| 耶肋米亞 |
Jeremiah |
| 1上主的話傳給我說： |
1 This word of the LORD came to me: |
| 2「你去！向耶路撒冷大聲疾呼說：上主這樣說：我憶起你年輕時的熱情，你訂婚時的戀愛；那時你在曠野裏，在未耕種的地上追隨了我。 |
2 Go, cry out this message for Jerusalem to hear! I remember the devotion of your youth, how you loved me as a bride, Following me in the desert, in a land unsown. |
| 3以色列成了上主的聖民，成了他收穫的初果，凡吞食她的，都要有罪，災禍必要因此降在他們身上──上主的斷語。」 |
3 Sacred to the LORD was Israel, the first fruits of his harvest; Should anyone presume to partake of them, evil would befall him, says the LORD. |
| 4雅各伯家和以色列家的一切家族！你們聽上主的話， |
4Listen to the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob! All you clans of the house of Israel, |
| 5上主這樣說：「你們的祖先在我身上發見了甚麼不義，竟遠離我而去追隨『虛無』，自成為虛無呢？ |
5thus says the LORD: What fault did your fathers find in me that they withdrew from me, Went after empty idols, and became empty themselves? |
| 6他們也不問一問：那曾引我們由埃及地上來，那經過曠野、荒原和崎嶇之地，乾旱和黑暗之地，沒人遊歷，無人居住之地，引領我們的上主現在那裏呢？ |
6They did not ask, "Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, Who led us through the desert, through a land of wastes and gullies, Through a land of drought and darkness, through a land which no one crosses, where no man dwells?" |
| 7我引你們進入了肥沃的土地，吃食其中的出產和美物；但你們一進來，就玷污了我的土地，使我的產業成了可憎之物。 |
7When I brought you into the garden land to eat its goodly fruits, You entered and defiled my land, you made my heritage loathsome. |
| 8司祭們也不問一問：『上主在那裏？』那些管理法律的，不認識我了；那些為人牧的，叛離了我；先知們也奉巴耳講預言，追隨無能的神祇。 |
8 The priests asked not, "Where is the LORD?" Those who dealt with the law knew me not: the shepherds rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after useless idols. |
| 9為此，我要控訴你們──上主的斷語，也要控訢你們的子孫。 |
9Therefore will I yet accuse you, says the LORD, and even your children's children I will accuse. |
| 10好罷！你們往基廷島嶼去觀察一下，派人到刻達爾去詳細調查，看看有沒有與此相類似的事： |
10 Pass over to the coast of the Kittim and see, send to Kedar and carefully inquire: Where has the like of this been done? |
| 11難道有一個民族更換了自己的神祇？──雖然他們並非真神；但是我的人民竟以自己的光榮，換取了一個『無能的東西』。」 |
11Does any other nation change its gods?-- yet they are not gods at all! But my people have changed their glory for useless things. |
| 12諸天！你們對此應驚駭戰慄，大為驚異──上主的斷語， |
12Be amazed at this, O heavens, and shudder with sheer horror, says the LORD. |
| 13因為我的人民犯了雙重的罪惡：他們離棄了我這活水的泉源，卻給自己掘了蓄水池，不能蓄水的漏水池。 |
13Two evils have my people done: they have forsaken me, the source of living waters; They have dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water. |
| 14以色列豈是奴隸，或是家生的奴隸？為甚麼竟成了人的掠奪物？ |
14 Is Israel a slave, a bondman by birth? Why then has he become booty? |
| 15獅子向她咆哮，高聲吼叫：牠們使她的地域成了荒野，使她的城市化為廢墟，無人居住。 |
15Against him lions roar full-throated cries. They have made his land a waste; his cities are charred ruins, without inhabitant. |
| 16連諾夫和塔黑培乃斯的子民，也削去你的腦蓋。 |
16 Yes, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes shave the crown of your head. |
| 17你這不是自作自受嗎？因為上主你的天主在路上引導你的時候，你竟離棄了他。 |
17Has not the forsaking of the LORD, your God, done this to you? |
| 18現在你又為甚麼跑到埃及去喝尼羅河的水，跑到亞述去喝幼發拉的河水？ |
18 And now, why go to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Nile? Why go to Assyria, to drink the waters of the Euphrates? |
| 19是你的罪惡懲罰你，是你的不忠責斥你，那麼你應該明白覺察：離棄上主你的天主，對我沒有敬畏，是如何邪惡和痛苦的事──我主萬軍上主的斷語。 |
19Your own wickedness chastises you, your own infidelities punish you. Know then, and see, how evil and bitter is your forsaking the LORD, your God, And showing no fear of me, says the Lord, the GOD of hosts. |
| 20的確，從古以來，你就折斷了你的軛，掙斷了你的繩索說：我不願服從；反在一切高丘上，和一切綠樹下，偃臥行淫。 |
