| 耶肋米亞 |
Jeremiah |
| 1猶大王約史雅的兒子漆德克雅第四年，上主有這話傳給耶肋米亞說： |
1 (In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah,) . . . this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: |
| 2「上主對我這樣說：你要備製繩索和木軛，放在你頸上； |
2Thus said the LORD to me: Make for yourself bands and yoke bars and put them over your shoulders. |
| 3然後託那些來耶路撒冷覲見猶大王漆德克雅的使者，送給厄東王和摩阿布王，阿孟子民的王和提洛王以及漆冬王， |
3Send to the kings of Edom, of Moab, of the Ammonites, of Tyre, and of Sidon, through the ambassadors who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah, king of Judah, |
| 4吩咐他們對自己的主上說：萬軍的上主，以色列的天主這樣說：你們應如此對你們的主上說： |
4and charge them thus: Tell your masters: Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: |
| 5是我以我的大能和我伸展的手臂，創造了大地、人類及地面上的走獸，我能把大地賜給我喜歡給的人。 |
5It was I who made the earth, and man and beast on the face of the earth, by my great power, with my outstretched arm; and I can give them to whomever I think fit. |
| 6現在我把這些土地交在我的僕人巴比倫王拿步高的手中，連田野的走獸我也賜給他，作他的奴隸； |
6Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, my servant; even the beasts of the field I have given him for his use. |
| 7列國要作他、他的兒子和孫子的奴隸，直到他國家的時運終於來到──他也不例外──那時必有強盛的民族和強大的君王來使他作奴隸。 |
7All nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his land, too, shall come. Then it in turn shall serve great nations and mighty kings. |
| 8若一個民族或國家，不願作巴比倫王拿步高的奴隸，或不願屈服在巴比倫王軛下，我必以戰爭、饑饉和瘟疫懲罰這民族──上主的斷語──直至將他們悉數交在他手中。 |
8Meanwhile, if any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, or will not bend its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with sword, famine, and pestilence, says the LORD, until I give them into his hand. |
| 9所以你們不要聽從常對你們說：『你們決不會作巴比倫王的奴隸』的先知、占卦師、卜夢者、巫士和術士的話， |
9 You, however, must not listen to your prophets, to your diviners and dreamers, to your soothsayers and sorcerers, who say to you, "You need not serve the king of Babylon." |
| 10因為他們給你們預言的只是謊話，致使你們遠離故土，叫我驅逐你們，令你們趨於滅亡。 |
10For they prophesy lies to you, in order to drive you far from your land, to make me banish you so that you will perish. |
| 11至於引領接受巴比倫王的軛，甘願作他奴隸的民族，我必使他們仍留在本土──上主的斷語──在那裏安居樂業。」 |
11The people that submits its neck to the yoke of the king of Babylon to serve him I will leave in peace on its own land, says the LORD, to till it and dwell in it. |
| 12我於是全依照這些話轉告猶大王漆德克雅說：「你們應引頸受巴比倫王的軛，服事他和他的人民，你們纔可生存。 |
12To Zedekiah, king of Judah, I spoke the same words: Submit your necks to the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, so that you may live. |
| 13為什麼你和你的人民寧願死於刀劍、饑饉和瘟疫，如同上主對不願服事巴比倫王的民族所警告的呢？ |
13Why should you and your people die by sword, famine, and pestilence, with which the LORD has threatened the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? |
| 14你們不要聽從對你們說：『不要服事巴比倫王』的先知的話，因為他們給你們預言的只是謊話； |
14Do not listen to the words of those prophets who say, "You need not serve the king of Babylon," for they prophesy lies to you. |
| 15我並沒有派遣他們──上主的斷語──他們竟奉我的名向你們預言，叫我驅逐你們，使你們和對你們說預言的先知同趨滅亡。」 |
15I did not send them, says the LORD, but they prophesy falsely in my name, with the result that I must banish you, and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you. |
| 16對司祭和這全體人民我也曾警告說：「上主這樣說：你們的先知們對你們說：看，上主殿宇的器皿，現在快要由巴比倫送回來了！你們不要聽信，因為他們對你們預言的只是謊話。 |
16To the priests and to all the people I spoke as follows: Thus says the LORD: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you: "The vessels of the house of the LORD will be brought back from Babylon soon now," for they prophesy lies to you. |
| 17你們不要聽信他們，只管服事巴比倫王，就必生存。為什麼要使這城變為荒野？ |
17Do not listen to them! Serve the king of Babylon that you may live; else this city will become a heap of ruins. |
| 18假使他們是先知，真有上主的話，就請他們祈求萬軍的上主，使尚留在上主殿宇，猶大王宮和耶路撒冷的器皿，不致運到巴比倫去。 |
18If they were prophets, if the word of the LORD were with them, they would intercede with the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which remain in the house of the LORD and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem might not be taken to Babylon. |
| 19因為萬軍的上主這樣論到銅柱、銅海和銅座，以及在這城剩下的殘餘器皿， |
19 For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, the bronze sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that remain in this city, |
| 20即巴比倫王拿步高把猶大王約雅金的兒子耶苛尼雅，及猶大和耶路撒冷所有的貴族，從耶路撒冷擄到巴比倫時，沒有帶走的器皿， |
20which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, did not take when he exiled Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem-- |
| 21萬軍的上主，以色列的天主論到這些尚存在上主殿宇、猶大王宮和耶路撒冷的器皿，這漾說： |
21yes, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, in the palace of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: |
| 22都要運到巴比倫去，留在那裏，直到我再來眷顧的一天──上主的斷語──那時，我必再取回來，放在原處。」 |
22To Babylon they shall be brought, and there they shall remain, until the day I look for them, says the LORD; then I will bring them back and restore them to this place. |
