何西阿書 11
1 當以色列尚在童年時，我就愛了他；從在埃及時，我就召他為我的兒子。
“Before the Israeli [people] became a nation [MET], I loved them [like a man loves] his son, and I called them out of Egypt.
2 可是我越呼喚他們，他們越遠離我，去給巴耳獻祭，向偶像進香。
But while I continued to call them, they [continued to] turn away from me more and more. They offered sacrifices to their statues of Baal, and they burned incense to [honor] them.
3 是我教了厄弗辣因邁步，雙臂抱了他們，但他們卻不理會是我照顧了他們。
[The people of] Israel were [like a little boy] [MET], and [it was as though] it was I who taught them to walk, holding them by their hands. But they did not realize that it was I who was taking care of them.
4 是我用仁慈的繩索，用愛情的帶子牽著他們，對他們有如高舉嬰兒到自己面頰的慈親，俯身喂養他們。
[It was as though I fastened] ropes [around them] to lead them, while I loved them and was kind to them. [It was as though they were young oxen] [MET], and I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.
5 他們卻要返回埃及埃及，要亞述作他們的君王，因為他們拒絕歸依我。
But the people of Israel will become [slaves] again, like they were in Egypt, and [the people of] Assyria will [RHQ] rule over them, because the people of Israel refused to repent.
6 刀劍必要在他們的城中橫行，殺絕他們的子女，在他們的堡壘中吞噬他們。
[Their enemies] will use their swords [to attack] the cities in Israel and will destroy the bars in the gates [of the city walls]. [As a result], the people of Israeli will not be able to accomplish the things that they planned to do.
7 我的百姓因著自己的叛逆使我厭煩了；為此上主給他們指定了應負的重軛，因為衪已不再憐惜他們。
My people are determined to (turn away from/abandon) me. They say that I am the great all-powerful God, but they do not honor me at all.
8 厄弗辣因! 我怎能捨棄你﹖以色列! 我怎能拋掉你。我怎能仗你如同阿德瑪，待你如同責波殷﹖我的心已轉變，我的五內已感動；
[You people of] Israel, I certainly do not want to [RHQ] abandon you and allow [your enemies] to capture you. I do not [RHQ] want to act toward you like I acted toward Admah and Zeboiim, [cities that I completely destroyed when I destroyed Sodom]. I [SYN] have changed my mind [about punishing you]; my desire to pity you has increased.
9 我不再按卜憤怒行事，不再毀滅厄弗辣因，因為我是天主而不是人，是在你們中間的聖言，而不是伏於城門的仇敵。
Although I am extremely angry, I do not want to punish you severely; I do not want to (devastate/completely ruin) Israel. [Humans would easily decide to do that], but I am God, not a human. I, the Holy One, am with you; although I am very angry [with you], I will not [destroy you].
10 的確，他們必要追隨上主，衪要像獅子吼叫；衪一吼叫，衪的子女便要從西方急速歸來，猶如飛鳥由埃及急速飛來，
You will follow me when I roar like [SIM] a lion; when I roar, [some of you] my children will tremble as you return [to Israel] from [the islands and seacoasts toward] the west.
11 猶如鴿子從亞述飛來；我要使他們安居在他們家中──上主的斷語。
[Some of] you will come swiftly from Egypt like [a flock of] birds; [others] will return from Assyria, like doves. I will enable you to live in your homes [in Israel] again. [That will surely happen, because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
12 厄弗辣因用，以色列家以詭詐欺騙了我；猶大對天主也是不忠實的證人，他只知忠於迷惑他的人。
[Yahweh says, “The people of] Israel have (surrounded me with lies/constantly told lies to me). And the people of Judah have [also] turned/rebelled against me, their God, the Holy One who always does what I promise to do, and the people of Judah worship other gods.”
