Jeremiah 38
1 Then Shephatiah the sonne of Mattan, and Gedaliah the sonne of Pashur, and Iucal the sonne of Shelemiah, and Pashur the sonne of Malchiah, heard the wordes that Ieremiah had spoken vnto all the people, saying,
瑪堂的兒子舍法提雅，帕市胡爾的兒子革達里雅，舍肋米雅的兒子猶加耳，瑪耳基雅的兒子帕市胡爾聽見耶肋米亞向全體人民講話說：「
2 Thus sayth the Lord, He that remaineth in this citie, shall dye by the sworde, by the famine and by the pestilence: but hee that goeth foorth to the Caldeans, shall liue: for he shall haue his life for a praye, and shall liue.
上主這樣說：凡留在這城裏的，必死於刀劍、饑荒和瘟疫；凡出降加色丁人的，必能生存：獲得生命如得戰利品一樣，可得生存。
3 Thus sayth the Lord, This citie shall surely be giuen into the hand of the King of Babels armie, which shall take it.
上主這樣說：這座城市必交在巴比倫王軍隊的手中，他必佔領這座城市。」
4 Therefore the Princes sayd vnto the King, We beseech you, let this man be put to death: for thus hee weakeneth the hands of the men of warre that remaine in this citie, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such wordes vnto them: for this man seeketh not the wealth of this people, but the hurt.
眾首長就對君王說：「請將這人處死! 因為他說出了這樣使遺留在城裏的戰士和全體人民喪志的話；實在，這人謀求的，不是人民的福利，而是人民的災禍。」
5 Then Zedekiah the King sayd, Behold, he is in your hands, for ye King can denie you nothing.
漆德克雅王答說：「看，他已經在們手中；君王不能反對你們。」
6 Then tooke they Ieremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the sonne of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let downe Ieremiah with coards: and in the dungeon there was no water but myre: so Ieremiah stacke fast in the myre.
他們便將耶肋米亞丟在王子瑪耳基雅在監獄庭院裏有的蓄水池內，用繩將他放下去；池內沒有水，只有污泥；耶肋米亞就陷在污泥裏。
7 Now when Ebed-melech ye blacke More one of ye Eunuches, which was in the kings house, heard that they had put Ieremiah in the dungeon (then the King sate in the gate of Beniamin)
住在王宮裏的雇士人厄貝得默肋客宦官，聽見人把耶肋米亞放在蓄水池裏。那時君王正坐在本雅明門旁，
8 And Ebed-melech went out of the Kings house, and spake to the King, saying,
厄貝得默肋客就從王宮出來，稟告君王說：
9 My lorde the King, these men haue done euill in all that they haue done to Ieremiah the Prophet, whom they haue cast into the dungeon, and he dyeth for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the citie.
「我主君王! 這些人對先知耶肋米亞作的事，實在毒辣；他們竟將他丟在蓄水池裏，在那裏他必要餓死，因為城中沒有糧食了! 」
10 Then the King commanded Ebed-melech the blacke More, saying, Take from hence thirtie men with thee, and take Ieremiah the Prophet out of the dungeon before he dye.
王便命雇士人厄貝得默肋客說：「你立即帶三個人去，將耶肋米亞先知，趁他還沒有死，從蓄水池裏拉出來! 」
11 So Ebed-melech tooke the men with him and went to the house of the King vnder the treasurie, and tooke there olde rotten ragges, and olde worne cloutes, and let them downe by coards into the dungeon to Ieremiah.
厄貝得默肋客立即帶了一些人，回到王宮，從儲藏室拿了些破舊衣裳和破舊布片，用繩索給在蓄水池裏的耶肋米亞放下去。
12 And Ebed-melech the blacke More sayde vnto Ieremiah, Put now these olde rotten ragges and worne, vnder thine arme holes, betweene the coards. And Ieremiah did so.
雇士人厄貝得默肋客對耶肋米亞說：「請把破舊的衣服和布片，放在你兩腋下，然後把繩放在下面。」耶肋米亞就這樣做了。
13 So they drewe vp Ieremiah with coards and tooke him vp out of the dungeon, and Ieremiah remained in the court of the prison.
於是他們用繩索將耶肋米亞從蓄水池裏拉上來；這樣，耶肋米亞纔仍能住在拘留所的庭院裏。
14 Then Zedekiah the King sent, and tooke Ieremiah the Prophet vnto him, into the thirde entrie that is in the House of the Lord, and the King sayd vnto Ieremiah, I wil aske thee a thing: hide nothing from me.
