Jeremiah 38

1 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:

Matan babarima Sefatia, Pashur babarima Gedalia, Selemia babarima Yukal ne Malkia babarima Pashur tee nsɛm a na Yeremia reka akyerɛ nnipa no nyinaa se,

2 “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.

“Sɛɛ na Awurade se: Obiara a ɔbɛtena kuropɔn yi mu no bewu wɔ afoa, ɔkɔm anaa ɔyaredɔm ano, nanso obiara a ɔbɛkɔ Babiloniafo afa no benya nkwa. Obenya ne ti adidi mu, ɔbɛtena nkwa mu.

3 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.”

Na sɛɛ na Awurade se, ‘Ampa ara, wɔde saa kuropɔn yi bɛhyɛ Babiloniahene asraafo nsa, na wɔn na wobedi so.’”

4 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.”

Ɛno nti adwumayɛfo no ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no se, “Ɛsɛ sɛ wokum saa ɔbarima yi. Ɔde nsɛm a ɔreka no bu asraafo a wɔaka wɔ kuropɔn yi mu ne nnipa no nyinaa aba mu. Saa ɔbarima yi nhwehwɛ saa nnipa yi yiyedi na mmom wɔn sɛe.”

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

Ɔhene Sedekia buae se, “Ɔwɔ mo nsam, ɔhene rentumi nyɛ biribiara ntia mo.”

6 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.

Enti wɔfaa Yeremia de no kɔhyɛɛ ɔhene babarima Malkia abura a ɛwɔ awɛmfo adiwo no mu. Wɔde ntampehama gyaagyaa no too abura no mu; na nsu nni mu, mmom dontori na na ɛwɔ mu, enti Yeremia kɔhyɛɛ dontori no mu.

7 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.

Na Ebed-Melek Kusni odwumayɛni a ɔwɔ ahemfi hɔ tee sɛ wɔde Yeremia akɔto abura no mu. Bere a ɔhene no te Benyamin Pon hɔ no,

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

Ebed-Melek fii ahemfi hɔ kɔka kyerɛɛ no se,

9 “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.”

“Ɔdɛɛfo, nea saa nnipa yi ayɛ nyinaa yɛ amumɔyɛsɛm a etia odiyifo Yeremia. Wɔatow no akyene abura mu, baabi a ɔkɔm bekum no wɔ bere a brodo asa wɔ kuropɔn yi mu.”

10 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.”

Na ɔhene hyɛɛ Kusni, Ebed-Melek se, “Fa mmarima aduasa fi ha ka wo ho, na munkoyi odiyifo Yeremia mfi abura no mu, ansa na wawu.”

11 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.

Ɛno nti Ebed-Melek faa mmarima no kaa ne ho, na wɔkɔɔ ɔdan bi a ɛwɔ adekorabea ase, wɔ ahemfi hɔ. Ɔkɔsesaw ntamagow ne ntade dedaw de kyekyeree ntampehama ho, gyaa mu maa Yeremia wɔ abura no mu.

12 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.

Na Kusni, Ebed-Melek ka kyerɛɛ Yeremia se, “Fa ntamagow ne ntade dedaw no hyehyɛ wo mmotuam, na ntampehama no ammia wo.” Na Yeremia yɛɛ saa,

13 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.

Wɔde ntampehama no twetwee no yii no fii abura no mu. Na Yeremia tenaa awɛmfo adiwo hɔ.

14 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.”

Na Ɔhene Sedekia soma ma wɔkɔfaa odiyifo Yeremia baa Awurade asɔredan ano kwan a ɛto so abiɛsa hɔ. Ɔhene ka kyerɛɛ Yeremia se, “Merebebisa wo asɛm bi, mfa biribiara nsie me.”

15 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.”

Yeremia ka kyerɛɛ Sedekia se, “Sɛ mema wo mmuae a, worenkum me ana? Mpo sɛ mitu wo fo a, worentie me.”

16 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.”

Nanso ɔhene Sedekia kaa saa ntam yi kokoa mu kyerɛɛ Yeremia se, “Sɛ Awurade a ɔma yɛn nkwa no te ase yi, merenkum wo na meremfa wo nhyɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ sɛ wokum wo no nsa.”

17 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.

Afei Yeremia ka kyerɛɛ Sedekia se, “Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade Nyankopɔn, Israel Nyankopɔn, no se: ‘Sɛ wode wo ho ma Babiloniahene adwumayɛfo a, wɔrenkum wo na wɔrenhyew kuropɔn yi, wo ne wʼabusuafo bɛtena nkwa mu.

18 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.”

Na sɛ woremfa wo ho mma Babiloniahene adwumayɛfo a, wɔde saa kuropɔn yi bɛma Babiloniafo, na wɔbɛhyew no dwerɛbee; na wo ankasa rentumi nguan mfi wɔn nsam.’”

19 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.”

Ɔhene Sedekia ka kyerɛɛ Yeremia se, “Misuro Yudafo a wɔkɔ Babiloniafo afa no, efisɛ ebia Babiloniafo no de me bɛma wɔn na wɔayɛ me ayayade.”

20 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.

Yeremia buae se, “Wɔremfa wo mma wɔn. Tie Awurade asɛm na yɛ nea meka kyerɛ wo. Ɛno na ɛbɛma asi wo yiye na woanya nkwa.

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

Nanso sɛ woamfa wo ho amma Babiloniafo no de a, nea Awurade ayi akyerɛ me ni:

22 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.’

Mmea a wɔaka wɔ Yudahene ahemfi hɔ nyinaa no, wɔde wɔn befi adi abrɛ Babiloniahene adwumayɛfo no. Saa mmea no bɛka akyerɛ wo se, “‘Wɔdaadaa wo na wodii wo so wo nnamfonom a wugye wɔn di no. Wʼanan amem wɔ dontori mu; wo nnamfonom agyaw wo hɔ kɔ.’

23 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.”

“Wɔde wo yerenom nyinaa ne wo mma bɛbrɛ Babiloniafo no. Wo de, worentumi nguan mfi wɔn nsam, na mmom Babiloniahene bɛkyere wo, na wɔbɛhyew saa kuropɔn yi.”

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

Na Sedekia ka kyerɛɛ Yeremia se, “Mma obiara nte saa nkɔmmɔdi yi, anyɛ saa a, wubewu.

25 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,’

Sɛ adwumayɛfo no te sɛ me ne wo kasae, na wobebisa wo se, ‘Ma yɛnte nea woka kyerɛɛ ɔhene ne nea ɔhene nso ka kyerɛɛ wo; mfa nsie yɛn anyɛ saa a yebekum wo a,’

26 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.’”

ɛno de ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Na meresrɛ ɔhene sɛ ɔmmfa me nsan nkɔ Yonatan fi mma me nkowu wɔ hɔ.’”

27 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.

Adwumayɛfo no nyinaa baa Yeremia hɔ bebisaa no, na ɔkaa nea ɔhene hyɛɛ no se ɔnka no nyinaa. Enti wɔanka hwee ankyerɛ no bio, efisɛ obiara ante ɔne ɔhene nkɔmmɔtwetwe no.

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

Na Yeremia tenaa ɔwɛmfo adiwo hɔ kosii da a wɔfaa Yerusalem. Sɛnea wɔfaa Yerusalem ni: