1 耶和华论到列国的话临到耶利米先知。
2 以下的话是关于埃及, 论到埃及王法老尼哥的军队, 这军队在犹大王约西亚的儿子约雅敬第四年, 被巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒在靠近幼发拉底河的迦基米施击败。
3 "要准备好大小的盾牌, 踏上战场。
4 要装备马匹, 骑上战马; 站好岗位, 戴上头盔; 磨快枪矛, 穿上铁甲。
5 但为什么我看见他们惊惶, 转身退后呢?他们的勇士被击败了, 他们急速奔逃, 不敢回转。四围都是惊慌。"这是耶和华的宣告。
6 "快跑的跑不掉, 勇士也不能逃脱; 他们在北方、在幼发拉底河边, 都绊跌仆到。
7 那像尼罗河上涨, 像江河的水翻腾的是谁呢?
8 埃及像尼罗河上涨, 像江河的水翻腾; 它说: ‘我要上涨, 淹盖大地; 我要毁灭城镇和城里的居民。’
9 马匹啊, 上前吧! 战车啊, 狂奔吧! 勇士啊, 就是紧握盾牌的古实人和弗人, 以及拉弓的吕底亚人哪, 上阵吧!
10 那是主万军之耶和华的日子, 是报仇的日子, 他要向自己的敌人报仇; 刀剑必吞噬、饱餐他们的肉, 痛饮他们的血。因为在北方, 靠近幼发拉底河之地, 主万军之耶和华要屠宰敌人像杀祭牲一样。
11 埃及的人民哪, 上基列去取乳香吧! 你虽多用药物都是无效, 你必不得医治。
12 列国听见你的羞耻, 大地满了你的哀号; 因为勇士和勇士相碰, 双方一同仆倒。"
13 以下是耶和华对耶利米先知所说的话, 论到巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒要来攻打埃及地。
14 "你们要在埃及传扬, 在密夺宣告, 在挪弗和答比匿宣扬, 说: ‘要站好岗位, 作好准备, 因为刀剑要吞灭你周围的人! ’
15 你的壮士为什么俯伏?他们站立不住("你的壮士为什么俯伏?他们站立不住"或可参照《七十士译本》译作"为什么亚比士神逃跑?你的牛神站立不住"), 是因耶和华把他们推倒了。
16 他使众人绊跌, 倒在一起; 他们说: ‘起来! 我们要回到我们本族, 和我们出生之地那里去, 躲避欺压者的刀剑。’
17 他们在那里喊叫: ‘埃及王法老不过是喧哗的声音; 他已失去机会。’"
18 名叫万军之耶和华的王宣告说: "我指着我的永生起誓, 必有一位要来, 像群山中的他泊山, 像海边的迦密山一样。
19 住在埃及的人民哪! 要为自己预备被掳时所需的器物; 因为挪弗必成为荒场, 必被烧毁, 无人居住。
20 埃及是一头肥美的母牛, 但北方的牛虫已经来到它身上("它身上"有古卷作"来到了")。
21 它中间的雇佣兵像棚里的肥牛犊, 他们一同转身逃跑, 没有一个站立得住; 因为他们遭灾的日子、受惩罚的时候, 已经临到他们身上。
22 它逃走的声音像蛇行的响声, 因为敌人要成队而来, 像砍伐树木的, 拿着斧子前来攻击它。
23 他们要砍伐它的森林。这是耶和华的宣告; 它的森林虽然茂密难以通过, 但敌人比蝗虫还多, 无法数算。
24 埃及的人民必蒙羞受辱, 必交在北方的民族的手中。"
25 万军之耶和华以色列的 神说: "看哪! 我必惩罚挪的亚扪神、法老和那些倚靠法老的人。
26 我必把他们交在那些寻索他们性命的人的手里, 就是交在巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒和他的臣仆的手中。但以后, 埃及必再有人居住, 像从前一样。"这是耶和华的宣告。
27 "至于你, 我的仆人雅各啊! 你不要惧怕。以色列啊! 你不要惊慌。因为我必从远方拯救你回来, 从被掳之地必拯救你的后裔脱离他们被掳之地。雅各必归回, 得享平静安逸, 没有人可以使他害怕。
28 我的仆人雅各啊! 你不要惧怕。因为我与你同在; 我要消灭我赶逐你去的列国。却必不消灭你。我要按公正惩治你, 决不能免你受罚。"这是耶和华的宣告。
1 The word of Jehovah which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.
2 Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh-neco king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah. 3 Prepare ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle. 4 Harness the horses, and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail. 5 Wherefore have I seen it? they are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: terror is on every side, saith Jehovah. 6 Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Euphrates have they stumbled and fallen. 7 Who is this that riseth up like the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers? 8 Egypt riseth up like the Nile, and his waters toss themselves like the rivers: and he saith, I will rise up, I will cover the earth; I will destroy cities and the inhabitants thereof. 9 Go up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men go forth: Cush and Put, that handle the shield; and the Ludim, that handle and bend the bow. 10 For that day is a day of the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. 11 Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain dost thou use many medicines; there is no healing for thee. 12 The nations have heard of thy shame, and the earth is full of thy cry; for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, they are fallen both of them together.
13 The word that Jehovah spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt.
14 Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand forth, and prepare thee; for the sword hath devoured round about thee. 15 Why are thy strong ones swept away? they stood not, because Jehovah did drive them. 16 He made many to stumble, yea, they fell one upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword. 17 They cried there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath let the appointed time pass by. 18 As I live, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts, surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so shall he come. 19 O thou daughter that dwellest in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity; for Memphis shall become a desolation, and shall be burnt up, without inhabitant. 20 Egypt is a very fair heifer; but destruction out of the north is come, it is come. 21 Also her hired men in the midst of her are like calves of the stall; for they also are turned back, they are fled away together, they did not stand: for the day of their calamity is come upon them, the time of their visitation. 22 The sound thereof shall go like the serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood. 23 They shall cut down her forest, saith Jehovah, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable. 24 The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north. 25 Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, saith: Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Pharaoh, and them that trust in him: 26 and I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants; and afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith Jehovah.
27 But fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. 28 Fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, saith Jehovah; for I am with thee: for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee; but I will not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure, and will in no wise leave thee unpunished.