耶利米書 1
1 便雅憫地亞拿突城的祭司中，希勒家的兒子耶利米的話記在下面。
These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests living in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
2 猶大王亞們的兒子約西亞在位十三年，耶和華的話臨到耶利米。
The Lord's message came to Jeremiah beginning in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, son of Amon, king of Judah,
3 從猶大王約西亞的兒子約雅敬在位的時候，直到猶大王約西亞的兒子西底家在位的末年，就是十一年五月間耶路撒冷人被擄的時候，耶和華的話也常臨到耶利米。
and on through the time of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, up to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, king of Judah, which was when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.
4 耶利米說，耶和華的話臨到我說：
The Lord came and told me,
5 我未將你造在腹中，我已曉得你； 你未出母胎，我已分別你為聖； 我已派你作列國的先知。
“I knew exactly who you would be before I created you in your mother's womb; I chose you before you were born to be a prophet to the nations.”
6 我就說：主耶和華啊，我不知怎樣說，因為我是年幼的。
“Oh no, Lord God!” I replied. “I really don't know how to speak in public because I'm still too young!”
7 耶和華對我說： 你不要說我是年幼的， 因為我差遣你到誰那裏去，你都要去； 我吩咐你說甚麼話，你都要說。
“Don't say you're too young,” the Lord told me. “Go to everyone I send you to. Tell them everything I order you to say.
8 你不要懼怕他們， 因為我與你同在， 要拯救你。 這是耶和華說的。
Don't be afraid of them because I'll go with you and I'll look after you. This is the Lord's promise.”
9 於是耶和華伸手按我的口，對我說： 我已將當說的話傳給你。
The Lord stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and told me: “Look, I've put my words in your mouth.
10 看哪，我今日立你在列邦列國之上， 為要施行拔出、拆毀、毀壞、傾覆， 又要建立、栽植。
Today I've placed you over nations and kingdoms to pull up and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.”
11 耶和華的話又臨到我說：「耶利米，你看見甚麼？」我說：「我看見一根杏樹枝。」
The Lord's message came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what can you see?” “I see a twig from an almond tree,” I answered.
12 耶和華對我說：「你看得不錯；因為我留意保守我的話，使得成就。」
“That's right, because I am watching to make sure what I say happens,” the Lord said.
13 耶和華的話第二次臨到我說：「你看見甚麼？」我說：「我看見一個燒開的鍋，從北而傾。」
The Lord's message came to me again, asking, “What can you see?” “I see a pot that's boiling,” I answered, “and it's tipping in this direction from the north.”
14 耶和華對我說：「必有災禍從北方發出，臨到這地的一切居民。」
Then the Lord told me, “Trouble brewing from the north will sweep out over everyone living in the country.
15 耶和華說：「看哪，我要召北方列國的眾族；他們要來，各安座位在耶路撒冷的城門口，周圍攻擊城牆，又要攻擊猶大的一切城邑。
Watch out! I'm going to summon all the nations and kings of the north,” declares the Lord. “Each of these kings will come and set up their thrones right at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and attack all its fortifications and all the towns in Judah.
16 至於這民的一切惡，就是離棄我、向別神燒香、跪拜自己手所造的，我要發出我的判語，攻擊他們。
I will carry out my sentence against the inhabitants for all their wickedness, because they abandoned me to burn incense to pagan gods, to worship idols they themselves made.
17 所以你當束腰，起來將我所吩咐你的一切話告訴他們；不要因他們驚惶，免得我使你在他們面前驚惶。
You need to get yourself ready. You are going to stand before the people and tell them everything that I order you to say. Don't be scared by them, or I will scare you in front of them.
18 看哪，我今日使你成為堅城、鐵柱、銅牆，與全地和猶大的君王、首領、祭司，並地上的眾民反對。
Look! Today I have made you like a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of bronze to stand against the whole country—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the country.
19 他們要攻擊你，卻不能勝你；因為我與你同在，要拯救你。這是耶和華說的。」
They will fight against you but they won't defeat you, because I'll be there to rescue you,” declares the Lord.
