Et regnavit rex Sedecias filius Josiæ pro Jechonia filio Joakim, quem constituit regem Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis in terra Juda:

Now king Sedecias the son of Josias reigned instead of Jechonias the son of Joakim: whom Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon made king in the land of Juda.

In place of Jechonias, that was son to Joachim, Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon would have Sedecias, another of Josias’ sons, mount the throne of Juda;

et non obedivit ipse, et servi ejus, et populus terræ, verbis Domini, quæ locutus est in manu Jeremiæ prophetæ.

But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land did obey the words of the Lord, that he spoke in the hand of Jeremias the prophet.

but no heed would the new king give, nor his courtiers, nor his subjects, to the warnings uttered in the Lord’s name by the prophet Jeremias.

Et misit rex Sedecias Juchal filium Selemiæ, et Sophoniam filium Maasiæ, sacerdotem, ad Jeremiam prophetam, dicens: Ora pro nobis Dominum Deum nostrum.

And king Sedecias sent Juchal the son of Selemias, and Sophonias the son of Maasias the priest to Jeremias the prophet, saying: Pray to the Lord our God for us.

To him the king sent envoys, Juchal the son of Selemias and the priest Sophonias, son of Maasias, bidding him pray to the Lord their God for the common welfare.

Jeremias autem libere ambulabat in medio populi: non enim miserant eum in custodiam carceris. Igitur exercitus Pharaonis egressus est de Ægypto, et audientes Chaldæi qui obsidebant Jerusalem, hujuscemodi nuntium, recesserunt ab Jerusalem.

Now Jeremias walked freely in the midst of the people: for they had not as yet cast him into prison. And the army of Pharao was come out of Egypt: and the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem, hearing these tidings, departed from Jerusalem.

Jeremias was still free to come and go as he pleased among his fellow-citizens; they had not yet imprisoned him. At this time, Pharao’s army was on the march, advancing from the Egyptian frontier; and the Chaldaeans, this news reaching them, had raised the siege of Jerusalem.

Et factum est verbum Domini ad Jeremiam prophetam, dicens:

And the word of the Lord came to Jeremias the prophet, saying:

So the Lord’s word came to the prophet Jeremias:

Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël: Sic dicetis regi Juda, qui misit vos ad me interrogandum: Ecce exercitus Pharaonis, qui egressus est vobis in auxilium, revertetur in terram suam in Ægyptum:

Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Thus shall you say to the king of Juda, who sent you to inquire of me: Behold the army of Pharao, which is come forth to help you, shall return into their own land, into Egypt.

Take back this message from the Lord God of Israel to the king who sent you to consult me. Back home to Egypt it shall march, the army of Pharao that has come out in your support;

et redient Chaldæi, et bellabunt contra civitatem hanc, et capient eam, et succendent eam igni.

And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.

whereupon the Chaldaeans will return to the attack, will capture this city and burn it to the ground.

Hæc dicit Dominus: Nolite decipere animas vestras, dicentes: Euntes abibunt, et recedent a nobis Chaldæi: quia non abibunt.

Thus saith the Lord: Deceive not your souls, saying: The Chaldeans shall surely depart and go away from us: for they shall not go away.

Never cheat yourselves with the hope that the enemy will march away and leave you alone; march away they will not, the Lord says.

Sed etsi percusseritis omnem exercitum Chaldæorum qui præliantur adversum vos, et derelicti fuerint ex eis aliqui vulnerati, singuli de tentorio suo consurgent, et incendent civitatem hanc igni.

But if you should even beat all the army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there should be left of them some wounded men: they shall rise up, every man from his heart, and burn this city with fire.

Low though you should lay every Chaldaean that takes the field against you, save for some few wounded, those wounded men shall rise up from their tents, and burn this city to the ground notwithstanding.

Ergo cum recessisset exercitus Chaldæorum ab Jerusalem, propter exercitum Pharaonis,

Now when the army of the Chaldeans was gone away from Jerusalem, because of Pharao’s army,

And now, while Pharao still threatened, and the Chaldaeans had raised the siege,

egressus est Jeremias de Jerusalem ut iret in terram Benjamin, et divideret ibi possessionem in conspectu civium.

Jeremias went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin: and to divide a possession there in the presence of the citizens,

Jeremias took occasion to leave Jerusalem and make his way to Benjamin, where he must divide up some property in the presence of his fellow-citizens.

Cumque pervenisset ad portam Benjamin, erat ibi custos portæ per vices, nomine Jerias filius Selemiæ filii Hananiæ: et apprehendit Jeremiam prophetam, dicens: Ad Chaldæos profugis.

And when he was come to the gate of Benjamin, the captain of the gate, who was there in his turn, was one named Jerias, the son of Selemias, the son of Hananias: and he took hold of Jeremias the prophet, saying: Thou art fleeing to the Chaldeans.

When he reached the Benjamin gate, the officer whose turn it was to mount guard there, Jerias, the son of Selemias, the son of Hananias, put the prophet under arrest, under the charge of deserting to the Chaldaeans.

Et respondit Jeremias: Falsum est: non fugio ad Chaldæos. Et non audivit eum, sed comprehendit Jerias Jeremiam, et adduxit eum ad principes:

And Jeremias answered: It is not so, I am not fleeing to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Jerias took Jeremias and brought him to the princes.

In vain did Jeremias protest, What, I desert to the Chaldaeans? There is no truth in it! Jerias led him away into the presence of the nobles;

quam ob rem irati principes contra Jeremiam, cæsum eum miserunt in carcerem qui erat in domo Jonathan scribæ: ipse enim præpositus erat super carcerem.

Wherefore the princes were angry with Jeremias, and they beat him, and cast him into the prison that was in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for he was chief over the prison.

and these, in a rage, first had him beaten, then confined him in the house of the secretary, Jonathan, who had charge of the prisoners at this time.

Itaque ingressus est Jeremias in domum laci et in ergastulum: et sedit ibi Jeremias diebus multis.

So Jeremias went into the house of the prison, and into the dungeon: and Jeremias remained there many days.

So came Jeremias to a dungeon cell, and long remained there.

Mittens autem Sedecias rex, tulit eum: et interrogavit eum in domo sua abscondite, et dixit: Putasne est sermo a Domino? Et dixit Jeremias: Est: et ait: In manus regis Babylonis traderis.

Then Sedecias the king, sending, took him: and asked him secretly in his house, and said: Is there, thinkest thou, any word from the Lord? And Jeremias said: There is. And he said: Thou shalt be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon.

It was king Sedecias who released him, sending for him and questioning him privately in the palace. Has the Lord any message for me? he asked. Yes, said Jeremias; that thou shalt be at the mercy of Nabuchodonosor.

Et dixit Jeremias ad regem Sedeciam: Quid peccavi tibi, et servis tuis, et populo tuo, quia misisti me in domum carceris?

And Jeremias said to king Sedecias: In what have I offended against thee, or thy servants, or thy people, that thou hast cast me into prison?

Then he asked the king, What wrong have I done to thee, to thy courtiers or thy subjects, that thou hast thrown me into prison?

ubi sunt prophetæ vestri, qui prophetabant vobis, et dicebant: Non veniet rex Babylonis super vos, et super terram hanc?

Where are your prophets that prophesied to you, and said: The king of Babylon shall not come against you, and against this land?

Tell me, how have they sped, those prophets of yours who foretold that the king of Babylon should never reach you, never invade this land of yours?

Nunc ergo audi, obsecro, domine mi rex: valeat deprecatio mea in conspectu tuo, et ne me remittas in domum Jonathan scribæ, ne moriar ibi.

Now therefore hear, I beseech thee, my lord the king: let my petition be accepted in thy sight: and send me not back into the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

Listen to me, my lord king, I entreat thee, and look favourably on my suit. Do not send me back to the house of yonder secretary Jonathan, for there I needs must die!

Præcepit ergo rex Sedecias ut traderetur Jeremias in vestibulo carceris, et daretur ei torta panis quotidie, excepto pulmento, donec consumerentur omnes panes de civitate: et mansit Jeremias in vestibulo carceris.

Then king Sedecias commanded that Jeremias should be committed into the entry of the prison: and that they should give him daily a piece of bread, beside broth, till all the bread in the city were spent: and Jeremias remained in the entry of the prison.

So king Sedecias had him confined in the court without, and given a loaf of bread each day, with seasoning added, as long as bread there should be in the city. And there Jeremias was left, among the prisoners in the courtyard.