< 以賽亞書 44 >
1 但是現在,我的僕人雅各伯!我所揀選的以色列!你聽罷!
Yet listen now, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen.
2 那造成你,從母胎形成你,且協助你的上主這樣說:「我的僕人雅各伯!我所揀選的耶叔戎,你不要害怕!
This is what the LORD who made you, and formed you from the womb, who will help you says: “Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
3 因為我要把水倒在乾地上,使豪雨落在旱陸上;我要把我的神傾住在你的苗裔身上,把我的祝福降在你的子孫身上。
For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring;
and they will spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.
5 這個說:「我是上主的,」那個要起雅各伯的名字,另一個要在手上寫 :「屬於上主,」並要起以色列的名號。
One will say, ‘I am the LORD’s.’ Another will be called by the name of Jacob; and another will write with his hand ‘to the LORD,’ and honor the name of Israel.”
6 上主,以色列的君王,救主,萬軍的上主這樣說:「我是元始,我是終末,在我以外沒有別的神。
This is what the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of Armies, says: “I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.
7 誰相似我﹖讓他前來伸述,讓他說明,給我拿出證據來!誰能從永遠預言未來的事,請他告訴我們快要發生的事罷!
Who is like me? Who will call, and will declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? Let them declare the things that are coming, and that will happen.
8 你們不必驚慌,不用害怕!我不是早已告訴過你,早已宣布了嗎﹖你們是我的證人,在我以外還有別的神嗎﹖決沒有別的磐石!我一個也不認識!」
Do not fear, neither be afraid. Have not I declared it to you long ago, and shown it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? Indeed, there is not. I do not know any other Rock.”
9 製造偶像的人都是虛無,他們所喜愛的,也毫無用處;他們的見證人一無所見,毫無所知,必將蒙受恥辱。
Everyone who makes a carved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses do not see, nor know, that they may be disappointed.
Who has fashioned a god, or molds an image that is profitable for nothing?
11 看哪!凡作他夥伴的,都要蒙受恥辱,因為製造偶像的,也只是人而已! 讓他們集合起來一同前來罷!他們必要驚慌羞愧!
Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed; and the workmen are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame together.
12 鐵匠先在炭火上工作,再用鎚子打成偶像,他用大力的手臂工作,當饑餓時,也就沒有力量;沒有水喝,他就疲勞不堪。
The blacksmith takes an ax, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.
13 木匠伸展繩墨,用筆劃線,後拿刨子刨平,再用圓規測量,做成一個人形,具有人的美麗,好供在廟裏。
The carpenter stretches out a line. He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes. He marks it out with compasses, and shapes it like the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to reside in a house.
14 人先去砍伐一塊香柏,或取一塊榆木,或橡木;或在樹林中選一塊堅固的木料,或自己種植一棵月桂樹,讓雨水使之長大。
He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest. He plants a cypress tree, and the rain nourishes it.
15 這些木料原是為人作燃料,原可用來取煖,也可燃燒烘烤麵包;人卻用它來作神像去恭敬,或做偶像去叩拜:
Then it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it and warms himself. Yes, he burns it and bakes bread. Yes, he makes a god and worships it; he makes it a carved image, and falls down to it.
16 人把一半木頭投入火中燃燒,在火炭上烤肉吃;待吃飽了烤肉,又取了煖,遂說:「哈哈!我暖和了,也覺得有了火!」
He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself and says, “Aha! I am warm. I have seen the fire.”
17 遂用剩下的一半作了一個神像,一個偶像,向它叩拜,俯伏懇求說:「求你救我,因為你是我的神!」
The rest of it he makes into a god, even his engraved image. He bows down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
18 他們不瞭解,也不覺悟,因為他們的眼糊住了,什麼也看不見;他們的心也不知覺悟,
They do not know, neither do they consider, for he has shut their eyes, that they cannot see, and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 也不回心想一下,也不會明智通達地說:「一半木頭我已投入火中燒了,並在火炭上烤了麵包,烤了肉吃;我竟將剩下的一半作了一個怪物,向這塊木頭敬拜。」
No one thinks, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten it. Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?”
20 他所追求的僅是一把灰;他迷惑的心領他走入歧途,而不能自拔,也不會問說:「我右手所拿的不是虛無嗎﹖」
He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, “Is not there a lie in my right hand?”
21 雅各伯啊!你要記住這些事!以色列啊!你也應記住,因為你是我的僕人,我造了你,是叫你作我的僕人。以色列啊!我決不會忘了你!
Remember these things, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
22 我消除了你的罪過,有如煙消;我消除了你的愆尤,有如雲散;歸依我罷!因為我救贖了你。
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.
23 諸天,歡騰罷!因為上主作了這一切;地下的深淵,歡呼罷!山嶺、森林和其中的樹木,高聲歌唱罷!因為上主拯救了雅各伯,在以色列顯揚了自己。
Sing, you heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel.
24 你的救主,由母胎形成你的上主這樣說:「我是創造萬有的上主,只有我展開了諸天,佈置了大地,誰與我同在﹖
The LORD, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb says: “I am the LORD, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself;
25 是我破壞了占卜者的預兆,使巫士成為愚妄,使智者退後,使他們的知識變為愚蠢,
who frustrates the signs of the liars, and makes diviners mad; who turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;
26 是我叫我僕人們的話實現,叫我使者們的計謀成功;是我論及耶路撒冷說:「你必要有人居住。」論及猶大各城說:「你們要被重建,我必要重建你們的廢址。」
who confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited;’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be built,’ and ‘I will raise up its waste places;’
27 是我對深淵說:「你必涸竭,我要使你的河流乾涸。」
who says to the deep, ‘Be dry,’ and ‘I will dry up your rivers,’
28 是我論及居魯士說:「他是我的牧人,他要履行我的一切計劃,要吩咐重建耶路撒冷,奠基重修聖殿。」
who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure,’ even saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built;’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”