< Jeremiah 21 >

1 The worde which came vnto Ieremiah from the Lord, when king Zedekiah sent vnto him Pashur, the sonne of Malchiah, and Zephaniah, the sonne of Maaseiah the Priest, saying,
上主傳給耶肋米亞的話:那時,漆德克雅王正派瑪耳基雅的兒子帕市胡爾,和司祭瑪阿色雅的兒子責法尼雅來見他說:
2 Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for vs, (for Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel maketh warre against vs) if so be that the Lord will deale with vs according to all his wonderous workes, that he may returne vp from vs.
請你替我們詢問上主:「巴比倫王拿步高既來與我們作戰,上主是否依照他所行的奇事來協助我們,叫他離我們遠去﹖」
3 Then said Ieremiah, Thus shall you say to Zedekiah,
耶肋米亞便回答他們說:「你們應這樣對漆德克雅說:
4 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will turne backe the weapons of warre that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the King of Babel, and against the Caldeans, which besiege you without the walles, and I will assemble them into the middes of this citie.
上主,以色列的天主這樣說:看,我必使你們手中所持,用以攻擊在城外圍攻你們的巴比倫王和加色丁人的武器,反回集中在這城的中心。
5 And I my selfe will fight against you with an outstretched hand, and with a mighty arme, eue in anger and in wrath, and in great indignation.
然後我要伸出手來,以強力的手臂、震怒、狂暴和憤恨痛擊你們,
6 And I will smite the inhabitants of this citie, both man, and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.
痛擊住在這裏的人和獸;他們必死於盛行的瘟疫。
7 And after this, sayeth the Lord, I will deliuer Zedekiah the King of Iudah, and his seruants, and the people, and such as are left in this citie, from the pestilence, from the sworde and from the famine into the hande of Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel, and into the hande of their enemies, and into the hande of those that seeke their liues, and he shall smite them with the edge of the sworde: he shall not spare them, neither haue pitie nor compassion.
此後──上主的斷語──我必將猶大王漆德克雅和他的臣僕,並這城中幸免於瘟疫、刀劍和饑饉的人民,交在巴比倫王拿步高和他們的仇敵,以及謀圖他們性命者的手中,叫敵人用利刃擊殺他們,毫不饒恕,毫不憐憫,毫不表同情。
8 And vnto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord, Beholde, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
此外,你應對這人民說:看,我將生命的路和死亡的路,擺在你們面前:
9 He that abideth in this citie, shall dye by the sword and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Caldeans, that besiege you, he shall liue, and his life shalbe vnto him for a pray.
凡留在這城中的,必死於刀劍、饑饉和瘟疫;凡出來向圍攻你們的加色丁人投降的,必保全性命,必有生命當作自己的勝利品。
10 For I haue set my face against this citie, for euill and not for good, saith the Lord: it shalbe giuen into the hande of the King of Babel, and he shall burne it with fire.
我所以轉面向著這城,是為降災,並不是為賜福──上主的斷語──這城必被交在巴比倫王手中,他要火燒這城。」
11 And say vnto the house of the King of Iudah, Heare ye the worde of the Lord.
對於猶大的王室,你應該這樣說:你們該聆聽上主的話,
12 O house of Dauid, thus saith the Lord, Execute iudgement in the morning, and deliuer the oppressed out of the hande of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire and burne, that none can quench it, because of the wickednes of your workes.
達味家族! 上主這樣說:「你們應及早執行正義,從壓迫者手中解救被剝奪的人,免得我的忿怒,因你們行事邪惡,像火一般燒起,而沒有人能夠熄滅。」
13 Beholde, I come against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rocke of the plaine, saith the Lord, which say, Who shall come downe against vs? or who shall enter into our habitations?
至於你這居住在谷中和平原巖石上的人,看,我來對付你──上主的斷語──你們誇說:「誰能下來攻擊我們﹖誰能進入我們的巢穴﹖」
14 But I will visite you according to the fruite of your workes, saith the Lord, and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall deuoure rounde about it.
我必按照你們行為應得的,來懲罰你們──上主的斷語──我要在她的樹林裏放火,吞滅她四周的一切。

< Jeremiah 21 >