A letter to the exiles
1This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2(This was after King Jehoiachin29:2 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the craftsmen had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) 3He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:
4This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.’ 8Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord.
10This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity.29:14 Or will restore your fortunes I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.’
15You may say, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,’ 16but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile – 17yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will make them like figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. 18I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse29:18 That is, their names will be used in cursing (see verse 22); or, others will see that they are cursed. and an object of horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. 19For they have not listened to my words,’ declares the Lord, ‘words that I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets. And you exiles have not listened either,’ declares the Lord.
20Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies to you in my name: ‘I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. 22Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: “May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned in the fire.” 23For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and in my name they have uttered lies – which I did not authorise. I know it and am a witness to it,’ declares the Lord.
Message to Shemaiah
24Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite, 25‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: you sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the other priests. You said to Zephaniah, 26“The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be in charge of the house of the Lord; you should put any maniac who acts like a prophet into the stocks and neck-irons. 27So why have you not reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you? 28He has sent this message to us in Babylon: it will be a long time. Therefore build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.” ’
29Zephaniah the priest, however, read the letter to Jeremiah the prophet. 30Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 31‘Send this message to all the exiles: “This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send him, and has persuaded you to trust in lies, 32this is what the Lord says: I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants. He will have no-one left among this people, nor will he see the good things I will do for my people, declares the Lord, because he has preached rebellion against me.” ’
Ebbaluwa eri Abawaŋŋanguse
129:1 2By 36:10Bino bye byali mu bbaluwa nnabbi Yeremiya gye yaweereza okuva mu Yerusaalemi eri abakadde abaali bakyasigaddewo mu bawaŋŋanguse n’eri bakabona, ne bannabbi n’abantu bonna Nebukadduneeza be yali atutte mu buwaŋŋanguse mu Babulooni okuva mu Yerusaalemi. 229:2 2Bk 24:12; Yer 22:24-28Kino kyaliwo nga kabaka Yekoyakini n’abakungu be ne Namasole we n’abakulembeze ba Yuda ne Yerusaalemi, n’abafundi n’abaweesi bonna baggyiddwa mu Yerusaalemi. 3Ebbaluwa yagiwa Erasa mutabani wa Safani ne Bemaliya mutabani wa Kirukiya, ne Zeddekiya kabaka wa Yuda be yatuma eri kabaka Nebukadduneeza mu Babulooni. Yali egamba bw’eti nti,
429:4 Yer 24:5Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri, ng’agamba abo bonna be natwala mu buwaŋŋanguse okuva mu Yerusaalemi okugenda mu Babulooni nti, 529:5 nny 28“Mwezimbire amayumba mutuule omwo; mulime ennimiro mulye ebibala byamu. 6Muwase muzaale abaana aboobulenzi n’aboobuwala; muwasize batabani bammwe abakazi, ne bawala bammwe mubafumbize, nabo bazaale abaana abalenzi n’abawala. Mweyongere obungi eyo, temukendeera. 729:7 Ezr 6:10; 1Ti 2:1-2Era munoonye emirembe n’okukulaakulana kw’ekibuga gye mbatutte mu buwaŋŋanguse. Musabenga Mukama, ekibuga mukisabire kubanga bwe kikulaakulana nammwe mujja kukulaakulana.” 829:8 a Yer 37:9 b Yer 23:27Ddala kino Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri ky’agamba nti, “Temukkiriza bannabbi n’abalaguzi abali mu mmwe kubalimbalimba. Temussaayo mwoyo ku birooto byabwe bye babalootolola. 929:9 Yer 14:14; 27:15Babategeeza obunnabbi bwa bulimba mu linnya lyange. Sibatumanga,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
