1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Now at that time the king of Babylon’s army was besieging Jerusalem. Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard, which was in the king of Judah’s house.
3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, "Why do you prophesy, and say, ‘Yahweh says, "Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will take it; 4 and Zedekiah king of Judah won’t escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes will see his eyes; 5 and he will bring Zedekiah to Babylon, and he will be there until I visit him," says Yahweh, "though you fight with the Chaldeans, you will not prosper?"’"
6 Jeremiah said, "Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 7 ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, "Buy my field that is in Anathoth; for the right of redemption is yours to buy it."’"
8 "So Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the guard according to Yahweh’s word, and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption is yours. Buy it for yourself.’
"Then I knew that this was Yahweh’s word. 9 I bought the field that was in Anathoth of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. 10 I signed the deed, sealed it, called witnesses, and weighed the money in the balances to him. 11 So I took the deed of the purchase, both that which was sealed, containing the terms and conditions, and that which was open; 12 and I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of the purchase, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the guard.
13 "I commanded Baruch before them, saying, 14 Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Take these deeds, this deed of the purchase which is sealed, and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.’ 15 For Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Houses and fields and vineyards will yet again be bought in this land.’
16 Now after I had delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to Yahweh, saying,
17 "Ah Lord Yahweh! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you. 18 You show loving kindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty God, Yahweh of Armies is your name: 19 great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of men, to give everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings; 20 who performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even to this day, both in Israel and among other men; and made yourself a name, as it is today; 21 and brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, with wonders, with a strong hand, with an outstretched arm, and with great terror; 22 and gave them this land, which you swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 They came in and possessed it, but they didn’t obey your voice and didn’t walk in your law. They have done nothing of all that you commanded them to do. Therefore you have caused all this evil to come upon them.
24 "Behold, siege ramps have been built against the city to take it. The city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, of the famine, and of the pestilence. What you have spoken has happened. Behold, you see it. 25 You have said to me, Lord Yahweh, ‘Buy the field for money, and call witnesses;’ whereas the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans."
26 Then Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah, saying, 27 "Behold, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me? 28 Therefore Yahweh says: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it. 29 The Chaldeans, who fight against this city, will come and set this city on fire, and burn it with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal, and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.
