Jeremiah 40

1 [The soldiers from Babylonia] captured me and many other people from Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah. They [planned to] take us to Babylon. So they fastened chains around our wrists and took us to Ramah [town north of Jerusalem]. While we were there, I was released. [This is how it happened]:

sermo qui factus est ad Hieremiam a Domino postquam dimissus est a Nabuzardan magistro militiae de Rama quando tulit eum vinctum catenis in medio omnium qui migrabant de Hierusalem et Iuda et ducebantur in Babylonem

2 [Nebuzaradan, ] the captain of the [king’s] bodyguards, [found that I was there]. He summoned me and said to me, “Yahweh your God said that he would cause this land to experience a disaster.

tollens ergo princeps militiae Hieremiam dixit ad eum Dominus Deus tuus locutus est malum hoc super locum istum

3 And now he has caused it to happen. He has done just what he said [that he would do], because you people sinned against Yahweh and refused to obey him.

et adduxit et fecit Dominus sicut locutus est quia peccastis Domino et non audistis vocem eius et factus est vobis sermo hic

4 But today I am going to take the chains off your wrists and release you. If you want to come with me to Babylon, [that will be fine]. I will take care of you. But if you do not want to come with me, do not come. [Stay here]. Look, the entire country is available; you can choose whatever part you want to go to. You can go wherever you wish.” [Then he took the chains off my wrists].

nunc ergo ecce solvi te hodie de catenis quae sunt in manibus tuis si placet tibi ut venias mecum in Babylonem veni et ponam oculos meos super te si autem displicet tibi venire mecum in Babylonem reside ecce omnis terra in conspectu tuo quod elegeris et quo placuerit tibi ut vadas illuc perge

5 He said, “If you [decide to] stay here, go to Gedaliah. The King of Babylon appointed him to be the governor of Judah. [You will be allowed to] stay here with the people [that he is governing]. But you can do whatever you want to.” Then Nebuzaradan gave me some food and some money, and he allowed me to go.

et mecum noli venire sed habita apud Godoliam filium Ahicam filii Saphan quem praeposuit rex Babylonis civitatibus Iudaeae habita ergo cum eo in medio populi vel quocumque placuerit tibi ut vadas vade dedit quoque ei magister militiae cibaria et munuscula et dimisit eum

6 I returned to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and I stayed in Judah with the people who still remained in the land.

venit autem Hieremias ad Godoliam filium Ahicam in Masphat et habitavit cum eo in medio populi qui relictus fuerat in terra

7 The [Israeli] soldiers [who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia] were roaming around in the countryside. Then their leaders heard someone say that the King of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah to be the governor of the very poor people [who were still in Judah], who had not been taken to Babylon.

cum ergo audissent omnes principes exercitus qui dispersi fuerant per regiones ipsi et socii eorum quod praefecisset rex Babylonis Godoliam filium Ahicam terrae et quod commendasset ei viros et mulieres et parvulos et de pauperibus terrae qui non fuerant translati in Babylonem

8 So they went [to talk] to Gedaliah at Mizpah. [Those who went included] Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophath, and Jezaniah from Maacah, and the soldiers who were with them.

venerunt ad Godoliam in Masphat et Ismahel filius Nathaniae et Iohanan et Ionathan filii Caree et Sareas filius Thenoemeth et filii Offi qui erat de Nethophathi et Iezonias filius Maachathi ipsi et viri eorum

9 Gedaliah solemnly promised that the soldiers from Babylonia would not harm them. He said, “Do not be afraid to do things for them. Stay [here] in this land and do things for the King of Babylon. If you do that, things will go well for you.

et iuravit eis Godolias filius Ahicam filii Saphan et comitibus eorum dicens nolite timere servire Chaldeis habitate in terra et servite regi Babylonis et bene erit vobis

10 As for me, I will stay [here] at Mizpah to be your representative to the [officials from] Babylonia who come to [talk with] us. But you should [return to your towns, and eat the things that are produced on your land]. Harvest the grapes and the fruit [that ripen in] the (summer/hot season) and the olives, [make wine and olive oil, ] and store it.”

ecce ego habito in Masphat ut respondeam praecepto Chaldeorum qui mittuntur ad nos vos autem colligite vindemiam et messem et oleum et condite in vasis vestris et manete in urbibus vestris quas tenetis

11 Then the Jews who had fled to Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other [nearby] countries heard people say that the King of Babylon had allowed a few people [to remain] in Judah, and that he had appointed Gedaliah to be their governor.

sed et omnes Iudaei qui erant in Moab et in filiis Ammon et in Idumea et in universis regionibus audito quod dedisset rex Babylonis reliquias in Iudaeam et quod praeposuisset super eos Godoliam filium Ahicam filii Saphan

12 So they [began to] return to Judah. They stopped at Mizpah to [talk with] Gedaliah. Then [they went to various places in Judea, and] they harvested a great amount of grapes and summer fruit.

reversi sunt inquam omnes Iudaei de universis locis ad quae profugerant et venerunt in terram Iuda ad Godoliam in Masphat et collegerunt vinum et messem multam nimis

13 [Some time later, ] Johanan and all the [other] leaders of the Israeli soldiers [who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia] came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

Iohanan autem filius Caree et omnes principes exercitus qui dispersi erant in regionibus venerunt ad Godoliam in Masphat

14 They said to him, “Do you know that Baalis, the king of the Ammon [people-group], has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to assassinate you?” But Gedaliah did not believe what they said.

et dixerunt ei scito quia Baalis rex filiorum Ammon misit Ismahel filium Nathaniae percutere animam tuam et non credidit eis Godolias filius Ahicam

15 Later Johanan talked with Gedaliah privately. He said, “Allow me to go and murder Ishmael secretly. It would not be good [RHQ] to allow him to come and murder you! If you are killed, what will happen to all the Jews who have returned to this area? They will be scattered, and the other people who remain in Judah will all be killed!”

Iohanan vero filius Caree dixit ad Godoliam seorsum in Masphat loquens ibo et percutiam Ismahel filium Nathaniae nullo sciente ne interficiat animam tuam et dissipentur omnes Iudaei qui congregati sunt ad te et peribunt reliquiae Iuda

16 But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “[No], I will not allow you to do that. [I think that] you are lying about Ishmael.”

et ait Godolias filius Ahicam ad Iohanan filium Caree noli facere verbum hoc falsum enim tu loqueris de Ismahel