Yeremiya 39
1 Mu mwaka ogwomwenda ogw’obufuzi kwa Zeddekiya kabaka wa Yuda, mu mwezi ogw’ekkumi, Nebukadduneeza kabaka w’e Babulooni, n’alumba Yerusaalemi, n’eggye lye lyonna, n’akizingiza.
After King Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost nine years, King Nebuchadnezzar came in January with his army, and they surrounded Jerusalem.
2 Ku lunaku olw’omwenda olw’omwezi ogwokuna ogw’omwaka ogw’ekkumi n’ogumu ogw’obufuzi kwa Zeddekiya, ekisenge ky’ekibuga kyabotolwa.
One and a half years later, after Zedekiah had been ruling for almost eleven years, on July 18, [soldiers from Babylonia] broke through the city [wall. Then they rushed in and captured the city].
3 Awo Nerugalusalezeeri, ne Samugaluneebo, ne Salusekimu, ne Labusalisi, ne Nerugalusalezeeri, ne Labumagi, n’abakungu abalala bonna aba kabaka w’e Babulooni ne bajja ne batuula mu mulyango ogwa wakati ogwa Yerusaalemi.
Then all the officers of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate [to decide what they would do to the city. They included] Nergal-Sharezer from Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim who was one of the chief army officers, another Nergal-Sharezer, the king’s advisor, and many other officials.
4 Awo Zeddekiya kabaka wa Yuda n’abaserikale be bonna bwe babalaba ne bava mu kibuga kiro ne badduka; ne bayita mu nnimiro ya kabaka, nga bayita mu mulyango wakati w’ebisenge ebibiri, ne boolekera Alaba.
When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers realized that [the army of Babylonia had broken into the city], they fled. [They waited until] it was dark. Then they went out of the city through the king’s garden, through the gate that was between the two walls. Then they started [running] toward the Jordan River Valley.
5 Naye eggye ly’Abakaludaaya ne libagoba ne lisanga Zeddekiya mu nsenyi ez’e Yeriko, ne bamuwamba, ne bamuleeta eri kabaka Nebukadduneeza ow’e Babulooni e Libuna mu nsi y’e Kamasi; n’amusalira eyo omusango.
But the soldiers from Babylonia pursued the king, and they caught him on the plains near Jericho. They took him to the King of Babylon, who was at Riblah [town] in the Hamath [region]. There the king of Babylon told [his soldiers what] they should do to punish Zedekiah.
6 Kabaka w’e Babulooni n’attira batabani ba Zeddekiya mu maaso ga kitaabwe e Libuna, era kabaka w’e Babulooni n’atta abakungu ba Yuda bonna.
They forced Zedekiah to watch while they killed his sons and all the officials from Judah.
7 Nebukadduneeza n’aggyamu Zeddekiya amaaso, n’amusiba mu masamba n’amutwala e Babulooni.
[Then] they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes. They fastened him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
8 Abakaludaaya ne bookya ennyumba ya kabaka n’ennyumba z’abantu, ne bamenya n’ebisenge bya Yerusaalemi.
[Meanwhile, ] the Babylonian army burned the palace and all the other buildings in Jerusalem. And they tore down the city walls.
9 Awo Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi w’eggye n’atwala abantu abaali basigaddewo mu kibuga, n’abo abaali bamwegasseeko, n’abo abaali basigaddewo mu bifo ebirala, e Babulooni.
Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the [king’s] bodyguards, forced to go to Babylon [most of] the other people who remained in the city and the Jews who had joined the soldiers of Babylonia.
10 Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi w’eggye, n’aleka abamu ku bantu abaavu abaali batalina kantu, mu nsi ya Yuda; n’abawa ebibanja n’ennimiro z’emizabbibu.
But he allowed some of the very poor people to remain in Judah, and he gave them vineyards and fields [to take care of].
11 Awo Nebukadduneeza kabaka w’e Babulooni yali awadde Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi w’eggye lya kabaka w’e Babulooni, ebiragiro bino ebikwata ku Yeremiya ng’amugamba nti,
King Nebuchadnezzar had [previously] told Nebuzaradan to find me. He said,
12 “Mmutwale omulabirire: tomubonyaabonya wabula mukolere byonna by’ayagala.”
“Make sure that no one harms him. Take care of him, and do for him whatever he requests you to do.”
13 Awo Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi w’eggye, ne Nebusazibaani omukungu ow’oku ntikko ne Nerugalusalezeeri, ne Labumagi, n’abakungu bonna aba kabaka w’e Babulooni,
So he and Nebushazban, who was one of their chief officers, and Nergal-Sharezer the king’s advisor, and other officers of the King of Babylon
14 ne batumya ne baggya Yeremiya mu luggya lw’abaserikale. Ne bamukwasa Gedaliya mutabani wa Akikamu, mutabani wa Safani, amuzzeeyo ewaabwe. Olwo n’asigala n’abantu be.
sent [some men] to bring me out of the courtyard outside of the palace. They took me to Gedaliah who was the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. Then Gedaliah took me to my home, and I stayed [in Judah] among [my own] people [who had been allowed to remain there].
15 Yeremiya bwe yali asibiddwa mu luggya lw’abaserikale abakuumi, ekigambo kya Mukama ne kimujjira nga kigamba nti,
While I was [still] being guarded in the palace courtyard, Yahweh gave me this message:
16 “Genda ogambe Ebedumeleki Omuwesiyopya nti, ‘Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri nti, Nnaatera okutuukiriza ebigambo byange eri ekibuga kino nga nkozesa ebibonoobono, si kukulaakulana. Mu biseera ebyo birituukirizibwa nga mulaba n’amaaso gammwe.
“Say this to Ebed-Melech, the official from Ethiopia: ‘This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says: “I will do to this city everything that I said that I would do. I will not enable the people to prosper; I will cause them to experience disasters. You will see Jerusalem being destroyed,
17 Naye ndikuwonya ku lunaku olwo,’ bw’ayogera Mukama; ‘toliweebwayo eri abo b’otya.
but I will rescue you from the people whom you are afraid of.
18 Ndikuwonya; tolittibwa, olisigala ng’oli mulamu, kubanga onneesiga, bw’ayogera Mukama.’”
You trusted me, so I will save you. You will not be killed by [your enemies’] swords; you will remain alive. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.’”
