Jeremaya 38
1 Shefataya nwa Matan, na Gedaliya nwa Pashua, na Jehukal nwa Shelemaya, na Pashua, nwa Malkija, nụrụ mgbe Jeremaya nọ na-agwa ndị mmadụ okwu ndị a sị ha,
Then Shephatiah, the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah, the son of Pashhur, and Jehucal, the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur, the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to all the people, saying:
2 “Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, ‘Onye ọbụla nọgidere nʼime obodo a ga-anwụ site na mma agha, maọbụ site nʼụnwụ, maọbụ site nʼọrịa na-efe efe. Ma onye ọbụla pụkwuru ndị Babilọn ga-adị ndụ. Ọ ga-adị ndụ, nʼihi na ọ ga-echebe ndụ ya.’
“Thus says the Lord: Whoever will remain in this city will die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence. But whoever will flee away from the Chaldeans, will live, and his soul will dwell in safety.
3 Ihe ndị a kwa ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, ‘A ga-arara obodo a nyefee ya nʼaka ndị agha eze Babilọn, onye ga-adọta ya nʼagha.’”
Thus says the Lord: This city will certainly be delivered into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.”
4 Mgbe ahụ, ndịisi ọchịchị sịrị eze, “O kwesiri ka e gbuo nwoke a, nʼihi na ọ na-eme ka obi ndị agha na obi ndị mmadụ fọdụrụ nʼime obodo a na-ada mba site nʼụdị okwu ọ na-agwa ha. Ọ bụghị ọdịmma ndị a ka ọ na-eche echiche ya, kama ọ bụ otu ha ga-esi laa nʼiyi.”
And the leaders said to the king: “We petition you to put this man to death. For he is deliberately weakening the hands of the men of war, who have remained in this city, and the hands of the people, by speaking to them with these words. For this man is certainly not seeking peace for this people, but evil.”
5 Zedekaya bụ eze zara sị ha, “Ọ dị unu nʼaka. Unu maara na o nweghị ihe ọbụla eze nwere ike ime igbochi unu ime ihe unu chọrọ.”
And king Zedekiah said: “Behold, he is in your hands. For it is not fitting for the king to deny you anything.”
6 Ya mere, ha jidere Jeremaya, tinye ya nʼime olulu mmiri Malkija, nwa eze. Olulu mmiri a dị nʼogige ụlọ ndị nche. Ọ bụ ụdọ ka ha ji wetuo Jeremaya nʼime olulu mmiri ahụ. Ma mmiri adịghị nʼime ya, naanị apịtị. Ya mere, Jeremaya danyere nʼime apịtị ahụ, mibanye nʼime ya.
Therefore, they took Jeremiah and cast him into the pit of Malchiah, the son of Amelech, which was at the entrance to the prison. And they lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the pit, in which there was no water, but only mud. And so Jeremiah descended into the mire.
7 Ma Ebed-Melek, onye Kush, otu nʼime ndịisi ozi nʼụlọeze nụrụ na etinyela Jeremaya nʼime olulu mmiri. Mgbe eze nọdụrụ nʼọnụ ụzọ ama Benjamin,
Now Ebedmelech, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch who was in the king’s house, heard that they had sent Jeremiah into the pit, and also that the king was sitting at the gate of Benjamin.
8 Ebed-Melek si nʼụlọeze pụọ jekwuuru ya nʼebe ahụ sị ya,
And so Ebedmelech departed from the king’s house, and he spoke to the king, saying:
9 “Onyenwe m eze, lee na mmeso ndị a mesoro Jeremaya onye amụma jọgburu onwe ya. Ha atụbala ya nʼime olulu mmiri hapụ ya ka ọ nọdụ nʼebe ahụ nwụọ nʼihi agụụ mgbe achịcha kọrọ nʼobodo.”
“My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have perpetrated against Jeremiah the prophet, casting him into the pit so that he would die there from famine. For there is no more bread in the city.”
10 Mgbe ahụ, eze nyere Ebed-Melek onye Kush iwu sị ya, “Sị nʼebe a kpọrọ iri mmadụ atọ ka gị na ha soro gaa dọpụta Jeremaya onye amụma site nʼolulu ahụ tupu ọ nwụọ.”
