Ermiyaas 39
1 Akki Yerusaalem itti fudhatamte kana ture: Bara Zedeqiyaa Mooticha Yihuudaa keessa jiʼa kurnaffaa waggaa saglaffaatti, Nebukadnezar mootichi Baabilon loltoota isaa hunda wajjin duulee Yerusaalemin marse.
After King Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost nine years, King Nebuchadnezzar came in January with his army, and they surrounded Jerusalem.
2 Bara Zedeqiyaa keessa bultii saglaffaa jiʼa afuraffaa waggaa kudha tokkoffaatti, dallaan magaalaa sanaa ni cabsame.
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 Ergasii qondaaltonni mootii Baabilon hundi dhufanii Karra Giddu Galeessa dura tataaʼan; isaanis Nergaal-Sharezer namicha Samgaar, Neboo-Sarsekiim ajajaa hangafa, Nergaal-Sharezer shuumii hangafaa fi qondaaltota mootii Baabilon hundaa dha.
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 Zedeqiyaa Mooticha Yihuudaatii fi loltoonni hundi yommuu jara arganitti ni baqatan; isaanis halkaniin karaa biqiltuu mootichaatiin magaalaa keessaa baʼanii karra dallaa lamaan gidduutiin gara Arabbaatti qajeelan.
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 Loltoonni Baabilonotaa garuu isaan ariʼanii dirree Yerikoo irratti Zedeqiyaa in qaqqaban. Isaanis isa qabanii Riiblaa Hamaati keessatti gara Nebukadnezar mooticha Baabilonitti geessan; mootichis achitti isatti mure.
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 Mootiin Baabilonis achuma Riiblaatti ijuma isaa duratti ilmaan Zedeqiyaa gorraʼee namoota Yihuudaa bebeekamoo hundas ajjeese.
They forced Zedekiah to watch while they killed his sons and all the officials from Judah.
7 Innis ergasii Zedeqiyaa keessaa ija isaa baasee Baabilonitti isa geessuuf foncaa naasiitiin isa hidhe.
[Then] they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes. They fastened him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
8 Baabilononnis masaraa mootiitii fi manneen sabaatti ibidda qabsiisanii dallaa Yerusaalem diigan.
[Meanwhile, ] the Babylonian army burned the palace and all the other buildings in Jerusalem. And they tore down the city walls.
9 Nebuzaradaan ajajaan eegumsaa, namoota magaalaa keessatti hafan, namoota isatti harka kennatanii fi namoota kaan wajjin boojiʼee Baabilonitti geesse.
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 Nebuzaradaan ajajaan eegumsaa sun garuu hiyyeeyyii homaa hin qabne tokko tokko biyya Yihuudaatti hambise; innis yeroo sanatti iddoo dhaabaa wayiniitii fi lafa qotiisaa kenneef.
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 Nebukadnezar mootichi Baabilon akkana jedhee karaa Nebuzaradaan ajajaa eegumsaa sanaatiin waaʼee Ermiyaas ajaja kenne:
King Nebuchadnezzar had [previously] told Nebuzaradan to find me. He said,
12 “Isa fuudhiitii akka gaarii kunuunsi; waan inni barbaadu kam iyyuu godhiif malee isa hin miidhin.”
“Make sure that no one harms him. Take care of him, and do for him whatever he requests you to do.”
13 Kanaafuu Nebuzaradaan ajajaan eegumsaa sun Nebuushazbaan shuumiin hangafti, Nergaal-Sharezer shuumiin ol aanaan, akkasumas qondaaltonni mootii Baabilon kaan hundi
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 ergamanii oobdii eegumsaa keessaa Ermiyaasin baasisan. Isaanis akka Gedaaliyaas ilmi Shaafaan, ilmi Ahiiqaam mana isaatti isa geessuuf imaanaa itti kennan. Ermiyaasis akkasiin saba ofii isaa keessa jiraate.
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 Utuma Ermiyaas oobdii eegumsaa keessatti hidhamee jiruu dubbiin Waaqayyoo akkana jedhee gara isaa dhufe:
While I was [still] being guarded in the palace courtyard, Yahweh gave me this message:
16 “Dhaqiitii Ebeed-Melek namicha Itoophiyaa sanaan akkana jedhi; ‘Waaqayyo Waan Hunda Dandaʼu, Waaqni Israaʼel akkana jedha: Ani dubbii koo waan tolaadhaaf utuu hin taʼin waan hamaadhaaf magaalaa kana irratti fiixaan nan baasa. Yeroo sanatti wanni kun ijuma kee duratti fiixaan baʼa.
“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 Ani garuu gaafas sin oolcha, jedha Waaqayyo; ati dabarfamtee warra sodaattu sanatti hin kennamtu.
but I will rescue you from the people whom you are afraid of.
18 Ani sin baasa; ati waan na amanattuuf lubbuu keetiin baata malee goraadeedhaan hin duutu, jedha Waaqayyo.’”
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.’”
