< 耶利米書 14 >
This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah regarding the drought,
2 「猶大悲哀,城門蕭條,人人垂頭至地,耶路撒冷哀號四起。
“Let Judah mourn; let her gates fall apart. They are wailing for the land; their cries for Jerusalem are going up.
3 顯貴派童僕去打水,來到井邊,卻不見有水,帶著空器回去,迷惑慚愧,遮住自己的頭。
Their mighty ones send out their servants for water. When they go to the trenches, they cannot find water. They all return unsuccessful; they cover their heads ashamed and dishonored.
4 因為地上不落雨,田地無法耕耘,農夫們都已絕望,遮住自己的頭。
Because of this the ground is cracked, for there is no rain in the land. The plowmen are ashamed and cover their heads.
5 甚至母鹿在田間生產,因為沒有青草,也得拋棄自己的幼雛。
For even the doe leaves her young in the fields and abandons them, for there is no grass.
6 野獸站在童山上,像黟狗一般喘息;雙目失神,因為沒有草吃。
The wild donkeys stand on the bare plains and they pant in the wind like jackals. Their eyes fail to work, for there is no vegetation.”
7 上主,我們的罪過若指證我們,但求你因你的名而施救,因為我們屢次失節,得罪了你。
Even though our iniquities testify against us, Yahweh, act for the sake of your name. For our faithless actions increase; we have sinned against you.
8 你是以色列的希望,是她在患難中的救主。為什麼你在本鄉好像是個陌生人,好像是個投宿一夜的旅客﹖
You are the Hope of Israel, the one who saves him in the time of distress, why will you be like a stranger in the land, like a foreign wanderer who stretches out and spends just one night?
9 為什麼你好像是個沈睡的人,好像是個不能施救的勇士﹖上主,你常在我們之中,我們是歸你名下的人,求你不要離棄我們。
Why are you like someone who is astounded, or like a warrior who has no power to rescue? You are in our midst, Yahweh, and your name is called over us. Do not leave us!
10 上主論人民說:「他們這樣愛好遊蕩,沒有約束自己的腳,為此上主不喜悅他們;現在憶起了他們的過犯,就懲罰他們的罪惡」。
Yahweh says this to this people: “Since they love to wander, they have not held back their feet from doing so.” Yahweh is not pleased with them. Now he calls to mind their iniquity and has punished their sins.
Yahweh said to me, “Do not pray for good on behalf of this people.
12 既使他們齋戒,我也不會俯聽他們的呼籲;既使他們奉獻全燔祭和素祭,我也不會悅納,反而要用戰爭、飢饉和瘟疫將他們消滅」。
For if they fast, I will not listen to their wailing, and if they offer up burnt offerings and food offerings, I will not take pleasure in them. For I will put an end to them by sword, famine, and plague.”
13 我於是說:「哎呀! 我主上主! 你看,先知們對他們說:你們決不會見到戰爭,你們決不會遭受饑荒,在這地方我必賜給你們真正的平安」。
Then I said, “Oh, Lord Yahweh! Behold! The prophets are saying to the people, 'You will not see the sword; there will be no famine for you, for I will give you true security in this place.'”
14 上主對我說:「先知們以我的名預言謊話,我並沒有派遺他們,也沒有對他們說過話。他們給你們所預言的,是荒謬的幻象空妄的卜筮,存心騙人的欺詐。
Yahweh said to me, “The prophets prophesy deceit in my name. I did not send them out, nor did I give them any command or speak to them. But deceitful visions and useless, deceitful divination coming from their own minds are what they are prophesying to you.”
15 為此上主這樣說:關於那些以我名義說預言的先知,我既沒有他們,而他們反說:在這 中2不會有戰爭和饑饉,他們就必死於戰爭和饑饉。
Therefore Yahweh says this, “About the prophets prophesying in my name but whom I did not send out—those who say there will be no sword or famine in this land: These prophets will perish by sword and famine.
16 至於聽他們向自己講說預言的人民,必因饑饉和戰爭,陳屍在耶路撒冷街頭,沒有人掩埋他們和他們的妻室子女;我必將他們的邪惡都傾注在他們身上。
Then the people to whom they prophesied will be thrown out in the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword, for there will be no one to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters—for I will pour out their wickedness on them.
17 你應將這話轉告他們:我眼淚直流,晝夜不息,因為我的處女──人民──大受摧殘,受了嚴重的打擊。
Say this word to them: 'Let my eyes flow with tears, night and day. Do not let them stop, for there will be a great collapse of the virgin daughter of my people— a great and incurable wound.
18 我若走入田間,看見刀劍的遺屍;我若進入城裏,看見饑饉的可怖慘狀;就連先知和先知們也流亡到他們素不相識的地方」。
If I go out to the field, there are the ones who were killed by the sword! If I come to the city, there are the diseases that are caused by famine. Both the prophet and the priest wander about the land, and they do not know.'”
19 難道你決意拋棄猶大,實心厭惡熙雍﹖為什麼你打擊我們,致使我們醫治無望﹖我們原是期待和平,卻不見好轉;希望醫治的時日,卻只見恐怖!
Have you completely rejected Judah? Do you hate Zion? Why will you afflict us when there is no healing for us? We hoped for peace, but there was nothing good— and for a time of healing, but see, there is only terror.
20 上主,我們承認我們的罪惡,和我們祖先的過犯;我們實在得罪了你。
We admit, Yahweh, our offenses, the iniquity of our ancestors, for we have sinned against you.
21 願你為了你的名,不要嫌棄,不要輕慢你光榮的御! 望你記憶,不要廢除你與我們訂的盟約!
Do not reject us! For the sake of your name, do not make your glorious throne a disgrace. Remember and do not break your covenant with us.
22 異民的「虛無」中,有能降雨的嗎﹖或是諸天能自施甘霖﹖難道不只是你,上主我們的天主! 我們寄望於你,因為你行了這一切事。
Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Or can the skies themselves send down showers? Are you not the one, Yahweh our God? We wait for you, for you are the one who does all these things.