Jeremija 38

1 Šefatja, sin Matanov, i Gedalija, sin Pašhurov, i Jukal, sin Šelemjin, i Pašhur, sin Malkijin, čuše tada za riječi što ih Jeremija kaza svemu narodu:

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 “Ovako govori Jahve: 'Tko ostane u ovome gradu, poginut će od mača, gladi i kuge. A tko izađe pred Kaldejce, spasit će život - život će mu ostati kao plijen, ostat će živ.'

“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 Jer ovako govori Jahve: 'Ovaj će grad odista pasti u ruke vojsci kralja babilonskoga i ona će ga zauzeti!'”

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 Tada dostojanstvenici rekoše kralju: “Ovoga čovjeka valja ubiti: on zaista obeshrabruje ratnike koji su još ostali u gradu i sav narod kad takve riječi pred njima govori. Pa taj čovjek ne traži dobrobit ovoga naroda, nego njegovu propast.”

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 A kralj Sidkija odgovori: “Eto, on je u vašim rukama, jer kralj ionako više nema nikakve vlasti nad vama.”

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

6 Tada pograbiše Jeremiju i baciše ga u čatrnju kraljevića Malkije, što je bila u tamničkom dvorištu, i oni ga spustiše na užetima. Ali u čatrnji ne bijaše vode, već samo glib, tako da Jeremija propade u glib.

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 Ali Kušit Ebed-Melek, dvorjanin koji bijaše u kraljevskom dvoru, doču da su Jeremiju bacili u čatrnju dok je kralj upravo sjedio kod Benjaminovih vrata.

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 Tada Ebed-Melek izađe iz kraljevskog dvora te ovako reče kralju:

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

9 “Gospodaru, kralju moj, zlo čine ovi ljudi kad tako postupaju s prorokom Jeremijom: bacili su ga u čatrnju, gdje će od gladi umrijeti, jer nema kruha u gradu.”

“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 Nato kralj zapovjedi Kušitu Ebed-Meleku: “Povedi trojicu ljudi te izvuci proroka Jeremiju iz čatrnje dok nije umro.”

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 I Ebed-Melek povede ljude, uđe u kraljevski dvor, pod riznicu: uze ondje nešto iznošenih i poderanih dronjaka te ih na užetu spusti Jeremiji u čatrnju.

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 Kušit Ebed-Melek reče Jeremiji: “Podmetni iznošene i poderane dronjke pod pazuha i pod užad.” Jeremija učini tako.

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 Tada na užetima izvukoše Jeremiju iz čatrnje. Otada Jeremija ostade u tamničkom dvorištu.

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 Kralj Sidkija posla po proroka Jeremiju te ga pozva da dođe k njemu na treći ulaz što vodi u Dom Jahvin. Kralj reče Jeremiji: “Htio bih te nešto upitati, nemoj mi ni riječi zatajiti!”

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 Jeremija odgovori Sidkiji: “Ako ti kažem, nećeš li me pogubiti? Ako te pak posvjetujem, nećeš me poslušati!”

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 Tada se kralj Sidkija u tajnosti zakle Jeremiji ovim riječima: “Živoga mi Jahve, koji nam daje ovaj život, neću te pogubiti i neću te predati onima što ti rade o glavi.”

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 Jeremija, dakle, reče Sidkiji: “Ovako govori Jahve, Bog nad Vojskama, Bog Izraelov: 'Ako izađeš pred vojskovođe kralja babilonskoga, spasit ćeš glavu i ovaj grad neće biti uništen požarom; živjet ćete ti i tvoj dom.

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 Ako pak ne izađeš pred vojskovođe kralja babilonskoga, ovaj će grad pasti u ruke Kaldejaca i oni će ga spaliti, a ti se nećeš spasiti iz ruku njihovih.'”

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 A kralj Sidkija odgovori Jeremiji: “Bojim se Judejaca koji su prebjegli Kaldejcima: mogli bi mene predati njima da mi se izruguju.”

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 Jeremija odvrati: “Oni to neće učiniti. Poslušaj glas Jahvin prema kojem sam ti govorio, bit će ti dobro i spasit ćeš život svoj.

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 Ali ako ne htjedneš iz grada, evo riječi koju mi Jahve objavi:

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

22 'Gle, sve žene koje su još ostale u dvoru kralja judejskoga bit će odvedene k vojskovođama kralja babilonskoga i govorit će: Zaveli te, svladali te vjerni prijatelji tvoji! Kad ti noge u kal propadaju, oni te napuštaju!'

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 Da, sve će žene tvoje i djecu tvoju odvesti Kaldejcima, a ni ti sam nećeš umaći rukama njihovim: dospjet ćeš u ruke kralju babilonskom, a grad će ovaj biti spaljen.”

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 Sidkija reče Jeremiji: “Nitko živ ne smije o tome što saznati, inače ćeš umrijeti.

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

25 Ako, dakle, dostojanstvenici doznaju da sam s tobom razgovarao te dođu k tebi i kažu: 'TÓa očituj nam što kralj kaza tebi, a ti njemu; ne krij ništa pred nama, inače ćemo te ubiti',

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 odgovori im: 'Molio sam kralja da me više ne vrati u kuću Jonatanovu, da ondje ne umrem!'”

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 I doista, dođoše dostojanstvenici k Jeremiji te ga ispitivahu. Ali im on odgovori upravo onako kako mu kralj bijaše naredio. Tada ga se okaniše, jer se ništa nije pročulo o onom razgovoru.

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 Jeremiju, dakle, ostaviše u tamničkom dvorištu sve do dana kad neprijatelj zauze Jeruzalem. Kad Jeruzalem zauzeše, on bijaše ondje.

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