Jeremiæ 37

1 Et regnavit rex Sedecias filius Josiæ pro Jechonia filio Joakim, quem constituit regem Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis in terra Juda:

Now Zedekiah son of Josiah reigned as king instead of Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made Zedekiah king over the land of Judah.

2 et non obedivit ipse, et servi ejus, et populus terræ, verbis Domini, quæ locutus est in manu Jeremiæ prophetæ.

But Zedekiah, his servants, and the people of the land did not listen to the words of Yahweh that he proclaimed by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet.

3 Et misit rex Sedecias Juchal filium Selemiæ, et Sophoniam filium Maasiæ, sacerdotem, ad Jeremiam prophetam, dicens: Ora pro nobis Dominum Deum nostrum.

So King Zedekiah, Jehukal son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest sent a message to Jeremiah the prophet. They said, “Pray on our behalf to Yahweh our God.”

4 Jeremias autem libere ambulabat in medio populi: non enim miserant eum in custodiam carceris.

Now Jeremiah was coming and going among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison.

5 Igitur exercitus Pharaonis egressus est de Ægypto, et audientes Chaldæi qui obsidebant Jerusalem, hujuscemodi nuntium, recesserunt ab Jerusalem.

Pharaoh's army came out from Egypt, and the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the news about them and left Jerusalem.

6 Et factum est verbum Domini ad Jeremiam prophetam, dicens:

Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

7 Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël: Sic dicetis regi Juda, qui misit vos ad me interrogandum: Ecce exercitus Pharaonis, qui egressus est vobis in auxilium, revertetur in terram suam in Ægyptum:

“Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: This is what you will say to the king of Judah, because he has sent you to seek advice from me, 'See, Pharaoh's army, which came to help you, is about to go back to Egypt, its own land.

8 et redient Chaldæi, et bellabunt contra civitatem hanc, et capient eam, et succendent eam igni.

The Chaldeans will return. They will fight against this city, capture it, and burn it.'

9 Hæc dicit Dominus: Nolite decipere animas vestras, dicentes: Euntes abibunt, et recedent a nobis Chaldæi: quia non abibunt.

Yahweh says this: Do not deceive yourselves by saying, 'Surely the Chaldeans are leaving us,' for they will not leave.

10 Sed etsi percusseritis omnem exercitum Chaldæorum qui præliantur adversum vos, et derelicti fuerint ex eis aliqui vulnerati, singuli de tentorio suo consurgent, et incendent civitatem hanc igni.

Even if you had defeated the entire Chaldean army that is fighting you so that only wounded men were left in their tents, they would get up and burn this city.”

11 Ergo cum recessisset exercitus Chaldæorum ab Jerusalem, propter exercitum Pharaonis,

So it was when the Chaldean army had left Jerusalem as Pharaoh's army was coming,

12 egressus est Jeremias de Jerusalem ut iret in terram Benjamin, et divideret ibi possessionem in conspectu civium.

then Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin. He wanted to take possession of a tract of land there among his people.

13 Cumque pervenisset ad portam Benjamin, erat ibi custos portæ per vices, nomine Jerias filius Selemiæ filii Hananiæ: et apprehendit Jeremiam prophetam, dicens: Ad Chaldæos profugis.

As he was in the Benjamin Gate, a chief guard was there. His name was Irijah son of Shelemiah son of Hananiah. He grabbed hold of Jeremiah the prophet and said, “You are deserting to the Chaldeans.”

14 Et respondit Jeremias: Falsum est: non fugio ad Chaldæos. Et non audivit eum, sed comprehendit Jerias Jeremiam, et adduxit eum ad principes:

But Jeremiah said, “That is not true. I am not deserting to the Chaldeans.” But Irijah did not listen to him. He took Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.

15 quam ob rem irati principes contra Jeremiam, cæsum eum miserunt in carcerem qui erat in domo Jonathan scribæ: ipse enim præpositus erat super carcerem.

The officials were angry with Jeremiah. They beat him and put him in prison, which had been the house of Jonathan the scribe, for they had turned it into a prison.

16 Itaque ingressus est Jeremias in domum laci et in ergastulum: et sedit ibi Jeremias diebus multis.

So Jeremiah was put into an underground cell, where he stayed for many days.

17 Mittens autem Sedecias rex, tulit eum: et interrogavit eum in domo sua abscondite, et dixit: Putasne est sermo a Domino? Et dixit Jeremias: Est: et ait: In manus regis Babylonis traderis.

Then King Zedekiah sent someone who brought him to the palace. In his house, the king asked him privately, “Is there any word from Yahweh?” Jeremiah answered, “There is a word: You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon.”

18 Et dixit Jeremias ad regem Sedeciam: Quid peccavi tibi, et servis tuis, et populo tuo, quia misisti me in domum carceris?

Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, your servants, or this people so that you have placed me in prison?

19 ubi sunt prophetæ vestri, qui prophetabant vobis, et dicebant: Non veniet rex Babylonis super vos, et super terram hanc?

Where are your prophets, the ones who prophesied for you and said the king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land?

20 Nunc ergo audi, obsecro, domine mi rex: valeat deprecatio mea in conspectu tuo, et ne me remittas in domum Jonathan scribæ, ne moriar ibi.

But now listen, my master the king! Let my pleas come before you. Do not return me to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there.”

21 Præcepit ergo rex Sedecias ut traderetur Jeremias in vestibulo carceris, et daretur ei torta panis quotidie, excepto pulmento, donec consumerentur omnes panes de civitate: et mansit Jeremias in vestibulo carceris.

So King Zedekiah gave an order. His servants confined Jeremiah in the courtyard of the guard. A loaf of bread was given him every day from the street of the bakers, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the guard.