Yeremia 37
1 Sedekia mwana wa Yosia akafanywa kuwa mfalme wa Yuda na Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli, naye akatawala mahali pa Yehoyakini mwana wa Yehoyakimu.
Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
2 Lakini sio Sedekia, wala watumishi wake, wala watu wa nchi walisikiliza maneno ya Bwana aliyonena kupitia kwa nabii Yeremia.
But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, listened to the LORD’s words, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
3 Hata hivyo, Mfalme Sedekia akamtuma Yehukali mwana wa Shelemia, pamoja na kuhani Sefania mwana wa Maaseya kwa nabii Yeremia na ujumbe huu: “Tafadhali utuombee kwa Bwana, Mungu wetu.”
Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “Pray now to the LORD our God for us.”
4 Wakati huu Yeremia alikuwa huru kuingia na kutoka katikati ya watu, kwa sababu alikuwa bado hajatiwa gerezani.
Now Jeremiah came in and went out amongst the people, for they had not put him into prison.
5 Jeshi la Farao lilikuwa limetoka Misri, nao Wakaldayo waliokuwa wameuzunguka Yerusalemu kwa majeshi waliposikia taarifa kuhusu jeshi hilo walijiondoa Yerusalemu.
Pharaoh’s army had come out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.
6 Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia nabii Yeremia kusema:
Then the LORD’s word came to the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
7 “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli: Mwambie mfalme wa Yuda aliyekutuma uniulize mimi, ‘Jeshi la Farao lililotoka kuja kukusaidia litarudi katika nchi yake yenyewe, yaani Misri.
“The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘You shall tell the king of Judah, who sent you to me to enquire of me: “Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has come out to help you, will return to Egypt into their own land.
8 Kisha Wakaldayo watarudi na kushambulia mji huu, watauteka na kuuchoma moto.’
The Chaldeans will come again, and fight against this city. They will take it and burn it with fire.”’
9 “Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: Msijidanganye wenyewe mkifikiri, ‘Hakika Wakaldayo watatuacha na kwenda zao.’ Hakika hawatawaacha!
“The LORD says, ‘Don’t deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely depart from us;” for they will not depart.
10 Hata kama mngelishinda jeshi lote la Wakaldayo linalowashambulia ninyi, na wakawa ni watu waliojeruhiwa tu waliobaki kwenye mahema yao, wangetoka na kuuchoma mji huu moto.”
For though you had struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and only wounded men remained amongst them, they would each rise up in his tent and burn this city with fire.’”
11 Baada ya jeshi la Wakaldayo kujiondoa kutoka Yerusalemu kwa sababu ya jeshi la Farao,
When the army of the Chaldeans had withdrawn from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,
12 Yeremia akaanza kuondoka mjini ili kwenda nchi ya Benyamini ili akapate sehemu yake ya milki miongoni mwa watu huko.
then Jeremiah went out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the middle of the people.
13 Lakini alipofika kwenye Lango la Benyamini, mkuu wa walinzi, ambaye jina lake lilikuwa Iriya mwana wa Shelemia mwana wa Hanania, akamkamata Yeremia na kusema, “Wewe unakwenda kujiunga na Wakaldayo!”
When he was in Benjamin’s gate, a captain of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are defecting to the Chaldeans!”
14 Yeremia akasema, “Hiyo si kweli, mimi sijiungi na Wakaldayo.” Lakini Iriya hakumsikiliza; badala yake, akamkamata Yeremia na kumpeleka kwa maafisa.
Then Jeremiah said, “That is false! I am not defecting to the Chaldeans.” But he didn’t listen to him; so Irijah seized Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.
15 Wakamkasirikia Yeremia, wakaamuru apigwe, na akafungwa katika nyumba ya Yonathani mwandishi waliyokuwa wameifanya gereza.
The princes were angry with Jeremiah, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.
16 Yeremia akawekwa kwenye chumba kilichofukuliwa chini, kilichojengwa kwa zege ndani ya gereza chini ya ngome, akakaa huko kwa muda mrefu.
When Jeremiah had come into the dungeon house and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days,
17 Kisha Mfalme Sedekia akatumana aletwe katika jumba la kifalme, mahali alipomuuliza kwa siri, “Je, kuna neno lolote kutoka kwa Bwana?” Yeremia akajibu, “Ndiyo, utatiwa mikononi mwa mfalme wa Babeli.”
then Zedekiah the king sent and had him brought out. The king asked him secretly in his house, “Is there any word from the LORD?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” He also said, “You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”
18 Kisha Yeremia akamwambia Mfalme Sedekia, “Nimefanya kosa gani dhidi yako na maafisa wako au watu hawa, hata ukanitia gerezani?
Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?
19 Wako wapi manabii wako waliokutabiria wakisema, ‘Mfalme wa Babeli hatakushambulia wewe wala nchi hii?’
Now where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you, nor against this land’?
20 Lakini sasa, bwana wangu mfalme, tafadhali sikiliza. Niruhusu nilete maombi yangu mbele yako, usinirudishe kwenye nyumba ya Yonathani mwandishi, nisije nikafia humo.”
Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my supplication be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.”
21 Ndipo Mfalme Sedekia akatoa maagizo Yeremia awekwe katika ua wa walinzi, na apewe mkate kutoka mitaa ya waokaji kila siku mpaka mikate yote katika mji itakapokwisha. Kwa hiyo Yeremia akabaki katika ua wa walinzi.
Then Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the court of the guard. They gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
