< 何西阿書 10 >
1 以色列原是一枝茂盛結實繁多的葡萄樹,但他的收薐愈豐,祭壇也愈多;土地愈富饒,石柱也愈美觀。
Israel [is] an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit to himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath multiplied the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
2 他們心懷二意,因此必遭懲罰;上主必拆毀他們的祭壇,打倒他們的石柱。
Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.
3 那時他們要說:「哎! 我們沒有君王,因為我們不敬畏上主;可是君王能為我們作什麼呢﹖
For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?
4 他們任意講空話,發虛誓,立盟約....因此,正義有如田畦間的苦菜叢生。
They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
5 撒馬黎雅的居民必為貝特文的牛犢焦慮,他的人民必為牠舉哀,他的僧侶也要為牠我去的榮華而哀號,因為牠被人奪去。
The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven: for its people shall mourn over it, and its priests [that] rejoiced on it, for its glory, because it is departed from it.
6 連牠也被帶到亞述去,作為大王的頁物。厄弗辣因得到旳只是恥辱,以色列必要因自己的偶像而蒙羞。
It shall also be carried to Assyria, [for] a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
7 撒馬黎雅滅亡了,她的君王有如一片浮在水面的乾草。
[As for] Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.
8 貝特阿文的高丘──以色列的罪過淵藪──將被摧毀,荊棘和蒺藜要攀他們的祭壇;那時他們要對山說:「遮蓋我們吧!」對丘陵說:「倒在我們身上吧!」
The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.
9 以色列! 從基貝亞的日子起,你就犯罪,你就在那裏抗拒;難道基貝亞的戰禍不會波及那些惡人嗎﹖
O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.
10 我必來懲罰他們:列邦必要聯合起來攻打他們,為懲罰他們的雙重罪過。
[It is] in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
11 厄弗辣因原是一頭馴服的母牛,善愛打麥,可是我要將軛加在牠肥壯的頸項上;我要給厄弗辣因上套,以色列必要耕田,雅各伯必要耙地。
And Ephraim [is as] a heifer [that is] taught, [and] loveth to tread out [the corn]; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, [and] Jacob shall break his clods.
12 你們應該播種正義,才可收割仁慈的果實;你們應該開墾荒地,因為現在是尋求上主的時候;應尋求衪,直到衪來給他們降下正義。
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for [it is] time to seek the LORD, till he shall come and reign righteousness upon you.
13 為什麼你們種了邪惡,收割了罪孽,吃了謊言的果實呢﹖因為你依賴了你的戰車,和和你的勇士眾多;
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou hast trusted in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.
14 因此,在你的城邑中要發生騷動,你的一切堡壘將被拆毀,就如沙耳曼毀滅貝特阿爾貝時,在戰爭之日,母親被摔死在兒子身上一樣。
Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be plundered, as Shalman plundered Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon [her] children.
15 因了你的窮凶極惡,以色列家,我也要同樣對待你:以色列的君王將在風暴中完全淪亡。
So shall Beth-el do to you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel be utterly cut off.