Yeremia 38

1 Matan babarima Sefatia, Pashur babarima Gedalia, Selemia babarima Yukal ne Malkia babarima Pashur tee nsɛm a na Yeremia reka kyerɛ nnipa no nyinaa sɛ,

And, when Shephatiah son of Mattan and Gedaliah son of Pashhur and Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah, heard the words which Jeremiah was speaking unto all the people saying:

2 “Yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ: Obiara a ɔbɛtena kuropɔn yi mu bɛwu wɔ akofena, ɛkɔm anaa ɔyaredɔm ano, nanso obiara a ɔbɛkɔ Babiloniafoɔ afa no bɛtena nkwa mu. Ɔbɛnya ne tiri adidi mu, ɔbɛtena nkwa mu.

Thus saith Yahweh, He that remaineth in this city shall die, by sword by famine, or by pestilence, —whereas, he that goeth forth unto the Chaldeans, shall live, so shall he have his life for a spoil, and shall live.

3 Na yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ, ‘Ampa ara, wɔde saa kuropɔn yi bɛhyɛ Babiloniahene akodɔm nsa, na wɔn na wɔbɛdi so.’”

Thus, saith Yahweh, —This city shall surely be given, into the hand of the force of the king of Babylon, and he shall capture it.

4 Ɛno enti adwumayɛfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no sɛ, “Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkum saa ɔbarima yi. Ɔde nsɛm a ɔreka no bu asraafoɔ a wɔaka wɔ kuropɔn yi mu ne nnipa no nyinaa aba mu. Saa ɔbarima yi nhwehwɛ saa nnipa yi yiedie na mmom wɔn sɛeɛ.”

Then said the princes unto the king, —Let this man we pray thee, be put to death, for in this way, is he weakening the hands of the men of war who are left in this, city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking unto them such words as these; for, this man, is not seeking prosperity for this people but misfortune.

5 Ɔhene Sedekia buaa sɛ, “Ɔwɔ mo nsam, ɔhene rentumi nyɛ biribiara ntia mo.”

Then said King Zedekiah, —Lo! he is in your hand; for the king is not one who is able to do anything against you.

6 Enti wɔfaa Yeremia de no kɔhyɛɛ ɔhene babarima Malkia abura a ɛwɔ awɛmfoɔ adihɔ no mu. Wɔde ntampehoma gyaagyaa no too abura no mu; na nsuo nni mu, mmom atɛkyɛ na na ɛwom, enti Yeremia kɔhyɛɛ atɛkyɛ no mu.

Then took they Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah son of the king, which was in the guard-court, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes, —now, in the dungeon, was no water only mire, so Jeremiah sank in the mire.

7 Na Ebed-Melek Kusni odwumayɛni a ɔwɔ ahemfie hɔ tee sɛ wɔde Yeremia akɔto abura no mu. Ɛberɛ a ɔhene no te Benyamin Ɛpono hɔ no,

When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian one of the eunuchs, he being in the house of the king, heard that they had delivered Jeremiah into the dungeon, —the king being seated in the gate of Benjamin,

8 Ebed-Melek firii ahemfie hɔ kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ,

then went forth Ebed-melech out of the house of the king, and spake unto the king, saying:

9 “Ɔdɛɛfoɔ, deɛ saa nnipa yi ayɛ nyinaa yɛ amumuyɛsɛm a ɛtia odiyifoɔ Yeremia. Wɔato no atwene abura mu, baabi a ɛkɔm bɛkum no wɔ ɛberɛ a burodo asa wɔ kuropɔn yi mu.”

My lord, O King! wickedly, have these men done all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom indeed they have cast into the dungeon, —since he would have died where he was because of the famine, for there is no bread any longer, in the city.

10 Ɛna ɔhene hyɛɛ Kusni, Ebed-Melek sɛ, “Fa mmarima aduasa firi ha ka wo ho, na monkɔyi odiyifoɔ Yeremia mfiri abura no mu, ansa na wawu.”

Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian saying, —Take with thee from hence thirty men, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he die.

11 Ɛno enti, Ebed-Melek faa mmarima no kaa ne ho, na wɔkɔɔ ɛdan bi a ɛwɔ adekorabea ase, wɔ ahemfie hɔ. Ɔkɔsesaa ntomago ne ntadeɛ dada de kyekyeree ntampehoma ho, gyaa mu maa Yeremia wɔ abura no mu.

So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence pieces of cast-off clothes, and old rags, —and let them down unto Jeremiah in the dungeon with the ropes.

12 Na Kusni, Ebed-Melek ka kyerɛɛ Yeremia sɛ, “Fa ntomago ne ntadeɛ dada no hyehyɛ wo mmɔtoam, na ntampehoma no ammia wo.” Na Yeremia yɛɛ saa,

Then said Ebed-melech the Ethiopian unto Jeremiah, —Put, I pray thee the pieces of cast-off clothes and the old rags under thine arm-joints, under the ropes, And Jeremiah did so,

13 Wɔde ntampehoma no twetwee no de yii no firii abura no mu. Na Yeremia tenaa awɛmfoɔ adihɔ hɔ.

Then drew they Jeremiah with the ropes, and lifted him up out of the dungeon, —and Jeremiah remained in the guard-court.

14 Na Ɔhene Sedekia soma ma wɔkɔfaa odiyifoɔ Yeremia baa Awurade asɔredan ano ɛkwan a ɛtɔ so mmiɛnsa hɔ. Ɔhene ka kyerɛɛ Yeremia sɛ, “Merebɛbisa wo asɛm bi, mfa biribiara nsie me.”

Then King Zedekiah sent and fetched Jeremiah the prophet unto him, in the third entrance, which is in the house of Yahweh, —and the king said unto Jeremiah—I am going to ask thee a thing, do not hide anything from me.

15 Yeremia ka kyerɛɛ Sedekia sɛ, “Sɛ mema wo mmuaeɛ a, worenkum me anaa? Mpo sɛ metu wo fo a, worentie me.”

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, When I tell thee, wilt thou not, surely put me to death? And when I counsel thee, thou wilt not hearken unto me.

16 Nanso ɔhene Sedekia kaa saa ntam yi kɔkoam kyerɛɛ Yeremia sɛ, “Sɛ Awurade a ɔma yɛn nkwa no te ase yi, merenkum wo, na meremfa wonhyɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ sɛ wɔkum wo no nsa.”

So King Zedekiah aware unto Jeremiah secretly saying, —By the life of Yahweh who made for us, this soul, I will in no wise put thee to death, Neither will I deliver thee into the hand of these men who are seeking thy life.

17 Afei Yeremia ka kyerɛɛ Sedekia sɛ, “Yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade Onyankopɔn, Israel Onyankopɔn, no seɛ: ‘Sɛ wode wo ho ma Babiloniahene adwumayɛfoɔ a, wɔrenkum wo na wɔrenhye kuropɔn yi, wo ne wʼabusuafoɔ bɛtena nkwa mu.

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah—Thus, saith Yahweh God of hosts, God of Israel—If thou wilt, indeed go forth, unto the princes of the king of Babylon, then shall thine own soul live, and, this city, shall not be burned with fire, —but thou shalt live, thou and thy house.

18 Na sɛ woremfa wo ho mma Babiloniahene adwumayɛfoɔ a, wɔde saa kuropɔn yi bɛma Babiloniafoɔ, na wɔbɛhye no dwerɛbee; na wʼankasa rentumi nnwane mfiri wɔn nsam.’”

But, if thou wilt not go forth unto the princes of the king of Babylon, then shall this city be delivered into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and, thou, shalt not escape out of their hand.

19 Ɔhene Sedekia ka kyerɛɛ Yeremia sɛ, “Mesuro Yudafoɔ a wɔkɔ Babiloniafoɔ afa no, ɛfiri sɛ, ebia Babiloniafoɔ no de me bɛma wɔn na wɔayɛ me ayakayakadeɛ.”

