< Jeremiah 27 >
1 In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
猶大王約史雅的兒子漆德克雅第四年,上主有這話傳給耶肋米亞說:「
2 "Thus says the LORD to me: Make bonds and bars, and put them on your neck;
上主對我這樣說:你要備製繩索和木軛,放在你頸上;
3 and send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the people of Ammon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah;
然後託那些來耶路撒冷覲見猶大王漆德克雅的使者,送給厄東王和摩阿布王,阿孟子民的王和提洛王以及漆冬王,
4 and give them a command to their masters, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, You shall tell your masters:
吩咐他們對自己的主上說:萬軍的上主,以色列的天主這樣說:你們應如此對你們的主上說:
5 "I have made the earth, the men and the animals that are on the surface of the earth, by my great power and by my outstretched arm; and I give it to whom it seems right to me.
是我以我的大能和我伸展的手臂,創造了大地、人類及地面上的走獸,我能把大地賜給我喜歡給的人。
6 Now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the animals of the field also have I given him to serve him.
現在我把這些土地交在我的僕人巴比倫王拿步高的手中,連田野的走獸我也賜給他,作他的奴隸;
7 All the nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the time of his own land come: and then many nations and great kings shall make him their bondservant.
列國要作他、他的兒子和孫子的奴隸,直到他國家的時運終於來到──他也不例外──那時必有強盛的民族和強大的君王來使他作奴隸。
8 It shall happen, that the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, says the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.
若一個民族或國家,不願作巴比倫王拿步高的奴隸,或不願屈服在巴比倫王軛下,我必以戰爭、饑饉和瘟疫懲罰這民族──上主的斷語──直至將他們悉數交在他手中。
9 But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreams, nor to your soothsayers, nor to your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon':
所以你們不要聽從常對你們說:「你們決不會作巴比倫王的奴隸」的先知、占卦師、卜夢者、巫士和術士的話,
10 for they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land, and that I should drive you out, and you should perish.
因為他們給你們預言的只是謊話,致使你們遠故土,叫我驅逐你們,令你們趨於滅亡。
11 But the nation that shall bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, that nation will I let remain in their own land, says the LORD; and they shall till it, and dwell in it."'"
至於引領接受巴比倫王的軛,甘願作他奴隸的民族,我必使他們仍留在本土──上主的斷語──在那裏安居樂業。
12 I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, "Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.
我於是全依照這些話轉告猶大王漆德克雅說:「你應引頸接受巴比倫王的軛,服事他和他的人民,你們纔可生存。
13 Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD has spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
為什麼你和你的人民寧願死於刀劍、饑饉和瘟疫,如同上主對不願服事巴比倫王的民族所警告的呢﹖
14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, 'You shall not serve the king of Babylon'; for they prophesy a lie to you.
你們不要聽從對你們說:「不要服事巴比倫王」的先知的話,因為他們給你們預言的只是謊話;
15 'For I have not sent them,' says the LORD, 'but they prophesy falsely in my name; that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you, and the prophets who prophesy to you.'"
我並沒有派遣他們──上主的斷語──他們竟奉我的名向你們預言,叫我驅逐你們,使你們和對你們說預言的先知同趨滅亡。」
16 Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, "Thus says the LORD: 'Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, Look, the vessels of the LORD's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.
對司祭和這全體人民我也曾警告說:「上主這樣說:你們的先知們對你們說:看,上主殿宇的器皿,現在快要由巴比送回來了! 你們不要聽信,因為他們對你們預言的只是謊話。
17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: why should this city become a desolation?'
你們不要聽信他們,只管服事巴比倫王,就必生存。為什麼要使這城變為荒野﹖
18 But if they are prophets and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now make intercession with the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and at Jerusalem may not go to Babylon.
假使他們是先知,真有上主的話,請他們祈求萬軍的上主,使尚留在上主殿宇,猶大王宮和耶路撒冷的器皿,不致運到巴比倫去。
19 For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city,
因為萬軍的上主這樣論到銅柱、銅海和銅座,以及在這城剩下的殘餘器皿,
20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem;
即巴比倫王拿步高把猶大王約雅金的兒子耶苛尼雅,及猶大和耶路撒冷所有的貴族,從耶路撒冷擄到巴比倫時,沒有帶走的器皿,
21 yes, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem:
萬軍的上主,以色列的天主論到這些尚存在上主殿宇、猶大王宮和耶路撒冷的器皿,這樣說:
22 'They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be, until the day that I visit them,' says the LORD; 'then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.'"
都要運到巴比倫去,留在那裏,直到我再來眷顧的一天──上主的斷語──那時,我必再取回來,放在原處。」