Yeremia 39
1 Katika mwaka wa tisa na mwezi wa kumi wa Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda, Nebukadreza mfalme wa Babeli alikuja pamoja na jeshi lake lote dhidi ya Yerusalem na kuizingira.
After King Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost nine years, King Nebuchadnezzar came in January with his army, and they surrounded Jerusalem.
2 Katika mwaka wa kumi na moja na mwezi wa nne wa Sekeia, siku ya tisa ya mwezi, mji uliharibiwa.
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 Kisha maafisa wote wa mfalme wa Babeli walikuja na kukaa kwenye lango la katikati: Nergali Sharezeri, Samgari Nebo, na Sarsechimu, afisa muhimu. Nerga Sharezeri alikuwa afisa mkuu na wote waliobaki maafisa wa mfalme wa Babeli.
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 Ilitokea kwamba wakati Sedekia, mfalme wa Yuda, na wanaume wapiganaji wake wote walipowaona, walikimbia. Walitoka nje usiku toka kwenye mji kwa njia ya bustani ya mfalme, kupitia lango la kati la kuta mbili. Mfalme alitoka nje katika mwelekeo wa Arabah.
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 Lakini jeshi la Wakaldayo walimfatilia na kumpata Sedekia kwenye tambarare za mto Yordani karibu na Yeriko. Kisha walimshika na kumleta kwa Nebukadreza, mfalme wa Babeli, Riblah kwenye nchi ya Hamath, ambapo Nebukadreza alipitisha sentensi juu yake.
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 Mfalme wa Babeli alimchinja binti wa Sedekia mbele ya macho yake huko Ribla. Pia aliwachinja wanaume wote wa heshima wa Yuda.
They forced Zedekiah to watch while they killed his sons and all the officials from Judah.
7 Kisha alingoa macho ya Sedekia na kumfunga mnyororo wa shaba ili kusudi kumpeleka Babeli.
[Then] they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes. They fastened him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
8 Kisha Wakaldayo walichoma nyumba ya mfalme na nyumba za watu. Pia walivunja kuta za Yerusalem.
[Meanwhile, ] the Babylonian army burned the palace and all the other buildings in Jerusalem. And they tore down the city walls.
9 Nebukadreza, nahodha wa walinzi wa mfalme, waliwachukua katika mateka watu wengine waliobaki katika mji. Hii ilijumuisha watu waliotoka jangwa kwenda Wakaldayo na watu wengine walioachwa katika mji.
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 Lakini Nebukadreza nahodha wa walinzi wa mfalme aliwaruhusu watu maskini ambayo hawakuwa na chochote wao kubaki katika chi ya Yuda. Aliwapa mashamba ya mizabibu na maeneo katika siku ile.
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 Nebukadreza mfalme wa Babeli alikuwa ametoa amri kuhusu Yeremia kwa Nebuzaradani nahodha wa walinzi wa mfalme. Alikuwa amesema,
King Nebuchadnezzar had [previously] told Nebuzaradan to find me. He said,
12 “Mchukue na umjali. Usimdhuru. Fanya kwa ajili yake chochote anachokuambia.”
“Make sure that no one harms him. Take care of him, and do for him whatever he requests you to do.”
13 Basi Nebuzaradani nahodha wa walinzi wa mfalme, Nebushazbani mkuu wa matoashi, Nergali Sharezeri afisa mkuu, na wote maafisa wa muhimu wa mfalme wa Babeli walituma watu nje.
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 Watu wao walimchukua Yeremia kutoka uwanja wa mlinzi na kumkabidhi kwa Gedalia mwana wa Ahikami mwana wa Shafani, kumchua nyumbani, basi Yeremia alibaki miongoni mwa watu.
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 Sasa neno la Yahwe lilikuwa limekuja kwa Yeremia wakati alipokuwa chini ya kifungo kwenye uwanja wa mlinzi, na alisema,
While I was [still] being guarded in the palace courtyard, Yahweh gave me this message:
16 “Zungumza kwa Ebedi Meleki Mkushi na sema, 'Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israel, asema hivi: Ona, Nimekaribia kubeba maneno yangu dhidi ya mji huu kwa ajili ya janga na si kwa uzuri. Kwa kuwa yatakuwa kweli mbele yako katika siku hiyo.
“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 Lakini nitakuokoa katika siku hiyo - hili ni tamko la Yahwe - na hautatiwa katika mkono wa wanaume ambayo unawaogopa.
but I will rescue you from the people whom you are afraid of.
18 Kwa kuwa nitakuokoa hakika. Hautaanguka kwa upanga. Utatoroka pamoja na maisha yako, kwani unanitumaini - hili lilikuwa tamko la Yahwe.”
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.’”
