1
Na Shefatia, mwana wa Matani, na Gedalia, mwana wa Pashuri, na Yukali, mwana wa Shelemia, na Pashuri, mwana wa Malkiya, wakayasikia maneno ambayo Yeremia aliwaambia watu wote, kusema,
Now Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchijah heard that Jeremiah had been telling all the people:
2
Bwana asema hivi, Akaaye ndani ya mji huu atakufa kwa upanga, na kwa njaa, na kwa tauni; bali yeye atokaye kwenda kwa Wakaldayo ataishi, naye atapewa maisha yake yawe kama nyara, naye ataishi.
“This is what the LORD says: Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever surrenders to the Chaldeans will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war, and he will live.
3
Bwana asema hivi, Bila shaka mji huu utatiwa katika mikono ya jeshi la mfalme wa Babeli, naye atautwaa.
This is what the LORD says: This city will surely be delivered into the hands of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.”
4
Ndipo wakuu wakamwambia mfalme, Twakuomba, mtu huyu auawe, kwa kuwa aidhoofisha mikono ya watu wa vita, waliobaki katika mji huu, na mikono ya watu wote, kwa kuwaambia maneno kama hayo; maana mtu huyu hawatafutii watu hawa heri, bali shari.
Then the officials said to the king, “This man ought to die, for he is discouraging the warriors who remain in this city, as well as all the people, by speaking such words to them; this man is not seeking the well-being of these people, but their ruin.”
5
Naye mfalme Sedekia akasema, Tazama, yu mikononi mwenu; maana mfalme siye awezaye kufanya neno lo lote kinyume chenu.
“Here he is,” replied King Zedekiah. “He is in your hands, since the king can do nothing to stop you.”
6
Basi wakamtwaa Yeremia, wakamtupa katika shimo la Malkiya, mwana wa mfalme, lililo katika uwanda wa walinzi; wakamshusha kwa kamba. Na mle shimoni hamkuwa na maji, ila matope tu; naye Yeremia akazama katika matope hayo.
So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.
7
Basi, Ebedmeleki, Mkushi, towashi, aliyekuwa katika nyumba ya mfalme, aliposikia kama wamemtia Yeremia shimoni; na wakati huo mfalme alikuwa amekaa katika lango la Benyamini;
Now Ebed-melech the Cushite, a court official in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah had been put into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin,
8
Ebedmeleki akatoka nyumbani mwa mfalme, akamwambia mfalme, akisema,
Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and said to the king,
9
Ee bwana wangu, mfalme, watu hawa wametenda mabaya katika mambo yote waliyomtenda Yeremia, nabii, ambaye wamemtupa shimoni; naye hakosi atakufa pale alipo, kwa sababu ya njaa; kwa kuwa hapana mkate kabisa katika mji.
“My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.”
10
Ndipo mfalme akamwamuru Ebedmeleki, Mkushi, akisema, Chukua pamoja nawe watu thelathini toka hapa, ukamtoe Yeremia shimoni, kabla hajafa.
So the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”
11
Basi Ebedmeleki akawachukua watu hao pamoja naye, akaingia ndani ya nyumba ya mfalme chini ya ghala, akatoa mle nguo zilizotupwa, na vitambaa vikuukuu, akamtelemshia Yeremia shimoni kwa kamba.
Then Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the king’s palace, to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.
12
Naye Ebedmeleki, Mkushi, akamwambia Yeremia, Tia nguo hizi zilizotupwa, na vitambaa hivi vikuukuu, chini ya kamba kwapani. Naye Yeremia akafanya hivyo.
Ebed-melech the Cushite cried out to Jeremiah, “Put these worn-out rags and clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so,
13
Basi wakamwinua Yeremia kwa kamba hizo, wakamtoa shimoni; naye Yeremia akakaa katika uwanda wa walinzi.
and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.
14
Kisha mfalme Sedekia akatuma watu, akamleta nabii Yeremia kwake, ndani ya maingilio ya tatu ya nyumba ya Bwana; mfalme akamwambia Yeremia, Nataka kukuuliza neno, nawe usinifiche neno lo lote.
Then King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance to the house of the LORD. “I am going to ask you something,” said the king to Jeremiah. “Do not hide anything from me.”
15
Basi Yeremia akamwambia Sedekia, Kama nikikufunulia neno hilo, je! Hutaniua wewe? Tena, mimi nikikupa shauri wewe hutanisikiliza.
