Jeremiah 1
1 [I], Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, [am writing] these messages. [I am] a priest, from Anathoth [town] in the area where the tribe of Benjamin [lives].
本雅明地內阿納托特城的司祭中，希耳克雅的兒子耶肋米亞的言行錄。──
2 Yahweh started to give me these messages when Josiah had been ruling Judah for almost 13 years.
上主的話傳給，是在阿孟的兒子約史雅為猶大王執政第十三年；
3 Yahweh continued to give me more messages when Josiah’s son Jehoiakim was the king, and he continued to do that until Zedekiah had been the king of Judah for almost eleven years. It was in August of that year that the people of Jerusalem were (exiled/taken as prisoners) [to Babylonia].
以後傳給他，是在約史雅的兒子約雅金為猶大王，直到約史雅的兒子漆德雅為猶大王第十一年年底，即直到是年五月，耶路撒冷固民被擄去充軍時為止。
4 [One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
上主對我說：
5 “I knew you before I [finished] forming you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I (set you apart/chose you) and I appointed you to be [my] prophet [whose messages would be] for [all] nations.”
「我還沒有在母腹形成你以前，我已認識了你；在你還沒有出離母胎以前，我已祝福了你，選定了你作萬民的先知。」
6 I replied, “O, Yahweh my God, I am [not qualified to] speak [for you], because I am very young!”
我回答說：「哎呀! 我主上主! 你看，我還太年輕，不會說話」。
7 Yahweh replied, “Do not say that, because you must go to everyone to whom I will send you, and you must tell them everything that I tell you to say.
上主對我說：「你別說：我太年輕，因為我派你到那裏去，你就應到那裏去；我命你說什麼，你就應說什麼。
8 And you must not be afraid of the people [to whom you will speak], because I will protect you [from being harmed by them]. [This will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
你不要害怕他們，因為有我與你同在，保護你──上主的斷語。」
9 Then [it was as though] Yahweh touched my mouth and said, “Listen to me! I am (putting my message into your mouth/telling you what you must speak).
此後，上主伸出手來，觸摸我的口，對我說：「看，我將我的話放在你口中；
10 Today I am appointing you to warn nations and kingdoms. You will tell them that I will completely destroy and get rid of [DOU] some of them and that I will establish [MET] others and cause them to be strong.”
看我今天委派你對萬民和邦列國，執行拔除、破壞、毀滅、推翻、建設和栽培的任務。」
11 Then Yahweh said to me, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
上主的話傳給我說：「耶肋米亞，你看見什麼﹖」我回答說：「我看見一棵杏樹枝。」
12 Yahweh said, “That is correct. And [because the word for ‘almond’ resembles the word for ‘watching’], it means that I am watching [what will happen], and I will make certain that what I have said to you [about destroying nations] will happen.”
上主對我說：「你看的對，因為我要警醒，看我的話怎樣實現。」
13 [Then] Yahweh spoke to me again and said, “What do you see [now]?” I replied, “I see a pot full of boiling [water] [MTY]. It is tipping [toward me] from the north.”
上主的話二次傳給我說：「你看見什麼﹖」我回答說：「我看見一個沸騰的鍋，它的口由北面傾倒過來。」
14 Yahweh replied, “[Yes! It means that] from the north great trouble/destruction will [spread] [MET] over this land, [like boiling water] [MET] pouring [from a pot].
上主對我說：「災禍將由北方燒起，一直燒到這地上的一切居民。
15 Listen to what I say: I am summoning [the armies of] kingdoms that will come from the north [of Judah] to Jerusalem. Their kings will set up their thrones at the gates of this city [to indicate that they are now the kings of Judah]. [Their armies] will attack [and break down] the walls of this city, and [they will do the same thing to] all the [other] towns in Judah.
看，我必召集北方的一切國家──上主的斷語──叫各國前來，在城門口，在城牆四周以及猶大各城市旁，建立自己的寶座。
16 I will punish [MTY] my people because of all the evil things that they have done; they have abandoned me and they worship gods/idols. They worship idols that they have made with their own hands!
我要向各城市的人民宣告我的判決，懲罰他們的，因為他們離棄我，向別的神祗獻香，崇拜了他們手製的作品。
17 So, get up and put on your clothes [to get ready for action]! Then go to the people of Judah and tell them everything that I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, because [if you are afraid of them], I will cause you to be truly terrified in front of them!
至於你，你要束上腰，起來向他們傳示我命令你的一切。在他們面前，你不要畏懼，免得我在他們面前令你畏懼。
18 But listen! I will cause you to be [strong, like] [MET] a city that has strong walls around it. You will be [as strong as] [MET] an iron pillar or a bronze wall. None of the kings or officials or priests will be able to defeat you.
看啊! 我今天使你成為堅城、銅牆、鐵壁，以對抗猶大君王和首領，司祭和當地的人民。
19 They will oppose you, but they will not be able to defeat you, because I will be with you and will protect you. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
他們要攻擊你，卻不能得勝你，因為有我與你同在，協助你──上主的斷語。」
