< 何西阿書 4 >
1 [後編:以色列的罪惡和懲罰]四:以色列子民,請聽上主的話! 因為上主譴責此地的居民:因為此地沒有誠實,沒有仁愛,沒有人認識天主;
Hear the word of the LORD, you children of Israel: for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 只有詛咒、謊言、殺戳、偷竊、姦淫、強暴和纍纍的血案。
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood touches blood.
3 因此,此地必要荒廢;凡住在這地上的,甚至田間的野獸和天空的飛鳥都要絕跡,連海中的魚類也要消滅。
Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwells therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yes, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4 但是沒有人爭辯,也沒有人譴責! 司祭啊,我要與你爭辯!
Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for your people are as they that strive with the priest.
5 你白天黑夜跌倒,先知也同你一齊跌倒,你竟然使你的人民喪亡。
Therefore shall you fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with you in the night, and I will destroy your mother.
6 我的百姓因缺乏知識而滅亡;因為你拋棄了知識,我也要拋棄你,不讓你充當我的司祭;你既然忘卻了你的天主的法律,我也要忘記你的子孫。
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
7 司祭越增多,也越得罪我,竟以羞辱作為他們的光榮。
As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
9 由此百姓和司祭,一律看待:我將按他的行徑懲治他,對他的行為予以報復,
And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
10 好使他們吃,卻吃不飽,行淫而不能繁殖;因為他們捨棄了上主,縱慾,
For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit prostitution, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.
Prostitution and wine and new wine take away the heart.
12 我的人民求教於木偶,讓木杖啟示他;因為淫心迷往了他們,使他們行淫,遠開了他們的天主。
My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declares to them: for the spirit of prostitutions has caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
13 在山頂上獻祭,在丘陵上、在橡樹、楊樹和篤耨香下焚香,在濃蔭下多麼愉快;因此你們的女兒行淫,你的兒媳犯姦。
They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit prostitution, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
14 但我卻不因你們的女兒行了淫,而懲罰她們,也不因你們的兒息媳犯了姦,而處罰她們;因為她們同蕩婦走往偏僻之處,又同廟妓一同獻祭:但無知的百姓卻因此而墮落!
I will not punish your daughters when they commit prostitution, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that does not understand shall fall.
15 以色列,如果你行了淫,但願猶大不要陷於罪惡! 你們不要到基耳加耳去,不要上貝特阿文,也不要起誓願 2上主永在! 」
Though you, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not you to Gilgal, neither go you up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD lives.
16 的確,以色列倔強,有如一頭倔強的母牛,那麼上主那能牧放他們,有如在廣闊的草場牧放羔羊﹖
For Israel slides back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
18 他們與醉客為伍,任意荒淫,喜愛羞恥勝於上主的光榮。
Their drink is sour: they have committed prostitution continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give you.
19 暴風要伸展羽翼將他們捲去,他們必因自己的祭壇蒙受恥辱。
The wind has bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.