Jeremiah 37
1 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon replaced Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim with Zedekiah son of Josiah as the ruling king of Judah.
Sedekia mwana wa Yosia akafanywa kuwa mfalme wa Yuda na Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli, naye akatawala mahali pa Yehoyakini mwana wa Yehoyakimu.
2 But Zedekiah and his officers and everyone else in the country refused to obey what the Lord had said through Jeremiah the prophet.
Lakini sio Sedekia, wala watumishi wake, wala watu wa nchi walisikiliza maneno ya Bwana aliyonena kupitia kwa nabii Yeremia.
3 However, King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the priest, son of Maaseiah, to Jeremiah the prophet with the message, “Please pray to the Lord our God for us!”
Hata hivyo, Mfalme Sedekia akamtuma Yehukali mwana wa Shelemia, pamoja na kuhani Sefania mwana wa Maaseya kwa nabii Yeremia na ujumbe huu: “Tafadhali utuombee kwa Bwana, Mungu wetu.”
4 (At this time Jeremiah could come and go freely, because as yet they hadn't put him in prison.)
Wakati huu Yeremia alikuwa huru kuingia na kutoka katikati ya watu, kwa sababu alikuwa bado hajatiwa gerezani.
5 Pharaoh's army was advancing from Egypt, and when the Babylonian army heard about it, they moved away from Jerusalem.
Jeshi la Farao lilikuwa limetoka Misri, nao Wakaldayo waliokuwa wameuzunguka Yerusalemu kwa majeshi waliposikia taarifa kuhusu jeshi hilo walijiondoa Yerusalemu.
6 Then a message from the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet:
Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia nabii Yeremia kusema:
7 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, instructs you to tell the king of Judah, who sent you to ask me for help: Look! Pharaoh's army, which set out to help you, is going to return home to Egypt.
“Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli: Mwambie mfalme wa Yuda aliyekutuma uniulize mimi, ‘Jeshi la Farao lililotoka kuja kukusaidia litarudi katika nchi yake yenyewe, yaani Misri.
8 Then the Babylonians will return and attack Jerusalem. They will capture it and burn it down.
Kisha Wakaldayo watarudi na kushambulia mji huu, watauteka na kuuchoma moto.’
9 This is what the Lord says: Don't fool yourselves by saying, “The Babylonians are gone for good,” because they're not!
“Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: Msijidanganye wenyewe mkifikiri, ‘Hakika Wakaldayo watatuacha na kwenda zao.’ Hakika hawatawaacha!
10 In fact, even if you were able to kill the whole Babylonian army attacking you, leaving only wounded men in their tents, they would still get up and burn this city down.
Hata kama mngelishinda jeshi lote la Wakaldayo linalowashambulia ninyi, na wakawa ni watu waliojeruhiwa tu waliobaki kwenye mahema yao, wangetoka na kuuchoma mji huu moto.”
11 When the Babylonian army moved away from Jerusalem because of the threat of Pharaoh's army,
Baada ya jeshi la Wakaldayo kujiondoa kutoka Yerusalemu kwa sababu ya jeshi la Farao,
12 Jeremiah was on his way out of Jerusalem to go to his home in the territory of Benjamin to claim his share of his family's property.
Yeremia akaanza kuondoka mjini ili kwenda nchi ya Benyamini ili akapate sehemu yake ya milki miongoni mwa watu huko.
13 However, when he reached the Benjamin Gate, the guard captain, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, son of Hananiah, arrested him, saying, “You're defecting to the Babylonians!”
Lakini alipofika kwenye Lango la Benyamini, mkuu wa walinzi, ambaye jina lake lilikuwa Iriya mwana wa Shelemia mwana wa Hanania, akamkamata Yeremia na kusema, “Wewe unakwenda kujiunga na Wakaldayo!”
14 “That's not true,” Jeremiah replied. “I'm not defecting to the Babylonians!” But Irijah refused to listen to him. He arrested Jeremiah and took him before the officers.
Yeremia akasema, “Hiyo si kweli, mimi sijiungi na Wakaldayo.” Lakini Iriya hakumsikiliza; badala yake, akamkamata Yeremia na kumpeleka kwa maafisa.
15 The officers were furious with Jeremiah. They had him beaten and locked up in the house of Jonathan the scribe, which had been turned into a prison.
Wakamkasirikia Yeremia, wakaamuru apigwe, na akafungwa katika nyumba ya Yonathani mwandishi waliyokuwa wameifanya gereza.
16 Jeremiah was placed in a cell in the underground dungeon and was kept there for a long time.
Yeremia akawekwa kwenye chumba kilichofukuliwa chini, kilichojengwa kwa zege ndani ya gereza chini ya ngome, akakaa huko kwa muda mrefu.
17 Some while later King Zedekiah secretly sent for him and had him brought to the royal palace where he asked, “Is there a message from Lord for me?” “Yes there is,” Jeremiah replied. “You are going to be handed over to the king of Babylon.”
Kisha Mfalme Sedekia akatumana aletwe katika jumba la kifalme, mahali alipomuuliza kwa siri, “Je, kuna neno lolote kutoka kwa Bwana?” Yeremia akajibu, “Ndiyo, utatiwa mikononi mwa mfalme wa Babeli.”
18 Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, “What wrong have I done to you or your servants or these people, for you to put me in prison?
Kisha Yeremia akamwambia Mfalme Sedekia, “Nimefanya kosa gani dhidi yako na maafisa wako au watu hawa, hata ukanitia gerezani?
19 Where are your prophets now, the ones who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon won't come and attack you and this country’?
Wako wapi manabii wako waliokutabiria wakisema, ‘Mfalme wa Babeli hatakushambulia wewe wala nchi hii?’
20 Now please listen to me, my lord the king, and respond positively to my request. Don't send me back to prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe, otherwise I'll die there.”
Lakini sasa, bwana wangu mfalme, tafadhali sikiliza. Niruhusu nilete maombi yangu mbele yako, usinirudishe kwenye nyumba ya Yonathani mwandishi, nisije nikafia humo.”
21 King Zedekiah gave the order for Jeremiah to be held in the guard's courtyard and be provided with a loaf of bread every day from a bakery until there was no bread left in the city. So Jeremiah stayed in the guard's courtyard.
Ndipo Mfalme Sedekia akatoa maagizo Yeremia awekwe katika ua wa walinzi, na apewe mkate kutoka mitaa ya waokaji kila siku mpaka mikate yote katika mji itakapokwisha. Kwa hiyo Yeremia akabaki katika ua wa walinzi.
