Yeremia 37

1 Sasa Sedekia mwana wa Yosia alitawala kama mfalme badala ya Yehoyachin mwana wa Yehoyakimu. Nebukadreza mfalme wa Babeli alikuwa amemfanya Sedekia mfalme juu ya nchi ya Yuda.

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 Sedekia, wajakazi wake, na watu wa nchi hawakusikiliza maneno ya Yahwe ambayo alitangaza kwa mkono wa Yeremia nabii.

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 Kwa hiyo Mfalme Sedekia, Yehukali mwana wa Shelemia, na Zefania mwana wa Maaseia kuhani alituma ujumbe kwa Yeremia nabii. Walisema, “Omba kwa niaba kwa Yahwe 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 Sasa Yeremia alikuwa anakuja na kwenda miongoni mwa watu, kwa kuwa alikuwa bado hajawekwa ndani ya gereza.

Now Jeremiah came in and went out amongst the people, for they had not put him into prison.

5 Jeshi la Farao lilitoka Misri, na Wakaldayo waliozingira Yerusalem walisikia habari kuhusu wao na kuondoka Yerusalem.

Pharaoh’s army had come out of Egypt; and when the Kasdim who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

6 Kisha neno la Yahwe lilikuja kwa Yeremia nabii na kusema,

Then the LORD’s word came to the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

7 “Yahwe, Mungu wa Israel, asema hivi: Hiki ndivyo utakavyosema kwa mfalme wa Yuda, kwa sababu amekutuma wewe kutafuta ushauri toka kwangu, 'Ona, jeshi la Farao, ambalo lilikuja kukusaidia, liko tayari kurudi Misri, kwenye nchi yao.

“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 Wakaldayo watarudi. Watapigana dhidi ya mji huu, kuuteka, na kuuchoma.'

The Kasdim will come again, and fight against this city. They will take it and burn it with fire.”’

9 Yahwe asema hivi: Msidaganyane kwa kusema, “Hakika Wakaldayo wanatuacha sisi,' kwa kuwa hawatatuacha.

“The LORD says, ‘Don’t deceive yourselves, saying, “The Kasdim will surely depart from us;” for they will not depart.

10 Hata kama mmelishinda jeshi la Wakaldayo lote ambalo linapigana nanyi ili kwamba wanaume waliojeruhiwa walibakizwa katika mahema yao, wangeweza kunyanyuka na kuchoma mji huu.”

For though you had struck the whole army of the Kasdim 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 Basi ilikuwa wakati jeshi la Wakaldayo lilipoondoka Yerusalem wakati jeshi la Farao lilikuwa linakuja,

When the army of the Kasdim had withdrawn from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,

12 kisha Yeremia alienda toka Yerusalem kwenda nchi ya Benjamini. Alitaka kumiliki njia ya nchi huko miongoni mwa watu wake.

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 Kama alivyokuwa katika mlango wa Benjamini, mlinzi mkuu aliyekuwa hapo. Jina lake lilikuwa Yeria mwana wa Shelemia mwana wa Hanania. Alimshika kwa kumnyakua Yeremia nabii na kusema, “Mnatoka jangwani kwa 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 Kasdim!”

14 Lakini Yeremia alisema, “Hiyo si kweli. Siendi jangwani kwa Wakaldayo.” Lakini Yeria hakumsikiliza. Alimchukua Yeremia na kumleta kwa maafisa.

Then Jeremiah said, “That is false! I am not defecting to the Kasdim.” But he didn’t listen to him; so Irijah seized Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.

15 Maafisa walikuwa wamemkasirikia Yeremia. Walimpiga na kumweka gerezani, ambayo ilikuwa nyumba ya Yonathani mwandishi, kwa kuwa waligeuza kuwa 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 Kwa hiyo Yeremia alikuwa amewekwa kwenye kifungo cha chini, ambako alikuwa huko kwa siku nyingi.

When Jeremiah had come into the dungeon house and into the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days,

17 Kisha mfalme Sedekia alimtuma mtu mmoja aliyemleta kwenye ikulu. Kwenye nyumba yake, mfalme alimuuliza binafsi, “Kuna neno: Utatiwa kwenye mkono wa 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 alisema kwa mfalme Sedekia, “Kwa namna gani nimekutenda dhambi, mjakazi wako, au watu hawa kwamba umeniweke mimi kwenye gereza?

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 nabii wako, wale waliotabiri kwa ajili yako na kusema mfalme wa Babeli hatakuja dhidi yako au dhidi ya 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 sikiliza, bwana wangu mfalme! Acha ombi langu liwe mbele yako. Usinirudie mimi kwenye nyumba ya Yonathani mwandishi, au nitakufa huko.”

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 Kwa hiyo mfalme Sedekia alitoa amri. Wajakazi wake walimwekea mipaka Yeremia katika uwanja wa walinzi. Alipewa mkate kila siku kutoka mtaa wa waokaji mkate, mpaka mkate wote mjini uliisha. Basi Yeremia alibaki kwenye uwanja 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.