Yeremiya 40
1 Ekigambo kya Mukama ne kijjira Yeremiya, nga Nebuzaladaani omuduumizi w’abambowa amusumuludde e Laama, bwe yamusanga ng’asibiddwa mu masamba n’abasibe abalala bonna ab’e Yerusaalemi ne Yuda abaali batwalibwa e Babulooni mu busibe.
[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 Omuduumizi w’abaserikale yatwala Yeremiya n’amugamba nti, “Mukama Katonda wo, ye yaleeta ekivume kino ku kifo kino.
[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 Kaakano Mukama akireese era akikoze nga bwe yasuubiza. Bino byonna byabaawo kubanga abantu bo baasobya eri Mukama ne batamugondera.
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 Naye leero nkusumulula okuva mu njegere ez’oku mikono gyo. Jjangu tugende ffembi e Babulooni obanga oyagala, nnaakulabirira; naye bw’oba nga toyagala, tojja. Laba, ensi yonna eri mu maaso go, genda yonna gy’oyagala.”
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 Wabula Yeremiya nga tannaba kukyuka kugenda, Nebuzaladaani n’ayongerako nti, “Ddayo eri Gedaliya mutabani wa Akikamu mutabani wa Safani, kabaka w’e Babulooni gw’afudde Gavana w’ebibuga bya Yuda, obeere naye mu bantu, oba genda yonna gy’osiima okubeera.” Awo omuduumizi w’abambowa n’amuwa ebyokulya n’ekirabo n’amuleka.
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 Awo Yeremiya n’agenda ewa Gedaliya mutabani wa Akikamu e Mizupa n’abeera naye n’abantu abaaliyo abaali balekeddwa mu nsi eyo.
I returned to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and I stayed in Judah with the people who still remained in the land.
7 Awo abakulu b’eggye lya Yuda bonna n’abasajja baabwe abaali bakyali mu byalo ne bawulira nti, Kabaka w’e Babulooni alonze Gedaliya omwana wa Akikamu okuba Gavana w’ensi era ng’amuwadde obuvunaanyizibwa bw’abantu bonna, abasajja, n’abakazi, n’abaana, n’abaali basembayo obwavu mu nsi abataatwalibwa mu buwaŋŋanguse e Babulooni.
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 Awo Isimayiri mutabani wa Nesaniya, ne Yokanaani ne Yonasaani batabani ba Kaleya, ne Seraya mutabani wa Tanukumesi, ne batabani ba Efayi Omunetofa, ne Yezaniya omwana w’omu Maakasi, ne bagenda n’abasajja baabwe eri Gedaliya e Mizupa.
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 Awo Gedaliya mutabani wa Akikamu mutabani wa Safani n’abalayirira bo n’abasajja baabwe ng’ayogera nti, “Temutya kuweereza Bakaludaaya. Mubeere mu nsi, muweereze kabaka w’e Babulooni munaaba bulungi.
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 Nze kennyini nzija kusigala e Mizupa okubakiikirira eri Abakaludaaya abajja gye tuli, naye mmwe mukungule emizabbibu, n’ebibala eby’omu kyeya, mukuŋŋaanye n’omuzigo mubiteeke mu materekero gammwe, mubeere mu bibuga bye mufuga.”
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 Awo Abayudaaya bonna mu Mowaabu, ne Amoni, ne Edomu n’ensi endala zonna bwe baawulira nti, Kabaka w’e Babulooni yali aleseeyo abantu mu Yuda era nga ataddewo Gedaliya mutabani wa Akikamu, mutabani wa Safani okuba Gavana waabwe,
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 bonna ne bakomawo mu nsi ya Yuda eri Gedaliya e Mizupa, ne bava mu nsi zonna gye baali basaasaanidde. Ne bakungula ebirime mu bungi, emizabbibu n’ebibala eby’omu kyeya.
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 Awo Yokanaani mutabani wa Kaleya n’abakulu bonna ab’ebibinja bya magye abaali mu byalo ne bajja eri Gedaliya e Mizupa.
[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 Ne bamugamba nti, “Tomanyi nga Baalisi kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni atumye Isimayiri mutabani wa Nesaniya okukutta?” Naye Gedaliya mutabani wa Akikamu teyakikkiriza.
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 Awo Yokanaani mutabani wa Kaleya n’ayogera ne Gedaliya e Mizupa kyama ng’agamba nti, “Ka ŋŋende nkwegayiridde nzite Isimayiri mutabani wa Nesaniya, so tewaliba muntu alikimanya. Lwaki akutta, Abayudaaya bonna abakuŋŋaanidde gy’oli basaasaane, ekitundu kya Yuda ekifisseewo nakyo kizikirire?”
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 Naye Gedaliya mutabani wa Akikamu n’agamba Yokanaani mutabani wa Kaleya nti, “Tokola kintu bwe kityo! Ky’oyogera ku Isimayiri si kituufu.”
But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “[No], I will not allow you to do that. [I think that] you are lying about Ishmael.”
