< 耶利米書 34 >
1 巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒率領他的全軍和地上屬他的各國各邦,攻打耶路撒冷和屬耶路撒冷所有的城邑。那時,耶和華的話臨到耶利米說:
Thus said the Lord; Make to yourself bonds and yokes, and put [them] about your neck,
2 「耶和華-以色列的上帝說,你去告訴猶大王西底家,耶和華如此說:我要將這城交付巴比倫王的手,他必用火焚燒。
3 你必不能逃脫他的手,定被拿住,交在他的手中。你的眼要見巴比倫王的眼,他要口對口和你說話,你也必到巴比倫去。
and you shall send them to the king of Idumea, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the children of Ammon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hands of their messengers that come to meet them at Jerusalem to Sedekias king of Juda.
4 猶大王西底家啊,你還要聽耶和華的話。耶和華論到你如此說:你必不被刀劍殺死,
And you shall commission them to say to their lords, Thus said the Lord God of Israel; Thus shall you say to your lords;
5 你必平安而死,人必為你焚燒物件,好像為你列祖,就是在你以前的先王焚燒一般。人必為你舉哀說:『哀哉!我主啊。』耶和華說:這話是我說的。」
I have made the earth by my great power, and with my high arm, and I will give it to whoever it shall seem [good] in mine eyes.
6 於是,先知耶利米在耶路撒冷將這一切話告訴猶大王西底家。
I gave the earth to Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon to serve him, and the wild beasts of the field to labour for him.
7 那時,巴比倫王的軍隊正攻打耶路撒冷,又攻打猶大所剩下的城邑,就是拉吉和亞西加。原來猶大的堅固城只剩下這兩座。
8 西底家王與耶路撒冷的眾民立約,要向他們宣告自由,叫各人任他希伯來的僕人和婢女自由出去,誰也不可使他的一個猶大弟兄作奴僕。(此後,有耶和華的話臨到耶利米。)
And the nation and kingdom, all that shall not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, with sword and famine will I visit them, says the Lord, until they are consumed by his hand.
And listen you not to your false prophets, nor to them that divine to you, nor to them that foretell events by dreams to you, nor to your auguries, nor your sorcerers, that say, You shall by no means work for the king of Babylon:
10 所有立約的首領和眾民就任他的僕人婢女自由出去,誰也不再叫他們作奴僕。大家都順從,將他們釋放了;
for they prophesy lies to you, to remove you far from your land.
11 後來卻又反悔,叫所任去自由的僕人婢女回來,勉強他們仍為僕婢。
But the nation which shall put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, I will even leave it upon its land, and it shall serve him, and dwell in it.
I spoke also to Sedekias king of Juda according to all these words, saying, Put your neck into [the yoke], and serve the king of Babylon.
13 「耶和華-以色列的上帝如此說:我將你們的列祖從埃及地為奴之家領出來的時候,與他們立約說:
14 『你的一個希伯來弟兄若賣給你,服事你六年,到第七年你們各人就要任他自由出去。』只是你們列祖不聽從我,也不側耳而聽。
For they prophesy unrighteous [words] to you,
15 如今你們回轉,行我眼中看為正的事,各人向鄰舍宣告自由,並且在稱為我名下的殿中、在我面前立約。
for I sent them not, says the Lord; and they prophesy [in] my name unjustly, that I might destroy you, and you should perish, and your prophets, who unrighteously prophesy lies to you.
16 你們卻又反悔,褻瀆我的名,各人叫所任去隨意自由的僕人婢女回來,勉強他們仍為僕婢。
I spoke to you, and to all this people, and to the priests, saying, Thus said the Lord; Listen not to the words of the prophets that prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the Lord's house shall return from Babylon: for they prophesy to you unrighteous [words].
17 所以耶和華如此說:你們沒有聽從我,各人向弟兄鄰舍宣告自由。看哪!我向你們宣告一樣自由,就是使你們自由於刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫之下,並且使你們在天下萬國中拋來拋去。這是耶和華說的。
I sent them not.
18 猶大的首領、耶路撒冷的首領、太監、祭司,和國中的眾民曾將牛犢劈開,分成兩半,從其中經過,在我面前立約。後來又違背我的約,不遵行這約上的話。
If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is in them, let them meet me, for thus has the Lord said.
And as for the remaining vessels,
20 我必將他們交在仇敵和尋索其命的人手中;他們的屍首必給空中的飛鳥和地上的野獸作食物。
which the king of Babylon took not, when he carried Jechonias prisoner out of Jerusalem,
21 並且我必將猶大王西底家和他的首領交在他們仇敵和尋索其命的人,與那暫離你們而去巴比倫王軍隊的手中。
22 耶和華說:我必吩咐他們回到這城,攻打這城,將城攻取,用火焚燒。我也要使猶大的城邑變為荒場,無人居住。」
they shall go into Babylon, says the Lord.