1耶利米在牢獄裡瑪坦的兒子示法提雅、巴施戶珥的兒子基大利、示利米雅的兒子猶甲、瑪基雅的兒子示巴戶珥，聽見耶利米對眾民宣講以下的話：
1Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah, heard the words that Jeremiah spoke to all the people, saying,
2“耶和華這樣說：‘凡留在這城裡的，必因刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫而死；但出去向迦勒底人投降的，必可以活著；他們必撿回自己的性命，得以生存。’
2Thus says Yahweh, He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he who goes forth to the Chaldeans shall live, and his life shall be to him for a prey, and he shall live.
3耶和華這樣說：‘這城必交在巴比倫王軍隊的手中，巴比倫王必攻取這城。’”
3Thus says Yahweh, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it.
4於是眾領袖對王說：“這人應該處死，因為他向這城裡剩下的軍兵和眾民說了這樣的話，使他們的手都軟弱無力。這人不是為這人民求平安，卻是惹來災禍的。”
4Then the princes said to the king, “Please let this man be put to death; because he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them: for this man doesn’t seek the welfare of this people, but the hurt.”
5西底家王說：“看哪！他在你們手中；王不能作甚麼反對你們。”
5Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand; for the king is not he who can do anything against you.
6他們就拿住耶利米，把他丟在王子瑪基雅的井裡，那井是在衛兵的院子裡的；他們用繩子把耶利米縋下去。井裡沒有水，只有淤泥；耶利米就陷在淤泥中。
6Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchijah the king’s son, that was in the court of the guard: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. In the dungeon there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah sank in the mire.
7以伯．米勒援救耶利米宮中的臣宰古實人以伯．米勒，在王宮裡聽見他們把耶利米關在井裡的消息（那時，王正在便雅憫門坐著），
7Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon (the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin),
8以伯．米勒就從王宮裡出來，稟告王說：
8Ebedmelech went forth out of the king’s house, and spoke to the king, saying,
9“我主我王啊！這些人對耶利米先知所作的一切真是惡毒，他們把他丟在井裡；在那地方他必餓死，因為城裡再沒有糧食了。”
9My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is likely to die in the place where he is, because of the famine; for there is no more bread in the city.
10於是王吩咐古實人以伯．米勒說：“你從這裡帶三十個人，在耶利米先知未死以前，把他從井裡拉上來。”
10Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from here thirty men with you, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dies.
11以伯．米勒就帶人進王宮去，到儲物室下面的一個房間，從那裡取了些破布爛衣，用繩子縋下井裡給耶利米。
11So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took there rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.
12古實人以伯．米勒對耶利米說：“把這些破布爛衣墊在你的腋下，然後束上繩子。”耶利米就這樣作了。
12Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, Put now these rags and worn-out garments under your armpits under the cords. Jeremiah did so.
13於是他們用繩子把耶利米從井裡拉出來；這樣，耶利米可以住在衛兵的院子裡。
13So they drew up Jeremiah with the cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
14西底家私會耶利米後來，西底家王派人去把耶利米先知帶到耶和華殿中的第三道門那裡去見他。王對耶利米說：“我要問你一件事，你甚麼都不可以向我隱瞞。”
14Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet to him into the third entry that is in the house of Yahweh: and the king said to Jeremiah, I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me.
15耶利米對西底家說：“我若告訴你，你不是要殺死我嗎？我若向你建議，你必不聽從我。”
15Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? and if I give you counsel, you will not listen to me.
16於是西底家王私下向耶利米起誓，說：“我指著那創造我們生命的永活的耶和華起誓：我決不殺死你，也不把你交在這些尋索你性命的人的手裡。”
16So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, As Yahweh lives, who made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.
17耶利米勸西底家出降耶利米對西底家說：“耶和華萬軍的 神、以色列的 神這樣說：‘你若出去歸降巴比倫王的將領，你的性命就可以存活；這城也不會被火焚燒，你和你一家都可以存活。
17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Armies, the God of Israel: If you will go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house.
18但你若不出去歸降巴比倫王的將領，這城就必交在迦勒底人的手中；他們必放火燒毀這城，你自己也不能從他們的手裡逃脫。’”
18But if you will not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape out of their hand.
19西底家王對耶利米說：“我害怕那些已向迦勒底人投降的猶大人，恐怕迦勒底人把我交在他們手中，他們就會凌辱我。”
19Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews who are fallen away to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.
20耶利米說：“迦勒底人必不會把你交給他們。求你聽從我對你所說的耶和華的話；這樣，你就可以平安無事，你的性命也可以存活。
20But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver you. Obey, I beg you, the voice of Yahweh, in that which I speak to you: so it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.
21你若拒絕出去投降，耶和華指示我的話就是這樣：
21But if you refuse to go forth, this is the word that Yahweh has shown me:
22看哪！猶大王宮裡所有剩下的婦女，都必被帶出來，去到巴比倫王的將領那裡。那些婦女必對你說：‘你的盟友煽惑了你，左右了你；現在你的腳陷在泥沼中，他們就都離棄你。’
22behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say, Your familiar friends have set you on, and have prevailed over you. Your feet are sunk in the mire, they have turned away back.
23你所有的后妃和你的兒女，都必被帶出來，去到迦勒底人那裡；你自己也不能從他們的手裡逃脫，因為你必被巴比倫王的手抓住；這城也必被火燒毀（“這城也必被火燒毀”有古抄本作“你必放火燒毀這城”）。”
23They shall bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans; and you shall not escape out of their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.
24王命耶利米要保密西底家對耶利米說：“不要給人知道這些話，這樣你就不會死。
24Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and you shall not die.
25眾領袖若聽見了我和你說過話，就會來見你，對你說：‘告訴我們，你對王說了些甚麼？不可向我們隱瞞，我們就不會殺死你。王又對你說了些甚麼？’
25But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you, and tell you, Declare to us now what you have said to the king; don’t hide it from us, and we will not put you to death; also what the king said to you:
26你就要對他們說：‘我只是把我的懇求呈到王面前，求他不要把我送回約拿單的房子去，免得我死在那裡。’”
26then you shall tell them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.
27所有的領袖果然來見耶利米，查問他；他就照著王所吩咐的這一切話告訴他們。於是他們不再追問他，因為王和他說話的內容沒有給人聽見。
27Then came all the princes to Jeremiah, and asked him; and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.
28這樣，耶利米留在衛兵的院子裡，直到耶路撒冷被攻取的那一天。
28So Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.