1 ه َذا هُوَ نَصُّ الرِّسالَةِ الَّتِي أرسَلَها إرْمِيا مِنَ مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ إلَى بَقِيَّةِ شُيُوخِ السَّبيِ وَالكَهَنَةِ وَالأنبِياءِ وَإلَى كُلِّ الشَّعبِ الَّذِي سَباهُ نَبُوخَذْناصَّرُ مِنَ مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ إلَى بابِلَ.

Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon,

2 ك انَ هَذا بَعدَ خُرُوجِ يَكُنْيا مِنَ مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ مَعَ المَلِكَةِ الأُمِّ وَالعَبيدِ وَرُؤَساءِ يَهُوذا وَمَدينَةِ القُدْسِ وَالنَّحّاتِينَ وَالحَدّادِينَ.

(after that Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths, had departed from Jerusalem),

3 و َقَدْ أرْسَلَ إرْمِيا الرِّسالَةَ بِيَدِ ألْعاسَةَ بْنِ شافانَ وَجَمَرْيا بْنِ حَلْقِيّا، اللَّذَينِ أرسَلَهُما صِدْقِيّا مَلِكُ يَهُوذا إلَى بابِلَ، إلَى نَبُوخَذْناصَّرَ مَلِكِ بابِلَ، فَقالَ:

by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), saying,

4 ه َذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ القَدِيرُ، إلَهُ إسْرائِيلَ، لِكُلِّ المَسبِيِّينَ مِنَ القُدْسِ إلَى بابِلَ:

Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon:

5 « ابنُوا بُيُوتاً وَاسكُنُوا فِيها، وَازرَعُوا بَساتِينَ وَكُلُوا ما تُنتِجُهُ.

Build houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat their fruit.

6 ت َزَوَّجُوا وَأنجِبُوا بَنِيناً وَبَناتٍ. خُذُوا زَوجاتٍ لِبَنِيكُمْ، وَزَوِّجُوا بَناتِكُمْ، وَلْيُنجِبُوا بَنِيناً وَبَناتٍ. تَضاعَفُوا هُناكَ وَلا تَقِلُّوا.

Take wives, and father sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there, and don’t be diminished.

7 و َاطلُبُوا خَيرَ المَدِينَةِ الَّتِي سُبِيتُمْ إلَيها، وَصَلُّوا إلَى اللهِ لأجلِها. لأنَّهُ إنْ كانَ لَها خَيرٌ، فَأنتُمْ كَذَلِكَ سَيَكُونُ لَكُمْ خَيرٌ.»

Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its peace you shall have peace.

8 ل أنَّ هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ القَدِيرُ، إلَهُ إسْرائِيلَ: «لا تَدَعُوا أنبِياءَكُمْ وَعَرّافِيكُمُ الَّذِينَ يَعِيشُونَ فِي وَسَطِكُمْ يَخدَعُوكُمْ. وَلا تَستَمِعُوا إلَى الأحلامِ الَّتِي يَحلُمُونَها.

For Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says: Don’t let your prophets who are among you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.

9 ل أنَّهُمْ يَتَنَبَّأُونَ لَكُمْ بِاسمِي كَذِباً. وَأنا لَمْ أُرسِلْهُمْ، يَقُولُ اللهُ.›»

For they prophesy falsely to you in my name: I have not sent them, says Yahweh.

10 ل أنَّ هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ: «عِندَما تَكتَمِلُ السَّبعُونَ سَنَةً لِبابِلَ، سَأفتَقِدُكُمْ وَأُتَمِّمُ وَعدِي الَّذِي قَطَعْتُهُ مَعَكُمْ بِأنْ أُعِيدَكُمْ إلَى هَذا المَكانِ.

For Yahweh says, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

11 ل أنِّي أعرِفُ الخُطَطَ الَّتِي أُفَكِّرُ بِها بِخُصُوصِكُمْ، يَقُولُ اللهُ ، فَهِيَ خُطَطٌ لِخَيرِكُمْ وَلَيسَتْ لِضَرَرِكُمْ، لأُعطِيَكُمْ مُستَقبَلاً وَرَجاءً.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.

