耶利米書 1
1 本雅明地內阿納托特城的司祭中，希耳克雅的兒子耶肋米亞的言行錄。──
The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
2 上主的話傳給，是在阿孟的兒子約史雅為猶大王執政第十三年；
To whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his rule.
3 以後傳給他，是在約史雅的兒子約雅金為猶大王，直到約史雅的兒子漆德雅為猶大王第十一年年底，即直到是年五月，耶路撒冷固民被擄去充軍時為止。
And it came again in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, up to the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah; till Jerusalem was taken away in the fifth month.
4 上主對我說：
Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 「我還沒有在母腹形成你以前，我已認識了你；在你還沒有出離母胎以前，我已祝福了你，選定了你作萬民的先知。」
Before you were formed in the body of your mother I had knowledge of you, and before your birth I made you holy; I have given you the work of being a prophet to the nations.
6 我回答說：「哎呀! 我主上主! 你看，我還太年輕，不會說話」。
Then said I, O Lord God! see, I have no power of words, for I am a child.
7 上主對我說：「你別說：我太年輕，因為我派你到那裏去，你就應到那裏去；我命你說什麼，你就應說什麼。
But the Lord said to me, Do not say, I am a child: for wherever I send you, you are to go, and whatever I give you orders to say, you are to say.
8 你不要害怕他們，因為有我與你同在，保護你──上主的斷語。」
Have no fear because of them: for I am with you, to keep you safe, says the Lord.
9 此後，上主伸出手來，觸摸我的口，對我說：「看，我將我的話放在你口中；
Then the Lord put out his hand, touching my mouth; and the Lord said to me, See, I have put my words in your mouth:
10 看我今天委派你對萬民和邦列國，執行拔除、破壞、毀滅、推翻、建設和栽培的任務。」
See, this day I have put you over the nations and over the kingdoms, for uprooting and smashing down, for destruction and overturning, for building up and planting.
11 上主的話傳給我說：「耶肋米亞，你看見什麼﹖」我回答說：「我看見一棵杏樹枝。」
Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what do you see? And I said, I see a branch of an almond-tree.
12 上主對我說：「你看的對，因為我要警醒，看我的話怎樣實現。」
Then the Lord said to me, You have seen well: for I keep watch over my word to give effect to it.
13 上主的話二次傳給我說：「你看見什麼﹖」我回答說：「我看見一個沸騰的鍋，它的口由北面傾倒過來。」
And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, What do you see? And I said, I see a boiling pot, and its face is from the north.
14 上主對我說：「災禍將由北方燒起，一直燒到這地上的一切居民。
Then the Lord said to me, Out of the north evil will come, bursting out on all the people of the land.
15 看，我必召集北方的一切國家──上主的斷語──叫各國前來，在城門口，在城牆四周以及猶大各城市旁，建立自己的寶座。
For see, I will send for all the families of the kingdoms of the north, says the Lord; and they will come, everyone placing his high seat at the way into Jerusalem, and against its walls on every side, and against all the towns of Judah.
16 我要向各城市的人民宣告我的判決，懲罰他們的，因為他們離棄我，向別的神祗獻香，崇拜了他們手製的作品。
And I will give my decision against them on account of all their evil-doing; because they have given me up, burning perfumes to other gods and worshipping the works of their hands.
17 至於你，你要束上腰，起來向他們傳示我命令你的一切。在他們面前，你不要畏懼，免得我在他們面前令你畏懼。
So make yourself ready, and go and say to them everything I give you orders to say: do not be overcome by fear of them, or I will send fear on you before them.
18 看啊! 我今天使你成為堅城、銅牆、鐵壁，以對抗猶大君王和首領，司祭和當地的人民。
For see, this day have I made you a walled town, and an iron pillar, and walls of brass, against all the land, against the kings of Judah, against its captains, against its priests, and against the people of the land.
19 他們要攻擊你，卻不能得勝你，因為有我與你同在，協助你──上主的斷語。」
They will be fighting against you, but they will not overcome you: for I am with you, says the Lord, to give you salvation.
