Liber Ieremiae, 38

1. Audivit autem Saphatias fi lius Matthan et Godolias fi lius Phassur et Iuchal filius Selemiae et Phassur filius Melchiae sermones, quos Ieremias loquebatur ad omnem populum dicens:

1. Now Shephati'ah the son of Mattan, Gedali'ah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemi'ah, and Pashhur the son of Malchi'ah heard the words that Jeremiah was saying to all the people,

2. “Haec dicit Dominus: Quicumque manserit in civitate hac, morietur gladio et fame et peste; qui autem profugerit ad Chaldaeos, vivet, et erit anima eius quasi spolium et vivet.

2. "Thus says the LORD, He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out to the Chalde'ans shall live; he shall have his life as a prize of war, and live.

3. Haec dicit Dominus: Certe tradetur civitas haec in manu exercitus regis Babylonis, et capiet eam”.

3. Thus says the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and be taken."

4. Et dixerunt principes regi: “Rogamus, ut occidatur homo iste; de industria enim dissolvit manus virorum bellantium, qui remanserunt in civitate hac, et manus universi populi loquens ad eos iuxta verba haec; siquidem homo iste non quaerit pacem populo huic sed malum”.

4. Then the princes said to the king, "Let this man be put to death, for he is weakening the hands of the soldiers who are left in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm."

5. Et dixit rex Sedecias: “Ecce ipse in manibus vestris est; nequit enim rex vobis quidquam negare”.

5. King Zedeki'ah said, "Behold, he is in your hands; for the king can do nothing against you."

6. Tulerunt ergo Ieremiam et proiecerunt eum in lacum Melchiae filii regis, qui erat in vestibulo custodiae. Et submiserunt Ieremiam funibus. Et in lacu non erat aqua sed lutum; descendit itaque Ieremias in caenum.

6. So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchi'ah, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mire, and Jeremiah sank in the mire.

7. Audivit autem Abdemelech Aethiops, vir eunuchus, qui erat in domo regis, quod misissent Ieremiam in lacum; porro rex sedebat in porta Beniamin.

7. When E'bed-mel'ech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern -- the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate --

8. Et egressus est Abdemelech de domo regis et locutus est ad regem dicens:

8. E'bed-mel'ech went from the king's house and said to the king,

9. “Domine mi rex, malefecerunt viri isti omnia, quaecumque perpetrarunt contra Ieremiam prophetam, mittentes eum in lacum, ut moriatur ibi fame; non sunt enim panes ultra in civitate”.

9. "My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern; and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city."

10. Praecepit itaque rex Abdemelech Aethiopi dicens: “Tolle tecum hinc triginta viros et leva Ieremiam prophetam de lacu, antequam moriatur”.

10. Then the king commanded E'bed-mel'ech, the Ethiopian, "Take three men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies."

11. Assumptis ergo Abdemelech secum viris, ingressus est domum regis, in conclave, quod erat sub thesauro, et tulit inde pannos ex vestibus veteribus et scissis et submisit eos ad Ieremiam in lacum per funiculos.

11. So E'bed-mel'ech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe of the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes.

12. Dixitque Abdemelech Aethiops ad Ieremiam: “Pone veteres pannos et haec scissa sub scapuli et postea funes”. Fecit ergo Ieremias sic;

12. Then E'bed-mel'ech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, "Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes." Jeremiah did so.

13. et extraxerunt Ieremiam funibus et eduxerunt eum de lacu. Mansit autem Ieremias in vestibulo custodiae.

13. Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

14. Et misit rex Sedecias et tulit ad se Ieremiam prophetam ad ostium tertium, quod erat in domo Domini; et dixit rex ad Ieremiam: “Interrogo ego te sermonem, ne abscondas a me aliquid”.

14. King Zedeki'ah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the LORD. The king said to Jeremiah, "I will ask you a question; hide nothing from me."

15. Dixit autem Ieremias ad Sedeciam: “Si annuntiavero tibi, numquid non interficies me? Et si consilium dedero tibi, non me audies”.