Then said King Zedekiah unto Jeremiah: I am afraid of the Jews who have fallen away unto the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me, into their hand, and they maltreat me.

20 Yeremia buaa sɛ, “Wɔremfa wo mma wɔn. Tie Awurade asɛm na yɛ deɛ meka kyerɛ woɔ. Ɛno na ɛbɛma asi wo yie na woanya nkwa.

But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver!—Hearken I pray thee unto the voice of Yahweh in what I am speaking unto thee, that it may be well with thee and thy soul live.

21 Nanso sɛ woamfa wo ho amma Babiloniafoɔ no de a, deɛ Awurade ayi akyerɛ me nie:

But if thou art refusing to go forth, this, is the thing which Yahweh hath shewed me: —

22 Mmaa a wɔaka wɔ Yudahene ahemfie hɔ nyinaa no, wɔde wɔn bɛfiri adi abrɛ Babiloniahene adwumayɛfoɔ no. Saa mmaa no bɛka akyerɛ wo sɛ, “‘Wɔdaadaa wo na wɔdii wo so wo nnamfonom a wogye wɔn die no. Wo nan amem wɔ atɛkyɛ mu; wo nnamfonom agya wo hɔ kɔ.’

behold, then, all the women that are left in the house of the king of Judah, brought forth unto the princes of the king of Babylon, —and, those very women, saying, The men thou wast wont to salute, have goaded thee on and prevailed upon thee, —Thy foot having sunk in the mire, they have turned away back.

23 “Wɔde wo yerenom nyinaa ne wo mma bɛbrɛ Babiloniafoɔ no. Wo deɛ worentumi nnwane mfiri wɔn nsam, na mmom Babiloniahene bɛkye wo, na wɔbɛhye saa kuropɔn yi.”

Yea thou shalt behold all thy wives and thy children brought forth unto the Chaldeans, and thou, shalt not escape out of their hand, —but by the hand of the king of Babylon, shalt thou be taken, and, this city, shall be burned with fire.

24 Na Sedekia ka kyerɛɛ Yeremia sɛ, “Mma obiara nte saa nkɔmmɔdie yi, anyɛ saa a, wobɛwu.

Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah—Do not let, any man, know of these words, and thou shalt not die.

25 Sɛ adwumayɛfoɔ no te sɛ me ne wo kasaeɛ, na wɔbɛbisa wo sɛ, ‘Ma yɛnte deɛ woka kyerɛɛ ɔhene ne deɛ ɔhene nso ka kyerɛɛ woɔ; mfa nsie yɛn anyɛ saa a yɛbɛkum wo a,’

But, when the princes hear that I have spoken with thee and they come in unto thee and say unto thee—Do tell us we pray thee what thou didst speak unto the king, do not hide it from us so will we not put thee to death, —and what spake the king unto, thee?

26 ɛnneɛ ka kyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Na meresrɛ ɔhene sɛ ɔmmfa me nsane nkɔ Yonatan efie mma me nkɔwu wɔ hɔ.’”

Then shalt thou say unto them, —I was causing my supplication to fall prostrate before the king, —that he would not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan, to die there.

27 Adwumayɛfoɔ no nyinaa baa Yeremia hɔ bɛbisaa no, na ɔkaa deɛ ɔhene hyɛɛ no sɛ ɔnka no nyinaa. Enti, wɔanka hwee ankyɛre no bio, ɛfiri sɛ obiara ante ɔne ɔhene nkɔmmɔdie no.

Then came in all the princes unto Jeremiah and asked him, and he told them according to all these words which the king, had commanded, —so they turned in silence from him, for the matter, had not been reported.

28 Na Yeremia tenaa ɔwɛmfoɔ adihɔ hɔ kɔsii da a wɔfaa Yerusalem. Sɛdeɛ wɔfaa Yerusalem nie:

So Jeremiah remained in the guard-court, until the day when Jerusalem, was captured; thus it fell out when Jerusalem, was captured.