< 耶利米書 13 >
1 上主對我這樣說:「你去買條麻帶,束在腰間,但是不要浸在水裏。」
Thus saith Jehovah to me: Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it on thy loins, and put it not into water!
So I got a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it on my loins.
Then the word of Jehovah came to me the second time, saying,
4 「拿你買來束在腰間的帶子,起身往幼發拉的去,藏在那裏的嚴石縫裏」。
Take the girdle which thou hast gotten, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
5 我照上主吩咐我的去了;將帶子藏在幼發拉的近旁。
So I went and hid it near the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me.
6 過了多日,上主對我說:「你起身往幼發拉的去,拿回我吩咐你藏在那裏的帶子」。
And after many days Jehovah said to me. Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take thence the girdle which I commanded thee to hide there.
7 我便往幼發拉的去了,我由藏下的地方挖出那帶子;看,已經腐爛,毫無用處了。
Then I went to the Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hidden it; and, behold, the girdle was marred, so that it was good for nothing.
Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying: —
9 「上主這樣說:我也要這樣毀滅猶大的驕傲,和耶路撒冷極度的高傲。
Thus saith Jehovah: After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, And the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 這個拒絕我的話,而隨從自己固執的心行事,追隨事奉,朝拜其他神祗的邪惡人民,必要如這毫無用處的帶子木樣。
This evil people, Who refuse to hearken to my words, Who walk after the obstinacy of their heart, And walk after strange gods, To serve them and to worship them, Shall be like this girdle, Which is good for nothing.
11 因為正如帶子緊貼在人的腰間,同樣我也錔使以色列全 家和猶大全家緊緊依附我──上主的斷語──成為我的人民,我的名譽,我的讚美和我的光榮;但是他們卻沒有聽從。
For as a girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, So have I caused to cleave to me the whole house of Israel, And the whole house of Judah, saith Jehovah, That they might be to me a people, And a name, and a praise, and a glory; But they hearkened not to me.
12 你應向他們宣佈這話:上主以色列的天主這樣說:每個壺應盛滿酒。如果他們對你說:難道我們不知道,每個壺都應盛滿酒嗎﹖
Then shalt thou speak to them in this manner. Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Every flagon shall be filled with wine. And they will say to thee, “Do we not know that every flagon shall be filled with wine?”
13 你就答覆他們說:上主這樣說:看,我要使這地上的一切居民,坐在達味寶座上的君王,以及司祭和先知並耶路撒冷的一切居民,都酩酊大醉,
Then shalt thou say to them, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, And the kings that sit upon David's throne, And the priests, and the prophets, And all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
14 使他們彼此衝突,連父子也彼此衝突──上主的斷語──我毫不憐憫、不慈悲、不留情地將他們消滅」。
And I will dash them one against another, Even fathers and children together, saith Jehovah; I will not pity, nor spare, Nor show mercy, so as not to destroy them.
Hear ye, and attend! be not lifted up! For Jehovah speaketh.
16 黑暗來臨以前,在你的腳還沒有在黑暗中撞在石上以前,應將光榮歸於上主的天主;不然,你們期待光明,衪反發放死影,使它變得漆黑。
Give glory to Jehovah, your God, Before he bring darkness, And your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, And, while ye look for light, He turn it into deathlike shade, And make it gross darkness.
17 假使你們還不聽從這警告,對你的驕傲,我只有暗自痛哭,眼淚直流,因為上主的羊群已被擄去。
But if ye will not hear, I will mourn in secret places for your pride, I will weep continually, And my eyes shall run down with tears, Because the flock of Jehovah is carried away captive.
18 你應對君王和太后說:「你們應坐低位,因為你們華麗的王冠已由你們頭上落下」。
Say to the king and to the queen, Sit ye down upon the ground, For your beautiful crown shall fall from your heads.
19 南部的城邑已被封鎖,沒有人去打開,全猶大已被擄去。
The cities of the South are shut up, and none openeth them; Judah is carried away captive, all of it, Every man of it is carried away captive.
20 請你舉目觀望那來自北方的人;昔日委託給你的羊群,那壯麗的羊群,如今在那裏﹖
Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the North! Where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
21 衪懲罰你,你還有什麼話說﹖是你教導了昔日的盟友來統治你,豈能不使你痛苦得像個臨產的婦女﹖
What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? For thou thyself hast taught them to be lords over thee. Shall not sorrows seize thee, as a woman in travail?
22 假使你心裏說:為什麼我遭遇了此事──是因你罪大惡極,你的衣邊才被掀起,你的腳才受到污辱。
And if thou say in thine heart, “Wherefore are these things coming upon me?” For the greatness of thy iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, And thy heels made bare.
23 雇士人豈能改變牠的斑點﹖那你們這些習於作惡的人,豈能行善﹖
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, Or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, Who have been accustomed to do evil.
24 為此,我必使他們四散,像被曠野裏的風捲去的草芥。
Therefore will I scatter you like stubble, Which passeth away before the wind of the desert.
25 這是你的命運,是我量給你的分子──上主的斷語──因為你忘記了我,信賴了「虛無」;
This is thy lot, The portion measured out for thee by me, saith Jehovah, Because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
26 故此我也要將你的衣邊掀到你面上,使人見到你的羞恥。
Therefore will I lift up thy skirts over thy head, So that thy shame shall be seen.
27 你的姦淫,你春情的嘶鳴,你猥褻的淫亂,你在高丘上和田野間可恥的行為,我都看見了。禍哉,耶路撒冷! 你不肯自潔,要到何時﹖
Thine adulteries, thy neighings, The lewdness of thy whoredom on the hills, in the fields, All thy abominations, have I seen. Woe to thee, O Jerusalem! How long ere thou wilt become pure!