I haven’t run away from being the shepherd of your people. You know I haven’t wanted the day of Jerusalem’s fall to come. You are aware of every word that comes from my lips.

至于我，那跟从你作牧人的职分，我并没有急忙离弃，也没有想那灾殃的日子；这是你知道的。我口中所出的言语都在你面前。

至于我，我并没有逃避作牧人跟随你，也没有想望那灾殃的日子；这是你所知道的。我嘴唇所出的都在你面前。

至于我，我并没有逃避作牧人跟随你，也没有想望那灾殃的日子；这是你所知道的。我嘴唇所出的都在你面前。

但我并没有逃避牧养你子民的工作，也没有求你降祸给他们。你知道我说的每一句话。

至于我，我没有急忙离弃那跟从你作牧人的职分（“我没有急忙离弃那跟从你作牧人的职分”有古译本作“我没有催逼你降灾祸”），也没有想望灾难的日子，这是你知道的；我嘴里所出的话都在你面前。

至於我，那跟從你作牧人的職分，我並沒有急忙離棄，也沒有想那災殃的日子；這是你知道的。我口中所出的言語都在你面前。

至於我，我並沒有逃避作牧人跟隨你，也沒有想望那災殃的日子；這是你所知道的。我嘴唇所出的都在你面前。

至於我，我並沒有逃避作牧人跟隨你，也沒有想望那災殃的日子；這是你所知道的。我嘴唇所出的都在你面前。

但我並沒有逃避牧養你子民的工作，也沒有求你降禍給他們。你知道我說的每一句話。

至於我，我沒有急忙離棄那跟從你作牧人的職分（“我沒有急忙離棄那跟從你作牧人的職分”有古譯本作“我沒有催逼你降災禍”），也沒有想望災難的日子，這是你知道的；我嘴裡所出的話都在你面前。

至於我呢，我並沒有催迫你降災禍，也沒有想望災殃的日子快來到呀；這是你知道的；我嘴裏出的話正在你面前呀。

若我、民牧之職、我未速棄、而不從爾、災禍之至、非我所欲、爾所知也、我口所言、俱在爾前、

我聽爾命、為民之牧、斯職不敢速棄、民遭患難、非我所欲、我所言者、惟爾使之、爾所知也。

我未速棄牧者之職不從主、或作我從主為民之牧斯職不敢速棄民遭患難之日、非我所願、此主所知、我口所出之言、存於主前、

I have not run away from being your shepherd; you know I have not desired the day of despair. What passes my lips is open before you.

I have not run away from being your shepherd, nor have I desired the day of sickness. You know what came out of my lips; it was before your face.

Lord, I have not abandoned my job as a shepherd for your people. I have not urged you to send disaster. You have heard everything I’ve said.

But I have not run away from being your shepherd, and I have not longed for the fatal day. You know my words were spoken in your presence.

But as for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd following after You, Nor have I longed for the disastrous day; You Yourself know that the utterance of my lips Was in Your presence.

As for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd who follows You, Nor have I desired the woeful day; You know what came out of my lips; It was right there before You.

As for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd after thee; neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was before thy face.

But I have not run away from being Your shepherd, and I have not longed for the fatal day. You know my words were spoken in Your presence.

As for me, I have not hastened from[ being] a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was[ right] before thee.

But I have not pestered you to bring disaster. I have not desired the time of irreparable devastation. You know that. You are fully aware of every word that I have spoken.

As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you. I haven’t desired the woeful day. You know. That which came out of my lips was before your face.

I’m suffering! I’m really suffering! I’m hurting badly. My heart is suffering so much! It’s pounding inside me. I can’t keep silent. I’ve heard the sound of trumpets. I’ve heard the battle cry.One trouble follows another. The whole land is destroyed. In an instant my tents are gone. My home disappears in a moment.

“ Son of man, I have appointed you as a prophet to warn the people of Israel. So listen to my message. Give them a warning from me.Suppose I say to a sinful person,‘ You can be sure that you will die.’ And suppose you do not try to get them to change their ways. Then they will die because they have sinned. And I will hold you responsible for their death.But suppose you do warn that sinful person. You tell them to change their ways. But they do not change. Then they will die because they have sinned. But you will have saved yourself.

