Yeremia 37

1 Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar de Yosia babarima Sedekia dii Yudahene; osii Yehoiakim babarima Yehoiakin anan mu.

Now Zedekiah son of Josiah reigned as king instead of Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made Zedekiah king over the land of Judah.

2 Ɔno, nʼasomfo ne nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so antie Awurade asɛm a ɔnam odiyifo Yeremia so kae no.

But Zedekiah, his servants, and the people of the land did not listen to the words of Yahweh that he proclaimed by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet.

3 Ɔhene Sedekia somaa Selemia babarima Yehukal ne Maaseia babarima ɔsɔfo Sefania se, wɔnkɔka nkyerɛ Yeremia se, “Yɛsrɛ wo, bɔ Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn, mpae ma yɛn.”

So King Zedekiah, Jehukal son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest sent a message to Jeremiah the prophet. They said, “Pray on our behalf to Yahweh our God.”

4 Na Yeremia de ne ho a otumi di nnipa no mu akɔneaba, efisɛ na wɔmfaa no ntoo afiase ɛ.

Now Jeremiah was coming and going among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison.

5 Na Farao asraafo afi Misraim reba, na Babiloniafo a wɔatua Yerusalem no tee wɔn nka no, wofii Yerusalem.

Pharaoh's army came out from Egypt, and the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the news about them and left Jerusalem.

6 Na Awurade asɛm baa odiyifo Yeremia nkyɛn se,

Then the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

7 “Sɛɛ na Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, se: Monka nkyerɛ Yudahene a, ɔsomaa mo se mummebisa me hɔ biribi no se, ‘Farao asraafo a wofii adi sɛ wɔrebɛboa mo no bɛsan akɔ wɔn ankasa asase, Misraim so.

“Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: This is what you will say to the king of Judah, because he has sent you to seek advice from me, 'See, Pharaoh's army, which came to help you, is about to go back to Egypt, its own land.

8 Na Babiloniafo no bɛsan abɛtow ahyɛ saa kuropɔn yi so; wobegye na wɔahyew kurow no dwerɛbee.’

The Chaldeans will return. They will fight against this city, capture it, and burn it.'

9 “Sɛ Awurade se ni: Monnnaadaa mo ho nsusuw sɛ, ‘Ampa ara Babiloniafo no befi yɛn so akɔ.’ Wɔrenkɔ!

Yahweh says this: Do not deceive yourselves by saying, 'Surely the Chaldeans are leaving us,' for they will not leave.

10 Sɛ mudi Babiloniafo asraafo a wɔatow ahyɛ mo so no so ma ɛka apirafo wɔ wɔn ntamadan mu mpo a, wobefi adi abɛhyew kuropɔn yi dwerɛbee.”

Even if you had defeated the entire Chaldean army that is fighting you so that only wounded men were left in their tents, they would get up and burn this city.”

11 Babilonia asraafo no fii Yerusalem, esiane Farao asraafo no nti akyiri no,

So it was when the Chaldean army had left Jerusalem as Pharaoh's army was coming,

12 Yeremia yɛɛ ahoboa sɛ ɔrefi kuropɔn no mu, akɔ Benyamin mantam mu akogye nʼagyapade mu kyɛfa wɔ nkurɔfo a wɔwɔ hɔ no nkyɛn.

then Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin. He wanted to take possession of a tract of land there among his people.

13 Nanso okoduu Benyamin Pon ano no, awɛmfo no so panyin a wɔfrɛ no Yiria a ɔyɛ Selemia babarima ne Hanania nena kyeree no kae se, “Woreguan agya yɛn akɔ Babiloniafo afa!”

As he was in the Benjamin Gate, a chief guard was there. His name was Irijah son of Shelemiah son of Hananiah. He grabbed hold of Jeremiah the prophet and said, “You are deserting to the Chaldeans.”

14 Yeremia buae se, “Ɛnyɛ nokware. Merenguan nkɔ Babiloniafo afa.” Nanso Yiria antie, na mmom ɔkyeree Yeremia de no kɔmaa ne mpanyimfo.

But Jeremiah said, “That is not true. I am not deserting to the Chaldeans.” But Irijah did not listen to him. He took Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.

15 Wɔn bo fuw Yeremia, na wɔma wɔboroo no de no too afiase wɔ ɔkyerɛwfo Yonatan fi a na wɔde ayɛ afiase no.

The officials were angry with Jeremiah. They beat him and put him in prison, which had been the house of Jonathan the scribe, for they had turned it into a prison.

16 Wɔde Yeremia too asase ase afiase, ma odii nna bebree wɔ hɔ.

So Jeremiah was put into an underground cell, where he stayed for many days.

17 Akyiri no, ɔhene Sedekia soma ma wɔkɔfaa no baa ahemfi, ɛhɔ na obisaa no wɔ kokoa mu se, “Woanya asɛm bi afi Awurade nkyɛn ana?” Yeremia buae se, “Yiw, wɔde wo bɛma Babiloniahene.”

Then King Zedekiah sent someone who brought him to the palace. In his house, the king asked him privately, “Is there any word from Yahweh?” Jeremiah answered, “There is a word: You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon.”

18 Afei Yeremia bisaa ɔhene no se, “Dɛn bɔne na mayɛ atia wo, anaa wʼadwumayɛfo anaa nnipa yi a enti wɔde me ato afiase yi?

Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you, your servants, or this people so that you have placed me in prison?

19 Ɛhe na wʼadiyifo a wɔhyɛɛ nkɔm kyerɛɛ wo se, ‘Babiloniahene rentow nhyɛ wo so anaa asase yi so’ no wɔ?

Where are your prophets, the ones who prophesied for you and said the king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land?

20 Na afei, ɔdɛɛfo, mesrɛ wo tie. Ma memfa me nkotosrɛ nto wʼanim: Mfa me nkɔto ɔkyerɛwfo Yonatan fi hɔ bio, anyɛ saa a mewu wɔ hɔ.”

But now listen, my master the king! Let my pleas come before you. Do not return me to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there.”

21 Ɔhene Sedekia hyɛɛ sɛ wɔmfa Yeremia nkɔto awɛmfo adiwo hɔ, na wɔmma no brodo a efi brodotofo borɔn so da biara nkosi sɛ kuropɔn no mu brodo nyinaa bɛsa. Enti Yeremia kaa awɛmfo adiwo hɔ.

So King Zedekiah gave an order. His servants confined Jeremiah in the courtyard of the guard. A loaf of bread was given him every day from the street of the bakers, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah stayed in the courtyard of the guard.