Jeremiah 40

¹ God follow me talk after Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer don set me free for Ramah. Na chain dem use take me there, with all other people from Jerusalem and Judah wey dem dey take away as prisoner go Babylonia

² The commanding officer take me go one side and talk say, “The LORD your God don threaten this land with destruction,

³ And now he don do wetin he talk say he go do. All this happen because your people don sin against God and dem don disobey him.

⁴ Now, I dey remove the chain from your hand and I dey set you free. If you wan go Babylonia with me, you fit do so, and I go take care of you. But if you no wan go, you no need to go. Plenty country dey wey you fit choose from, and you fit go anywhere wey you wan go.”

⁵ When I no answer, Nebuzaradan talk say, “Go back to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan, wey king of Babylonia don make governor of town of Judah. You fit stay with him and live with the people, or you fit go anywhere wey you think say you suppose go.” Then he give me a gift and some food make I carry with me, and he leave me make I go my way.

⁶ I go stay with Gedaliah for Mizpah and live with the people wey remain for the Town.

⁷ Some of Judah officers and soldier never surrender. Dem hear say king of Babylonia don make Gedaliah governor of the land and he don put him in charge of those wey dem never take away go Babylonia - the people wey poor pass for the land.

⁸ Naso Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophah, and Jezaniah from Maacah go with their men to meet Gedaliah for Mizpah.

⁹ Gedaliah tell them say, “I dey give una my word say no need for una to dey fear to surrender for Babylonia. Make una settle down for this land, make una serve the king of Babylonia, and all go dey well with una.

¹⁰ I myself go stay for Mizpah and I go represent una when the Babylonians come here. But una fit gather and store wine, fruit, and olive oil, and live for the village wey una settle.”

¹¹ All the Israelite wey dey Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other countries, hear say king of Babylonia don allow some Israelite to dey stay for Judah and say he don make Gedaliah their governor.

¹² Naso dem commot for the place where dem don scatter, and dem come back to Judah. Dem come to Gedaliah for Mizpah, and dem gather plenty wine and fruit for there.

¹³ After this, Johanan and the leaders of the soldier wey never surrender come meet Gedaliah for Mizpah

¹⁴ And tell him say, “Shey you no know say king Baalis of Ammon don send Ishmael to kill you?” But Gedaliah no believe am.

¹⁵ Then Johanan tell him for private say, “Make I go kill Ishmael, and no one go know who do am. Why dem go allow him kill you? That one go scatter all Jews wey don gather round you., and e fit bring disaster on top all the people wey remain for Judah.”

¹⁶ But Gedaliah answer say, “No do am! Wetin you dey say about Ishmael na lie!”