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 said Jehovah unto me, 'Go, and thou hast got for thee a girdle of linen, and hast placed it on thy loins, and into water thou dost not cause it to enter:'
2 我就照上主的話去買了根麻帶， 。
and I get the girdle, according to the word of Jehovah, and I place [it] on my loins.
3 上主的話第二次傳給我說：
And there is a word of Jehovah unto me a 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 that thou hast got, that [is] on thy loins, and rise, go to Phrat, 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。
and I go and hide it by Phrat, 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 it cometh to pass, at the end of many days, that Jehovah saith unto me, 'Rise, go to Phrat, and take thence the girdle, that 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。
and I go to Phrat, and dig, and take the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and lo, the girdle hath been marred, it is not profitable for anything.
8 於是有上主的話傳給我說：
And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying, 'Thus said Jehovah:
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 do I mar the excellency of Judah, And the great excellency 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 hear My words, Who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, And go after other gods to serve them, And to bow themselves to them, Yea it is — as this girdle, that is not profitable for anything.
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 the girdle cleaveth unto the loins of a man, So I caused to cleave unto Me The whole house of Israel, And the whole house of Judah, an affirmation of Jehovah, To be to Me for a people, and for a name, And for praise, and for beauty, And they have not hearkened.
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﹖
And thou hast said unto them this word, Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, 'Every bottle is full of wine,' And they have said unto thee: 'Do we not certainly know that every bottle is full of 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，
And thou hast said unto them, 'Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am filling all the inhabitants of this land, And the kings who sit for David on his 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 have dashed them one against another, And the fathers and the sons together, An affirmation of Jehovah, I do not pity, nor spare, nor have I mercy, So as not to destroy them.
15 你們側耳傾聽，不要傲慢，因為是上主在說話。
Hear, and give ear — be not haughty, For Jehovah hath spoken.
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 ye to Jehovah your God honour, Before He doth cause darkness, And before your feet stumble on dark mountains, And ye have waited for light, And He hath made it for death-shade, And hath appointed [it] for thick 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。
And if ye do not hear it, In secret places doth my soul weep, because of pride, Yea, it weepeth sore, And the tear cometh down mine eyes, For the flock of Jehovah hath been taken 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 mistress: Make yourselves low — sit still, For come down have your principalities, The crown of your beauty.
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 have been shut up, And there is none opening, Judah hath been removed — all of her, She hath been removed completely —
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 see those coming in from the north, Where [is] the drove given to 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 dost thou say, when He looketh after thee? And thou — thou hast taught them [to be] over thee — leaders for head? Do not pangs seize thee as a travailing woman?
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 when thou dost say in thy heart, 'Wherefore have these met me?' For the abundance of thine iniquity Have thy skirts been uncovered, Have thy heels suffered violence.
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﹖
Doth a Cushite change his skin? and a leopard his spots? Ye also are able to do good, who are 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。
And I scatter them as stubble, Passing away, by a wind of the wilderness.
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 of thy measures from Me — an affirmation of Jehovah, Because thou hast forgotten me, And dost trust 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。
I also have made bare thy skirts before thy face, And thy shame hath been 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, and thy neighings, The wickedness of thy whoredom, on heights in a field, I have seen thine abominations. Woe to thee, O Jerusalem, Thou art not cleansed, after when [is it] again?
