關於埃及的預言
1耶和華把有關列國的事告訴了耶利米先知。 2猶大王約西亞的兒子約雅敬執政第四年，埃及王法老尼哥的軍隊在幼發拉底河邊的迦基米施被巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒擊敗。論到埃及，耶和華說：
3「要預備大小盾牌，
衝向戰場。
4要套好戰車，
騎上戰馬，
擦亮矛槍，
頂盔貫甲。
5可是，我看見的是什麼呢？
他們驚慌後退，
勇士敗逃，不敢回頭，
驚恐不安。
這是耶和華說的。
6善跑者跑不掉，
強壯者逃不了，
他們仆倒在北面的幼發拉底河邊。
7「那如尼羅河漲溢，
如江水奔騰的是誰呢？
8埃及如尼羅河漲溢，
如江水奔騰。
她說，『我要漲溢，淹沒大地，
毀滅城邑和其中的居民。』
9戰馬奔馳吧！
戰車疾駛吧！
勇士啊，就是那些手拿盾牌的古實人和弗人以及箭法嫺熟的呂底亞人啊，出戰吧！
10因為這是主——萬軍之耶和華向敵人報仇的日子。
刀劍必吞噬他們，
痛飲他們的血，
因為要在北方的幼發拉底河邊向主——萬軍之耶和華獻祭。
11埃及人啊，
去基列取乳香吧！
然而，再多的良藥也無法醫治你們。
12你們的恥辱傳遍列國，
你們的哀哭響徹大地，
你們的勇士彼此碰撞，
倒在一起。」
13論到巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒要來攻打埃及的事，耶和華對耶利米先知說：
14「你要在埃及宣佈，在密奪、挪弗和答比匿宣告，
『你們要準備戰鬥，
因為刀劍要吞噬你們周圍的人。』
15你們的勇士為何仆倒？
他們無法堅立，
因為耶和華擊倒了他們，
16使他們跌跌絆絆，紛紛倒下。
他們說，『起來，我們回到同胞那裡，回到故鄉吧，
好躲避敵人的刀劍。』
17他們在那裡喊叫，
『埃及王法老只會虛張聲勢，
他已錯失良機。』」
18名叫萬軍之耶和華的王說：
「我憑我的永恆起誓，
將有一位要來，
他的氣勢如群山中的他泊山，
又像海邊的迦密山。
19住在埃及的子民啊，
收拾行裝準備流亡吧！
因為挪弗必被燒毀，
淪為廢墟，杳無人跡。
20「埃及像頭肥美的母牛犢，
但從北方卻來了牛虻。
21埃及的傭兵好像肥牛犢，
都轉身逃之夭夭，無力抵擋，
因為他們遭難、受罰的日子到了。
22「敵軍進攻的時候，
埃及必像蛇一樣嘶嘶地溜走。
敵軍必拿著斧頭蜂擁而來，
像樵夫砍樹一樣攻擊他們。
23埃及的人口雖然稠密如林，
敵軍必像無數的蝗蟲一樣掃平他們。
這是耶和華說的。
24埃及人必蒙羞，
落在北方人的手中。」
25以色列的上帝——萬軍之耶和華說：「看啊，我要懲罰提比斯的神明亞捫和埃及的其他神明、法老、首領以及依靠法老的人。 26我要把他們交在想殺他們的巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒及其官長手中。然而，日後埃及必再有人居住，如往日一樣。這是耶和華說的。
27「我的僕人雅各啊，不要害怕！
以色列人啊，不要驚慌！
因為我要從遠方把你們救回來，
使你們從流亡之地歸回。
你們必重返家園，安享太平，
無人攪擾。
28我的僕人雅各啊，不要害怕，
因為我與你同在。
我曾使你流亡到列國，
我必徹底毀滅列國，
但不會徹底毀滅你，
也不會饒過你，
我必公正地懲治你。
這是耶和華說的。」
1The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles; 2Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh-necho 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. 3Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle. 4Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines. 5Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the LORD.46.5 beaten…: Heb. broken in pieces46.5 fled…: Heb. fled a flight 6Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates. 7Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers? 8Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof. 9Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.46.9 the Ethiopians: Heb. Cush46.9 the Libyans: Heb. Put 10For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. 11Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured.46.11 thou shalt…: Heb. no cure shall be unto thee
12The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they are fallen both together.
13¶ The word that the LORD spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt. 14Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand fast, and prepare thee; for the sword shall devour round about thee. 15Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them. 16He made many to fall, yea, one fell 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.46.16 made…: Heb. multiplied the faller 17They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath passed the time appointed. 18As I live, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come. 19O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.46.19 furnish…: Heb. make thee instruments of captivity 20Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north. 21Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation.46.21 fatted…: Heb. bullocks of the stall 22The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood. 23They shall cut down her forest, saith the LORD, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the grasshoppers, and are innumerable. 24The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north. 25The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him:46.25 multitude: or, nourisher: Heb. Amon 26And 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 afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the LORD.
27¶ But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. 28Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: 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 correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.46.28 not leave…: or, not utterly cut thee off