漆德克雅王派人帶耶肋米亞先知到上主殿宇第三入口處去見他。君王對耶肋米亞說：「我要問你一件事，你什麼也不可對我隱瞞! 」
15 Then Ieremiah sayd to Zedekiah, If I declare it vnto thee, wilt not thou slay me? and if I giue thee counsell, thou wilt not heare me.
耶肋米亞答覆漆德克雅說：「我若稟告你，你豈不要將我處死嗎﹖我若給你出主意，你也不會聽從我! 」
16 So the King sware secretly vnto Ieremiah, saying, As the Lord liueth that made vs these soules, I will not slay thee, nor giue thee into the hands of those men that seeke thy life.
漆德克雅王對耶肋米亞暗地發誓說：「那賜與我們這生命的上主永在，我決不將你處死，決不將你交在這些圖謀你性命者的手中。」
17 Then sayd Ieremiah vnto Zedekiah, Thus sayth the Lord God of hostes, the God of Israel, If thou wilt goe foorth vnto the King of Babels princes, then thy soule shall liue, and this citie shall not be burnt vp with fire, and thou shalt liue, and thine house.
於是耶肋米亞對漆德克雅說：「萬軍的天主，以色列的天主上主這樣說：如果你出去，向巴比倫王將帥投降，你的性命必可保全，這城不至於被焚；你和你全家也必生存。
18 But if thou wilt not go forth to the King of Babels princes, then shall this citie be giuen into the hand of ye Caldeans, and they shall burne it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hands.
但是如果你不出去向巴比倫王將帥投降，這城必會被交在加色丁人的手裏，由他們放火燒城，而你也逃不出他們的手。」
19 And Zedekiah the King sayde vnto Ieremiah, I am carefull for the Iewes that are fled vnto the Caldeans, least they deliuer mee into their hands, and they mocke me.
漆德克雅王便對耶肋米亞說：「我很害怕那些投降加色丁人的猶太人，將我交在他們手中，任他們凌辱我。」
20 But Ieremiah sayd, They shall not deliuer thee: hearken vnto the voyce of the Lord, I beseech thee, which I speake vnto thee: so shall it be well vnto thee, and thy soule shall liue.
耶肋米亞答說：「他們不會將你交出! 在我對你所說的事上，你只管聽上主的聲音，事必於你有利，你的性命必可保全。
21 But if thou wilt refuse to go forth, this is the worde that the Lord hath shewed me.
但是，如果你拒絕出降，這就是上主使我預見的事：
22 And beholde, all the women that are left in the King of Iudahs house, shalbe brought forth to the King of Babels princes: and those women shall say, Thy friends haue perswaded thee, and haue preuailed against thee: thy feete are fastened in the myre, and they are turned backe.
看，凡留在猶大王宮的一切婦女，都要被領出，交給巴比倫王的將帥，哭訴著說：對你高唱和平的友人，欺騙了你，愚弄了你；見你雙腳陷入泥淖，就轉背逃遁。
23 So they shall bring out all thy wiues, and thy children to the Caldeans, and thou shalt not escape out of their hands, but shalt be taken by the hand of the King of Babel: and this citie shalt thou cause to be burnt with fire.
你的妻子兒女，都要被領出，交給加色丁人；連你也逃不出他們的手，終於被巴比倫王捉去；至於這城，必要被火焚毀。」
24 Then said Zedekiah vnto Ieremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.
於是漆德克雅對耶肋米亞說：「任何陽不得知道這些話，否則你就該死!
25 But if ye princes vnderstand that I haue talked with thee, and they come vnto thee, and say vnto thee, Declare vnto vs nowe, what thou hast sayde vnto the King, hide it not from vs, and we will not slay thee: also what the King sayd vnto thee,
倘若首長們聽說我曾與你談論，而前來問你說：請你告訴我們，你對君王說了什麼﹖你不可對我們隱瞞，否則我們就要你的命! 究竟君王對你說了些什麼﹖
26 Then shalt thou say vnto them, I humbly besought the King that he would not cause me to returne to Iehonathans house, to die there.
你要回答他們說：我向君王面呈我的請求，請他不要叫我再回到約納堂的家裏去，死在那裏。」
27 Then came all the princes vnto Ieremiah and asked him. And he tolde them according to all these wordes that the King had commanded: so they left off speaking with him, for the matter was not perceiued.
果然，眾首長前來質問耶肋米亞，他就全依照君王吩咐的話答覆了他們。他們對他無話可說，因為那次的談話，沒有被人竊聽了去。
28 So Ieremiah abode still in the court of the prison, vntill the day that Ierusalem was taken: and he was there, when Ierusalem was taken.
這樣，耶肋米亞直到耶路撒冷淪陷的那一天，就住在拘留所的庭院裏。
