百姓求耶利米代祷
众军官和加利亚的儿子约哈难，并何沙雅的儿子耶撒尼亚☛“耶撒尼亚”：七十士译本是“亚撒利雅”；参43．2。以及众百姓，从最小的到最大的都进前来，
Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near,
2对耶利米先知说：“请你准我们在你面前祈求，为我们这幸存的人向耶和华－你的神祷告。我们本来众多，现在剩下的极少，这是你亲眼看见的。And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
3愿耶和华－你的神指示我们当走的路，当做的事。”That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
4耶利米先知对他们说：“我已经听见了，看哪，我必照你们的话向耶和华－你们的神祷告。耶和华无论回答什么，我都必告诉你们，绝不隐瞒。”Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
5于是他们对耶利米说：“我们若不照耶和华－你神差遣你说的一切话去做，愿耶和华在我们中间作真实可靠的见证。Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.
6我们请你到耶和华－我们的神面前，他说的无论是好是歹，我们都必听从；因为我们听从耶和华－我们神的话，就可以得福。”耶和华回答耶利米
Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.
7过了十天，耶和华的话临到耶利米。And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah.
8他就将加利亚的儿子约哈难和与他一起所有的军官和百姓，从最小的到最大的都召来，Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
9对他们说：“你们请我到耶和华－以色列的神面前为你们祈求，他如此说：And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before him;
10‘你们若仍留在这地，我就建立你们，必不拆毁；栽植你们，必不拔出；因我为所降与你们的灾祸感到遗憾。If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.
11不要怕你们所惧怕的巴比伦王。不要怕他！因为我与你们同在，要拯救你们脱离他的手。这是耶和华说的。Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.
12我要向你们施怜悯，他☛“他”：七十士译本是“我”。就怜悯你们，使你们归回本地。’And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.
13倘若你们说：‘我们不留在这地’，不听从耶和华－你们神的话，But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,
14说：‘我们不留在这地，却要进入埃及地，在那里我们看不见战争，听不见角声，也不致缺食挨饿；我们要住在那里。’Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:
15幸存的犹大人哪，你们现在要听耶和华的话；万军之耶和华－以色列的神如此说：‘你们若定意进入埃及，在那里寄居，And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there;
16你们所惧怕的刀剑在埃及地必追上你们，你们所惧怕的饥荒在埃及要紧紧跟随你们，你们必死在那里。Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.
17凡定意进入埃及在那里寄居的，必遭刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫而死，无一人存留，得以逃脱我所降与他们的灾祸。’So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.
18“万军之耶和华－以色列的神如此说：‘我怎样将我的怒气和愤怒倾倒在耶路撒冷的居民身上，你们进入埃及的时候，我也必照样将我的愤怒倾倒在你们身上，以致你们受辱骂、惊骇、诅咒、羞辱，并且不得再看见这地方。’For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.
19幸存的犹大人哪，耶和华论到你们说：‘不要进入埃及。’你们要确实知道，我今日已警戒你们了。The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.
20你们行诡诈害自己；因为你们请我到耶和华－你们神那里，说：‘请你为我们向耶和华－我们的神祷告，你把耶和华－我们神所说的一切告诉我们，我们就必遵行。’For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.
21我今日把这话告诉你们，你们却不听耶和华－你们神为这一切事差我到你们那里所说的话。And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you.
22现在你们要确实知道，你们在所要去的寄居之地必遭刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫而死。”Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.