30 "For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only that which was evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, says Yahweh. 31 For this city has been to me a provocation of my anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even to this day, so that I should remove it from before my face, 32 because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger—they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 They have turned their backs to me, and not their faces. Although I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction. 34 But they set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it. 35 They built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through fire to Molech, which I didn’t command them. It didn’t even come into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin."
36 Now therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says concerning this city, about which you say, "It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:" 37 "Behold, I will gather them out of all the countries where I have driven them in my anger, and in my wrath, and in great indignation; and I will bring them again to this place. I will cause them to dwell safely. 38 Then they will be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me. 41 Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul."
42 For Yahweh says: "Just as I have brought all this great evil on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them. 43 Fields will be bought in this land, about which you say, ‘It is desolate, without man or animal. It is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ 44 Men will buy fields for money, sign the deeds, seal them, and call witnesses, in the land of Benjamin, and in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South; for I will cause their captivity to be reversed," says Yahweh.
1 犹大王西底家第十年， 就是尼布甲尼撒第十八年， 从耶和华那里有话临到耶利米。
2 那时， 巴比伦王的军队正在围困耶路撒冷， 耶利米先知被囚禁在犹大王宫中卫兵的院子里。
3 因为犹大王西底家把他囚禁起来， 说： "你为什么预言： ‘耶和华这样说： 看哪！ 我必把这城交在巴比伦王的手中， 他必攻取这城；
4 犹大王西底家必不能逃脱迦勒底人的手， 他必交在巴比伦王的手中； 他们必面对面彼此说话， 眼对眼互相对看。
5 巴比伦王必把西底家带到巴比伦去； 西底家必留在那里， 直到我眷顾他的时候（这是耶和华的宣告）。即使你们和迦勒底人作战， 你们必不能战胜’？"
6 耶利米说： "耶和华的话临到我， 说：
7 ‘看哪！ 你叔叔沙龙的儿子哈拿篾必来见你， 说： 请你买下我在亚拿突的那块田地， 因为你有近亲的权利和义务去买那田地。’
8 我叔叔的儿子哈拿篾果然照着耶和华的话， 到卫兵的院子里来见我， 对我说： ‘请你买下我在便雅悯境内亚拿突的那块田地， 因为你有那产业的继承权， 以及近亲的权利和义务； 请你把它买下吧。’于是我知道这是耶和华的话。
9 我就向我叔叔的儿子哈拿篾， 买下了在亚拿突的那块田地， 称了一百九十三克银子给他。
10 "我在契约上签了名， 把契封好了， 又请了证人作证， 就用天平把银子称给他。
11 然后我取了买卖契约， 一份是封好的， 一份是没有加封的， 上面都有各种细则和条件。
12 当着我叔叔的儿子哈拿篾眼前， 当着那些在买卖契约上签名作证的人眼前， 以及当着所有坐在卫兵院子里的犹大人眼前， 我把买卖契约交给了玛西雅的孙子、尼利亚的儿子巴录。
13 我当着这些人眼前吩咐巴录说：
14 ‘万军之耶和华以色列的 神这样说： 你要拿这两份买卖契约， 就是那封好的和没有加封的， 放在一个瓦器里， 使它们可以长久保存。
15 因为万军之耶和华以色列的 神这样说： 将来在这地必再有人买房屋、田地和葡萄园。’
16 "我把买卖契约交给尼利亚的儿子巴录以后， 就向耶和华祷告， 说：
17 ‘主耶和华啊！ 你看， 你曾用大能和伸出来的膀臂创造了天地； 在你并没有难成的事。
18 你向千万人施慈爱， 又把父亲的罪孽都报应在他们的儿女身上。你是伟大、有能力的 神， 万军之耶和华是你（"你"原文作"他"）的名。
19 你的计划伟大， 你的作为满有能力； 你的眼睛睁开， 察看世人一切所行的， 要照着各人的行为， 和各人所作的事应得的结果来报应各人。
20 你曾在埃及地行神迹奇事， 你在以色列和全人类中间直到今日也是这样， 使你自己得了名声， 好像今日一样。
21 你曾用神迹奇事、有力的手、伸出来的膀臂， 和大而可畏的事， 把你的子民以色列从埃及地领出来。
22 你把这地赐给他们， 就是你向他们列祖起誓， 要赐给他们的流奶与蜜之地。
23 他们进去， 得到这地为业， 却不听从你的话， 也不遵行你的律法； 你吩咐他们行的一切事， 他们都没有行， 因此你使这一切灾祸临到他们身上。
24 看哪！ 敌人已经迫近， 筑垒攻取这城。这城要因刀剑、饥荒和瘟疫的缘故， 交在攻击他们的迦勒底人手中； 你所说的都实现了， 你也亲眼看见了。
25 但主耶和华啊！ 是你对我说： "你要用银子买下那块田地， 请证人作证。"其实这城已经交在迦勒底人的手中了。’"
26 耶和华的话临到耶利米， 说：
27 "看哪！ 我是耶和华， 是全人类的 神； 在我有难成的事吗？
28 因此耶和华这样说： ‘看哪！ 我必把这城交在迦勒底人的手中， 交在巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒的手中， 他必攻取这城。
29 攻打这城的迦勒底人必进来， 放火烧城， 城中的房屋都必烧光， 因为这城的居民曾在那些房屋的屋顶上向巴力烧香， 向别神浇奠祭， 惹我发怒。
30 事实上， 以色列人和犹大人自幼以来， 就专行我眼中看为恶的事； 以色列人的手所作的， 无不惹我发怒。’这是耶和华的宣告。
31 ‘因为这城自从建造的那天， 直到今日， 都不断惹起我的怒气和烈怒， 以致我要把她从我面前除掉。
32 这是因为以色列人和犹大人的一切恶行， 就是他们和他们的君王、领袖、祭司、先知， 以及犹大每一个人和耶路撒冷居民所行的， 都惹我发怒。
33 他们以背向我， 不以脸向我； 我不断教导他们， 他们却不肯听从， 不接受管教；
34 竟把他们可憎的偶像安放在称为我名下的殿中， 污秽了这殿。
35 他们在欣嫩子谷中， 建造了巴力的邱坛， 使自己的儿女经火献给摩洛。这不是我吩咐的， 也没有在我心里想过； 他们竟行了这可憎恶的事， 使犹大犯罪。’
36 "论到这城， 就是你们说： ‘因为刀剑、饥荒和瘟疫的缘故， 交在巴比伦王手中的’， 现在耶和华以色列的 神却这样说：
37 ‘看哪！ 我曾在怒气、烈怒和大忿怒中， 把以色列人赶逐到各地， 将来我必从那里把他们招聚出来， 领他们回到这地方， 使他们安然居住。
38 他们必作我的子民， 我也必作他们的 神。
39 我要使他们有同一的心志和同一的行为， 终生敬畏我， 使他们和他们的子孙都得到福乐。
40 我要和他们立永远的约， 我必不离开他们， 必使他们得到福乐； 我也必把敬畏我的心赐给他们， 使他们不会离开我。
41 我必喜欢他们， 使他们得到福乐； 我必全心全意、真诚地把他们栽种在这地上。’
42 "因为耶和华这样说： ‘我怎样使这一切大灾祸临到这人民， 我也必照样使我应许他们的福乐临到他们。
43 你们说： "这地荒凉， 没有人烟， 也没有牲畜， 是交在迦勒底人手中的。"但将来在这地上， 必有人买卖田地。
44 在便雅悯地， 在耶路撒冷周围的各处， 在犹大各城， 以及在山地、高地和南地的各城， 人必用银子买卖田地， 在地契上签名， 把契封好， 又请证人作证； 因为我必使他们被掳的人归回。’"这是耶和华的宣告。