Jeremias 44
1 And Sedekias the son of Josias reigned instead of Joakim, whom Nabuchodonosor appointed to reign over Juda.
以下是關於住在埃及地，住在米革多耳，塔黑培乃斯、諾夫和帕特洛斯地的一切猶太人，傳給耶肋米亞的話：「
2 And he and his servants and the people of the land listened not to the words of the Lord, which he spoke by Jeremias.
萬軍的上主，以色列的天主這樣說：你們看見了我對耶路撒冷和猶大各城召來的一切災禍，看，今日已成為無人居住的曠野。
3 And king Sedekias sent Joachal son of Selemias and Sophonias the priest son of Maasaeas to Jeremias, saying, Pray now for us to the Lord.
這是因為他們做了惹我動怒的惡事，向他們、你們和你們的祖先從不認識的外方神祇焚香敬拜；
4 Now Jeremias came and went through the midst of the city: for they [had] not put him into the house of the prison.
雖然我早就不斷洽你們派遣我所有的先知僕人們說：你們切不可做我所憎恨的可惡之事!
5 And the host of Pharao was come forth out of Egypt; and the Chaldeans heard the report of them, and they went up from Jerusalem.
他們卻沒有側耳聽從，沒有放棄他們向外方神祇焚香的惡習。
6 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremias, saying,
於是我的憤恨如火發作，焚毀了猶大城市和耶路撒冷的街市，使她成為荒涼的曠野，有如今日。
7 Thus said the Lord; Thus shall you say to the king of Juda who sent to you, to seek me; Behold, the army of Pharao which is come forth to help you: they shall return to the land of Egypt:
現在，上主萬軍的天主以色列的天主這樣說：為什麼你們招來這樣大的災禍，加害自己，使你們中的男人、婦女、幼童、嬰兒，全由猶大滅絕，不給你們留下遺民﹖
8 and the Chaldeans themselves shall turn again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.
為什麼你們做惹我動怒的事，向你們來寄居的埃及地的外方神祇獻香，使你們自遭滅亡，成為普世萬民詛咒和恥笑的對象﹖
9 For thus says the Lord; Suppose not in your hearts, saying, The Chaldeans will certainly depart from us: for they shall not depart.
難道你們忘了你們的祖先、猶大君王和他們的妻妾、你們自己和你們的女人，在猶大地和耶路撒冷街上犯的種種罪惡﹖
10 And though you should strike the whole host of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there should be left a few wounded [men], these should rise up each in his place, and burn this city with fire.
他們直到今日尚不後悔，也不畏懼，更不履行我給你們和你們的祖先頒布的法律和誡命。
11 And it came to pass, when the host of the Chaldeans had gone up from Jerusalem for fear of the host of Pharao,
為此，萬軍的上主，以色列的天主這樣說：看，我面向你們，是為降災，消滅整個猶大。
12 that Jeremias went forth from Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to buy thence [a property] in the midst of the people.
凡決意往埃及地去，要六那裏寄居的猶大遺民，我必要剷除，叫他們全死在埃及地，喪身刀下，饑餓而死；不分老幼都死於刀劍、饑荒，飽受憎恨、厭惡、詛咒和侮辱。
13 And he was in the gate of Benjamin, and [there was] there a man with whom he lodged, Saruia the son of Selemias, the son of Ananias; and he caught Jeremias, saying, You are fleeing to the Chaldeans.
我必以刀劍、饑荒和瘟疫懲罰住在埃及地的人，如懲罰耶路撒冷一樣，
14 And he said, [It is] false; I do not flee to the Chaldeans. But he listened not to him; and Saruia caught Jeremias, and brought him to the princes.
使前往寄居埃及的猶大遺民，無一能幸免逃脫，返回他們所渴望回去居住的猶大地；除少數脫身者外，他們不會回來了。」
15 And the princes were very angry with Jeremias, and struck him, and sent him into the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made this a prison.
於是凡知道自己的女人曾向外方神祇燒香的人，和一大群環立在旁的婦女，以及住在埃及地和帕特洛斯的全體人民，就答覆耶肋米亞說：「
16 So Jeremias came into the dungeon, and into the cells, and he remained there many days.
你奉上主的名對我們說的話，我們不願聽從；
17 Then Sedekias sent, and called him; and the king asked him secretly, saying, Is there a word from the Lord? and he said, There is: you shall be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon.
至於凡出自我們口中的話，我們必定實行，給天后焚香奠酒，如同我們、我們的祖先、君王及首領，在猶大城和耶路撒冷街上所做的一樣；那時我們都豐衣足食，安享太平，不見災禍。
18 And Jeremias said to the king, Wherein have I wronged you, or your servants, or this people, that you put me in prison?
可是，自從我們斷絕向天后獻香，不給她奠酒以來，我們就什麼也缺乏，死於刀劍和饑荒。
19 And where are your prophets who prophesied to you saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against this land?
至於我們的女人向天后焚香奠酒，又那能沒有我們男人的同意，依照她的形狀，給她備製祭餅，向她奠酒呢﹖」
20 Now therefore, my lord the king, let my supplication come before your face: and why do you send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe? and let me not on any account die there.
耶肋米亞便對全體人民，對答覆他的男人和婦女以及所有的人說：「
21 Then the king commanded, and they cast him into the prison, and gave him a loaf a day out of the place where they bake, until the bread failed out of the city. So Jeremias continued in the court of the prison.
難道你們、你們的祖先、君王、首領和地方上的人民，在猶大城和耶路冷街上燒香的事，上主就不記得了，再也不懷念在心了嗎﹖
上主再也不能容忍你們邪惡的行為，和你們做的可惡的事，為此你們的土地變成了荒野，成了驚愕和詛咒的對象，無人居住，有如今日：
就因為你們燒香得罪了上主，不聽上主的勸告，不覆行他的法律、誡命和法令，纔給你們招來了像今日這樣的災禍。」
以後，耶肋米亞又對全體人民和全體婦女說：「凡在埃及境內的猶大人，請聽上主的話!
萬軍的上主，以色列的天主這樣說：你們和你們的女人都要親手做你們親口說的事；你們說：我們決意實踐我們許的誓願，向天后燒香奠酒。你們就實踐你們的誓願，舉行你們的奠祭罷!
但是，所有住在埃及地的猶大人，你們且聽上主的話：看，我以我偉大的名起誓──上主說：在埃及全地任何猶大人的口中，不會再呼號我名說：我主上主永在!
看，我注視他們，是為降災，不是為賜福，使在埃及地所有的猶大人，都死於刀劍饑荒，徹底消滅；
即使有逃脫刀劍，從埃及地回到猶大的人，為數也寥寥無幾。到埃及地來寄居的全體猶大遺民，終於會知道：誰的話要應驗，是我的還是他們的。
這為你們是個徵兆──上主的斷語──就在這地方我要懲罰你們，叫你們知道：我對你們要降災的話，必要絕對應驗。
上主這樣說：看，我必將埃及王法郎曷斐辣交在他仇人和圖謀他性命的人手中，就如我曾將猶大王漆德克雅，交在他仇人和圖謀他性命的巴比倫王拿步高的手中一樣。」
