< Jeremiah 42 >

1 Then drew near all the captains of the forces, and Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, —and all the people from the least even unto the greatest;
眾軍長和加利亞的兒子約哈難,並何沙雅的兒子耶撒尼亞以及眾百姓,從最小的到至大的都進前來,
2 and said unto Jeremiah the prophet—Let our supplication we beseech thee fall prostrate before thee, and pray thou in our behalf unto Yahweh thy God, in behalf of all this remnant, —for we are left a few out of many, just as thine own eyes do behold us:
對先知耶利米說:「求你准我們在你面前祈求,為我們這剩下的人禱告耶和華-你的上帝。我們本來眾多,現在剩下的極少,這是你親眼所見的。
3 that Yahweh thy God may tell us the way wherein we should walk, —and the thing that we should do.
願耶和華-你的上帝指示我們所當走的路,所當做的事。」
4 And Jeremiah the prophet, said unto them, I have heard; behold me! praying unto Yahweh your God according to your words, —and it shall come to pass that the whole thing that Yahweh shall answer you, I will tell you, I will keep back from you, nothing.
先知耶利米對他們說:「我已經聽見你們了,我必照着你們的話禱告耶和華-你們的上帝。耶和華無論回答甚麼,我必都告訴你們,毫不隱瞞。」
5 They, therefore said unto Jeremiah, Yahweh be against us, as a witness true and faithful, —if according to all the word which Yahweh thy God shall send thee unto us, so we do not perform:
於是他們對耶利米說:「我們若不照耶和華-你的上帝差遣你來說的一切話行,願耶和華在我們中間作真實誠信的見證。
6 whether for good or for ill, unto the voice of Yahweh our God for which we are sending thee unto him, will we hearken, —to the end it may be well with us, because we will hearken unto the voice of Yahweh our God.
我們現在請你到耶和華-我們的上帝面前,他說的無論是好是歹,我們都必聽從;我們聽從耶和華-我們上帝的話,就可以得福。」
7 And it came to pass at the end of ten days, that the word of Yahweh came unto Jeremiah.
過了十天,耶和華的話臨到耶利米。
8 Then called he for Johanan son of Kareah, and for all the princes of the forces who were with him—and for all the people from the least even unto the greatest;
他就將加利亞的兒子約哈難和同着他的眾軍長,並眾百姓,從最小的到至大的都叫了來,
9 and said unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel—unto whom ye sent me, to cause your supplication to fall prostrate before him: —
對他們說:「耶和華-以色列的上帝,就是你們請我在他面前為你們祈求的主,如此說:
10 If ye will indeed abide, in this land, then will I build you up, and not pull [you] down, and plant you and not uproot [you], —for I have compassion as touching the calamity which I have caused you.
『你們若仍住在這地,我就建立你們,必不拆毀,栽植你們,並不拔出,因我為降與你們的災禍後悔了。
11 Do not fear the face of the king of Babylon, of whose face ye are afraid, —do not fear him, Urgeth Yahweh, for with you, am I, to save you, and to deliver you out of his hand:
不要怕你們所怕的巴比倫王。』」耶和華說:「不要怕他!因為我與你們同在,要拯救你們脫離他的手。
12 that I may grant you compassions and he may have compassion upon you, —and suffer you to return unto your own soil.
我也要使他發憐憫,好憐憫你們,叫你們歸回本地。
13 But, since ye are saying, —We will not dwell in this land, —nor hearken unto the voice of Yahweh your God:
倘若你們說:『我們不住在這地』,以致不聽從耶和華-你們上帝的話,
14 saying, —No! for, into the land of Egypt, will we go, where we shall not see war, nor the sound of a horn, shall we hear, —nor for bread, shall we be famished, —there, then will we dwell
說:『我們不住這地,卻要進入埃及地,在那裏看不見爭戰,聽不見角聲,也不致無食飢餓。我們必住在那裏。』
15 Now, therefore, for this cause, hear ye the word of Yahweh, O remnant of Judah, —Thus! saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, —If, ye do indeed set your faces to enter Egypt and do enter to sojourn there,
你們所剩下的猶大人哪,現在要聽耶和華的話。萬軍之耶和華-以色列的上帝如此說:『你們若定意要進入埃及,在那裏寄居,
16 then shall it come to pass that the sword which ye are fearing shall, there, overtake you, in the land of Egypt, —and the famine which ye are dreading, shall, there, lay fast hold of you, in Egypt, and, there, shall ye die.
你們所懼怕的刀劍在埃及地必追上你們!你們所懼怕的饑荒在埃及要緊緊地跟隨你們!你們必死在那裏!
17 So shall it be with all the men who have set their faces to enter Egypt to sojourn there, they shall die by sword, by famine or by pestilence, —and they shall have neither survival nor escape, from the face of the calamity which I am about to bring in upon them.
凡定意要進入埃及在那裏寄居的必遭刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫而死,無一人存留,逃脫我所降與他們的災禍。』
18 For—Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, —Just as mine anger and mine indignation have been poured out upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall mine indignation be poured out upon you when ye enter into Egypt, —thus shall ye become a curse, and an astonishment and a contempt and a reproach, and ye shall no more see this place.
「萬軍之耶和華-以色列的上帝如此說:『我怎樣將我的怒氣和忿怒傾在耶路撒冷的居民身上,你們進入埃及的時候,我也必照樣將我的忿怒傾在你們身上,以致你們令人辱罵、驚駭、咒詛、羞辱,你們不得再見這地方。』
19 Yahweh hath spoken concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah, Do not enter into Egypt: Know certainly, that I have taken you to witness to-day.
所剩下的猶大人哪,耶和華論到你們說:『不要進入埃及去。』你們要確實地知道我今日警教你們了。
20 For ye have deceived yourselves at the cost of your lives, for, ye yourselves, sent me unto Yahweh your God, saying, —Pray thou in our behalf, unto Yahweh our God, —and according to all that Yahweh our God shall say, so, tell us and we will do it.
你們行詭詐自害;因為你們請我到耶和華-你們的上帝那裏,說:『求你為我們禱告耶和華-我們上帝,照耶和華-我們的上帝一切所說的告訴我們,我們就必遵行。』
21 Therefore have I told you to-day, —and yet ye have not hearkened unto the voice of Yahweh your God, even in any thing for which he hath sent me unto you.
我今日將這話告訴你們,耶和華-你們的上帝為你們的事差遣我到你們那裏說的,你們卻一樣沒有聽從。
22 Now, therefore, know ye certainly, that by sword, by famine, or by pestilence, shall ye die, —in the place whither ye have desired to go, to sojourn.
現在你們要確實地知道,你們在所要去寄居之地必遭刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫而死。」

< Jeremiah 42 >