And so the king instructed Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, saying: “Take with you thirty men from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet from the pit, before he dies.”
11 Ya mere, Ebed-Melek duuru ndị ahụ pụọ. O buru ụzọ jee nʼọnụụlọ dị nʼokpuru ụlọakụ nke ụlọeze. Nʼebe ahụ, ọ chịpụtara ụfọdụ nkịrịnka akwa, na ụfọdụ uwe kara nka. O kenyere ha nʼụdọ, wetuore ya Jeremaya nʼime olulu mmiri ahụ.
Therefore, Ebedmelech, taking the men with him, entered into the king’s house to a place below the storehouse. And he took from there old garments, no longer in use, and he sent them down by rope to Jeremiah in the pit.
12 Ebed-Melek onye Kush ahụ gwara Jeremaya okwu sị ya, “Were nkịrịnka akwa ndị a, na uwe ndị a kara aka fanye ha na mkpa abụ gị, ime ka ụdọ a ghara imerụ gị ahụ.” Jeremaya mere dị ka a gwara ya.
And Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, said to Jeremiah: “Place these old garments, and these cut and decaying cloths, under your arms and over the ropes.” And Jeremiah did so.
13 Emesịa, ha dọlịtere ya elu, dọpụta ya site nʼolulu mmiri ahụ. Site nʼoge ahụ, Jeremaya nọgidere nʼogige ụlọ ndị nche.
And they pulled up Jeremiah with the ropes, and they led him away from the pit. And Jeremiah remained in the vestibule of the prison.
14 Mgbe ahụ, Zedekaya bụ eze, ziri ozi ka a kpọta Jeremaya onye amụma, ka ọ bịakwute ya nʼọnụ ụzọ nke atọ, nke ụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị. Mgbe ọ bịara, eze gwara ya okwu sị ya, “Achọrọ m ịjụ gị ajụjụ. Ezonarịla m ihe ọbụla.”
And king Zedekiah sent and took Jeremiah the prophet to him at the third gate, which was at the house of the Lord. And the king said to Jeremiah: “I will question you about a matter. You shall conceal nothing from me.”
15 Ma Jeremaya zara Zedekaya sị ya, “Ọ bụrụ na m enye gị ọsịsa, ị gaghị egbu m? A sịkwa na m adụọ gị ọdụ, ị gaghị ege m ntị.”
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah: “If I announce to you, will you not put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.”
16 Ma Zedekaya bụ eze ṅụrụ iyi na nzuzo nye Jeremaya sị ya, “Dịka Onyenwe anyị onye nyere anyị ume anyị na-eku si adị ndụ, agaghị m egbu gị, maọbụ nyefee gị nʼaka ndị na-achọsi ndụ gị ike.”
Then king Zedekiah swore to Jeremiah, secretly, saying: “As the Lord lives, who made this soul for us, I will not kill you, nor will I deliver you into the hands of those men who are seeking your life.”
17 Mgbe ahụ, Jeremaya zara Zedekaya sị ya, “Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị Chineke Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, bụ Chineke Izrel kwuru, ‘Ọ bụrụ na ị pụkwuru ndịisi eze Babilọn nyefee onwe gị nʼaka ha, ha ga-echebe gị ndụ, ha agakwaghị akpọ obodo a ọkụ. Gị na ezinaụlọ gị ga-adịkwa ndụ.
And Jeremiah said to Zedekiah: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If, having set out, you go to the rulers of the king of Babylon, your soul will live, and this city will not be burned with fire. And you and your house will be safe.
18 Ma ọ bụrụ na ị jụ iwere onwe gị nyefee nʼaka ndịisi eze Babilọn, a ga-enyefe obodo a nʼaka ndị Babilọn. Ha ga-akpọkwa ya ọkụ, ma gị onwe gị agakwaghị agbapụ site nʼaka ha.’”
But if you will not go to the rulers of the king of Babylon, this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire. And you will not escape from their hand.”
19 Eze Zedekaya sịrị Jeremaya, “Mụ onwe m na-atụ egwu ndị Juu ahụ bụ ndị gbakwuru ndị Babilọn, nʼihi na ndị Babilọn nwere ike nyefee m nʼaka ha, ha ga-emesikwa m ike.”
