| 耶肋米亞 |
Jeremiah |
| 1以下是先知耶肋米亞從耶路撒冷給被擄去的長老、司祭和先知，以及拿步高從耶路撒冷擄往巴比倫的其餘民眾寄送的書信全文── |
1This is the contents of the letter which the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, to the priests, the prophets, and all the people who were exiled by Nebuchadnezzar from Jerusalem to Babylon. |
| 2耶苛尼雅王與太后和太監，猶大和耶路撒冷的政要、技工及鐵匠，離開耶路撒冷之後， |
2This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the courtiers, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the artisans and the skilled workmen had left Jerusalem. |
| 3猶大王漆德克雅派沙番的兒子厄拉撒和希則克雅的兒子革瑪黎雅去巴比倫見巴比倫王拿步高，耶肋米亞便託他們帶去──信上說： |
3 Delivered in Babylon by Elasah, son of Shaphan, and by Gemariah, son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah, king of Judah, sent to the king of Babylon, the letter read: |
| 4「萬軍的上主，以色列的天主，向由耶路撒冷被擄往巴比倫的全體俘虜這樣說： |
4Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon: |
| 5你們應建築房屋居往，種植田園，吃田園的出產； |
5Build houses to dwell in; plant gardens, and eat their fruits. |
| 6自己娶妻，生養兒女，也給自己的子女娶妻擇夫，生養兒女；在那裏繁殖，不要減少。 |
6Take wives and beget sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters. There you must increase in number, not decrease. |
| 7在我令你們流徙所到的城裏，你們應尋求當地平安，為當地祈禱上主，因為你們的幸福是有賴於當地的安寧。 |
7Promote the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you; pray for it to the LORD, for upon its welfare depends your own. |
| 8為此萬軍的上主，以色列的天主這樣說：不要讓你們中間的先知和卜卦師欺騙你們，不要聽信他們所作的幻夢， |
8Thus says the LORD: Only after seventy years have elapsed for Babylon will I visit you and fulfill for you my promise to bring you back to this place. |
| 9因為這些人奉我名給你們預言謊話，我並沒有派遣他們──上主的斷語── |
9For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope. |
| 10上主只這樣說：巴比倫的七十年期限一滿，我必看顧你們，給你們履行我的諾言，領你們回到這地方。 |
10When you call me, when you go to pray to me, I will listen to you. |
| 11誠然，我知道我對你們所懷的計劃──上主的斷語──是和平而不是災禍的計劃，令你們有前途，有希望。 |
11When you look for me, you will find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, |
| 12那時，你們呼求我，前來懇求我，我必俯聽； |
12you will find me with you, says the LORD, and I will change your lot; I will gather you together from all the nations and all the places to which I have banished you, says the LORD, and bring you back to the place from which I have exiled you. |
| 13尋找我，必找到我，因為是你們全心尋求我。 |
13Thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on David's throne, and all the people who remain in this city, your brethren who did not go with you into exile; |
| 14我必將我自己顯示給你們──上主的斷語──轉變你們的命運：從我驅逐你們所至的各國各地召集你們──上主的斷語──領你們回到我以前使你們從那裏被擄去的地方。 |
14thus says the LORD of hosts: I am sending against them sword, famine and pestilence. I will make them like rotten figs, too bad to be eaten. |
| 15因為上主論及坐在達味寶座上的君王，和住在這城裏的全體人民，即沒有與你們同去充軍的兄弟，這樣說： |
15I will pursue them with sword, famine, and pestilence, and make them an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, of malediction, astonishment, ridicule, and reproach to all the nations among which I will banish them. |
| 16萬軍的上主這樣說：看，我必給他們招來戰爭、饑饉和瘟疫，使他們有如壞得不可吃的爛無花果， |
16For they did not listen to my words, says the LORD, though I kept sending them my servants the prophets, only to have them go unheeded, says the LORD. |
| 17以戰爭、饑饉和瘟疫窮迫他們，使他們在地上各國遭受虐待，在我驅逐他們所到的各民族中，成為咒罵、驚恐、嘲笑、詛咒的對象， |
