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]:
Ɔsahene Nebusaradan a ɔtua ɔhene awɛmfoɔ ano no gyaee Yeremia wɔ Rama akyi no, asɛm no firi Awurade nkyɛn baa Yeremia hɔ. Ɔhunuu sɛ, wɔagu Yeremia nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn wɔ nnommumfoɔ a wɔfiri Yerusalem ne Yuda a na wɔde wɔn rekɔ Babilonia no mu.
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.
Brɛ a ɔsahene a ɔtua awɛmfoɔ no ano no hunuu Yeremia no, ɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn, na ɔhyɛɛ saa amanehunu yi maa beaeɛ yi.
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.
Na afei, Awurade ama aba mu. Wayɛ sɛdeɛ ɔkaa sɛ ɔbɛyɛ no. Yeinom nyinaa baa mu, ɛfiri sɛ, mo saa nnipa yi yɛɛ bɔne tiaa Awurade na moanyɛ ɔsetie amma no.
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].
Nanso, ɛnnɛ mereyi wo afiri nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn a ɛgu wo nsa no mu. Sɛ wopɛ a, ma yɛnkɔ Babilonia na mɛhwɛ wo so, nanso sɛ wompɛ deɛ a ɛmma. Hwɛ ɔman no nyinaa na ɛda wʼanim no, kɔ baabiara a wopɛ.”
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.
Na ansa na Yeremia bɛdane ne ho akɔ no, Nebusaradan ka kaa ho sɛ, “Sane kɔ Ahikam babarima Gedalia a, ɔyɛ Safan nana, a Babiloniahene apa no sɛ ɔnhwɛ Yuda nkuro so no nkyɛn na wo ne no nkɔtena wɔ nnipa no mu, anaasɛ kɔ baabi foforɔ biara a wopɛ.” Na ɔsahene no maa Yeremia aduane ne akyɛdeɛ, na ɔmaa no kɔeɛ.
6 I returned to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and I stayed in Judah with the people who still remained in the land.
Enti, Yeremia kɔɔ Ahikam babarima Gedalia nkyɛn wɔ Mispa, na ɔne no tenaa nnipa a wɔkaa wɔ asase no so no mu.
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.
Ɛberɛ a asraafoɔ mpanimfoɔ no nyinaa ne wɔn mmarima a wɔda so wɔ wiram no tee sɛ, Babiloniahene ayɛ Ahikam babarima Gedalia amrado wɔ asase no so, na ɔde mmarima, mmaa ne mmɔfra a wɔyɛ ahiafoɔ wɔ asase no so, na wɔamfa wɔn ankɔ nnommumfa mu wɔ Babilonia ahyɛ ne nsa no,
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.
wɔbaa Gedalia hɔ wɔ Mispa: Netania babarima Ismael, Karea mmammarima Yohanan ne Yonatan, Tanhumet babarima Seraia, Efai a ɔfiri Netofa mmammarima, Yesania a, ɔyɛ Maakani babarima ne wɔn mmarima.
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.
Na Ahikam babarima Gedalia a ɔyɛ Safan nana no kaa ntam de hyɛɛ wɔn ne wɔn mmarima den sɛ, “Monnsuro sɛ mobɛsom Babiloniafoɔ. Montena asase no so na monsom Babiloniahene, na ɛbɛsi mo yie.
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.”
Me deɛ, mɛtena Mispa, na masi mo anan mu wɔ Babiloniafoɔ a wɔbɛba abɛhyia yɛn no mu, na mo deɛ, monkɔ boaboa nsã, ahuhuro berɛ mu nnuaba ne ngo ano ngu adekora nkuruwa mu wɔ twaberɛ mu, na montenatena nkuro a moafa no so.”
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.
Ɛberɛ a Yudafoɔ a wɔwɔ Moab, Amon, Edom ne aman ahodoɔ a aka no, tee sɛ Babiloniahene agya nkaeɛfoɔ bi wɔ Yuda na wayi Ahikam babarima Gedalia a ɔyɛ Safan nana sɛ amrado wɔ wɔn so no,
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.
wɔn nyinaa sane baa Yuda asase so firi aman a wɔbɔɔ wɔn peteeɛ no so, kɔɔ Gedalia hɔ wɔ Mispa. Na wɔboaboaa nsã ne ahuhuro nnuaba bebree ano wɔ twaberɛ mu.
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.
Na Karea babarima Yohanan ne akodɔm ntuanofoɔ a wɔda so wɔ wiram no baa Gedalia nkyɛn wɔ Mispa
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.
na wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wonnim sɛ, Amonhene Baalis asoma Netania babarima Ismael sɛ, ɔmmɛkum wo anaa?” Nanso, Ahikam babarima Gedalia annye wɔn anni.
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!”
Na Karea babarima Yohanan ka kyerɛɛ Gedalia wɔ kɔkoam wɔ Mispa sɛ, “Ma menkɔkum Netania babarima Ismael, na obiara rente. Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ ɔkum wo na ɔma Yudafoɔ a wɔatwa wo ho ahyia no bɔ hwete, na Yudafoɔ nkaeɛfoɔ no yera?”
16 But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “[No], I will not allow you to do that. [I think that] you are lying about Ishmael.”
Nanso, Ahikam babarima Gedalia ka kyerɛɛ Karea babarima Yohanan sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ saa adeɛ yi! Deɛ woka fa Ismael ho no nyɛ nokorɛ.”