My brothers and sisters, most of you shouldn’t become teachers. That’s because you know that those of us who teach will be held more accountable.

Then the Spirit lifted me up and took me away. My spirit was bitter. I was very angry. The power of the Lord was on me.I came to my people who had been brought as prisoners to Tel Aviv. It was near the Kebar River. I went to where they were living. There I sat among them for seven days. I was very sad and scared about everything that had happened.After seven days, a message from the Lord came to me.The Lord said,“ Son of man, I have appointed you as a prophet to warn the people of Israel. So listen to my message. Give them a warning from me.Suppose I say to a sinful person,‘ You can be sure you will die.’ And you do not warn them. You do not try to get them to change their evil ways in order to save their life. Then that sinful person will die because they have sinned. And I will hold you responsible for their death.But suppose you do warn that sinful person. And they do not turn away from their sin or their evil ways. Then they will die because they have sinned. But you will have saved yourself.

A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said,“ Before I formed you in your mother’s body I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart to serve me. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”“ You are my Lord and King,” I said.“ I don’t know how to speak. I’m too young.”But the Lord said to me,“ Do not say,‘ I’m too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to. You must say everything I command you to say.Do not be afraid of the people I send you to. I am with you. I will save you,” announces the Lord.Then the Lord reached out his hand. He touched my mouth and spoke to me. He said,“ I have put my words in your mouth.Today I am appointing you to speak to nations and kingdoms. I give you authority to pull them up by the roots and tear them down. I give you authority to destroy them and crush them. I give you authority to build them up and plant them.”

If you don’t listen, I will weep in secret. Because you are so proud, I will weep bitterly. Tears will flow from my eyes. The Lord’ s flock will be taken away as prisoners.

I speak the truth in Christ. I am not lying. My mind tells me that what I say is true. It is guided by the Holy Spirit.My heart is full of sorrow. My sadness never ends.I am so concerned about my people, who are members of my own race. I am ready to be cursed, if that would help them. I am even willing to be separated from Christ.

I wish my head were a spring of water! I wish my eyes were a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for my people who have been killed.

My dear brothers and sisters, pay attention to what I say. Everyone should be quick to listen. But they should be slow to speak. They should be slow to get angry.

Here is what we take pride in. Our sense of what is right and wrong tells us how we have acted. We have lived with honor and godly honesty. We have depended on God’s grace and not on the world’s wisdom. We lived that way most of all when we were dealing with you.

Unlike many people, we aren’t selling God’s word to make money. In fact, it is just the opposite. Because of Christ we speak honestly before God. We speak like people God has sent.

Amos answered Amaziah,“ I was not a prophet. I wasn’t even the son of a prophet. I was a shepherd. I also took care of sycamore- fig trees.But the Lord took me away from taking care of the flock. He said to me,‘ Go. Prophesy to my people Israel.’

“ Jeremiah, give them this message. Tell them,“‘ Let tears flow from my eyes. Let them pour out night and day. Never let them stop. The people of my own nation have suffered a terrible wound. They have been crushed.Suppose I go into the country. Then I see people who have been killed by swords. Or suppose I go into the city. Then I see people who have died of hunger. Prophet and priest alike have gone to a land they hadn’t known about before.’ ”Lord, have you completely turned your back on Judah? Do you hate the city of Zion? Why have you made us suffer? We can’t be healed. We hoped peace would come. But nothing good has happened to us. We hoped we would finally be healed. But all we got was terror.Lord, we admit we’ve done evil things. We also admit that our people of long ago were guilty. It’s true that we’ve sinned against you.For the honor of your name, don’t turn your back on us. Don’t bring shame on your glorious throne in the temple. Remember the covenant you made with us. Please don’t break it.

Should the good things I’ve done be paid back with evil? But my enemies have dug a pit for me. Remember that I stood in front of you and spoke up for them. I tried to turn your anger away from them.

I haven’t let anyone keep me from telling you everything God wants you to do.

You know that nothing has kept me from preaching whatever would help you. I have taught you in public and from house to house.

Sometimes I think,“ I won’t talk about his message anymore. I’ll never speak in his name again.” But then your message burns in my heart. It’s like a fire deep inside my bones. I’m tired of holding it in. In fact, I can’t.