Jeremia 40
1 Shoko rakasvika kuna Jeremia richibva kuna Jehovha mushure mokusunungurwa kwake paRama naNebhuzaradhani mukuru wavarindi. Akanga awana Jeremia akasungwa nengetani ari pakati pavatapwa vose vaibva kuJerusarema neJudha avo vakanga vachiendeswa kuutapwa kuBhabhironi.
[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 Mukuru wavarindi akati awana Jeremia, akati kwaari, “Jehovha Mwari wako akatenda kuti njodzi iyi iwire nzvimbo ino.
[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 Zvino Jehovha aita kuti zviitike, aita sezvaakareva kuti achaita. Izvi zvose zvakaitika nokuti imi vanhu makatadzira Jehovha uye hamuna kumuteerera.
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 Asi nhasi ndinokusunungura kubva pangetani dziri mumaoko ako. Uya tiende tose kuBhabhironi, kana uchida, ini ndichakuchengeta; asi kana usingadi, usauya. Tarira, nyika yose iri pamberi pako; enda hako kwose kwaunoda.”
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 Kunyange zvakadaro hazvo, Jeremia asati atendeuka kuti aende, Nebhuzaradhani akaenderera mberi achiti, “Dzokera kuna Gedharia mwanakomana waAhikami, mwanakomana waShafani uyo akagadzwa namambo weBhabhironi kuti ave mubati wemaguta eJudha, undogara naye pakati pavanhu, kana kuti woenda kwose kwaunoda.” Ipapo mukuru wavarindi akamupa zvokudya zvokutakura nezvipo akamurega achienda.
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 Saka Jeremia akaenda kuna Gedharia mwanakomana waAhikami paMizipa akandogara naye pakati pavanhu vakanga vasara munyika.
I returned to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and I stayed in Judah with the people who still remained in the land.
7 Vakuru vehondo navanhu vakanga vachigara mumasango enyika vakati vanzwa kuti mambo weBhabhironi akanga agadza Gedharia mwanakomana waAhikami kuti ave mubati wenyika uye kuti mambo akanga amuita mutariri wavarume, vakadzi navana, avo vakanga vari varombo zvakanyanya munyika uye vakanga vasina kuendeswa pautapwa kuBhabhironi,
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 vakauya kuna Gedharia paMizipa, Ishumaeri mwanakomana waNetania, Johanani naJonatani vanakomana vaKarea, naSeraya mwanakomana waTanhumeti, mwanakomana waEfai muNetofati, naJaazania mwanakomana womuMaakati, ivo navanhu vavo.
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 Gedharia mwanakomana waAhikami, mwanakomana waShafani, akapika mhiko yokuvasimbisa ivo navanhu vavo achiti, “Musatya kushandira vaBhabhironi. Garai henyu munyika mushandire mambo weBhabhironi, zvigokuitirai zvakanaka.
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 Ini pachangu ndichagara paMizipa kuti ndikumirirei pamberi pavaBhabhironi vanouya kwatiri, asi imi munofanira kukohwa waini, nezvibereko zvezhizha namafuta mugozviisa mumidziyo yenyu, mugogara mumaguta amakakunda.”
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 VaJudha vose vaiva muMoabhu, muAmoni, nevemuEdhomu nedzimwe nyika dzose vakati vanzwa kuti mambo weBhabhironi akanga asiya vamwe vanhu muJudha uye kuti akanga agadza Gedharia mwanakomana waAhikami, mwanakomana waShafani, somubati pamusoro pavo,
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 vose vakadzoka kunyika yeJudha, kuna Gedharia paMizipa, vachibva kunyika dzose kwavakanga vakaparadzirwa. Uye vakakohwa waini yakawanda nezvibereko zvezhizha zvizhinji kwazvo.
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 Johanani mwanakomana waKarea navakuru vose vehondo vakanga vachiri kumasango vakauya kuna Gedharia paMizipa.
[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 Vakati kwaari, “Hauzivi here kuti Bhaarisi mambo wavaAmoni atuma Ishumaeri mwanakomana waNetania kuti azokuuraya?” Asi Gedharia mwanakomana waAhikami haana kuvatenda.
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 Ipapo Johanani mwanakomana waKarea akati kuna Gedharia muchivande vari paMizipa, “Rega ndinouraya Ishumaeri mwanakomana waNetania, uye hapana achazviziva. Anodirei kukuuraya nokuita kuti vaJudha vose vakaungana, vakakupoteredza, vaparadzirwe uye vakasara veJudha vaparare?”
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 Asi Gedharia mwanakomana waAhikami akati kuna Johanani mwanakomana waKarea, “Usaita chinhu chakadaro! Zvauri kutaura pamusoro paIshumaeri hazvisi zvechokwadi.”
But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “[No], I will not allow you to do that. [I think that] you are lying about Ishmael.”