1029:10 a 2By 36:21; Yer 25:12; Dan 9:2 b Yer 27:22Ddala ddala bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, “Emyaka nsanvu nga giweddeko e Babulooni, ndijja gye muli ntuukirize ekisuubizo kyange eky’ekisa mbakomyewo mu kifo kino. 1129:11 Zab 40:5Kubanga mmanyi enteekateeka ze nnina gye muli, enteekateeka ez’okubakulaakulanya so si okubakolako akabi, enteekateeka ez’okubawa essuubi era n’obulamu obw’omu maaso,” bw’ayogera Mukama. 1229:12 Zab 145:19“Awo mulimpita ne mujja ne munsaba, nange ne mbawulira,” bw’ayogera Mukama. 1329:13 a Mat 7:7 b Ma 4:29; Yer 24:7“Mulinnoonya ne mundaba bwe mulinnoonya n’omutima gwammwe gwonna. 1429:14 a Ma 30:3; Yer 30:3 b Yer 23:3-4Mulinzuula era ndibakomyawo okubaggya mu buwaŋŋanguse. Ndibakuŋŋaanya mu mawanga gonna n’ebifo byonna, gye nabagobera, era ndibakomyawo mu kifo mwe nabaggya okubatwala mu buwaŋŋanguse,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
15Muyinza okugamba nti, “Mukama atuyimusirizza bannabbi mu Babulooni.” 16Naye kino Mukama ky’agamba ku kabaka atuula ku ntebe ya Dawudi n’abantu bonna abaasigala mu kibuga kino, n’abantu ab’ensi yammwe abataagenda nammwe mu buwaŋŋanguse. 1729:17 a Yer 27:8 b Yer 24:8-10Bw’ati bwayogera Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye nti, “Ndisindika ekitala, n’enjala ne kawumpuli okubalumba era mbafuule ng’emitiini emibi ennyo egitayinza kuliika olw’obubi bwagyo. 1829:18 a Yer 15:4 b Ma 28:25; Yer 42:18Ndibagoberera n’ekitala, n’enjala ne kawumpuli ne mbafuula ekyenyinyalwa eri obwakabaka bwonna obw’ensi era ekikolimo n’ekikangabwa, n’eky’okusekererwa n’okuvumwa eri amawanga gonna gye ndibagobera. 1929:19 a Yer 6:19 b Yer 25:4Kubanga tebaawuliriza bigambo byange,” bwayogera Mukama, “ebigambo bye nabatumira emirundi emingi mu baweereza bange bannabbi. Era nammwe abawaŋŋanguse temuwulirizza,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
2029:20 Yer 24:5Noolwekyo, muwulirize ekigambo kya Mukama, mmwe mwenna abali mu buwaŋŋanguse be nagoba mu Yerusaalemi okugenda mu Babulooni. 2129:21 nny 9; Yer 14:14Kino Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri, ky’ayogera ku Akabu mutabani wa Kolaya ne Zeddekiya mutabani wa Maaseya, abaawa obunnabbi mu linnya lyange nti, “Ndibawaayo eri Nebukadduneeza kabaka w’e Babulooni, abatte nga mulaba. 2229:22 Dan 3:6Olw’abasajja abo, abali mu buwaŋŋanguse bonna abaava mu Yuda abali mu Babulooni balikozesa ekikolimo kino nti, ‘Mukama akukole nga bwe yakola Zeddekiya ne Akabu, kabaka w’e Babulooni be yayokya mu muliro.’ 2329:23 a Yer 23:14 b Beb 4:13Kubanga bakoze eby’ekivve mu Isirayiri; bakoze obwenzi ne baka baliraanwa baabwe era ne boogera eby’obulimba mu linnya lyange, bye sibagambanga kwogera. Nkimanyi era ndi mujulirwa ku ekyo,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Obubaka eri Semaaya
24Semaaya Omunekeramu mugambe nti, 2529:25 2Bk 25:18; Yer 21:1“Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri nti, Waweereza ebbaluwa mu mannya go eri abantu bonna mu Yerusaalemi, eri Zeffaniya mutabani wa Maaseya kabona ne bakabona bonna. Wagamba Zeffaniya nti, 2629:26 a 2Bk 9:11; Kos 9:7; Yk 10:20 b Yer 20:2‘Mukama yakuteekawo okuba kabona mu kifo kya Yekoyaada okutwala obuvunaanyizibwa ku nnyumba ya Mukama; oteekwa okuteeka omulalu yenna eyefuula nga nnabbi mu nvuba ne mu masamba. 27Noolwekyo lwaki tokangavudde Yeremiya ow’e Yanasosi, eyefuula nnabbi wakati mu mmwe? 2829:28 a nny 1 b nny 10 c nny 5Atuweerezza obubaka buno mu Babulooni ng’agamba nti, Obuwaŋŋanguse bwammwe bujja kubeera bwa bbanga ddene. Noolwekyo mwezimbire amayumba mutereere mu nsi, mulime ennimiro mulye ebibala byamu.’ ”
29Wabula Zeffaniya kabona nasomera nnabbi Yeremiya ebbaluwa eno. 30Awo ekigambo kya Mukama ne kijjira Yeremiya nti, 3129:31 a nny 24 b Yer 14:14; 28:15“Muweereze obubaka buno eri abawaŋŋanguse nti, ‘Kino Mukama ky’agamba ku Semaaya Omunekeramu. Kubanga Semaaya yakuwa obunnabbi, wadde nga ssamutuma, era akutuusizza ku kwesiga eby’obulimba, 3229:32 a 1Sa 2:30-33 b nny 10 c Yer 28:16kino Mukama ky’agamba nti, Ddala ddala ndibonereza Semaaya Omunekeramu n’abantu b’omu nju ye. Tewaliba n’omu alisigalawo ku bantu be, wadde aliraba ebirungi bye ndikolera abantu bange, kubanga ayigirizza abantu okunjeemera, bw’ayogera Mukama.’ ”
