< Jeremiah 42 >

1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Yochanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near,
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 to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please let our supplication be presented before you, and pray for us to the LORD your God, even for all this remnant, for we are left but a few of many, as your eyes see 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 the LORD your God may show us the way in which we should walk, and the things 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 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the LORD your God according to your words; and it will happen that whatever thing the LORD answers you, I will declare it to you. I will keep nothing back from you.”
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 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness amongst us, if we don’t do according to all the word with which the LORD your God sends you to tell us.
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 it is good, or whether it is bad, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send you; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD 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 After ten days, the LORD’s word came to Jeremiah.
過了十天,耶和華的話臨到耶利米。
8 Then he called Yochanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least even to 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 to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your supplication before him, says:
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 you will still live in this land, then I will build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I grieve over the distress that I have brought on 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 Don’t be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Don’t be afraid of him,’ says the LORD, ‘for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from 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 I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you, and cause you to return to your own land.
我也要使他發憐憫,好憐憫你們,叫你們歸回本地。
13 “‘But if you say, “We will not dwell in this land,” so that you don’t obey the LORD your God’s voice,
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, but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we will see no war, nor hear the sound of the shofar, nor have hunger of bread; and there we will 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 hear the LORD’s word, O remnant of Judah! The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says, ‘If you indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to live 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 it will happen that the sword, which you fear, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, about which you are afraid, will follow close behind you there in Egypt; and you will die there.
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 will it be with all the men who set their faces to go into Egypt to live there. They will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. None of them will remain or escape from the evil that I will bring on 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 the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘As my anger and my wrath has been poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you, when you enter into Egypt; and you will be an object of horror, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach; and you will see this place no more.’
「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 “The LORD has spoken concerning you, remnant of Judah, ‘Don’t go into Egypt!’ Know certainly that I have testified to you today.
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 you have dealt deceitfully against your own souls; for you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God; and according to all that the LORD our God says, so declare to 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 I have declared it to you today; but you have not obeyed the LORD your God’s voice in anything for which he has sent me to 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 certainly that you will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence in the place where you desire to go to live.”
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 >