15. Jeremiah said to Zedeki'ah, "If I tell you, will you not be sure to put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me."

16. Iuravit ergo rex Sedecias Ieremiae clam dicens: “Vivit Dominus, qui fecit nobis animam hanc, non occidam te et non tradam te in manu virorum istorum, qui quaerunt animam tuam”.

16. Then King Zedeki'ah swore secretly to Jeremiah, "As the LORD lives, who made our souls, I will not put you to death or deliver you into the hand of these men who seek your life."

17. Et dixit Ieremias ad Sedeciam: “Haec dicit Dominus exercituum, Deus Israel: Si profectus exieris ad principes regis Babylonis, vivet anima tua, et civitas haec non succendetur igni, et salvus eris tu et domus tua;

17. Then Jeremiah said to Zedeki'ah, "Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, If you will surrender to the princes of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

18. si autem non exieris ad principes regis Babylonis, tradetur civitas haec in manu Chaldaeorum, et succendent eam igni, et tu non effugies de manu eorum”.

18. But if you do not surrender to the princes of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chalde'ans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand."

19. Et dixit rex Sedecias ad Ieremiam: “Sollicitus sum propter Iudaeos, qui transfugerunt ad Chaldaeos, ne forte tradar in manus eorum, et illudant mihi”.

19. King Zedeki'ah said to Jeremiah, "I am afraid of the Jews who have deserted to the Chalde'ans, lest I be handed over to them and they abuse me."

20. Respondit autem Ieremias: “Non te tradent; audi, quaeso, vocem Domini, quam ego loquor ad te, et bene tibi erit, et vivet anima tua.

20. Jeremiah said, "You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the LORD in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared.

21. Quod si nolueris egredi, iste est sermo, quem ostendit mihi Dominus:

21. But if you refuse to surrender, this is the vision which the LORD has shown to me:

22. Ecce omnes mulieres, quae remanserunt in domo regis Iudae, educentur ad principes regis Babylonis et ipsae dicent: “Seduxerunt te et praevaluerunt adversum te viri pacifici tui; demersi sunt in caeno pedes tui, illi autem recesserunt a te”.

22. Behold, all the women left in the house of the king of Judah were being led out to the princes of the king of Babylon and were saying, `Your trusted friends have deceived you and prevailed against you; now that your feet are sunk in the mire, they turn away from you.'

23. Et omnes uxores tuae et filii tui educentur ad Chaldaeos, et non effugies manus eorum, sed in manu regis Babylonis capieris; et civitatem hanc comburet igni”.

23. All your wives and your sons shall be led out to the Chalde'ans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon; and this city shall be burned with fire."

24. Dixit ergo Sedecias ad Ieremiam: “Nullus sciat verba haec, et non morieris.

24. Then Zedeki'ah said to Jeremiah, "Let no one know of these words and you shall not die.

25. Si autem audierint principes quia locutus sum tecum, et venerint ad te et dixerint tibi: “Indica nobis, quid locutus sis cum rege, ne celes nos, et non te interficiemus, et quid locutus est tecum rex”,

25. If the princes hear that I have spoken with you and come to you and say to you, `Tell us what you said to the king and what the king said to you; hide nothing from us and we will not put you to death,'

26. dices ad eos: “Prostravi ego preces meas coram rege, ne me reduci iuberet in domum Ionathan, et ibi morerer””.

26. then you shall say to them, `I made a humble plea to the king that he would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.'"

27. Venerunt ergo omnes principes ad Ieremiam et interrogaverunt eum, et locutus est eis iuxta omnia verba, quae praeceperat ei rex; et cessaverunt ab eo: nihil enim fuerat auditum.

27. Then all the princes came to Jeremiah and asked him, and he answered them as the king had instructed him. So they left off speaking with him, for the conversation had not been overheard.

28. Mansit vero Ieremias in vestibulo custodiae usque ad diem, quo capta est Ierusalem. Et factum est ut caperetur Ierusalem.

28. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.