耶利米書 21

1 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：

THE WORD THAT CAME FROM THE LORD TO JEREMIAS, WHEN KING SEDEKIAS SENT TO HIM PASCHOR THE SON OF MELCHIAS, AND SOPHONIAS SON OF BASAEAS, THE PRIEST, SAYING,

2 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﹖」

Enquire of the Lord for us; for the king of Babylon has risen up against us; if the Lord will do according to all his wonderful works, and [the king] shall depart from us.

3 耶肋米亞便回答他們說：「你們應這樣對漆德克雅說：

And Jeremias said to them, Thus shall you say to Sedekias king of Juda,

4 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。

Thus says the Lord; Behold, I [will] turn back the weapons of war wherewith you fight against the Chaldeans that have besieged you from outside the wall, and I will gather them into the midst of this city.

5 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，

And I will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, with wrath and great anger.

6 痛擊住在這裏的人和獸；他們必死於盛行的瘟疫。

And I will strike all the dwellers in this city, [both] men and cattle, with grievous pestilence: and they shall die.

7 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。

And after this, thus says the Lord; I will give Sedekias king of Juda, and his servants, and the people that is left in this city from the pestilence, and from the famine, and from the sword, into the hands of their enemies, that seek their lives: and they shall cut them in pieces with the edge of the sword: I will not spare them, and I will not have compassion upon them.

8 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：

And you shall say to this people, Thus says the Lord; Behold, I have set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

9 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。

He that remains in this city shall die by the sword, and by famine: but he that goes forth to advance to the Chaldeans that have besieged you, shall live, and his life shall be to him for a spoil, and he shall live.

10 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。」

For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good: it shall be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall consume it with fire.

11 對於猶大的王室，你應該這樣說：你們該聆聽上主的話，

O house of the king of Juda, hear you the word of the Lord.

12 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。」

O house of David, thus says the Lord; Judge judgment in the morning, and act rightly, and rescue the spoiled one from the hand of him that wrongs him, lest mine anger be kindled like fire, and it burn, and there be none to quench [it].

13 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﹖」

Behold, I am against you that dwell in the valley of Sor; in the plain country, [even against] them that say, Who shall alarm us? or who shall enter into our habitation?

14 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。

And I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.