1In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying--
1猶大王約西亞的兒子約雅敬（約雅敬是西底家的別名，看第三節）登基的時候，有這話從耶和華臨到耶利米說：
2thus says the LORD to me-- 'Make for yourself bonds and yokes and put them on your neck,
2耶和華對我如此說：你做繩索與軛，加在自己的頸項上，
3and send word to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the sons of Ammon, to the king of Tyre and to the king of Sidon by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.
3藉那些來到耶路撒冷見猶大王西底家的使臣之手，把繩索與軛送到以東王、摩押王、亞捫王、推羅王、西頓王那裡，
4'Command them [to go] to their masters, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, thus you shall say to your masters,
4且囑咐使臣，傳與他們的主人說，萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：
5'I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight.
5我用大能和伸出來的膀臂，創造大地和地上的人民、牲畜。我看給誰相宜，就把地給誰。
6'Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I have given him also the wild animals of the field to serve him.
6現在我將這些地都交給我僕人巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒的手，我也將田野的走獸給他使用。
7'All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will make him their servant.
7列國都必服事他和他的兒孫，直到他本國遭報的日期來到。那時，多國和大君王要使他作他們的奴僕。
8'It will be, [that] the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine and with pestilence,' declares the LORD, 'until I have destroyed it by his hand.
8無論哪一邦哪一國，不肯服事這巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒，也不把頸項放在巴比倫王的軛下，我必用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫刑罰那邦，直到我藉巴比倫王的手將他們毀滅。這是耶和華說的。
9'But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers or your sorcerers who speak to you, saying, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon.'
9至於你們，不可聽從你們的先知和占卜的、圓夢的、觀兆的，以及行邪術的；他們告訴你們說：你們不致服事巴比倫王。
10'For they prophesy a lie to you in order to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out and you will perish.
10他們向你們說假預言，要叫你們遷移，遠離本地，以致我將你們趕出去，使你們滅亡。
11'But the nation which will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let remain on its land,' declares the LORD, 'and they will till it and dwell in it.'''
11但哪一邦肯把頸項放在巴比倫王的軛下服事他，我必使那邦仍在本地存留，得以耕種居住。這是耶和華說的。
12I spoke words like all these to Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, 'Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live!
12我就照這一切的話對猶大王西底家說：要把你們的頸項放在巴比倫王的軛下，服事他和他的百姓，便得存活。
13'Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, famine and pestilence, as the LORD has spoken to that nation which will not serve the king of Babylon?
13你和你的百姓為何要因刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫死亡，正如耶和華論到不服事巴比倫王的那國說的話呢？
14'So do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon,' for they prophesy a lie to you;
14不可聽那些先知對你們所說的話；他們說：你們不致服事巴比倫王，其實他們向你們說假預言。
15for I have not sent them,' declares the LORD, 'but they prophesy falsely in My name, in order that I may drive you out and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you.'
15耶和華說：我並沒有打發他們，他們卻託我的名說假預言，好使我將你們和向你們說預言的那些先知趕出去，一同滅亡。
16[Then] 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, 'Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon'; for they are prophesying a lie to you.
16我又對祭司和這眾民說：耶和華如此說：你們不可聽那先知對你們所說的預言。他們說：耶和華殿中的器皿快要從巴比倫帶回來；其實他們向你們說假預言。
17'Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city become a ruin?
17不可聽從他們，只管服事巴比倫王便得存活。這城何致變為荒場呢？
18'But if they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now entreat the LORD of hosts that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon.
18他們若果是先知，有耶和華的話臨到他們，讓他們祈求萬軍之耶和華，使那在耶和華殿中和猶大王宮內，並耶路撒冷剩下的器皿，不被帶到巴比倫去。
19'For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city,
19（因為萬軍之耶和華論到柱子、銅海、盆座，並剩在這城裡的器皿，
20which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried into exile Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.
20就是巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒擄掠猶大王約雅敬的兒子耶哥尼雅，和猶大、耶路撒冷一切貴冑的時候所沒有掠去的器皿。）
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 in Jerusalem,
21論到那在耶和華殿中和猶大王宮內，並耶路撒冷剩下的器皿，萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：
22'They will be carried to Babylon and they will be there until the day I visit them,' declares the LORD. 'Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.''
22必被帶到巴比倫存在那裡，直到我眷顧以色列人的日子。那時，我必將這器皿帶回來，交還此地。這是耶和華說的。