1Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon,
1写信慰问被掳的人民
2(after that Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths, had departed from Jerusalem),
2这是在耶哥尼雅王、太后、宫中的臣宰、犹大和耶路撒冷的领袖、工匠和铁匠从耶路撒冷被掳走以后。
3by 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这封信是由沙番的儿子以利亚萨和希勒家的儿子基玛利带去的；他们是犹大王西底家差往巴比伦，去见巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒的。信上说：
4Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, to all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon:
4“万军之耶和华以色列的 神对所有被掳的，就是耶和华（“耶和华”原文作“我”）把他们从耶路撒冷掳到巴比伦去的人，这样说：
5Build houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat their fruit.
5‘你们要建造房屋，定居下来；要栽种园子，吃园中的果子。
6Take wives, and father 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 don’t be diminished.
6你们要娶妻，生养儿女；要为你们的儿子娶媳妇，把你们的女儿出嫁，好让他们也生养儿女。你们要在那里增多，不可减少。
7Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its peace you shall have peace.
7我把你们掳到的那城，你们要为她求平安，为她向耶和华祈祷；因为她得平安，你们也得平安。’
8For thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel: Don’t let your prophets who are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you; neither listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.
8勿信假先知“万军之耶和华以色列的 神这样说：‘不要被你们中间的先知和作占卜的欺骗，也不要听信自己所作的梦（“自己所作的梦”原文作“你们的梦，就是你们所促使作的梦”，有古本作“他们所作的梦”）。
9For they prophesy falsely to you in my name: I have not sent them, says Yahweh.
9因为他们冒我名对你们说虚假的预言，我并没有差派他们。’这是耶和华的宣告。
10For thus says Yahweh, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
10预言七十年后必重返故土“耶和华这样说：‘为巴比伦所定的七十年满了以后，我必眷顾你们，向你们实行我满有恩惠的诺言，把你们带回这地方来。
11For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.
11因我自己知道我为你们所定的计划，是使你们得平安，而不是遭受灾祸的计划；要赐给你们美好的前程和盼望。’这是耶和华的宣告。
12You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
12‘你们要呼求我，要来向我祷告，我就必应允你们。
13You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.
13你们要寻找我，只要一心寻求，就必寻见。
14I will be found by you, says Yahweh, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says Yahweh; and I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.
14我必给你们寻见（这是耶和华的宣告）；我必使你们被掳的归回，从我赶逐你们去的各国各地，把你们集合起来，带回我掳你们离开的地方去。’这是耶和华的宣告。
15Because you have said, Yahweh has raised us up prophets in Babylon;
15“你们既然说：‘耶和华在巴比伦为我们兴起了先知’，
16thus says Yahweh concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who haven’t gone forth with you into captivity;
16所以耶和华论到那坐大卫王位的君王和住在这城里的众民，就是没有和你们一同被掳去的众兄弟，这样说：
17thus says Yahweh of Armies; Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that can’t be eaten, they are so bad.
17‘万军之耶和华这样说：看哪！我必打发刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫临到他们；我必使他们像腐烂的无花果，坏到不能吃。
18I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of horror, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations where I have driven them;
18我必用刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫追赶他们，使他们成为地上万国所惊惧的，在我赶逐他们到的各国中，成为令人惊骇、被人咒骂、嗤笑、羞辱的对象。
19because they have not listened to my words, says Yahweh, with which I sent to them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear, says Yahweh.
19因为他们不听从我的话（这是耶和华的宣告），就是我不断差遣到他们那里去，我的仆人众先知所说的话；同样，你们也没有听从。’这是耶和华的宣告。
20Hear therefore the word of Yahweh, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
20“你们这所有被掳去的，就是我从耶路撒冷赶逐到巴比伦去的，要听耶和华的话。
21Thus says Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall kill them before your eyes;
21亚哈和西底家必遭恶报“万军之耶和华以色列的 神这样说：‘论到冒我的名向你们说虚假预言的哥赖雅的儿子亚哈和玛西雅的儿子西底家，我要把他们交在巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒的手中，他要在你们眼前击杀他们。
22and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captives of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, Yahweh make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
22所有被掳到巴比伦的犹大人，都要因他们的遭遇这样咒诅人，说：“愿耶和华使你像巴比伦王用火烧死的西底家和亚哈一样。”
23because they have worked folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I didn’t command them; and I am he who knows, and am witness, says Yahweh.
23因为他们二人在以色列中行了无耻的事，他们和邻舍的妻子通奸，又冒我的名说虚假的话，是我没有吩咐他们说的。我知道一切，也可以作证。’这是耶和华的宣告。”
24Concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying,
24示玛雅写信叫人责备耶利米耶和华吩咐耶利米说：“你要对尼希兰人示玛雅说：
25Thus speaks Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, saying, Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
25‘万军之耶和华以色列的 神这样说：你曾用自己的名寄信给在耶路撒冷的众民、玛西雅祭司的儿子西番雅，和众祭司，说：
26Yahweh has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that there may be officers in the house of Yahweh, for every man who is mad, and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in shackles.
26耶和华已经立了你西番雅为祭司，代替耶何耶大，作耶和华殿中的总管，你就应把所有妄自说预言的人，都带上脚镣枷锁。
27Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who makes himself a prophet to you,
27现在，亚拿突人耶利米向你们说预言，你为什么不斥责他呢？
28because he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, The captivity is long: build houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat their fruit?
28因为他寄信给我们在巴比伦的人说：被掳的时期必会长久，所以你们要建造房屋，定居下来，也要栽植园子，吃园中的果子。’”
29Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
29（西番雅祭司却把这封信念给耶利米先知听。）
30Then came the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah, saying,
30示玛雅说假预言必受恶报耶和华的话又临到耶利米，说：
31Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus says Yahweh concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I didn’t send him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie;
31“你要寄信给所有被掳的人，说：‘论到尼希兰人示玛雅，耶和华这样说：因为示玛雅向你们说预言，我并没有差遣他，他竟使你们信靠谎言。
32therefore thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he see the good that I will do to my people, says Yahweh, because he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh.
32所以耶和华这样说：看哪！我必惩罚尼希兰人示玛雅和他的后代；他必不会有子孙住在这人民中间，也必不能看见我要为我的子民所作的美事，因为他说了悖逆耶和华的话。’”这是耶和华的宣告。