Awo Nebukadduneeza kabaka w’e Babulooni yali awadde Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi w’eggye lya kabaka w’e Babulooni, ebiragiro bino ebikwata ku Yeremiya ng’amugamba nti,
12 “Make sure that no one harms him. Take care of him, and do for him whatever he requests you to do.”
“Mmutwale omulabirire: tomubonyaabonya wabula mukolere byonna by’ayagala.”
13 So he and Nebushazban, who was one of their chief officers, and Nergal-Sharezer the king’s advisor, and other officers of the King of Babylon
Awo Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi w’eggye, ne Nebusazibaani omukungu ow’oku ntikko ne Nerugalusalezeeri, ne Labumagi, n’abakungu bonna aba kabaka w’e Babulooni,
14 sent [some men] to bring me out of the courtyard outside of the palace. They took me to Gedaliah who was the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. Then Gedaliah took me to my home, and I stayed [in Judah] among [my own] people [who had been allowed to remain there].
ne batumya ne baggya Yeremiya mu luggya lw’abaserikale. Ne bamukwasa Gedaliya mutabani wa Akikamu, mutabani wa Safani, amuzzeeyo ewaabwe. Olwo n’asigala n’abantu be.
15 While I was [still] being guarded in the palace courtyard, Yahweh gave me this message:
Yeremiya bwe yali asibiddwa mu luggya lw’abaserikale abakuumi, ekigambo kya Mukama ne kimujjira nga kigamba nti,
16 “Say this to Ebed-Melech, the official from Ethiopia: ‘This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says: “I will do to this city everything that I said that I would do. I will not enable the people to prosper; I will cause them to experience disasters. You will see Jerusalem being destroyed,
“Genda ogambe Ebedumeleki Omuwesiyopya nti, ‘Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri nti, Nnaatera okutuukiriza ebigambo byange eri ekibuga kino nga nkozesa ebibonoobono, si kukulaakulana. Mu biseera ebyo birituukirizibwa nga mulaba n’amaaso gammwe.
17 but I will rescue you from the people whom you are afraid of.
Naye ndikuwonya ku lunaku olwo,’ bw’ayogera Mukama; ‘toliweebwayo eri abo b’otya.
18 You trusted me, so I will save you. You will not be killed by [your enemies’] swords; you will remain alive. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.’”
Ndikuwonya; tolittibwa, olisigala ng’oli mulamu, kubanga onneesiga, bw’ayogera Mukama.’”
