耶利米書 42
1 眾部隊首領與卡勒亞的兒子約哈南和瑪阿色雅的兒子阿匝黎雅及，不分大小，
Then all the commanders of the forces, along with Johanan son of Kareah, Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, approached
2 前來對耶肋米亞先知說：「願你接受我們對你的請求，請你為我們全體遺民，轉求上主你的天主。我們原來人數眾多，如今只剩下你親眼見的這幾個人了。
Jeremiah the prophet and said, “May our petition come before you; pray to the LORD your God on behalf of this entire remnant. For few of us remain of the many, as you can see with your own eyes.
3 惟願上主你的天主指示我們該走的路，和當行的事! 」
Pray that the LORD your God will tell us the way we should walk and the thing we should do.”
4 耶肋米亞先知答覆他們說：「我聽見了! 好，我願依照你們的話，祈求上主你們的天主；但凡上主答覆的話，我必全告訴你們，不對你們隱瞞什麼。」
“I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will surely pray to the LORD your God as you request, and I will tell you everything that the LORD answers; I will not withhold a word from you.”
5 他們鑽覆耶肋米亞說：「願上主在我們中間作真實和忠信的見證，如果我們不依照上主你的天主叫你傳給我們的一切話去做。
Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act upon every word that the LORD your God sends you to tell us.
6 或好或壞，我們願聽從上主我們天主的話，因為是我們派你去向他祈求；我們聽從了上主我們的天主的話，我們就必順利。」
Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us, for we will obey the voice of the LORD our God!”
7 十天以後，上主有話傳給了耶肋米亞，
After ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah,
8 他便召集卡勒亞的兒子約哈南和隨從他的眾部隊首領以及全體人民，不分大小，
and he summoned Johanan son of Kareah, all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest.
9 對他們說：「你們派我去向他面陳你們的請求的上主，以色列的天主這樣說：
Jeremiah told them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition:
10 如果你們決意住在這地方，我必建立你們，決不加以破壞；我必栽培你們，決不予以拔除，因為我已後悔給你們所降的災禍。
‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I will relent of the disaster I have brought upon you.
11 你們不要害怕你們所害怕的巴比倫王；不要害怕他──上主的斷語──因為有我與你們同在，作你們的救援，從他的手中搶救你們。
Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear; do not be afraid of him, declares the LORD, for I am with you to save you and deliver you from him.
12 我必憐恤你們，也叫他憐恤你們，讓你們仍住在你們的國土內。
And I will show you compassion, and he will have compassion on you and restore you to your own land.’
13 但是，如果你們不聽從上主你們的天主的話，說：我們不願住在這地方；
But if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and you thus disobey the voice of the LORD your God,
14 或說：不，我們要去埃及地，在那裏再見不到戰爭，再聽不到號聲，再不缺乏食糧；我們要去住在那裏!
and if you say, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt and live there, where we will not see war or hear the sound of the ram’s horn or hunger for bread,’
15 那麼，猶大的遺民! 請你們聽上主的話。萬軍的上主，以色列的天主這樣說：假使你們決意要往埃及去，在那裏寄居，
then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and reside there,
16 你們害怕的刀劍，必在埃及地襲擊你們；你們憂慮的饑荒，必在埃及跟蹤你們，使你們死在那裏。
then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow on your heels into Egypt, and you will die there.
17 凡決意往埃及去，到那裏寄居的人，必要死於刀劍、饑荒和瘟疫，沒有一人能幸免，逃脫我給他們招來的災禍。
So all who resolve to go to Egypt to reside there will die by sword and famine and plague. Not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring upon them.’
18 的確，萬軍的上主，以色列的天主這樣說：正如我對耶路撒冷居民曾發怒洩恨；同樣我要對去埃及的你們洩恨，叫你們遭受憎恨、厭惡、詛咒、侮辱，永不再見此地。」
For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Just as My anger and wrath were poured out on the residents of Jerusalem, so will My wrath be poured out on you if you go to Egypt. You will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and disgrace, and you will never see this place again.’
19 「猶大的遺民! 這是上主對你們說的話：不要到埃及去。你們該清楚知道：我今天對你們作證，
The LORD has told you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for sure that I have warned you today!
20 你們實在是自己欺騙自己；原是你們派我去求問上主你天主說：請你為我們轉求上主我們的天主，凡上主我們的天主說的，你要全告訴我們，我們必依照遵行。
For you have deceived yourselves by sending me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray to the LORD our God on our behalf, and as for all that the LORD our God says, tell it to us and we will do it.’
21 我今天告訴了你們，你們卻全不聽從上主你們的天主，打發我來告訴你們的話。
For I have told you today, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God in all He has sent me to tell you.
22 現在，你們該知道：在你們要去寄居的地方，你們必死於刀劍、饑荒和瘟疫。」
Now therefore, know for sure that by sword and famine and plague you will die in the place where you desire to go to reside.”
