| 耶肋米亞 |
Jeremiah |
| 1請你們巡行耶路撒冷的街道，觀察注意，在她的廣場上搜尋：若你們能找到一人，一個履行正義，追求信實的人，我就寬恕這城。 |
1Roam the streets of Jerusalem, look about and observe, Search through her public places, to find even one Who lives uprightly and seeks to be faithful, and I will pardon her! |
| 2雖然他們起誓說：「上主永在！」其實他們起的誓仍是虛誓。 |
2Though they say, "As the LORD lives," they swear falsely. |
| 3上主，你的眼睛難道不顧信實？你打擊了他們，他們卻毫不覺痛；你使他們挫敗，他們仍拒絕受教，使自己的面孔比火石還要頑硬，不願悔改。 |
3O LORD, do your eyes not look for honesty? You struck them, but they did not cringe; you laid them low, but they refused correction; They set their faces harder than stone, and refused to return to you. |
| 4我想：「不錯，他們原是無知的平民，不認識上主的道路和他們天主的法律。 |
4It is only the lowly, I thought, who are foolish; For they know not the way of the LORD, their duty to their God. |
| 5我要去問有權勢的人，與他們談論，因為他們知道上主的道路和他們天主的法律。」哎！連他們也都折斷了軛，掙斷了繩索。 |
5I will go to the great ones and speak with them; For they know the way of the LORD, their duty to their God. But, one and all, they had broken the yoke, torn off the harness. |
| 6為此，獅子由叢林出來襲擊他們，曠野的豺狼出來傷害他們，豹子潛伏在他們的城旁，凡出來的人都被撕裂，因為他們罪上加罪，失節有增無已。 |
6Therefore lions from the forest slay them, wolves of the desert ravage them, Leopards keep watch round their cities: all who come out are torn to pieces For their many crimes and their numerous rebellions. |
| 7如此，我怎能寬恕你？你的子孫離棄了我，奉「非神」發誓。我使他們飽食，他們卻去行淫，群集在妓院裏； |
7Why should I pardon you these things? Your sons have forsaken me, they swear by gods that are not. I fed them, but they committed adultery; to the harlot's house they throng. |
| 8他們像荒淫雄壯的牡馬，各向自己近人的妻室嘶鳴。 |
8Lustful stallions they are, each neighs after another's wife. |
| 9這些事，我怎能不懲罰？──上主的斷語──像這樣的民族，我怎能不親自報復？ |
9Shall I not punish them for these things? says the LORD; On a nation such as this shall I not take vengeance? |
| 10請你們登上她的牆上頭，加以毀壞，但不要完全毀滅，該除去她的枝條，因為它們不屬於上主。 |
10Climb to her terraces, and ravage them, destroy them (not) wholly. Tear away her tendrils, they do not belong to the LORD. |
| 11以色列家和猶大家，實在對我不忠，達到極點── |
11For they have openly rebelled against me, both the house of Israel and the house of Judah, says the LORD. |
| 12上主的斷語。他們否認上主說：「他不存在！災禍絕不會臨到我們身上，我們也絕不會見到戰爭和饑荒； |
12 They denied the LORD, saying, "Not he-- No evil shall befall us, neither sword nor famine shall we see. |
| 13先知們不過是一陣風，他們並沒有上主的話；他們這樣只有自作自受。」 |
13The prophets have become wind, and the word is not in them. May their threats be carried out against themselves!" |
| 14為此，上主萬軍的天主這樣說：「因為他們說了這話，看，我必使我的話在你的口中成為火，使這人民成為木柴，將他們吞滅。 |
14Now, for this that you have said, says the LORD, the God of hosts- Behold, I make my words in your mouth, a fire, And this people is the wood that it shall devour!-- |
| 15以色列家！看，我從遠方給你們引來一個民族──上主的斷語──一個所向無敵的民族，一個古老的民族，一個你們不懂她的語言，也聽不出她說甚麼的民族。 |
15Beware, I will bring against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, says the LORD; A long-lived nation, an ancient nation, a people whose language you know not, whose speech you cannot understand. |
