1 و َشَفَطْيا بْنُ مَتّانَ وَجَدَلْيا بْنُ فَشحُورَ وَيُوخَلُ بْنُ شَلَمْيا وَفَشحُورُ بْنُ مَلْكِيّا سَمِعُوا الكَلامَ الَّذِي كانَ إرْمِيا يَقُولُهُ لِكُلِّ الشَّعبِ، إذْ قالَ:

Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken to all the people, saying,

2 « هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ: ‹الَّذِي يَبقَى فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ سَيَمُوتُ فِي المَعرَكَةِ أوْ مِنَ الجُوعِ أوِ الوَباءِ، وَأمّا الَّذِي يَخرُجُ إلَى البابِلِيِّينَ فَسَيَحيا، إذْ سَتَكُونُ حَياتُهُ لَهُ كَغَنِيمَةٍ، وَسَيَحيا.

“Thus says the Lord: ‘He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes over to the Chaldeans shall live; his life shall be as a prize to him, and he shall live.’

3 ف َهَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ: هَذِهِ المَدِينَةُ سَتُسَلَّمُ إلَى يَدِ جَيشِ مَلِكِ بابِلَ وَسَيَستَولُونَ عَلَيها.›»

Thus says the Lord: ‘This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it.’”

4 ث ُمَّ قالَ الرُّؤَساءُ لِلمَلِكِ: «هَذا الرَّجُلُ يَنْبَغِي أنْ يُعدَمَ، لأنَّهُ يُثَبِّطُ عَزِيمَةَ الجُنُودِ الباقِينَ فِي المَدِينَةِ، وَعَزِيمَةَ جَمِيعِ الشَّعبِ، بِقَولِهِ مِثلَ هَذِهِ الأُمُورِ لَهُمْ. هَذا الرَّجُلَ لا يَسعَى إلَى سَلامِ الشَّعبِ، بَلْ إلَى ضَرَرِهِ.»

Therefore the princes said to the king, “Please, let this man be put to death, for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm.”

5 ف َقالَ المَلِكُ صِدْقِيّا: «اعمَلُوا بِهِ ما تُرِيدُونَ، فَالمَلِكُ لا يَستَطِيعُ أنْ يَمنَعَكُمْ.»

Then Zedekiah the king said, “Look, he is in your hand. For the king can do nothing against you.”

6 ف َأخَذُوا إرْمِيا وَألقُوهُ فِي بِئْرِ مَلْكِيّا ابنِ المَلِكِ الَّذِي كانَ فِي ساحَةِ السِّجنِ. فَأنزَلُوا إرْمِيا بِحِبالٍ، وَلَمْ يَكُنْ فِي البِئْرِ ماءٌ، بَلْ وَحلٌ فَقَطْ. فَغاصَ إرْمِيا فِي الوَحلِ.

So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king’s son, which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire.

7 و َسَمِعَ عَبدُمَلِكُ الكُوشِيُّ – وَهُوَ مِنْ عَبِيدِ القَصرِ – بِأنَّ إرْمِيا قَدْ أُلقِيَ فِي البِئْرِ. وَكانَ المَلِكُ جالِساً عِنْدَ بَوّابَةِ بَنْيامِيْنَ،

Now Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon. When the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin,

8 ف َذَهَبَ عَبدُ مَلِكُ مِنَ القَصرِ وَتَكَلَّمَ إلَى المَلِكِ وَقالَ:

Ebed-Melech went out of the king’s house and spoke to the king, saying:

9 « مَولايَ المَلِكُ، هَؤُلاءِ الرِّجالُ صَنَعُوا شَرّاً فِي كُلِّ ما عَمِلُوهُ بِإرْمِيا النَّبِيِّ. فَقَدْ أخطَأُوا بِإلقائِهِ فِي البِئْرِ. سَيَمُوتُ هُناكَ لأنَّهُ لا يُوجَدُ طَعامٌ فِي المَدِينَةِ.»

“My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon, and he is likely to die from hunger in the place where he is. For there is no more bread in the city.”

10 ف َأمَرَ المَلِكُ عَبْدَمَلِكَ الكُوشِيَّ: «خُذْ ثَلاثَةَ رِجالٍ تَحتَ إمرَتِكَ، وَأصعِدْ إرْمِيا النَّبِيَّ قَبلَ أنْ يَمُوتَ.»

Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take from here thirty men with you, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon before he dies.”

11 ف َأخَذَ عَبدُمَلِكُ الرِّجالَ تَحتَ إمرَتِهِ وَجاءَ إلَى القَصرِ أسفَلَ المَخزَنِ، وَأخَذَ مِنْ هُناكَ بَعضَ الثِّيابِ الرَّثَّةِ وَالبالِيَةِ، وَأنزَلَها إلَى إرْمِيا بِالحِبالِ.

So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there old clothes and old rags, and let them down by ropes into the dungeon to Jeremiah.

12 و َقالَ عَبدُمَلِكُ الكُوشِيُّ لإرْمِيا: «ضَعِ الثِّيابَ الرَّثَّةَ وَالبالِيَةَ تَحتَ إبطَيكَ، بَينَ الحِبالِ وَجِلدِكَ.» فَفَعَلَ إرْمِيا كَما قالَ لَهُ.

Then Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Please put these old clothes and rags under your armpits, under the ropes.” And Jeremiah did so.

13 ث ُمَّ سَحَبُوا إرْمِيا بِالحِبالِ وَأخرَجُوهُ مِنَ البِئْرِ. وَبَقِيَ إرْمِيا فِي ساحَةِ السِّجنِ. صِدْقِيّا يَستَدعي إرْمِيا

So they pulled Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the dungeon. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison. Zedekiah’s Fears and Jeremiah’s Advice

14 و َأرسَلَ المَلِكُ صِدْقِيّا فَأحضَرَ إرْمِيا النَّبِيَّ إلَيهِ. وَقابَلَهُ عِندَ البَوّابَةِ الثّالِثَةِ فِي هَيكَلِ اللهِ. وَقالَ المَلِكُ لإرْمِيا: «سَأسألُكَ عَنْ أمرٍ، فَلا تُخفِ عَنِّي شَيئاً.»

Then Zedekiah the king sent and had Jeremiah the prophet brought to him at the third entrance of the house of the Lord. And the king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me.”

15 ف َقالَ إرْمِيا لِصِدْقِيّا: «ألَنْ تَقتُلَنِي إنْ أخبَرْتُكَ؟ وَإنْ أعْطَيتُكَ نَصِيحَةً فَهَلْ تَستَمِعُ إلَيَّ؟»

Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”

16 ف َأقسَمَ المَلِكُ لإرْمِيا بِالسِّرِّ وَقالَ: «أُقسِمُ بِاللهِ الحَيِّ الَّذِي صَنَعَنا وَأعطانا حَياةً، لَنْ أقتُلَكَ، وَلَنْ أُسَلِّمَكَ إلَى يَدِ هَؤُلاءِ الرِّجالِ الَّذِينَ يَسعُونَ إلَى قَتلِكَ.»

So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, “ As the Lord lives, who made our very souls, I will not put you to death, nor will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”

17 ح ِينَئِذٍ، قالَ إرْمِيا لِصِدْقِيّا: «هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ الإلَهُ القَديرِ، إلَهُ إسْرائِيلَ: ‹إنْ خَرَجْتَ إلَى قادَةِ مَلِكِ بابِلَ فَإنَّكَ سَتَحيا، وَلَنْ تُحرَقَ هَذِهِ المَدِينَةُ بِالنّارِ، وَسَتَحيا أنتَ وَأهلُ بَيتِكَ.

Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘If you surely surrender to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul shall live; this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

18 ل َكِنْ إنْ لَمْ تَخرُجْ إلَى قادَةِ مَلِكِ بابِلَ فَإنَّ هَذِهِ المَدِينَةَ سَتُسَلَّمُ إلَى أيَدِي البابِلِيِّينَ الَّذِينَ سَيُحرِقُونَها، أمّا أنتَ فَلَنْ تَنجُوَ مِنْ يَدِهِمْ.›»

But if you do not surrender to the king of Babylon’s princes, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans; they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.’”

