犹大毁约
1耶和华对耶利米说： 2“你要听这约上的话，把内容告诉犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民。 3你要告诉他们，以色列的上帝耶和华说，‘不遵守这约的人必受咒诅。 4我把你们的祖先从埃及——苦难的熔炉里带出来，那时我吩咐他们遵守这约。他们若听从我的话，遵行我的吩咐，就必做我的子民，我也必做他们的上帝。 5这样，我就实现我向你们祖先起的誓——赐给他们那奶蜜之乡，正如今日一样。’”我回答说：“耶和华啊，遵命！”
6耶和华对我说：“你要在犹大各城和耶路撒冷的街头宣告，呼吁百姓听从、遵行这约。 7因为自从我把你们祖先从埃及领出来的那天起，一直到今天，我一再劝诫他们要听从我的话。 8然而，他们却不听不理，人人凭自己顽固的恶念行事。因此，我要使约中的一切咒诅临到他们，因为我吩咐他们遵守这约，他们却拒绝遵守。”
9耶和华对我说：“犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民阴谋背叛我。 10他们重蹈祖先的覆辙，不听从我的话，跟从、祭拜别的神明。以色列和犹大都违背了我与他们祖先立的约。 11所以我要使他们灾难临头，无法逃脱，任他们高声呼求，我也不听。这是耶和华说的。 12那时，犹大各城和耶路撒冷的居民必去呼求他们烧香供奉的神明，却得不到任何帮助。 13犹大啊，你的神明多如你的城邑，你给可憎的巴力烧香的祭坛多如耶路撒冷的街道。
14“因此，耶利米啊，你不要为这些人祈祷，不要为他们呼求祷告，因为他们遭难时向我呼求，我必不理会他们。 15我所爱的子民既然罪恶滔天，还在我殿里做什么？难道祭肉可以为他们消灾免祸吗？他们以作恶为乐。 16耶和华曾称他们为枝繁叶茂、果实佳美的橄榄树，但现在祂要在呼啸的风暴中把它点燃，烧毁它的枝条。 17我——万军之耶和华曾栽培以色列人和犹大人，如今我要降祸给他们，因为他们作恶，向巴力献祭，惹我发怒。”
谋害耶利米
18有人想谋害我，耶和华告诉了我，并让我看见他们的所作所为。 19我好像一只被牵去宰杀的驯良羊羔，不知他们要谋害我。他们说：
“我们把这棵树连果子一同毁灭，
从世上除掉它，
使它被遗忘吧！”
20然而，审判公正、洞察肺腑心肠的万军之耶和华啊，
愿我能看见你报应他们，
因为我已向你陈明我的冤屈。
21-22亚拿突人想杀我，他们威胁我说：“你不要奉耶和华的名说预言，免得死在我们手上。”因此，万军之耶和华说：“看啊，我必惩罚他们。他们的青年必丧身刀下，他们的子女必死于饥荒， 23一个不留。因为在我报应之年，我必降灾难给亚拿突人。”
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 3And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, 4Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God: 5That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.11.5 So…: Heb. Amen 6Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them. 7For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. 8Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.11.8 imagination: or, stubbornness 9And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
11¶ Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.11.11 to escape: Heb. to go forth of 12Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.11.12 trouble: Heb. evil 13For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.11.13 shameful…: Heb. shame 14Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.11.14 trouble: Heb. evil 15What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.11.15 What…: Heb. What is to my beloved in my house11.15 when…: or, when thy evil is 16The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. 17For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.
18¶ And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings. 19But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.11.19 the tree…: Heb. the stalk with his bread 20But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause. 21Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand: 22Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:11.22 punish: Heb. visit upon 23And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.
