耶利米書 12
1 上主，幾時我與你爭論，總是你有理；但我仍願與你討論正義：「為什麼惡人的生活總是順利，一般詭詐極惡的人總享安寧﹖
You are righteous, LORD, when I contend with you; yet I would like to plead a case with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all at ease who deal very treacherously?
2 你栽植了他們，他們就生長根滋長，結出果實；他們的口離你近，他們的心卻離你遠。
You have planted them. Yes, they have taken root. They grow. Yes, they produce fruit. You are near in their mouth, and far from their heart.
3 至於你，上主，你是認識我的，你考察了我對你的心意；求你把他們像待宰的羔羊一樣拉出來，留待宰殺的一天。
But you, LORD, know me. You see me, and test my heart towards you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 [這地要哀傷，整個田野的草木要枯萎到幾時﹖由於居民的邪惡，野獸和飛鳥都被消滅。] 因為他們說：「天主不管我們的作為。」
How long will the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? Because of the wickedness of those who dwell therein, the animals and birds are consumed; because they said, “He won’t see our latter end.”
5 「你與人徒步競走，尚覺疲乏，你怎麼能與馬角逐﹖在平安的地區尚覺不安，在約旦河的叢林區，你更將何如﹖
“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? Though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan?
6 連你的兄弟和你的父族對你都無誠意，在你後面厲聲喊叫；即便他們對說好話，你也不要相信。」
For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you! Even they have cried aloud after you! Don’t believe them, though they speak beautiful words to you.
7 「 離開了我的家，拋棄了我的產業，將我最心愛的人交在敵人的手中。
“I have forsaken my house. I have cast off my heritage. I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
8 我的產業對我竟好像是森林中的獅子，向我咆哮，為我憎恨他它。
My heritage has become to me as a lion in the forest. She has uttered her voice against me. Therefore I have hated her.
9 我的產業對我竟成了一隻帶斑點的鷙鳥，以致鷙鳥圍著向它襲擊。你們去田黟的一切野獸，叫它們來吞噬。
Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the animals of the field. Bring them to devour.
10 許多牧童毀壞了我的葡萄園，蹂躝了我的產業，使我喜愛的產業變為荒蕪的曠野。
Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard. They have trodden my portion under foot. They have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 他們使它荒涼，荒涼得在我面前哀傷；全地荒涼，因為沒有一人關心。
They have made it a desolation. It mourns to me, being desolate. The whole land is made desolate, because no one cares.
12 破壞者已來到曠野的一切高崗上，因為上主的刀劍正在砍伐，從地極到地極，凡有血肉的，都不得安寧。
Destroyers have come on all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of the LORD devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land. No flesh has peace.
13 他們播種了麥子，卻收割了荊棘；雖筋疲力竭，卻沒有利益；由於上主的憤怒，都因自己的收穫而害羞。
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns. They have exhausted themselves, and profit nothing. You will be ashamed of your fruits, because of the LORD’s fierce anger.”
14 上主這樣說：關於那些險惡的鄰邦．即侵犯我給予我民以色列佔有的產業的鄰邦，看，我要由他們的地上將他們拔除，也要由他們中拔除猶大家。
The LORD says, “Concerning all my evil neighbours, who touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from amongst them.
15 在我拔除他們以後，我要再憐憫他們，引他們復歸自己的產業，各回自己的故鄉。
It will happen that after I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them. I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16 設若他們殷勤學走我人民的道路，奉我名發誓說：「上主永在」，如同他們昔日教我人民奉巴耳發誓一樣，他們就可在我的人民中再度復興。
It will happen, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As the LORD lives;’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up in the middle of my people.
17 倘若他們不聽從，我必拔除這民族，將他們拔除消滅──上主的斷語。
But if they will not hear, then I will pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it,” says the LORD.
