< Jeremiah 40 >
1 [The soldiers from Babylonia] captured me and many other people from Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah. They [planned to] take us to Babylon. So they fastened chains around our wrists and took us to Ramah [town north of Jerusalem]. While we were there, I was released. [This is how it happened]:
Et la parole du Seigneur vint de nouveau à Jérémie, lorsqu'il était encore enchaîné dans le préau de la prison;
2 [Nebuzaradan, ] the captain of the [king’s] bodyguards, [found that I was there]. He summoned me and said to me, “Yahweh your God said that he would cause this land to experience a disaster.
Voici ce que lui dit le Seigneur, créateur de la terre, qui l'a formée pour la redresser; son nom est le Seigneur:
3 And now he has caused it to happen. He has done just what he said [that he would do], because you people sinned against Yahweh and refused to obey him.
Crie vers moi et je te répondrai, et je te ferai connaître de grandes choses et très certaines que tu ne sais pas.
4 But today I am going to take the chains off your wrists and release you. If you want to come with me to Babylon, [that will be fine]. I will take care of you. But if you do not want to come with me, do not come. [Stay here]. Look, the entire country is available; you can choose whatever part you want to go to. You can go wherever you wish.” [Then he took the chains off my wrists].
Car voici ce que dit le Seigneur, concernant les maisons de cette ville et les palais du roi de Juda, qui ont été détruits pour en faire des palissades et des ouvrages avancés,
5 He said, “If you [decide to] stay here, go to Gedaliah. The King of Babylon appointed him to be the governor of Judah. [You will be allowed to] stay here with the people [that he is governing]. But you can do whatever you want to.” Then Nebuzaradan gave me some food and some money, and he allowed me to go.
Qu'on opposait aux Chaldéens, et qui furent remplis de cadavres d'hommes frappés par moi dans mon indignation et ma colère, quand je détournai d'eux ma face en punition de leurs méchancetés.
6 I returned to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and I stayed in Judah with the people who still remained in the land.
Voilà que je lui apporte le remède et la guérison; je me montrerai à elle et je la guérirai; je lui donnerai la sécurité et la paix.
7 The [Israeli] soldiers [who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia] were roaming around in the countryside. Then their leaders heard someone say that the King of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah to be the governor of the very poor people [who were still in Judah], who had not been taken to Babylon.
Et je ramènerai les captifs de Juda et les captifs d'Israël, et je les réédifierai comme ils étaient autrefois.
8 So they went [to talk] to Gedaliah at Mizpah. [Those who went included] Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophath, and Jezaniah from Maacah, and the soldiers who were with them.
Et je les purifierai de toutes les iniquités qu'ils ont commises envers moi, et je ne me souviendrai plus des péchés où ils sont tombés en se révoltant contre moi.
9 Gedaliah solemnly promised that the soldiers from Babylonia would not harm them. He said, “Do not be afraid to do things for them. Stay [here] in this land and do things for the King of Babylon. If you do that, things will go well for you.
Et ce sera un sujet de joie, de louange et de grandeur pour tout peuple de la terre qui apprendra le bien que je leur ferai; et les gentils seront effrayés et jaloux des biens et de toute la paix que je lui donnerai.
10 As for me, I will stay [here] at Mizpah to be your representative to the [officials from] Babylonia who come to [talk with] us. But you should [return to your towns, and eat the things that are produced on your land]. Harvest the grapes and the fruit [that ripen in] the (summer/hot season) and the olives, [make wine and olive oil, ] and store it.”
Voici ce que dit le Seigneur: On entendra encore en ce lieu dont vous dites: C'est un désert abandonné des bêtes et des hommes; les villes de Juda, les alentours de Jérusalem sont dépeuplés; car il n'y a plus ni hommes ni bétail;
11 Then the Jews who had fled to Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other [nearby] countries heard people say that the King of Babylon had allowed a few people [to remain] in Judah, and that he had appointed Gedaliah to be their governor.
On y entendra la voix des fêtes et des joies, la voix de l'époux et la voix de l'épouse, et les voix de ceux qui diront: Rendez gloire au Seigneur tout-puissant; car le Seigneur est bon, et sa miséricorde est éternelle. Alors on apportera des présents au temple du Seigneur, parce que je ferai revenir tous les captifs de cette terre, et qu'ils seront comme ils étaient autrefois, dit le Seigneur,
12 So they [began to] return to Judah. They stopped at Mizpah to [talk with] Gedaliah. Then [they went to various places in Judea, and] they harvested a great amount of grapes and summer fruit.
Voici ce que dit le Seigneur Dieu des armées: En ce lieu désert où l'on ne voit ni hommes ni bétail, il y aura encore, dans toutes ses villes, des cabanes de pasteurs qui y feront reposer leurs troupeaux,
13 [Some time later, ] Johanan and all the [other] leaders of the Israeli soldiers [who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia] came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.
Il y en aura dans les villes des montagnes, dans les villes de Séphila, dans les villes de Nacheb, et en la terre de Benjamin, et autour de Jérusalem, et dans les villes de Juda les brebis viendront encore sous la main de ceux qui les comptent, dit le Seigneur.
14 They said to him, “Do you know that Baalis, the king of the Ammon [people-group], has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to assassinate you?” But Gedaliah did not believe what they said.
15 Later Johanan talked with Gedaliah privately. He said, “Allow me to go and murder Ishmael secretly. It would not be good [RHQ] to allow him to come and murder you! If you are killed, what will happen to all the Jews who have returned to this area? They will be scattered, and the other people who remain in Judah will all be killed!”
16 But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “[No], I will not allow you to do that. [I think that] you are lying about Ishmael.”