耶利米書 42
1 眾軍長和加利亞的兒子約哈難，並何沙雅的兒子耶撒尼亞以及眾百姓，從最小的到至大的都進前來，
Then Johanan and Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the [other] leaders of the [Israeli] soldiers [who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia], and many [HYP] [other] people, including those who were important and those who were not important, came
2 對先知耶利米說：「求你准我們在你面前祈求，為我們這剩下的人禱告耶和華－你的上帝。我們本來眾多，現在剩下的極少，這是你親眼所見的。
to me. They said, “Please listen to our request and pray to Yahweh our God for all of us. Although we were previously a huge number of people, you can see that now we are only a small number of people [who have survived].
3 願耶和華－你的上帝指示我們所當走的路，所當做的事。」
[Pray] that Yahweh our God will show us what we should do and where we should go.”
4 先知耶利米對他們說：「我已經聽見你們了，我必照着你們的話禱告耶和華－你們的上帝。耶和華無論回答甚麼，我必都告訴你們，毫不隱瞞。」
I replied, “Okay, I will pray to Yahweh our God, like you have requested, and I will tell you what he says. I will (tell you everything/not hide anything from you).”
5 於是他們對耶利米說：「我們若不照耶和華－你的上帝差遣你來說的一切話行，願耶和華在我們中間作真實誠信的見證。
They replied to me, “We hope/wish that Yahweh our God will be a faithful witness against us if we refuse to do everything that he tells us to do.
6 我們現在請你到耶和華－我們的上帝面前，他說的無論是好是歹，我們都必聽從；我們聽從耶和華－我們上帝的話，就可以得福。」
We are requesting you to ask Yahweh our God what we should do. [When he replies], we will obey him, whether we like what he says or not. We will do that because [we know that] things will go well for us if we obey him.”
7 過了十天，耶和華的話臨到耶利米。
[So I prayed] to Yahweh, and ten days later he gave me his reply.
8 他就將加利亞的兒子約哈難和同着他的眾軍長，並眾百姓，從最小的到至大的都叫了來，
So I summoned Johanan and all his [other] soldiers and all the [other] people, including those who were important and those who were not important.
9 對他們說：「耶和華－以色列的上帝，就是你們請我在他面前為你們祈求的主，如此說：
I said to them, “You told me to tell Yahweh, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], what you were requesting. This is what he replied:
10 『你們若仍住在這地，我就建立你們，必不拆毀，栽植你們，並不拔出，因我為降與你們的災禍後悔了。
‘You [should] stay here in this land. If you do that, I will cause your [nation] to be strong and not be weak. I will cause you to prosper and not be exiled [again]. I am sorry about the disasters that I [was forced to] cause you to experience.
11 不要怕你們所怕的巴比倫王。』」耶和華說：「不要怕他！因為我與你們同在，要拯救你們脫離他的手。
But do not be afraid of the king of Babylon [any more], because I will (be with/help) you. I will rescue you [DOU] from his power [MTY].
12 我也要使他發憐憫，好憐憫你們，叫你們歸回本地。
I will be merciful to you by causing him to act kindly toward you. So as a result, he will allow you to stay here in your land.’
13 倘若你們說：『我們不住在這地』，以致不聽從耶和華－你們上帝的話，
But if you refuse to obey Yahweh our God, and if you say ‘We will not stay here;
14 說：『我們不住這地，卻要進入埃及地，在那裏看不見爭戰，聽不見角聲，也不致無食飢餓。我們必住在那裏。』
instead, we will go to Egypt. There we will not experience [any] wars, we will not hear trumpets [signaling our soldiers to prepare for battles], and we will not be hungry,’
15 你們所剩下的猶大人哪，現在要聽耶和華的話。萬軍之耶和華－以色列的上帝如此說：『你們若定意要進入埃及，在那裏寄居，
then listen to what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt, and you go and live there,
16 你們所懼怕的刀劍在埃及地必追上你們！你們所懼怕的饑荒在埃及要緊緊地跟隨你們！你們必死在那裏！
you will experience those wars and famines that you are afraid of, and you will [all] die there.
17 凡定意要進入埃及在那裏寄居的必遭刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫而死，無一人存留，逃脫我所降與他們的災禍。』
That is what will happen to all you who are determined to go to Egypt and live there. [Some of you] will be killed by the swords [of your enemies, and others of you will die] from famines and from diseases. None of you will escape the disasters that I will bring on you.’
18 「萬軍之耶和華－以色列的上帝如此說：『我怎樣將我的怒氣和忿怒傾在耶路撒冷的居民身上，你們進入埃及的時候，我也必照樣將我的忿怒傾在你們身上，以致你們令人辱罵、驚駭、咒詛、羞辱，你們不得再見這地方。』
And the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], also says this: ‘Because I was very angry, I severely punished [MTY] [all] the people of Jerusalem. I will do the same things to you when you go to Egypt. [The result will be that] people will curse you. They will be horrified about [what has happened to] you. They will make fun of you, and you will never see this land again.’
19 所剩下的猶大人哪，耶和華論到你們說：『不要進入埃及去。』你們要確實地知道我今日警教你們了。
You little group of people of Judah who are still alive, [listen to me]: Yahweh has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ [So] do not forget what I have warned you today.
20 你們行詭詐自害；因為你們請我到耶和華－你們的上帝那裏，說：『求你為我們禱告耶和華－我們上帝，照耶和華－我們的上帝一切所說的告訴我們，我們就必遵行。』
I know that you were lying when you requested me to pray to Yahweh our God.
21 我今日將這話告訴你們，耶和華－你們的上帝為你們的事差遣我到你們那裏說的，你們卻一樣沒有聽從。
And today I have told you exactly what he said, but [I know that] you will not obey Yahweh our God now, just as you have not obeyed him previously.
22 現在你們要確實地知道，你們在所要去寄居之地必遭刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫而死。」
You want to go to Egypt and live there. So now, you can be sure of this: [All of] you will die there. [Some of you will be killed] by the swords [of your enemies and others will die] from famines or from diseases.”