17You, now, listen to the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. |
| 18因為他們沒有聽從我的話──上主的斷語──我不斷給他們派遣我的僕人先知，他們卻沒有聽從──上主的斷語── |
18As for your saying, "The LORD has raised up for us prophets here in Babylon"-- |
| 19至於你們，這些我由耶路撒冷遷往巴比倫的全體俘虜，你們應該聽從上主的話。 |
19thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let yourselves be deceived by the prophets and diviners who are among you; do not listen to those among you who dream dreams. |
| 20也許你們要說：上主在巴比倫給我們興起了一些先知。 |
20For they prophesy lies to you in my name; I did not send them, says the LORD. |
| 21但萬軍的上主，以色列的天主，論及奉我名給你們預言謊話的科拉雅的兒子阿哈布，和瑪阿色雅的兒子漆德克雅這樣說：看，我必將他們交在巴比倫王拿步高的手中，在你們面前將他們處決； |
21This is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, has to say about those who prophesy lies to you in my name, Ahab, son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah, son of Maaseiah: I am handing them over to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, who will slay them before your eyes. |
| 22在巴比倫的一切猶大俘虜，必拿他們當詛咒說：願上主使你像巴比倫王用火烙死的漆德克雅和阿哈布！ |
22All the exiles of Judah in Babylon will pattern a curse after them: "May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the flames." |
| 23因為他們在以色列中間行了敗德的事：姦污人的妻子，妄用我的名字，說我沒有吩咐的話；這是我知道的，我就是見證──上主的斷語。」 |
23For they are criminals in Israel, committing adultery with their neighbors' wives, and alleging in my name things I did not command. I know, I am witness, says the LORD. |
| 24你應對乃赫藍人舍瑪雅這樣說： |
24Say this to Shemaiah, the Nehelamite: |
| 25萬軍的上主，以色列的天主這樣說：因為你以自己的名義，給在耶路撒冷的全體人民，和司祭瑪阿色雅的兒子責法尼雅，及所有的司祭致書說： |
25Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you sent letters on your own authority to all the people of Jerusalem, to all the priests and to Zephaniah, the priest, son of Maaseiah, with this message: |
| 26「上主立你代替司祭約雅達為司祭，作上主殿宇的監督，為拘捕一切自充先知的狂妄之徒，給他帶上腳鐐鐵枷。 |
26 "The LORD has appointed you priest in place of the priest Jehoiada, so that there may be police officers in the house of the LORD, to take action against all madmen and those who pose as prophets, by putting them into the stocks or the pillory. |
| 27為什麼你至今還不責斥向你們自稱為先知的阿納托特人耶肋米亞？ |
27Why, then, do you not rebuke Jeremiah of Anathoth who poses as a prophet among you? |
| 28他竟派人到巴比倫對我們說：為期尚遠；不如建屋居住，種植田園，吃田園的出產！」 |
28For he sent us in Babylon this message: It will be a long time; build houses to live in; plant gardens and eat their fruits. . . ." |
| 29司祭責法尼雅當面將這書信念給先知耶肋米亞聽了。 |
29When the priest Zephaniah read this letter to the prophet, |
| 30於是有上主的話傳給耶肋米亞說： |
30the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: |
| 31「你派人對全體俘虜說：論及乃赫藍人舍瑪雅，上主這樣說：因為舍瑪雅沒有我的委派，竟向你們說預言，叫你們相信謊言， |
31Send the message to all the exiles: Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah, the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah prophesies to you without a mission from me, and raises false confidence, |
| 32為此上主這樣說：看，我必懲罰乃赫藍人舍瑪雅和他的後裔：他的後代必沒有一個人住在這民族中，能見到我賜給我人民的幸福──上主的斷語──因為他說了叛上主的話。」 |
32says the LORD, I will therefore punish Shemaiah, the Nehelamite, and his offspring. None of them shall survive among this people to see the good I will do to this people, says the LORD, because he preached rebellion against the LORD. |
