1列國必服事巴比倫王猶大王約西亞的兒子西底家（“西底家”有古抄本作“約雅敬”）開始執政的時候，有這話從耶和華那裡臨到耶利米，說：
1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,
2“耶和華對我這樣說：‘你要用繩套和木頭做軛，套在自己的頸上。
2Thus says Yahweh to me: Make bonds and bars, and put them on your neck;
3然後藉著那些前來耶路撒冷朝見猶大王西底家的使臣的手，把軛送到以東王、摩押王、亞捫王、推羅王、西頓王那裡。
3and send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the children 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;
4你要吩咐使臣對他們的王說：萬軍之耶和華以色列的 神這樣說：你們要這樣對你們的王說：
4and give them a command to their masters, saying, Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, You shall tell your masters:
5是我用大能和伸出來的膀臂創造了大地，以及地面上的人和獸；我看給誰適合，就把地給誰。
5I 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.
6現在我已經親自把這一切國家都交在我僕人巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒的手中，連田野的走獸，我也交給他，供他奴役。
6Now 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.
7列國都要服事他和他的兒子、孫子，直到他本國遭報的時候來到；那時，許多國家和大君王都要奴役他。
7All 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.
8不服事巴比倫王的必遭災禍“‘無論哪一國、哪一邦，不服事巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒，不把頸項放在巴比倫王的軛下，我必用刀劍、饑荒和瘟疫去懲罰那國，直到我藉著巴比倫王的手把他們完全消滅。’這是耶和華的宣告。
8It 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 Yahweh, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.
9‘至於你們，不可聽從你們的先知，也不可聽從占卜的、解夢的、算命的和行邪術的；他們告訴你們說：你們必不會服事巴比倫王。
9But as for you, don’t you 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:
10因為他們向你們說虛假的預言，使你們遠離你們的土地；我要趕逐你們，你們必要滅亡。
10for they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land, and that I should drive you out, and you should perish.
11但哪一國肯把頸項放在巴比倫王的軛下，服事他，我就必使那國仍留在本土，可以在那裡耕種和居住。’”這是耶和華的宣告。
11But 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 Yahweh; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.
12勸西底家服事巴比倫王我照著這一切話對猶大王西底家說：“你們要把頸項放在巴比倫王的軛下，服事他和他的人民，就可以生存。
12I 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.
13你和你的人民為甚麼要因刀劍、饑荒和瘟疫而死，正如耶和華論到不肯服事巴比倫王的國家所說的一樣呢？
13Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
14不要聽從那些對你們說‘你們必不會服事巴比倫王’的先知的話，因為他們向你們說的是虛假的預言。
14Don’t 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.
15我並沒有差遣他們（這是耶和華的宣告），他們卻冒我的名說虛假的預言，以致我趕逐你們，使你們和那些向你們說虛假預言的先知都一同滅亡。”
15For I have not sent them, says Yahweh, 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.
16預言聖殿器皿必被擄去我又對眾祭司和這眾民說：“耶和華這樣說：‘你們的先知對你們預言，說：耶和華殿中的器皿快要從巴比倫送回來了。他們的話，你們不要聽從，因為他們對你們說的是虛假的預言。
16Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus says Yahweh: Don’t listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of Yahweh’s house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon; for they prophesy a lie to you.
17你們不要聽從他們，只要服事巴比倫王，就可以生存。為甚麼要使這城變為廢墟呢？
17Don’t listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: why should this city become a desolation?
18如果他們是真先知，如果他們有耶和華的話，就讓他們向萬軍之耶和華祈求，使那些留在耶和華殿中和猶大王宮中，以及在耶路撒冷中的器皿，不會被送到巴比倫去。’
18But if they be prophets, and if the word of Yahweh be with them, let them now make intercession to Yahweh of Armies, that the vessels which are left in the house of Yahweh, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, don’t go to Babylon.
19因為萬軍之耶和華這樣說，論到這些柱子、銅海、盆座和留在這城其餘的器皿，
19For thus says Yahweh of Armies concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that are left in this city,
20就是巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒把猶大王約雅敬的兒子耶哥尼雅，以及猶大和耶路撒冷所有的貴族，從耶路撒冷擄到巴比倫去的時候，沒有拿走的器皿；
20which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon didn’t 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;
21論到那些留在耶和華殿中和猶大王宮中，以及在耶路撒冷中的器皿，萬軍之耶和華以色列的 神這樣說：
21yes, thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of Yahweh, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem:
22‘這些器皿必被送到巴比倫，存在那裡，直到我眷顧這些器皿的日子。那時，我必把它們帶上來，放回這地方。’”這是耶和華的宣告。
22They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be, until the day that I visit them, says Yahweh; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.