Jeremias 38

1 Men da Sjefatja Mattans søn, Gedalja Pasjhurs søn, Jukal Sjelemjas Søn og Pasjhur Malkijas Søn hørte Jeremias tale til alt Folket således:

Then Shephatiah, the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah, the son of Pashhur, and Jehucal, the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur, the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to all the people, saying:

2 "Så siger HERREN: Den, der bliver i denne By, skal dø ved Sværd, Hunger og Pest, men den, som overgiver sig til Kaldæerne, skal leve og vinde sit Liv som Bytte;

“Thus says the Lord: Whoever will remain in this city will die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence. But whoever will flee away from the Chaldeans, will live, and his soul will dwell in safety.

3 thi så siger HERREN: Denne By skal gives i Babels Konges Hærs Hånd, og han skal indtage den"

Thus says the Lord: This city will certainly be delivered into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.”

4 da sagde Fyrsterne til Kongen: "Denne Mand må dø, thi han tager Modet fra Krigsmændene, som er tilbage i denne By, og fra alt Folket ved at tale således til dem; thi denne Mand tænker ikke på dette Folks Vel, men på dets Ulykke."

And the leaders said to the king: “We petition you to put this man to death. For he is deliberately weakening the hands of the men of war, who have remained in this city, and the hands of the people, by speaking to them with these words. For this man is certainly not seeking peace for this people, but evil.”

5 Kong Zedekias svarede: "Se, han er i eders Hånd." Thi Kongen evnede intet over for dem.

And king Zedekiah said: “Behold, he is in your hands. For it is not fitting for the king to deny you anything.”

6 Så tog de Jeremias og kastede ham i Kongesønnen Malkijas Cisterne i Vagtforgården, idet de hejsede ham ned med Reb. Der var ikke Vand i Cisternen, men Dynd, og Jeremias sank i Dyndet.

Therefore, they took Jeremiah and cast him into the pit of Malchiah, the son of Amelech, which was at the entrance to the prison. And they lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the pit, in which there was no water, but only mud. And so Jeremiah descended into the mire.

7 Imidlertid hørte Ætioperen Ebed Melek, en Hofmand i Kongens Palads, at Jeremias var kastet i Cisternen; og da Kongen var i Benjaminsporten,

Now Ebedmelech, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch who was in the king’s house, heard that they had sent Jeremiah into the pit, and also that the king was sitting at the gate of Benjamin.

8 gik Ebed-Melek fra Paladset og talte således til Kongen:

And so Ebedmelech departed from the king’s house, and he spoke to the king, saying:

9 "Herre Konge, ilde har de gjort ved at lade denne Mand dø af Hunger, fordi der ikke er mere Brød i Byen!"

“My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have perpetrated against Jeremiah the prophet, casting him into the pit so that he would die there from famine. For there is no more bread in the city.”

10 Så bød Kongen Ætioperen Ebed-Melek: "Tag tredive Mænd med herfra og drag Profeten Jeremias op af Cisternen, før han dør!"

And so the king instructed Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, saying: “Take with you thirty men from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet from the pit, before he dies.”

11 Ebed-Melek tog Mændene med og gik til Kælderen under Skatkammeret i Kongens Palads, hvor han hentede nogle Klude af slidte og iturevne klæder; dem hejsede han med Reb ned til Jeremias i Cisternen,

Therefore, Ebedmelech, taking the men with him, entered into the king’s house to a place below the storehouse. And he took from there old garments, no longer in use, and he sent them down by rope to Jeremiah in the pit.

12 idet han sagde: "Læg Kludene om Rebet!" Det gjorde Jeremias,

And Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, said to Jeremiah: “Place these old garments, and these cut and decaying cloths, under your arms and over the ropes.” And Jeremiah did so.

13 og de drog ham op af Cisternen med Rebet. Således kom Jeremias atter til at sidde i Vagtforgården.

And they pulled up Jeremiah with the ropes, and they led him away from the pit. And Jeremiah remained in the vestibule of the prison.

14 Kong Zedekias sendte Bud og lod Profeten Jeremias hente til sig i Livvagtens Indgang til HERRENs Hus. Og Kongen sagde til ham: "Jeg vil spørge dig om noget, dølg intet for mig!"

And king Zedekiah sent and took Jeremiah the prophet to him at the third gate, which was at the house of the Lord. And the king said to Jeremiah: “I will question you about a matter. You shall conceal nothing from me.”

15 Jeremias svarede Zedekias: "Hvis jeg siger dig det, vil du da ikke lade mig dræbe? Og selv om jeg råder dig, vil du dog ikke høre mig."

Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah: “If I announce to you, will you not put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.”

16 Da tilsvor Kong Zedekias i al Hemmelighed Jeremias: "Så sandt HERREN lever, som har skabt vor Sjæl, jeg vil ikke lade dig dræbe eller give dig i disse Mænds Hånd, som står dig efter Livet."

Then king Zedekiah swore to Jeremiah, secretly, saying: “As the Lord lives, who made this soul for us, I will not kill you, nor will I deliver you into the hands of those men who are seeking your life.”

17 Så sagde Jeremias til Zedekias: "Så siger HERREN, Hærskarers Gud, Israels Gud: Hvis du overgiver dig til Babels Konges Fyrster, skal du redde dit Liv; denne By skal ikke afbrændes, og du og dit Hus skal blive i Live;

And Jeremiah said to Zedekiah: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If, having set out, you go to the rulers of the king of Babylon, your soul will live, and this city will not be burned with fire. And you and your house will be safe.

18 men overgiver du dig ikke til dem, skal Byen gives i Kaldæernes Hånd, og de skal afbrænde den, og du skal ikke undslippe deres Hånd."

But if you will not go to the rulers of the king of Babylon, this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire. And you will not escape from their hand.”

19 Men kong Zedekias sagde til Jeremias: "Jeg er ræd for de Judæere, der er løbet over til Kaldæerne, at Kaldæerne skal overgive mig i deres Hånd, og at de skal drive Spot med mig."

And king Zedekiah said to Jeremiah: “I am anxious, because of the Jews who have crossed over to the Chaldeans, lest perhaps I may be delivered into their hands, and they may abuse me.”

20 Så sagde Jeremias: "Det gør de ikke! Adlyd kun HERRENs Ord, som jeg taler til dig, så skal det gå dig vel, og du skal blive i Live.

But Jeremiah responded: “They will not deliver you. Listen, I ask you, to the voice of the Lord, which I am speaking to you, and it will be well with you, and your soul will live.

21 Men vægrer du dig ved at overgive dig, så hør nu, hvad HERREN har ladet mig skue:

But if you refuse to depart, this is the word that the Lord has revealed to me:

22 Se, alle Kvinder, der er tilbage i Judas Konges Palads, førtes ud til Babels Konges Fyrster, medens de sang: Dig forledte og tvang dine gode Venner, de ledte din Fod i en Sump og trak sig tilbage.

Behold, all the women who remain in the house of the king of Judah will be led away to the rulers of the king of Babylon. And the women will say: ‘Your men of peacefulness have led you astray, and they have prevailed against you. They have immersed your feet in mud and have set them in a slippery place. And they have withdrawn from you.’

23 Alle dine Hustruer og Børn skal føres ud til Kaldæerne, og du skal ikke undslippe deres Hånd, men gribes af Babels Konges Hånd, og denne By skal abrændes!"

And all your wives and your sons will be led away to the Chaldeans, and you will not escape from their hands. Instead, you will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon. And he will burn this city with fire.”

24 Så sagde Zedekias til Jeremias: "Ingen må vide noget om denne Samtale, ellers er du dødsens;

Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah: “Let no one know of these words, and you will not die.

25 og hvis Fyrsterne skulde få Nys om, at jeg har talt med dig, og komme til dig og sige: Sig os hvad du sagde til Kongen; dølg ikke noget for os, ellers dræber vi dig; sig os også, hvad Kongen sagde til dig!

But if the leaders hear that I have spoken with you, and if they come to you, and say to you: ‘Tell us what you said to the king. Do not conceal it from us, and we will not put you to death. And tell us what the king said to you,’

26 sig så til dem: Jeg fremførte en ydmyg Bøn for Kongen om ikke at lade mig føre tilbage til Jonatans Hus for at dø der."

then you shall say to them: ‘I presented my supplication before the king, so that he would not order me to be led back to the house of Jonathan, to die there.’”

27 Og alle Fyrsterne kom til Jeremias og spurgte ham; og han svarede dem nøje, som Kongen havde påbudt. Så lod de ham i Fred, eftersom Sagen ikke var blevet kendt.

Then all the leaders came to Jeremiah, and they questioned him. And he spoke to them in accord with all the words that the king had commanded him. And they withdrew from him, for they had learned nothing.

28 Således sad Jeremias i Vagtforgården, lige til den Dag Jerusalem blev indtaget.

Yet truly, Jeremiah remained at the entrance of the prison, until the day when Jerusalem was seized. And it happened that Jerusalem was captured.