< 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.
In the ninth year and tenth month of Zedekiah king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 Katika mwaka wa kumi na moja na mwezi wa nne wa Sekeia, siku ya tisa ya mwezi, mji uliharibiwa.
In the eleventh year and fourth month of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken into.
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 officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nebo-Sarsekim, Samgar Nebo, and Sarsechim, an important official. Nebo-Sarsekim was a high official and all the rest were the officials of the king of Babylon.
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.
It happened that when Zedekiah, king of Judah, and all his fighting men saw them, they fled. They went out at night from the city by the king's garden path, through the gate between the two walls. The king went out in the direction of the Arabah.
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 army of Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of the Jordan River valley near Jericho. Then they captured him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him.
6 Mfalme wa Babeli alimchinja binti wa Sedekia mbele ya macho yake huko Ribla. Pia aliwachinja wanaume wote wa heshima wa Yuda.
The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his own eyes at Riblah. He also slaughtered all the noblemen of Judah.
7 Kisha alingoa macho ya Sedekia na kumfunga mnyororo wa shaba ili kusudi kumpeleka Babeli.
Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him in bronze chains in order to take him to Babylon.
8 Kisha Wakaldayo walichoma nyumba ya mfalme na nyumba za watu. Pia walivunja kuta za Yerusalem.
Then the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the people's houses. They also tore down the walls of Jerusalem.
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.
Nebuzaradan, the commander of the king's bodyguards, took into exile the rest of the people who were left in the city. This included the people who had deserted to the Chaldeans and the rest of the people who were left in the city.
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 Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards allowed the poorest people who had nothing for themselves to remain in the land of Judah. He gave them vineyards and fields on that same day.
11 Nebukadreza mfalme wa Babeli alikuwa ametoa amri kuhusu Yeremia kwa Nebuzaradani nahodha wa walinzi wa mfalme. Alikuwa amesema,
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had given an order about Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards. He had said,
12 “Mchukue na umjali. Usimdhuru. Fanya kwa ajili yake chochote anachokuambia.”
“Take him and care for him. Do not harm him. Do for him anything he tells you.”
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 Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards, Nebushazban the high eunuch, Nergal-Sharezer the high official, and all the most important officials of the king of Babylon sent men out.
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.
Their men took Jeremiah from the courtyard of the guard and entrusted him to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, to take him home, so Jeremiah stayed among the people.
15 Sasa neno la Yahwe lilikuwa limekuja kwa Yeremia wakati alipokuwa chini ya kifungo kwenye uwanja wa mlinzi, na alisema,
Now the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah while he was under arrest in the courtyard of the guard, saying,
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.
“Speak to Ebed-Melek the Cushite and say, 'Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: See, I am about to carry out my words against this city for disaster and not for good. For they will all come true before you on that day.
17 Lakini nitakuokoa katika siku hiyo - hili ni tamko la Yahwe - na hautatiwa katika mkono wa wanaume ambayo unawaogopa.
But I will rescue you on that day—this is Yahweh's declaration—and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you fear.
18 Kwa kuwa nitakuokoa hakika. Hautaanguka kwa upanga. Utatoroka pamoja na maisha yako, kwani unanitumaini - hili lilikuwa tamko la Yahwe.”
For I will certainly rescue you. You will not fall by the sword. You will escape with your life, since you trust in me—this was Yahweh's declaration.'”