“If I tell you,” Jeremiah replied, “you will surely put me to death. And even if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”
16
Basi Sedekia mfalme akamwapia Yeremia kwa siri, akisema, Kama Bwana aishivyo, yeye aliyetufanyia roho zetu, sitakuua, wala sitakutia katika mikono ya watu hao wanaokutafuta wakuue.
But King Zedekiah swore secretly to Jeremiah, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has given us this life, I will not kill you, nor will I deliver you into the hands of these men who are seeking your life.”
17
Ndipo Yeremia akamwambia Sedekia, Bwana, Mungu wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi, Kama ukitoka kwenda kwa wakuu wa mfalme wa Babeli, basi nafsi yako utaishi, wala mji huu hautateketezwa; nawe utaishi na nyumba yako;
Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “This is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you indeed surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned down, and you and your household will survive.
18
bali ukikataa kutoka kwenda kwa wakuu wa mfalme wa Babeli, basi, mji huu utatiwa katika mikono ya Wakaldayo nao watauteketeza, hata na wewe hutajiepusha na mikono yao.
But if you do not surrender to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans. They will burn it down, and you yourself will not escape their grasp.’”
19
Mfalme Sedekia akamwambia Yeremia, Nawaogopa Wayahudi waliowakimbilia Wakaldayo, wasije wakanitia katika mikono yao, nao wakanidhihaki.
But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for the Chaldeans may deliver me into their hands to abuse me.”
20
Lakini Yeremia akasema, La! Hawatakutoa. Nakusihi, uitii sauti ya Bwana katika hayo ninayokuambia; ndivyo itakavyokufaa, na nafsi yako utaishi.
“They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey the voice of the LORD in what I am telling you, that it may go well with you and you may live.
21
Lakini kama ukikataa kutoka, hili ndilo neno ambalo Bwana amenionyesha;
But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the LORD has shown me:
22
Tazama, wanawake wote, walioachwa ndani ya nyumba ya mfalme wa Yuda, watatolewa na kuchukuliwa kwa wakuu wa mfalme wa Babeli, na wanawake hao watasema, Rafiki zako walio karibu wamekudanganya, nao wamekushinda; na kwa kuwa miguu yako imezama matopeni sasa, wamegeuka na kurudi nyuma.
All the women who remain in the palace of the king of Judah will be brought out to the officials of the king of Babylon, and those women will say: ‘They misled you and overcame you—those trusted friends of yours. Your feet sank into the mire, and they deserted you.’
23
Na watawatoa wake zako, na watoto wako wote, na kuwachukua kwa Wakaldayo; wala wewe hutapona na mikono yao, bali utakamatwa kwa mkono wa mfalme wa Babeli, nawe utakuwa sababu ya kuteketezwa mji huu.
All your wives and children will be brought out to the Chaldeans. And you yourself will not escape their grasp, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down.”
24
Ndipo Sedekia akamwambia Yeremia, Mtu ye yote asipate habari ya maneno haya, nawe hutakufa.
Then Zedekiah warned Jeremiah, “Do not let anyone know about this conversation, or you will die.
25
Lakini kama wakuu wakisikia ya kuwa nimenena nawe, nao wakija kwako, na kukuambia, Tufunulie sasa uliyomwambia mfalme; usimfiche, nasi hatutakuua; na pia uliyoambiwa na mfalme;
If the officials hear that I have spoken with you, and they come and demand of you, ‘Tell us what you said to the king and what he said to you; do not hide it from us, or we will kill you,’
26
basi, utawaambia, Nalimwomba mfalme asinirudishe nyumbani kwa Yonathani, nisije nikafa humo.
then tell them, ‘I was presenting to the king my petition that he not return me to the house of Jonathan to die there.’”
27
Ndipo wakuu wakamwendea Yeremia, wakamwuliza; naye akawaambia sawasawa na maneno aliyoamriwa na mfalme. Basi wakaacha kunena naye; maana neno lile halikujulikana.
When all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him, he relayed to them the exact words the king had commanded him to say. So they said no more to him, for no one had overheard the conversation.
28
Basi Yeremia akakaa katika uwanda wa walinzi hata siku ile Yerusalemu ulipotwaliwa.
And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard until the day Jerusalem was captured.