1Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
1先知耶利米從耶路撒冷寄信與被擄的祭司、先知，和眾民，並生存的長老，就是尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷擄到巴比倫去的。
2(This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the court officials, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.)
2（這在耶哥尼雅王和太后、太監，並猶大、耶路撒冷的首領，以及工匠、鐵匠都離了耶路撒冷以後。）
3[The letter was sent] by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,
3他藉沙番的兒子以利亞薩和希勒家的兒子基瑪利的手寄去。他們二人是猶大王西底家打發往巴比倫去見尼布甲尼撒王的。
4'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon,
4信上說：萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神對一切被擄去的（就是我使他們從耶路撒冷被擄到巴比倫的人）如此說：
5'Build houses and live [in them]; and plant gardens and eat their produce.
5你們要蓋造房屋，住在其中；栽種田園，吃其中所產的；
6'Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.
6娶妻生兒女，為你們的兒子娶妻，使你們的女兒嫁人，生兒養女。在那�生養眾多，不致減少。
7'Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.'
7我所使你們被擄到的那城，你們要為那城求平安，為那城禱告耶和華；因為那城得平安，你們也隨著得平安。
8'For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream.
8萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：不要被你們中間的先知和占卜的誘惑，也不要聽信自己所做的夢；
9'For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,' declares the LORD.
9因為他們託我的名對你們說假預言，我並沒有差遣他們。這是耶和華說的。
10'For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.
10耶和華如此說：為巴比倫所定的七十年滿了以後，我要眷顧你們，向你們成就我的恩言，使你們仍回此地。
11'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
11耶和華說：我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。
12'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
12你們要呼求我，禱告我，我就應允你們。
13'You will seek Me and find [Me] when you search for Me with all your heart.
13你們尋求我，若專心尋求我，就必尋見。
14'I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.'
14耶和華說：我必被你們尋見，我也必使你們被擄的人歸回，將你們從各國中和我所趕你們到的各處招聚了來，又將你們帶回我使你們被擄掠離開的地方。這是耶和華說的。
15'Because you have said, 'The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon '--
15你們說：耶和華在巴比倫為我們興起先知；
16for thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile--
16所以耶和華論到坐大衛寶座的王和住在這城裡的一切百姓，就是未曾與你們一同被擄的弟兄，
17thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, famine and pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness.
17萬軍之耶和華如此說：看哪，我必使刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫臨到他們，使他們像極壞的無花果，壞得不可吃。
18'I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence; and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror and a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them,
18我必用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫追趕他們，使他們在天下萬國拋來拋去，在我所趕他們到的各國中，令人咒詛、驚駭、嗤笑、羞辱。
19because they have not listened to My words,' declares the LORD, 'which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,' declares the LORD.
19耶和華說：這是因為他們沒有聽從我的話，就是我從早起來差遣我僕人眾先知去說的，無奈他們不聽。這是耶和華說的。
20'You, therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
20所以你們一切被擄去的，就是我從耶路撒冷打發到巴比倫去的，當聽耶和華的話。
21'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you falsely in My name, 'Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will slay them before your eyes.
21萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神論到哥賴雅的兒子亞哈，並瑪西雅的兒子西底家，如此說：他們是託我名向你們說假預言的，我必將他們交在巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒的手中；他要在你們眼前殺害他們。
22'Because of them a curse will be used by all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon, saying, 'May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,
22住巴比倫一切被擄的猶大人必藉這二人賭咒說：願耶和華使你像巴比倫王在火中燒的西底家和亞哈一樣。
23because they have acted foolishly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and have spoken words in My name falsely, which I did not command them; and I am He who knows and am a witness,' declares the LORD.''
23這二人是在以色列中行了醜事，與鄰舍的妻行淫，又假託我名說我未曾吩咐他們的話。知道的是我，作見證的也是我。這是耶和華說的。
24To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying,
24論到尼希蘭人示瑪雅，你當說，
25'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
25萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：你曾用自己的名寄信給耶路撒冷的眾民和祭司瑪西雅的兒子西番雅，並眾祭司，說：
26'The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to be the overseer in the house of the LORD over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and in the iron collar,
26耶和華已經立你西番雅為祭司，代替祭司耶何耶大，使耶和華殿中有官長，好將一切狂妄自稱為先知的人用枷枷住，用鎖鎖住。
27now then, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who prophesies to you?
27現在亞拿突人耶利米向你們自稱為先知，你們為何沒有責備他呢？
28'For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, '[The exile] will be long; build houses and live [in them] and plant gardens and eat their produce.''''
28因為他寄信給我們在巴比倫的人說：被擄的事必長久。你們要蓋造房屋，住在其中；栽種田園，吃其中所產的。
29Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet.
29祭司西番雅就把這信念給先知耶利米聽。
30Then came the word of the LORD to Jeremiah, saying,
30於是耶和華的話臨到耶利米說：
31'Send to all the exiles, saying, 'Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, 'Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has made you trust in a lie,'
31你當寄信給一切被擄的人說：耶和華論到尼希蘭人示瑪雅說：因為示瑪雅向你們說預言，我並沒有差遣他，他使你們倚靠謊言；
32therefore thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants; he will not have anyone living among this people, and he will not see the good that I am about to do to My people,' declares the LORD, 'because he has preached rebellion against the LORD.'''
32所以耶和華如此說：我必刑罰尼希蘭人示瑪雅和他的後裔，他必無一人存留住在這民中，也不得見我所要賜與我百姓的福樂，因為他向耶和華說了叛逆的話。這是耶和華說的。