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 which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashchur the son of Malkiyah, and Zephanyah the son of Ma'asseyah 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﹖」
Inquire, I pray thee, in our behalf of the Lord; for Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon maketh war against us; peradventure the Lord will deal with us according to all his wondrous deeds, so that he may withdraw from us.
3 耶肋米亞便回答他們說：「你們應這樣對漆德克雅說：
Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:
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 hath said the Lord the God of Israel, Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, who besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble 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 myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, and in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.
6 痛擊住在這裏的人和獸；他們必死於盛行的瘟疫。
And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: of a great pestilence shall they 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 afterward, saith the Lord, will I give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and those that are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he will not spare them, nor have pity, nor have mercy.
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 unto this people shalt thou say, Thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I 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 remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, or by the famine, or by the pestilence; but he that goeth out, and runneth away to the Chaldeans that besiege you, shall remain alive, and his life shall be unto him as a booty.
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, saith the Lord: into the hand of the king of Babylon shall it be given up, and he will burn 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，
And to the house of the king of Judah [say], Hear ye 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 hath said the Lord, Exercise justice on [every] morning, and deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor; lest my fury go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
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 thee, O inhabitress of the valley, [about] the rock of the plain, saith the Lord; who say, Who shall descend down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?
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。
But I will inflict punishment on you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a fire in its forest, and it shall devour all its environs.
