Jeremiah 29

1 This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets, and all the others Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

1 هَذَا كَلَامُ ٱلرِّسَالَةِ ٱلَّتِي أَرْسَلَهَا إِرْمِيَا ٱلنَّبِيُّ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى بَقِيَّةِ شُيُوخِ ٱلسَّبْيِ، وَإِلَى ٱلْكَهَنَةِ وَٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ، وَإِلَى كُلِّ ٱلشَّعْبِ ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَاهُمْ نَبُوخَذْنَاصَّرُ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى بَابِلَ،

2 (This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had been exiled from Jerusalem.)

2 بَعْدَ خُرُوجِ يَكُنْيَا ٱلْمَلِكِ وَٱلْمَلِكَةِ وَٱلْخِصْيَانِ وَرُؤَسَاءِ يَهُوذَا وَأُورُشَلِيمَ وَٱلنَّجَّارِينَ وَٱلْحَدَّادِينَ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ،

3 The letter was entrusted to Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It stated:

3 بِيَدِ أَلْعَاسَةَ بْنِ شَافَانَ، وَجَمَرْيَا بْنِ حِلْقِيَّا، ٱللَّذَيْنِ أَرْسَلَهُمَا صِدْقِيَّا مَلِكُ يَهُوذَا إِلَى نَبُوخَذْنَاصَّرَ مَلِكِ بَابِلَ إِلَى بَابِلَ قَائِلًا:

4 This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles who were carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

4 «هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ لِكُلِّ ٱلسَّبْيِ ٱلَّذِي سَبَيْتُهُ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى بَابِلَ:

5 “Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce.

5 اِبْنُوا بُيُوتًا وَٱسْكُنُوا، وَٱغْرِسُوا جَنَّاتٍ وَكُلُوا ثَمَرَهَا.

6 Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease.

6 خُذُوا نِسَاءً وَلِدُوا بَنِينَ وَبَنَاتٍ وَخُذُوا لِبَنِيكُمْ نِسَاءً وَأَعْطُوا بَنَاتِكُمْ لِرِجَالٍ فَيَلِدْنَ بَنِينَ وَبَنَاتٍ، وَٱكْثُرُوا هُنَاكَ وَلَا تَقِلُّوا.

7 Seek the prosperity of the city to which I have sent you as exiles. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

7 وَٱطْلُبُوا سَلَامَ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ ٱلَّتِي سَبَيْتُكُمْ إِلَيْهَا، وَصَلُّوا لِأَجْلِهَا إِلَى ٱلرَّبِّ، لِأَنَّهُ بِسَلَامِهَا يَكُونُ لَكُمْ سَلَامٌ.

8 For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Do not be deceived by the prophets and diviners among you, and do not listen to the dreams you elicit from them.

8 لِأَنَّهُ هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ: لَا تَغُشَّكُمْ أَنْبِيَاؤُكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي وَسَطِكُمْ وَعَرَّافُوكُمْ، وَلَا تَسْمَعُوا لِأَحْلَامِكُمُ ٱلَّتِي تَتَحَلَّمُونَهَا.

9 For they are falsely prophesying to you in My name; I have not sent them, declares the LORD.”

9 لِأَنَّهُمْ إِنَّمَا يَتَنَبَّأُونَ لَكُمْ بِٱسْمِي بِٱلْكَذِبِ. أَنَا لَمْ أُرْسِلْهُمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

10 For this is what the LORD says: “When Babylon’s seventy years are complete, I will attend to you and confirm My promise to restore you to this place.

10 «لِأَنَّهُ هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: إِنِّي عِنْدَ تَمَامِ سَبْعِينَ سَنَةً لِبَابِلَ، أَتَعَهَّدُكُمْ وَأُقِيمُ لَكُمْ كَلَامِي ٱلصَّالِحَ، بِرَدِّكُمْ إِلَى هَذَا ٱلْمَوْضِعِ.

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.

11 لِأَنِّي عَرَفْتُ ٱلْأَفْكَارَ ٱلَّتِي أَنَا مُفْتَكِرٌ بِهَا عَنْكُمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، أَفْكَارَ سَلَامٍ لَا شَرٍّ، لِأُعْطِيَكُمْ آخِرَةً وَرَجَاءً.