And king Zedekiah said to Jeremiah: “I am anxious, because of the Jews who have crossed over to the Chaldeans, lest perhaps I may be delivered into their hands, and they may abuse me.”
20 “Ha agaghị enyefe gị nʼaka ha,” ka Jeremaya zara ya. “Rubere Onyenwe anyị isi, site nʼime ihe m gwara gị. Mgbe ahụ, ihe niile ga-agara gị nke ọma. A ga-echebekwa ndụ gị.
But Jeremiah responded: “They will not deliver you. Listen, I ask you, to the voice of the Lord, which I am speaking to you, and it will be well with you, and your soul will live.
21 Ma ọ bụrụ na ị jụ iwere onwe gị nye, lee ihe Onyenwe anyị mere ka m hụ:
But if you refuse to depart, this is the word that the Lord has revealed to me:
22 A ga-akpụta ndị inyom niile fọdụrụ nʼụlọeze Juda mee ka ha pukwuru ndịisi eze Babilọn. Ndị inyom ndị a ga-asị gị, “‘Ndị enyi gị ahụ niile ị na-atụkwasị obi arafuola gị, mee ka ị bụrụ onye e meriri emeri. Ụkwụ gị abụọ emikpuola nʼime apịtị, ugbu a, ndị enyi gị niile ahụ agbanarịla gị.’
Behold, all the women who remain in the house of the king of Judah will be led away to the rulers of the king of Babylon. And the women will say: ‘Your men of peacefulness have led you astray, and they have prevailed against you. They have immersed your feet in mud and have set them in a slippery place. And they have withdrawn from you.’
23 “A ga-akpụpụtara ndị Babilọn ndị nwunye gị niile na ụmụ gị niile. Gị onwe gị agaghị agbanarị ha, ma eze Babilọn ga-ejidekwa gị, a ga-esurekwa obodo a ọkụ.”
And all your wives and your sons will be led away to the Chaldeans, and you will not escape from their hands. Instead, you will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon. And he will burn this city with fire.”
24 Mgbe ahụ, Zedekaya gwara Jeremaya, “Ekwela ka ntị ọzọ nụ ihe ndị a niile mụ na gị kwuru, ma ọ bụghị ya, ị ga-anwụ.
Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah: “Let no one know of these words, and you will not die.
25 Ọ bụrụ na ndịisi ọchịchị anụ na mụ na gị kparịtara ụka, ha bịakwute gị, sị gị, ‘Gwa anyị ihe ị gwara eze na ihe eze gwara gị, ezola ihe ọbụla nʼebe anyị nọ, ma ọ bụghị ya anyị ga-egbu gị,’
But if the leaders hear that I have spoken with you, and if they come to you, and say to you: ‘Tell us what you said to the king. Do not conceal it from us, and we will not put you to death. And tell us what the king said to you,’
26 mgbe ahụ ị ga-agwa ha, ‘Anọ m na-arịọ eze arịrịọ ka ọ hapụ izighachi m nʼụlọ Jonatan, ka m nwụọ nʼebe ahụ.’”
then you shall say to them: ‘I presented my supplication before the king, so that he would not order me to be led back to the house of Jonathan, to die there.’”
27 Ndịisi ọchịchị ahụ niile bịakwutere Jeremaya jụọ ya ajụjụ. Ọ gwakwara ha ihe ahụ niile eze nyere ya nʼiwu. Ha hapụrụ ịjụ ya ihe ọzọ, nʼihi o nwekwaghị onye ọzọ nụrụ okwu niile ya na eze kwuru.
Then all the leaders came to Jeremiah, and they questioned him. And he spoke to them in accord with all the words that the king had commanded him. And they withdrew from him, for they had learned nothing.
28 Jeremaya nọgidekwara nʼogige ndị nche tutu ruo ụbọchị ahụ a dọtara Jerusalem nʼagha. Otu a ka esi were Jerusalem.
Yet truly, Jeremiah remained at the entrance of the prison, until the day when Jerusalem was seized. And it happened that Jerusalem was captured.