20 Long ago you broke your yoke, you tore off your bonds. "I will not serve," you said. On every high hill, under every green tree, you gave yourself to harlotry. |
| 21我種植你時，原是精選的葡萄，純粹的真種子；你怎麼竟給我變成壞樹，成了野葡萄？ |
21I had planted you, a choice vine of fully tested stock; How could you turn out obnoxious to me, a spurious vine? |
| 22現在即使你用堿洗濯，多加滷汁，你的罪污仍留在我面前──我主上主的斷語── |
22Though you scour it with soap, and use much lye, The stain of your guilt is still before me, says the Lord GOD. |
| 23你怎能說：我沒有玷污我自己，我沒有追隨過巴耳？觀察你在谷中的行動，便知你的行動，無異一隻到處遊蕩，敏捷的母駱駝； |
23 How can you say, "I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals"? Consider your conduct in the Valley, recall what you have done: A frenzied she-camel, coursing near and far, |
| 24又像一頭習慣在荒野，急欲求配，呼氣喘息的野母驢；誰能抑制牠的性慾？凡尋找牠的，不必費辛苦，在她春情發動的月分，就可找着。 |
24breaking away toward the desert, Snuffing the wind in her ardor-- who can restrain her lust? No beasts need tire themselves seeking her; in her month they will meet her. |
| 25留心！不要使你的腳赤裸，不要使你的喉嚨乾渴！但是你卻說：不會，不可能！我既愛異邦神祇，我要跟隨他們。 |
25Stop wearing out your shoes and parching your throat! But you say, "No use! no! I love these strangers, and after them I must go." |
| 26就如小偷被人發現時，感到羞愧；以色列家：他們，他們的君王和首領，他們的司祭和先知，都要同樣蒙受羞辱。 |
26As the thief is shamed when caught, so shall the house of Israel be shamed: They, their kings and their princes, their priests and their prophets; |
| 27他們對木偶說：你是我的父親；對石碣說：是你生了我。的確，他們不但向我轉過臉去，而且也以背向着我；但是，在他們遭難的時候，卻喊說：起來，拯救我們！ |
27They who say to a piece of wood, "You are my father," and to a stone, "You gave me birth." They turn to me their backs, not their faces; yet, in their time of trouble they cry out, "Rise up and save us!" |
| 28你自己製造的神祇在那裏？在你遭難的時候，他們若能救你，就讓他們起來！因為猶大！你神祇的數目竟等於你城邑的數目，巴耳的香壇與耶路撒冷的街道一般多。 |
28Where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up! Will they save you in your time of trouble? For as numerous as your cities are your gods, O Judah! And as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up for Baal. |
| 29你們背叛了我，為甚麼又向我提出抗議──上主的斷語── |
29How dare you still plead with me? You have all rebelled against me, says the LORD. |
| 30我打擊了你們的子孫，竟是徒然，你們沒有受到教訓；你們的刀劍如同一隻兇殘的獅子，吞滅了眾先知。 |
30In vain I struck your children; the correction they did not take. Your sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion. |
| 31你們這一代人，體會上主的話罷！難道我對以色列像一個荒野，或像一個黑暗的地方？為甚麼我的人民說：我們獲得了自由，我們不再來找你？ |
31You, of this generation, take note of the word of the Lord: Have I been a desert to Israel, a land of darkness? Why do my people say, "We have moved on, we will come to you no more"? |
| 32一個處女豈能忘了自己的珍飾？一位新娘豈能忘了自己的彩帶？我的人民卻忘了我，時日已久長，無法計算。 |
32Does a virgin forget her jewelry, a bride her sash? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. |
| 33你怎麼會如此想盡好方法去求愛？你也將你的方法教給了邪惡的女人； |
33How well you pick your way when seeking love! You who, in your wickedness, have gone by ways unclean! |
| 34連在你的衣邊上也發現無辜窮人的血漬：並不是在挖掘洞穴時，你捉住他們，而是在橡樹邊。 |
34You, on whose clothing there is the life-blood of the innocent, whom you found committing no burglary; |
| 35但你還說：我是無罪的，他的忿怒已離我遠去。看！我要審判你，正因為你說：我沒有犯罪。 |
35Yet withal you say, "I am innocent; at least, his anger is turned away from me." Behold, I will judge you on that word of yours, "I have not sinned." |
| 36你為甚麼這樣輕易改變你的道路？你必要因埃及而蒙羞，猶如曾因亞述而蒙羞一樣。 |
36How very base you have become in changing your course! By Egypt will you be shamed, as you were shamed by Assyria. |
| 37你畢竟要從那裏抱頭出走，因為上主擯棄了你所仗恃的，使你不能靠他們獲得成功。 |
37From there also shall you go away with hands upon your head; For the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, with them you will have no success. |