| 16他們的箭筒有如張開口的墳墓；他們都是善戰的勇士。 |
16Their quivers are like open graves; all of them are warriors. |
| 17這民族必吃掉你的收穫和食糧，必吃掉你的兒子和女兒，必吃掉你的羊群和牛群，必吃掉你的葡萄和無花果，必以武力蹂躪你依恃的堅城。 |
17They will devour your harvest and your bread, devour your sons and your daughters, Devour your sheep and cattle, devour your vines and fig trees; They will beat flat with the sword the fortified city in which you trust. |
| 18即在那些時日裏──上主的斷語──我也不對你們加以徹底的毀滅。」 |
18Yet even in those days, says the LORD, I will not wholly destroy you. |
| 19假使有人問：「為甚麼上主我們的天主對我們做了這一切的事？」你當對他們說：「你們怎樣離棄了我，在你們國內事奉了外邦的神祇，你們也該怎樣在不屬於你們的境內事奉外邦人。」 |
19And when they ask, "Why has the LORD done all these things to us?" say to them, "As you have forsaken me to serve strange gods in your own land, so shall you serve strangers in a land not your own." |
| 20你們將這事通知雅各伯家，轉告猶大說： |
20Announce this to the house of Jacob, proclaim it in Judah: |
| 21「你們愚昧無知，有目不見，有耳不聞的人民，請聽聽這話： |
21Pay attention to this, foolish and senseless people Who have eyes and see not, who have ears and hear not. |
| 22你們不敬畏我嗎？──上主的斷語──你們在我面前不戰慄嗎？是我堆積了沙石作海的界限，作為它永不能越過的界限：海浪雖洶湧，仍無能為力；雖怒號澎湃，仍不能越過。」 |
22Should you not fear me, says the LORD, should you not tremble before me? I made the sandy shore the sea's limit, which by eternal decree it may not overstep. Toss though it may, it is to no avail; though its billows roar, they cannot pass. |
| 23但這內心頑固忤逆的人民，竟背叛而離去， |
23But this people's heart is stubborn and rebellious; they turn and go away, |
| 24從不反心自省：「我們應該敬畏上主，我們的天主，因為他按時降下雨露、秋霖和春雨；又給我們保持固定的收穫時節。」 |
24 And say not in their hearts, "Let us fear the LORD, our God, Who gives us rain early and late, in its time; Who watches for us over the appointed weeks of harvest." |
| 25是你們的過犯混亂了這些時令，是你們的罪惡阻止了你們享這幸福。 |
25Your crimes have prevented these things, your sins have turned back these blessings from you. |
| 26因為在我的人民中發現了惡人；他們像隱伏的捕鳥者在窺探，布下羅網捕捉人。 |
26For there are among my people criminals; like fowlers they set traps, but it is men they catch. |
| 27猶如籠中滿了飛鳥，他們家中也充滿了欺詐，因此成了有勢力，有錢財的人。 |
27Their houses are as full of treachery as a bird-cage is of birds; Therefore they grow powerful and rich, |
| 28他們肥胖紅潤，作奸犯科，不為孤兒辯護；只求自己享受，也不關懷窮人的權利。 |
28fat and sleek. They go their wicked way; justice they do not defend By advancing the claim of the fatherless or judging the cause of the poor. |
| 29像這樣的事，我怎能不懲罰？──上主的斷語──像這樣的民族，我怎能不親自報復？ |
29Shall I not punish these things? says the LORD; on a nation such as this shall I not take vengeance? |
| 30在國內發生了一件恐怖而可憎的事： |
30A shocking, horrible thing has happened in the land: |
| 31先知們說假預言，司祭們爭權奪利，我的人民反倒以此為樂；到了最後，你們究竟還要作甚麼？ |
31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests teach as they wish; Yet my people will have it so; what will you do when the end comes? |
