< Yeremia 41 >

1 Katika mwezi wa saba Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania mwana wa Elishama, aliyekuwa wa uzao wa mfalme na pia alikuwa mmoja wa maafisa wa mfalme, akaja pamoja na watu kumi kwa Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu huko Mispa. Walipokuwa wakila pamoja huko,
In the seventh month of the year, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, a member of the royal family and one of the king's chief officers, came with ten of his men to see Gedaliah at Mizpah. While they were eating to have a meal together,
2 Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania pamoja na wale watu kumi waliokuwa pamoja naye waliinuka na kumuua Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu mwana wa Shafani kwa upanga, wakamuua yule ambaye mfalme wa Babeli alikuwa amemteua awe mtawala wa nchi.
suddenly Ishmael and his ten men got up and attacked Gedaliah, killing him—the one appointed by the king of Babylon as the country's governor.
3 Ishmaeli akawaua pia Wayahudi wote waliokuwa na Gedalia huko Mispa, pamoja na askari wa Kikaldayo waliokuwa huko.
Ishamel also killed all the other Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with the Babylonian soldiers there.
4 Siku moja baada ya kuuawa kwa siri kwa Gedalia, kabla mtu yeyote hajafahamu jambo hilo,
The day after Gedaliah had been murdered and before anyone knew about it,
5 watu themanini waliokuwa wamenyoa ndevu zao, waliorarua nguo zao na kujikatakata walikuja kutoka Shekemu, Shilo na Samaria wakileta sadaka za nafaka na uvumba katika nyumba ya Bwana.
a group of eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves. They were carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the Lord's Temple.
6 Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania akaondoka Mispa ili kwenda kuwalaki, huku akilia alipokuwa akienda. Alipokutana nao, akasema, “Karibuni kwa Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu.”
Ishmael came out to meet them from Mizpah, weeping as he went along. When Ishmael met the men, he said, “Come and see what's happened to Gedaliah son of Ahikam!”
7 Walipoingia mjini, Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania na wale watu waliokuwa pamoja naye wakawachinja na kuwatupa ndani ya kisima.
But when they arrived in town, Ishmael and his men killed most of them and threw their bodies into a cistern.
8 Lakini watu kumi miongoni mwao wakamwambia Ishmaeli, “Sisi usituue! Tuna ngano na shayiri, mafuta na asali, vilivyofichwa katika shamba.” Kwa hiyo akawaacha na hakuwaua pamoja na wale wengine.
But ten of them pleaded with Ishmael, “Don't kill us! We've got some good things hidden in the fields—wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey.” So Ishmael didn't kill them along with the others.
9 Basi kile kisima ambacho alitupa zile maiti za watu aliowaua pamoja na Gedalia kilikuwa ni kile kisima ambacho Mfalme Asa alikifanya sehemu ya ulinzi wake dhidi ya Baasha mfalme wa Israeli. Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania akakijaza kisima hicho kwa maiti.
(The cistern where Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men he'd killed, including Gedaliah, was a large one that King Asa had dug because of the threat of attack by Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael filled it with bodies.)
10 Ishmaeli akawafanya mateka watu wote ambao Nebuzaradani kiongozi wa walinzi wa mfalme alikuwa amewaacha huko Mispa na kumweka Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu juu yao: walikuwa binti za mfalme pamoja na watu wote aliokuwa amewaacha huko. Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania akawachukua mateka na kuondoka nao, akavuka kwenda kwa Waamoni.
Then Ishmael took all the people left in Mizpah prisoner, including the daughters of the king, as well as everyone else living there. These were the people that Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard had put under the care of Gedaliah. Ishmael took them prisoner and left to go to the Ammonites.
11 Yohanani mwana wa Karea na maafisa wote wa jeshi waliokuwa pamoja naye waliposikia juu ya uhalifu wote ambao Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania alikuwa ameufanya,
Johanan and all the army commanders of the armies with him found out about all of Ishmael's crimes.
12 waliwachukua watu wao wote kwenda kupigana na Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania. Wakakutana naye karibu na bwawa kubwa huko Gibeoni.
So they assembled all their men and went to attack Ishmael. They caught up with him near the large pool in Gibeon.
13 Ikawa watu wote waliokuwa na Ishmaeli walipomwona Yohanani mwana wa Karea pamoja na maafisa wa jeshi waliokuwa pamoja naye, wakafurahi.
When Ishmael's prisoners saw Johanan and all the army commanders with him, they were happy.
14 Watu wote ambao Ishmaeli alikuwa amewachukua mateka huko Mispa wakageuka na kumfuata Yohanani mwana wa Karea.
All those that Ishmael had taken prisoner at Mizpah turned around and ran back to Johanan.
15 Lakini Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania pamoja na watu wake wanane wakamtoroka Yohanani na kukimbilia kwa Waamoni.
Ishmael and eight of his men managed to escape from Johanan and get away to the Ammonites.
16 Ndipo Yohanani mwana wa Karea pamoja na maafisa wote wa jeshi waliokuwa pamoja naye wakawaongoza wote walionusurika kutoka Mispa, ambao walipona kutoka mikononi mwa Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania baada yake kumuua Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu: walikuwa askari, wanawake, watoto na matowashi aliowaleta kutoka Gibeoni.
Then Johanan and all the army commanders with him took charge of the survivors from Mizpah he'd rescued from Ishmael in Gibeon—the soldiers, women, children, and court officials that Ishmael had taken prisoner after he'd killed Gedaliah.
17 Kisha wakaenda mbele na kutua Geruth-Kimhamu karibu na Bethlehemu wakiwa njiani kwenda Misri
They set off for Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem and stayed there, before leaving for Egypt
18 ili kuwatoroka Wakaldayo. Waliwaogopa kwa sababu Ishmaeli mwana wa Nethania alikuwa amemuua Gedalia mwana wa Ahikamu, ambaye alikuwa amewekwa na mfalme wa Babeli kuwa mtawala wa nchi.
to get away from the Babylonians. They were afraid of what the Babylonians would do because Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah, the governor of the country appointed by the king of Babylon.

< Yeremia 41 >