12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

12 فَتَدْعُونَنِي وَتَذْهَبُونَ وَتُصَلُّونَ إِلَيَّ فَأَسْمَعُ لَكُمْ.

13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

13 وَتَطْلُبُونَنِي فَتَجِدُونَنِي إِذْ تَطْلُبُونَنِي بِكُلِّ قَلْبِكُمْ.

14 I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and places to which I have banished you, declares the LORD. I will restore you to the place from which I sent you into exile.”

14 فَأُوجَدُ لَكُمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، وَأَرُدُّ سَبْيَكُمْ وَأَجْمَعُكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ٱلْأُمَمِ وَمِنْ كُلِّ ٱلْمَوَاضِعِ ٱلَّتِي طَرَدْتُكُمْ إِلَيْهَا، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، وَأَرُدُّكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْمَوْضِعِ ٱلَّذِي سَبَيْتُكُمْ مِنْهُ.

15 Because you may say, “The LORD has raised up for us prophets in Babylon,”

15 «لِأَنَّكُمْ قُلْتُمْ: قَدْ أَقَامَ لَنَا ٱلرَّبُّ نَبِيِّينَ فِي بَابِلَ،

16 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 brothers who did not go with you into exile—

16 فَهَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ لِلْمَلِكِ ٱلْجَالِسِ عَلَى كُرْسِيِّ دَاوُدَ، وَلِكُلِّ ٱلشَّعْبِ ٱلْجَالِسِ فِي هَذِهِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ، إِخْوَتِكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَخْرُجُوا مَعَكُمْ فِي ٱلسَّبْيِ:

17 this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will send against them sword and famine and plague, and I will make them like rotten figs, so bad they cannot be eaten.

17 هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ: هَأَنَذَا أُرْسِلُ عَلَيْهِمِ ٱلسَّيْفَ وَٱلْجُوعَ وَٱلْوَبَأَ، وَأَجْعَلُهُمْ كَتِينٍ رَدِيءٍ لَا يُؤْكَلُ مِنَ ٱلرَّدَاءَةِ.

18 I will pursue them with sword and famine and plague. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth—a curse, a desolation, and an object of scorn and reproach among all the nations to which I banish them.

18 وَأُلْحِقُهُمْ بِٱلسَّيْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَٱلْوَبَإِ، وَأَجْعَلُهُمْ قَلَقًا لِكُلِّ مَمَالِكِ ٱلْأَرْضِ، حِلْفًا وَدَهَشًا وَصَفِيرًا وَعَارًا فِي جَمِيعِ ٱلْأُمَمِ ٱلَّذِينَ طَرَدْتُهُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ،

19 I will do this because they have not listened to My words, declares the LORD, which I sent to them again and again through My servants the prophets. And neither have you exiles listened, declares the LORD.”

19 مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَسْمَعُوا لِكَلَامِي، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، إِذْ أَرْسَلْتُ إِلَيْهِمْ عَبِيدِي ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءَ مُبَكِّرًا وَمُرْسِلًا وَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

20 So hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

20 «وَأَنْتُمْ فَٱسْمَعُوا كَلِمَةَ ٱلرَّبِّ يَا جَمِيعَ ٱلسَّبْيِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَرْسَلْتُهُمْ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى بَابِلَ.

21 This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you lies in My name: “I will deliver them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your very eyes.

21 هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنْ أَخْآبَ بْنِ قُولَايَا، وَعَنْ صِدْقِيَّا بْنِ مَعْسِيَّا، ٱللَّذَيْنِ يَتَنَبَّآنِ لَكُمْ بِٱسْمِي بِٱلْكَذِبِ: هَأَنَذَا أَدْفَعُهُمَا لِيَدِ نَبُوخَذْرَاصَّرَ مَلِكِ بَابِلَ فَيَقْتُلُهُمَا أَمَامَ عُيُونِكُمْ.

22 Because of them, all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire!’

22 وَتُؤْخَذُ مِنْهُمَا لَعْنَةٌ لِكُلِّ سَبْيِ يَهُوذَا ٱلَّذِينَ فِي بَابِلَ، فَيُقَالُ: يَجْعَلُكَ ٱلرَّبُّ مِثْلَ صِدْقِيَّا وَمِثْلَ أَخْآبَ ٱللَّذَيْنِ قَلَاهُمَا مَلِكُ بَابِلَ بِٱلنَّارِ.

