< Jeremiah 41 >

1 Ishmael was a member of the king’s family. He had been one of King Zedekiah’s important officials. In October of that year, he went to Mizpah with ten other men to [talk with] Gedaliah. While they were eating together,
Katika mwezi wa saba Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania mwana wa Elishama, aliyekuwa wa uzao wa mfalme na pia alikuwa mmoja wa maafisa wa mfalme, akaja pamoja na watu kumi kwa Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu huko Mispa. Walipokuwa wakila pamoja huko,
2 Ishmael and the other ten men jumped up, and with their swords they killed Gedaliah—the man whom the king of Babylon had appointed to be their governor!
Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania pamoja na wale watu kumi waliokuwa pamoja naye waliinuka na kumuua Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu mwana wa Shafani kwa upanga, wakamuua yule ambaye mfalme wa Babeli alikuwa amemteua awe mtawala wa nchi.
3 Ishmael [and the other men] also killed all the Jews and the soldiers from Babylonia who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah.
Ishmaeli akawaua pia Wayahudi wote waliokuwa na Gedalia huko Mispa, pamoja na askari wa Kikaldayo waliokuwa huko.
4 The next day, before anyone had found out that Gedaliah had been murdered,
Siku moja baada ya kuuawa kwa siri kwa Gedalia, kabla mtu yeyote hajafahamu jambo hilo,
5 eighty men from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria [cities] came to worship at the temple of Yahweh [in Mizpah]. They had shaved off their beards and torn their clothes and cut themselves [to show that they were mourning]. And they had brought grain offerings and incense [to burn on the altar].
watu themanini waliokuwa wamenyoa ndevu zao, waliorarua nguo zao na kujikatakata walikuja kutoka Shekemu, Shilo na Samaria wakileta sadaka za nafaka na uvumba katika nyumba ya Bwana.
6 Ishmael went out of the city to meet them, crying as he went. When he reached them, he said, “Come [and see what has happened to] Gedaliah!”
Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania akaondoka Mispa ili kwenda kuwalaki, huku akilia alipokuwa akienda. Alipokutana nao, akasema, “Karibuni kwa Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu.”
7 But as soon as they had all entered the town, Ishmael and his men killed [most of] them and threw their corpses into a well.
Walipoingia mjini, Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania na wale watu waliokuwa pamoja naye wakawachinja na kuwatupa ndani ya kisima.
8 There were [only] ten of them whom they (spared/did not kill). They were not killed because they promised to Ishmael that [if he allowed them to remain alive, they would bring him] lots of wheat and barley and olive oil and honey that they had hidden.
Lakini watu kumi miongoni mwao wakamwambia Ishmaeli, “Sisi usituue! Tuna ngano na shayiri, mafuta na asali, vilivyofichwa katika shamba.” Kwa hiyo akawaacha na hakuwaua pamoja na wale wengine.
9 The well where Ishmael’s men had thrown the corpses of the men whom they had murdered was the deep well that King Asa’s [men] had dug [in order that they would have water in the city] if the army of King Baasha of Israel would surround the city. Ishmael’s men filled that well with corpses.
Basi kile kisima ambacho alitupa zile maiti za watu aliowaua pamoja na Gedalia kilikuwa ni kile kisima ambacho Mfalme Asa alikifanya sehemu ya ulinzi wake dhidi ya Baasha mfalme wa Israeli. Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania akakijaza kisima hicho kwa maiti.
10 Then Ishmael [and his men] captured the king’s daughters and some of the other people who had been left in Mizpah by Nebuzaradan in order that Gedaliah would take care of them. Ishmael and his men took those people and started back toward the Ammon area.
Ishmaeli akawafanya mateka watu wote ambao Nebuzaradani kiongozi wa walinzi wa mfalme alikuwa amewaacha huko Mispa na kumweka Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu juu yao: walikuwa binti za mfalme pamoja na watu wote aliokuwa amewaacha huko. Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania akawachukua mateka na kuondoka nao, akavuka kwenda kwa Waamoni.
11 But Johanan and all the other leaders of the Israeli soldiers who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia heard about what Ishmael [and his men] had done.
Yohanani mwana wa Karea na maafisa wote wa jeshi waliokuwa pamoja naye waliposikia juu ya uhalifu wote ambao Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania alikuwa ameufanya,
12 So they [immediately] went with all their men to stop them. They caught up with them at the large pool near Gibeon [city].
waliwachukua watu wao wote kwenda kupigana na Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania. Wakakutana naye karibu na bwawa kubwa huko Gibeoni.
13 When all the people whom Ishmael and his men had captured saw Johanan and the soldiers who were with him, they [shouted] joyfully.
Ikawa watu wote waliokuwa na Ishmaeli walipomwona Yohanani mwana wa Karea pamoja na maafisa wa jeshi waliokuwa pamoja naye, wakafurahi.
14 So all those who had been captured in Mizpah escaped, and they started to help Johanan.
Watu wote ambao Ishmaeli alikuwa amewachukua mateka huko Mispa wakageuka na kumfuata Yohanani mwana wa Karea.
15 But Ishmael and eight of his men escaped and fled to the Ammon area.
Lakini Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania pamoja na watu wake wanane wakamtoroka Yohanani na kukimbilia kwa Waamoni.
16 Then Johanan and the men who were with him [gathered together] all the people whom they had rescued at Gibeon. They included soldiers and women and children and some of the king’s palace officials. They were all people whom Ishmael [and his men] had captured after they had killed Gedaliah.
Ndipo Yohanani mwana wa Karea pamoja na maafisa wote wa jeshi waliokuwa pamoja naye wakawaongoza wote walionusurika kutoka Mispa, ambao walipona kutoka mikononi mwa Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania baada yake kumuua Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu: walikuwa askari, wanawake, watoto na matowashi aliowaleta kutoka Gibeoni.
17 They took them all to Geruth-Kimham [village] near Bethlehem. And they all prepared to go to Egypt.
Kisha wakaenda mbele na kutua Geruth-Kimhamu karibu na Bethlehemu wakiwa njiani kwenda Misri
18 They were worried about what the soldiers of Babylonia [would do to them when they found out] that Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, who had been appointed by the King of Babylonia to be their governor.
ili kuwatoroka Wakaldayo. Waliwaogopa kwa sababu Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania alikuwa amemuua Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu, ambaye alikuwa amewekwa na mfalme wa Babeli kuwa mtawala wa nchi.

< Jeremiah 41 >