Jeremiæ 40

1 Sermo, qui factus est ad Ieremiam a Domino, postquam dimissus est a Nabuzardan magistro militiæ de Rama, quando tulit eum vinctum catenis in medio omnium, qui migrabant de Ierusalem et Iuda, et ducebantur in Babylonem.

[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]:

2 Tollens ergo princeps militiæ Ieremiam, dixit ad eum: Dominus Deus tuus locutus est malum hoc super locum istum,

[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.

3 et adduxit: et fecit Dominus sicut locutus est, quia peccastis Domino, et non audistis vocem eius, et factus est vobis sermo hic.

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.

4 Nunc ergo ecce solvi te hodie de catenis, quæ sunt in manibus tuis: si placet tibi ut venias mecum in Babylonem, veni: et ponam oculos meos super te: si autem displicet tibi venire mecum in Babylonem, reside: ecce omnis terra in conspectu tuo est: quod elegeris, et quo placuerit tibi ut vadas, illuc perge.

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].

5 Et mecum noli venire: sed habita apud Godoliam filium Ahicam filii Saphan, quem præposuit rex Babylonis civitatibus Iuda: habita ergo cum eo in medio populi: vel quocumque placuerit tibi ut vadas, vade. Dedit quoque ei magister militiæ cibaria, et munuscula, et dimisit eum.

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.

6 Venit autem Ieremias ad Godoliam filium Ahicam in Masphath, et habitavit cum eo in medio populi, qui relictus fuerat in terra.

I returned to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and I stayed in Judah with the people who still remained in the land.

7 Cumque audissent omnes principes exercitus, qui dispersi fuerant per regiones, ipsi et socii eorum, quod præfecisset rex Babylonis Godoliam filium Ahicam terræ, et quod commendasset ei viros, et mulieres, et parvulos, et de pauperibus terræ, qui non fuerant translati in Babylonem.

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.

8 Venerunt ad Godoliam in Masphath: et Ismahel filius Nathaniæ, et Iohanan et Ionathan filii Caree, et Sareas filius Thanehumeth, et filii Ophi, qui erant de Netophathi, et Iezonias filius Maachathi, ipse et viri eorum.

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.

9 Et iuravit eis Godolias filius Ahicam filii Saphan, et comitibus eorum, dicens: Nolite timere servire Chaldæis, habitate in terra, et servite regi Babylonis, et bene erit vobis.

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.

10 Ecce ego habito in Masphath ut respondeam præcepto Chaldæorum, qui mittuntur ad nos: vos autem colligite vindemiam, et messem, et oleum, et condite in vasis vestris, et manete in urbibus vestris, quas tenetis.

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.”

11 Sed et omnes Iudæi, qui erant in Moab, et in filiis Ammon, et in Idumæa, et in universis regionibus, audito quod dedisset rex Babylonis reliquias in Iudæa, et quod præposuisset super eos Godoliam filium Ahicam filii Saphan:

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.

12 reversi sunt, inquam, omnes Iudæi de universis locis, ad quæ profugerant, et venerunt in Terram Iuda ad Godoliam in Masphath: et collegerunt vinum, et messam multam nimis.

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.

13 Iohanan autem filius Caree, et omnes principes exercitus, qui dispersi fuerant in regionibus, venerunt ad Godoliam in Masphath.

[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.

14 Et dixerunt ei: Scito quod Baalis rex filiorum Ammon misit Ismahel filium Nathaniæ percutere animam tuam. Et non credidit eis Godolias filius Ahicam.

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 Iohanan autem filius Caree dixit ad Godoliam seorsum in Masphath, loquens: Ibo, et percutiam Ismahel filium Nathaniæ nullo sciente, ne interficiat animam tuam, et dissipentur omnes Iudæi, qui congregati sunt ad te, et peribunt reliquiæ Iuda.

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 Et ait Godolias filius Ahicam ad Iohanan filium Caree: Noli facere verbum hoc: falsum enim tu loqueris de Ismahel.

But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “[No], I will not allow you to do that. [I think that] you are lying about Ishmael.”