23 For they have committed an outrage in Israel by committing adultery with the wives of their neighbors and speaking lies in My name, which I did not command them to do. I am He who knows, and I am a witness, declares the LORD.”

23 مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّهُمَا عَمِلَا قَبِيحًا فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَزَنَيَا بِنِسَاءِ أَصْحَابِهِمَا، وَتَكَلَّمَا بِٱسْمِي كَلَامًا كَاذِبًا لَمْ أُوصِهِمَا بِهِ، وَأَنَا ٱلْعَارِفُ وَٱلشَّاهِدُ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

24 You are to tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite that

24 «وَكَلِّمْ شِمْعِيَا ٱلنِّحْلَامِيِّ قَائِلًا:

25 this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “In your own name you have sent out letters to all the people of Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests. You said to Zephaniah:

25 هَكَذَا تَكَلَّمَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ قَائِلًا: مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّكَ أَرْسَلْتَ رَسَائِلَ بِٱسْمِكَ إِلَى كُلِّ ٱلشَّعْبِ ٱلَّذِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ، وَإِلَى صَفَنْيَا بْنِ مَعْسِيَّا ٱلْكَاهِنِ، وَإِلَى كُلِّ ٱلْكَهَنَةِ قَائِلًا:

26 ‘The LORD has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada, to be the chief officer in the house of the LORD, responsible for any madman who acts like a prophet—you must put him in stocks and neck irons.

26 قَدْ جَعَلَكَ ٱلرَّبُّ كَاهِنًا عِوَضًا عَنْ يَهُويَادَاعَ ٱلْكَاهِنِ، لِتَكُونُوا وُكَلَاءَ فِي بَيْتِ ٱلرَّبِّ لِكُلِّ رَجُلٍ مَجْنُونٍ وَمُتَنَبِّئٍ، فَتَدْفَعُهُ إِلَى ٱلْمِقْطَرَةِ وَٱلْقُيُودِ.

27 So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you?

27 وَٱلْآنَ لِمَاذَا لَمْ تَزْجُرْ إِرْمِيَا ٱلْعَنَاثُوثِيَّ ٱلْمُتَنَبِّئَ لَكُمْ.

28 For he has sent to us in Babylon, claiming: Since the exile will be lengthy, build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat their produce.’”

28 لِأَنَّهُ لِذَلِكَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْنَا إِلَى بَابِلَ قَائِلًا: إِنَّهَا مُسْتَطِيلَةٌ. ٱبْنُوا بُيُوتًا وَٱسْكُنُوا، وَٱغْرِسُوا جَنَّاتٍ وَكُلُوا ثَمَرَهَا».

29 (Zephaniah the priest, however, had read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.)

29 فَقَرَأَ صَفَنْيَا ٱلْكَاهِنُ هَذِهِ ٱلرِّسَالَةَ فِي أُذُنَيْ إِرْمِيَا ٱلنَّبِيِّ.

30 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:

30 ثُمَّ صَارَ كَلَامُ ٱلرَّبِّ إِلَى إِرْمِيَا قَائِلًا:

31 “Send a message telling all the exiles what the LORD says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you—though I did not send him—and has made you trust in a lie,

31 «أَرْسِلْ إِلَى كُلِّ ٱلسَّبْيِ قَائِلًا: هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ لِشِمْعِيَا ٱلنِّحْلَامِيِّ: مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّ شِمْعِيَا قَدْ تَنَبَّأَ لَكُمْ وَأَنَا لَمْ أُرْسِلْهُ، وَجَعَلَكُمْ تَتَّكِلُونَ عَلَى ٱلْكَذِبِ.

32 this 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 that I will bring to My people, declares the LORD, for he has preached rebellion against the LORD.’”

32 لِذَلِكَ هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: هَأَنَذَا أُعَاقِبُ شِمْعِيَا ٱلنِّحْلَامِيَّ وَنَسْلَهُ. لَا يَكُونُ لَهُ إِنْسَانٌ يَجْلِسُ فِي وَسْطِ هَذَا ٱلشَّعْبِ، وَلَا يَرَى ٱلْخَيْرَ ٱلَّذِي سَأَصْنَعُهُ لِشَعْبِي، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، لِأَنَّهُ تَكَلَّمَ بِعِصْيَانٍ عَلَى ٱلرَّبِّ».