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 came near all the captains of the armies, and Jochanan the son of Kareach, and Yezanyah the son of Hosha'yah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest,

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。

And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our humble supplication be accepted before thee, and pray in our behalf unto the Lord thy God, in behalf of all this remnant; [for we are left but a few of many, as thy own eyes do see us: ]

3 惟願上主你的天主指示我們該走的路，和當行的事! 」

That the Lord thy God may tell us the way whereon we should walk, and the thing that 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。」

Then said Jeremiah the prophet unto them, I have heard you: behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the Lord will answer you, I will tell unto you; I will withhold not 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。

But they said to Jeremiah, May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us, if we do not act entirely according to all the word with which the Lord thy God may send thee to 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 be good, or whether it be evil, we will hearken to the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee; in order that it may be well with us, when we hearken to the voice of the Lord our God.

7 十天以後，上主有話傳給了耶肋米亞，

And it came to pass at the end of ten days, that the word of the Lord came unto 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，

Then called he Jochanan the son of Kareach, and all the captains of the armies who were with him, and all the people from the least even 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：

And he said unto them, Thus hath said the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your humble supplication before him:

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 ye will indeed remain in this land, then will I build you up, and I will not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I have bethought me of the evil that I have done unto 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。

Be ye not afraid because of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid: have no fear of him, saith the Lord; for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you out of his hand.

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 give unto you mercy, that he may have mercy upon you, and let you return 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 ye say, We will not remain in this land, so as not to hearken to 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!

Saying, No; but into the land of Egypt will we go, that we may not see war, nor hear the sound of the cornet, and that we may not have hunger for bread; and there will we dwell;

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，

And now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Judah, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, If ye will indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go thither to sojourn 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 shall the sword, of which ye are afraid, there overtake you in the land of Egypt; and the famine, whereof ye are in dread, shall there cleave close unto you in Egypt; and there shall ye die.

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 shall be all the men that have set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there, —they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; and they shall have none that remaineth or escapeth from the evil that I am bringing over 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 thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, As my anger and my fury were poured forth over the inhabitants of Jerusalem: so shall my fury be poured forth over you, when ye enter into Egypt; and ye shall become an oath, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a disgrace; and ye shall 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 hath spoken concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah, “Ye shall not go into Egypt:” ye must know for certain that I have warned you this day.

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 ye have dissembled in regard to what your intentions are; for ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray in our behalf unto the Lord our God: and in accordance with all that the Lord our God may say, so tell unto 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。

And I have told it to you this day; but ye have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord your God, and this in all with which he hath sent me unto 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。」

But now know for certain that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go to sojourn there.