Jeremiah 38
1 Then Shephatiah, the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah, the son of Pashhur, and Jehucal, the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur, the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to all the people, saying:
瑪坦的兒子示法提雅、巴施戶珥的兒子基大利、示利米雅的兒子猶甲、瑪基雅的兒子巴施戶珥聽見耶利米對眾人所說的話，說：
2 “Thus says the Lord: Whoever will remain in this city will die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence. But whoever will flee away from the Chaldeans, will live, and his soul will dwell in safety.
「耶和華如此說：住在這城裏的必遭刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫而死；但出去歸降迦勒底人的必得存活，就是以自己命為掠物的，必得存活。
3 Thus says the Lord: This city will certainly be delivered into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.”
耶和華如此說：這城必要交在巴比倫王軍隊的手中，他必攻取這城。」
4 And the leaders said to the king: “We petition you to put this man to death. For he is deliberately weakening the hands of the men of war, who have remained in this city, and the hands of the people, by speaking to them with these words. For this man is certainly not seeking peace for this people, but evil.”
於是首領對王說：「求你將這人治死；因他向城裏剩下的兵丁和眾民說這樣的話，使他們的手發軟。這人不是求這百姓得平安，乃是叫他們受災禍。」
5 And king Zedekiah said: “Behold, he is in your hands. For it is not fitting for the king to deny you anything.”
西底家王說：「他在你們手中，無論何事，王也不能與你們反對。」
6 Therefore, they took Jeremiah and cast him into the pit of Malchiah, the son of Amelech, which was at the entrance to the prison. And they lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the pit, in which there was no water, but only mud. And so Jeremiah descended into the mire.
他們就拿住耶利米，下在哈米勒的兒子瑪基雅的牢獄裏；那牢獄在護衛兵的院中。他們用繩子將耶利米繫下去。牢獄裏沒有水，只有淤泥，耶利米就陷在淤泥中。
7 Now Ebedmelech, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch who was in the king’s house, heard that they had sent Jeremiah into the pit, and also that the king was sitting at the gate of Benjamin.
在王宮的太監古實人以伯‧米勒，聽見他們將耶利米下了牢獄（那時王坐在便雅憫門口），
8 And so Ebedmelech departed from the king’s house, and he spoke to the king, saying:
以伯‧米勒就從王宮裏出來，對王說：
9 “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have perpetrated against Jeremiah the prophet, casting him into the pit so that he would die there from famine. For there is no more bread in the city.”
「主－我的王啊，這些人向先知耶利米一味地行惡，將他下在牢獄中；他在那裏必因飢餓而死，因為城中再沒有糧食。」
10 And so the king instructed Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, saying: “Take with you thirty men from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet from the pit, before he dies.”
王就吩咐古實人以伯‧米勒說：「你從這裏帶領三十人，趁着先知耶利米未死以前，將他從牢獄中提上來。」
11 Therefore, Ebedmelech, taking the men with him, entered into the king’s house to a place below the storehouse. And he took from there old garments, no longer in use, and he sent them down by rope to Jeremiah in the pit.
於是以伯‧米勒帶領這些人同去，進入王宮，到庫房以下，從那裏取了些碎布和破爛的衣服，用繩子縋下牢獄去到耶利米那裏。
12 And Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, said to Jeremiah: “Place these old garments, and these cut and decaying cloths, under your arms and over the ropes.” And Jeremiah did so.
古實人以伯‧米勒對耶利米說：「你用這些碎布和破爛的衣服放在繩子上，墊你的胳肢窩。」耶利米就照樣行了。
13 And they pulled up Jeremiah with the ropes, and they led him away from the pit. And Jeremiah remained in the vestibule of the prison.
這樣，他們用繩子將耶利米從牢獄裏拉上來。耶利米仍在護衛兵的院中。
14 And king Zedekiah sent and took Jeremiah the prophet to him at the third gate, which was at the house of the Lord. And the king said to Jeremiah: “I will question you about a matter. You shall conceal nothing from me.”