19 ف َقالَ المَلِكُ صِدْقِيّا لإرْمِيا: «أنا خائِفٌ مِنَ اليَهُودِ الَّذِينَ هَرَبُوا إلَى البابِلِيِّينَ. فَهُمْ سَيُسَلِّمُونَي إلَيْهِمْ لِيَستَهزِئُوا بِي.»

And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they abuse me.”

20 ف َقالَ إرْمِيا: «لَنْ يَحدُثَ هَذا. أطِعْ كَلِمَةَ اللهِ الَّتِي جاءَتْ إلَيكَ وَالَّتِي أنا أتَكَلَّمُ بِها إلَيكَ. حِينَئِذٍ، سَتَكُونُ الأُمُورُ لِخَيرِكَ، وَأنتَ سَتَحيا.

But Jeremiah said, “They shall not deliver you. Please, obey the voice of the Lord which I speak to you. So it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.

21 ل َكِنْ إنْ رَفَضْتَ أنْ تَخرُجَ إلَى البابِلِيِّينَ فَإنَّ هَذا ما أظهَرَهُ اللهُ لِي:

But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the Lord has shown me:

22 ك ُلُّ النِّساءِ الباقِياتِ فِي بَيتِ مَلِكِ يَهُوذا سَيُقَدْنَ إلَى قادَةِ مَلِكِ بابِلَ، وَسَيَقُلْنَ: ‹حُلَفاؤُكَ خانُوكَ وَغَلَبُوكَ. غاصَتْ رِجلاكَ فِي الوَحلِ، وَقَدْ تَرَكُوكَ.›

‘Now behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be surrendered to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say: “Your close friends have set upon you And prevailed against you; Your feet have sunk in the mire, And they have turned away again.”

23 « كُلُّ نِسائِكَ وَأولادِكَ سَيُخرَجُونَ إلَى البابِلِيِّينَ، وَأنتَ لَنْ تَنجُوَ مِنْ يَدِهِمْ، لأنَّ مَلِكَ بابِلَ سَيَقبِضُ عَلَيكَ، وَهَذِهِ المَدِينَةُ سَتُحرَقُ بِالنّارِ.»

‘So they shall surrender all your wives and children to the Chaldeans. You shall not escape from their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon. And you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.’”

24 ح ِينَئِذٍ، قالَ صِدْقِيّا لإرْمِيا: «إنْ كُنتَ لا تُخبِرُ أحَداً عَنْ هَذا النِّقاشِ فَإنَّكَ لَنْ تَمُوتَ.

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

25 و َإنْ سَمِعَ الرُّؤَساءُ بِأنِّي تَكَلَّمْتُ مَعَكَ وَأتُوا إلَيكَ وَقالُوا لَكَ: ‹أخبِرْنا بِما قُلْتَهُ لِلمَلِكِ، وَإنْ كُنتَ لا تُخفِي شَيئاً عَنّا فَإنَّكَ لَنْ تَمُوتَ. وَماذا قالَ المَلِكُ لَكَ؟›

But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you and say to you, ‘Declare to us now what you have said to the king, and also what the king said to you; do not hide it from us, and we will not put you to death,’

26 ف َحِينَئِذٍ، قُلْ لَهُمْ: ‹كُنتُ أتَرَجَّى المَلِكَ بِأنْ لا يُرجِعَنِي إلَى بَيتِ يُوناثانَ لأمُوتَ هُناكَ.›»

then you shall say to them, ‘I presented my request before the king, that he would not make me return to Jonathan’s house to die there.’”

27 و َجاءَ كُلُّ الرُّؤَساءِ إلَى إرْمِيا وَسَألُوهُ، فَأجابَهُمْ كَما قالَ لَهُ المَلِكُ. وَلِذا تَوَقَّفُوا عَنْ مُضايَقَتِهِ لأنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَسمَعُوا النِّقاشَ الّذِي دارَ بَيْنَهُما.

Then all the princes came to Jeremiah and asked him. And he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they stopped speaking with him, for the conversation had not been heard.

28 و َبَقِيَ إرْمِيا فِي ساحَةِ السِّجنِ إلَى اليَومِ الّذِي استَولَى فِيهِ البابِلِيُّونَ عَلَى مَدِينَةِ القُدسِ.

Now Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken. And he was there when Jerusalem was taken.