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]:

Yehowa ƒe gbe va na Yeremia esi aʋafia Nebuzaradan ɖe asi le eŋu le Rama. Eva ke ɖe Yeremia ŋu wode gae kpe ɖe aboyome siwo wokplɔ tso Yerusalem kple Yuda yina ɖe aboyo mee le Babilonia la ŋu.

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.

Esi aʋafia la ke ɖe Yeremia ŋu la, egblɔ nɛ be, “Yehowa, wò Mawu lae gblɔ dzɔgbevɔ̃e sia ɖe teƒe sia ŋu.

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.

Ke azɔ la, Yehowa na wòva eme tututu abe ale si wògblɔe la ene. Esia katã va eme elabena mi ame siawo miewɔ nu vɔ̃ ɖe Yehowa ŋu eye mieɖo toe o.

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].

Ke egbe la, meɖe ga le alɔnu na wò, ne elɔ̃ la, kplɔm ɖo míayi Babilonia, makpɔ dziwò nyuie, gake ne melɔ̃ o la, ate ŋu anɔ anyi faa. Kpɔ ɖa, anyigba blibo la le ŋkuwò me, yi afi sia afi si nèlɔ̃ la faa.”

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.

Gake hafi Yeremia natrɔ be yeadzo la, Nebuzaradan gblɔ kpe ɖe eŋu nɛ be, “Trɔ yi ɖe Gedalia, Ahikam ƒe vi, Safan ƒe vi ame si Babilonia fia tsɔ ɖo Yuda duwo nu la gbɔ eye nànɔ egbɔ le ameawo dome alo nàyi afi sia afi si nèlɔ.” Emegbe aʋafia la tsɔ nu hiahiã aɖewo kple nunana aɖe nɛ eye wòɖe asi le eŋu.

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

Ale Yeremia yi ɖe Ahikam ƒe vi, Gedalia gbɔ le Mizpa eye wònɔ egbɔ le ame siwo susɔ ɖe anyigba la dzi la dome.

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.

Esi asrafowo ƒe amegã siwo le aʋagbedzi se be Babilonia fia tsɔ Ahikam ƒe vi, Gedalia ɖo mɔmefiae ɖe anyigba la dzi, hetsɔ ŋutsuwo, nyɔnuwo kple ɖeviwo, ame siwo nye ame dahewo eye womekplɔ wo yi aboyo mee le Babilonia o la de eƒe dzikpɔkpɔ te la,

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.

wova Gedalia gbɔ le Mizpa. Ameawoe nye Ismael, Netania ƒe vi; Yohanan kple Yonatan, Karea ƒe viŋutsuwo; Seraya, Tanhumet ƒe vi; Efai Netofatitɔ viŋutsuwo kple Yazania, Makatitɔ ƒe vi kple wo ŋutimewo.

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.

Gedalia, Ahikam ƒe vi, Safan ƒe vi, ka atam na wo kple wo ŋutimewo be wòaɖo kpe nu si wòagblɔ la dzi: Egblɔ na wo be, “Migavɔ̃ na Babiloniatɔwo subɔsubɔ o, mitsi anyigba la dzi eye miasubɔ Babilonia fia, ekema nu sia nu adze edzi na mi nyuie.

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.”

Nye ŋutɔ manɔ Mizpa, be manɔ mia teƒe le Babiloniatɔ siwo va mia gbɔ la ŋkume. Ke miawo la, mixa wain tsetsewo, dzomeŋɔli ƒe kutsetsewo eye miɖa ami, miazi wo ɖe amigowo me eye minɔ du siwo míexɔ la me.”

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.

Esi Yudatɔ siwo katã le Moab, Amon, Edom kple du bubuwo me se bena Babilonia fia gblẽ ame aɖewo ɖe Yuda eye wòtsɔ Ahikam ƒe vi, Safan ƒe vi, Gedalia ɖo mɔmefiae ɖe wo nu la,

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.

wo katã wotrɔ gbɔ va Yudanyigba dzi, tso du siwo me wokaka ɖo la heva ƒo ta kpli ɖe Gedalia gbɔ le Mizpa. Woyi ɖaxa waintsetse gbogbo aɖewo kple dzomeŋɔli ƒe kutsetsewo.

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.

Karea ƒe vi, Yohanan kple asrafomegã siwo gale gbea dzi la va Gedalia gbɔ le Mizpa

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.

eye wogblɔ nɛ be, “Mènya be Amonitɔwo ƒe fia Balis dɔ Netania ƒe vi, Ismael be wòava ɖe wò agbe ɖa oa?” Ke Ahikam ƒe vi, Gedalia mexɔ woƒe nya la dzi se o.

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!”

Tete Karea ƒe vi, Yohanan ɖe kpɔ Gedalia le Mizpa hegblɔ nɛ be, “Na mayi aɖawu Netania ƒe vi, Ismael eye ame aɖeke manya o. Nu ka ta wòaɖe wò agbe ɖa, ahawɔe be Yudatɔ siwo katã ƒo ta kpli ɖe ŋuwò la nakaka eye Yuda ƒe ame mamlɛawo natsrɔ̃?”

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

Ke Gedalia, Ahikam ƒe vi, ɖo eŋu na Yohanan, Karea ƒe vi la be, “Mègawɔ nenema o! Nya si gblɔm nèle la nye alakpa nèle dadam ɖe Ismael si.”