西底家王打發人帶領先知耶利米，進耶和華殿中第三門裏見王。王就對耶利米說：「我要問你一件事，你絲毫不可向我隱瞞。」
15 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah: “If I announce to you, will you not put me to death? And if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.”
耶利米對西底家說：「我若告訴你，你豈不定要殺我嗎？我若勸戒你，你必不聽從我。」
16 Then king Zedekiah swore to Jeremiah, secretly, saying: “As the Lord lives, who made this soul for us, I will not kill you, nor will I deliver you into the hands of those men who are seeking your life.”
西底家王就私下向耶利米說：「我指着那造我們生命之永生的耶和華起誓：我必不殺你，也不將你交在尋索你命的人手中。」
17 And Jeremiah said to Zedekiah: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If, having set out, you go to the rulers of the king of Babylon, your soul will live, and this city will not be burned with fire. And you and your house will be safe.
耶利米對西底家說：「耶和華－萬軍之上帝、以色列的上帝如此說：你若出去歸降巴比倫王的首領，你的命就必存活，這城也不致被火焚燒，你和你的全家都必存活。
18 But if you will not go to the rulers of the king of Babylon, this city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they will burn it with fire. And you will not escape from their hand.”
你若不出去歸降巴比倫王的首領，這城必交在迦勒底人手中。他們必用火焚燒，你也不得脫離他們的手。」
19 And king Zedekiah said to Jeremiah: “I am anxious, because of the Jews who have crossed over to the Chaldeans, lest perhaps I may be delivered into their hands, and they may abuse me.”
西底家王對耶利米說：「我怕那些投降迦勒底人的猶大人，恐怕迦勒底人將我交在他們手中，他們戲弄我。」
20 But Jeremiah responded: “They will not deliver you. Listen, I ask you, to the voice of the Lord, which I am speaking to you, and it will be well with you, and your soul will live.
耶利米說：「迦勒底人必不將你交出。求你聽從我對你所說耶和華的話，這樣你必得好處，你的命也必存活。
21 But if you refuse to depart, this is the word that the Lord has revealed to me:
你若不肯出去，耶和華指示我的話乃是這樣：
22 Behold, all the women who remain in the house of the king of Judah will be led away to the rulers of the king of Babylon. And the women will say: ‘Your men of peacefulness have led you astray, and they have prevailed against you. They have immersed your feet in mud and have set them in a slippery place. And they have withdrawn from you.’
猶大王宮裏所剩的婦女必都帶到巴比倫王的首領那裏。這些婦女必說： 你知己的朋友催逼你， 勝過你； 見你的腳陷入淤泥中， 就轉身退後了。
23 And all your wives and your sons will be led away to the Chaldeans, and you will not escape from their hands. Instead, you will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon. And he will burn this city with fire.”
「人必將你的后妃和你的兒女帶到迦勒底人那裏；你也不得脫離他們的手，必被巴比倫王的手捉住；你也必使這城被火焚燒。」
24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah: “Let no one know of these words, and you will not die.
西底家對耶利米說：「不要使人知道這些話，你就不至於死。
25 But if the leaders hear that I have spoken with you, and if they come to you, and say to you: ‘Tell us what you said to the king. Do not conceal it from us, and we will not put you to death. And tell us what the king said to you,’
首領若聽見了我與你說話，就來見你，問你說：『你對王說甚麼話不要向我們隱瞞，我們就不殺你。王向你說甚麼話也要告訴我們。』
26 then you shall say to them: ‘I presented my supplication before the king, so that he would not order me to be led back to the house of Jonathan, to die there.’”
你就對他們說：『我在王面前懇求不要叫我回到約拿單的房屋死在那裏。』」
27 Then all the leaders came to Jeremiah, and they questioned him. And he spoke to them in accord with all the words that the king had commanded him. And they withdrew from him, for they had learned nothing.
隨後眾首領來見耶利米，問他，他就照王所吩咐的一切話回答他們。他們不再與他說話，因為事情沒有洩漏。
28 Yet truly, Jeremiah remained at the entrance of the prison, until the day when Jerusalem was seized. And it happened that Jerusalem was captured.
於是耶利米仍在護衛兵的院中，直到耶路撒冷被攻取的日子。