12 س َتَدعُونَنِي وَسَتَأتُونَ لِتُصَلُّوا إلَيَّ، وَأنا سَأستَمِعُ إلَيكُمْ.

You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

13 س َتَطلُبُونَنِي وَتَجِدُونَنِي حِينَ تَطلُبُونَنِي بِكُلِّ قُلُوبِكُمْ،

You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.

14 و َسَأُوجَدُ لَكُمْ، يَقُولُ اللهُ ، وَسَأُرجِعُ ما أُخِذَ مِنكُمْ، وَسَأجمَعُكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ الأماكِنِ الَّتِي طَرَدتُكُمْ إلَيها، يَقُولُ اللهُ ، وَسَأُرجِعُكُمْ مِنَ المَكانِ الَّذِي سَبَيتُكُمْ إلَيهِ.»

I will be found by you, says Yahweh, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says Yahweh; and I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.

15 ق َدْ تَقُولُونَ: «أقامَ اللهُ لَنا أنبِياءَ فِي بابِلَ.»

Because you have said, Yahweh has raised us up prophets in Babylon;

16 و َلَكِنَّ هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ لِلمَلِكِ الجالِسِ عَلَى عَرشِ داوُدَ، وَلِكُلِّ الشَّعبِ السّاكِنِينَ فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ، إخوَتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يَذهَبُوا مَعَكُمْ إلَى السَّبيِ.

Yahweh says concerning the king who sits on David’s throne, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who haven’t gone with you into captivity;

17 ي َقُولُ اللهُ القَدِيرُ: «سَأُرسِلُ عَلَيهِمُ الحَربَ وَالمَجاعَةَ وَالوَباءَ، وَسَأجعَلُهُمْ كَالتِّينِ العَفِنِ الَّذِي لا يُؤكَلُ لِرَداءَتِهِ.

Yahweh of Armies says: Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that can’t be eaten, they are so bad.

18 س َأُلاحِقُهُمْ بِالحَربِ وَالمَجاعَةِ وَالوَباءِ. وَسَأجعَلُهُمْ عِبرَةً تُرعِبُ جَميعَ مَمالِكِ الأرْضِ. سَأجعَلُهُمْ لَعنَةً وَخَراباً وَرُعباً وَمَثاراً لِلاسْتِغرابِ فِي جَميعِ الأُمَمِ الَّتِي سَأطرُدُهُمْ إلَيها.

I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of horror, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations where I have driven them;

19 ل أنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَنتَبِهُوا لِكَلامِي، يَقُولُ اللهُ ، إذْ أرسَلتُ إلَيهِمْ خُدَّامي الأنبِياءَ واحِداً بَعدَ الآخَرِ، وَلَمْ يَستَمِعُوا إلَيَّ. يَقُولُ اللهُ.»

because they have not listened to my words, says Yahweh, with which I sent to them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear, says Yahweh.

20 ف َاستَمِعُوا إلَى كَلِمَةِ اللهِ يا كُلَّ المَسبِيِّينَ مِنَ القُدْسِ إلَى بابِلَ.

Hear therefore Yahweh’s word, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

21 ه َذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ القَدِيرُ، إلَهُ إسْرائِيلَ، لأخآبَ بْنِ قُولايا وَلِصِدْقِيّا بْنِ مَعَسِيّا، اللَّذَينِ يَتَنَبَّآنِ لَكُمْ بِالكَذِبِ: «سَأُسَلِّمُهُما لِنَبُوخَذْناصَّرَ مَلِكِ بابِلَ، وَسَيَقتُلُهُما أمامَكُمْ.

Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall kill them before your eyes;

22 و َسَيُضرَبُ بِهِما المَثَلُ كَلَعنَةٍ لِكُلِّ المَسبِيِّينَ مِنْ بَنِي يَهُوذا فِي بابِلَ، فَيُقالُ: ‹لِيَجعَلْكَ اللهُ كَصِدْقِيّا وَأخآبَ اللَّذَينِ أحرَقَهُما مَلِكُ بابِلَ بِالنّارِ.›

and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captives of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, Yahweh make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;

23 س َيَحدُثُ هَذا بِسَبَبِ الأعمالِ البَشِعَةِ الَّتِي عَمِلاها فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ، إذْ أنَّهُما زَنَيا مَعَ زَوجاتِ جِيرانِهِما، وَتَكَلَّما بِكَلامٍ كاذِبٍ باسمِي لَمْ آمُرْهُما بِأنْ يَقُولاهُ. أعرِفُ بِهَذا وَأشهَدُ عَلَيهِ. يَقُولُ اللهُ.» رِسالَةُ اللهِ إلَى شِمْعِيا

because they have worked folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I didn’t command them; and I am he who knows, and am witness, says Yahweh.

24 و َقُلْ لِشِمْعِيا النَّحِلامِيِّ:

Concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying,

25 ه َذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ القَدِيرُ، إلَهُ إسْرائِيلَ: «أرسَلْتَ رَسائِلَ بِاسمِكَ إلَى كُلِّ الشَّعبِ الَّذِي فِي مَدينَةِ القُدْسِ، وَلِصَفَنْيا بْنِ مَعَسِيّا الكاهِنِ، وَإلَى كُلِّ الكَهَنَةِ الآخَرِينَ قُلْتَ فِيها:

Thus speaks Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, saying, Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

26 ‹ قَدْ عَيَّنَكَ اللهُ كاهِناً مَكانَ يَهُوياداعَ الكاهِنِ، لِيَكُونَ هُناكَ مَنْ يَهتَمُّ بِبَيتِ اللهِ. لِذَلِكَ، سَيُسْجَنُ كُلُّ مَجنُونٍ يَتَنَبَّأُ عَلَيكَ، وَتُوضَعُ قَدَمِيهِ بَينَ لَوحَينِ خَشَبِيَّيْنِ.

Yahweh has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that there may be officers in Yahweh’s house, for every man who is mad, and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in shackles.

27 ف َلِماذا لَمْ تُوَبِّخْ إرْمِيا الَّذِي مِنْ عَناثُوثَ الَّذِي يَتَنَبَّأُ لَكُمْ؟

Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who makes himself a prophet to you,

28 ف َقَدْ أرسَلَ رِسالَةً إلَينا فِي بابِلَ قالَ فِيها: سَتَعِيشُونَ هُناكَ لِزَمَنٍ طَوِيلٍ، فَابنُوا بُيُوتاً وَاسكُنُوا فِيها، وَازرَعُوا بَساتِينَ وَكُلُوا ثَمَرَها.›»

because he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, The captivity is long: build houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat their fruit?

29 ف َقَرَأ صَفَنْيا الكاهِنُ هَذِهِ الرِّسالَةَ لِلنَّبِيِّ إرْمِيا.

Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

30 ف َجاءَتْ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ إلَى إرمِيا، فَقالَ اللهُ:

Then Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah, saying,

31 « أرْسِلْ رِسالَةً إلَى كُلِّ المَسبِيِّينَ وَقُلْ لَهُمْ: ‹هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ لِشِمْعِيا النَّحِلّامِي: لأنَّ شِمْعِيا تَنَبَّأ لَكُمْ مَعَ أنِّي لَمْ أُرسِلْهُ، وَقَدْ جَعَلَكُمْ تَضَعُونَ ثِقَتَكُمْ بِالكَذِبِ.

Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Yahweh says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I didn’t send him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie;

32 ل ِذَلِكَ، هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ: سَأُعاقِبُ شِمْعِيا النَّحِلّامِيِّ وَنَسلَهُ، وَلَنْ يَبقَى لَهُ مِنْ نَسلِهِ أحَدٌ وَسَطَ هَذا الشَّعبِ. وَلَنْ يَرَى الخَيرَ الَّذِي سَأعمَلُهُ لِشَعبِي، يَقُولُ اللهُ ، لأنَّهُ تَكَلَّمَ بِخِيانَةٍ ضِدَّ اللهِ.›»

therefore Yahweh says, Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his offspring; he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he see the good that I will do to my people, says Yahweh, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh.