< 耶利米書 14 >
This is the LORD’s word that came to Jeremiah concerning 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。
“Judah mourns, and its gates languish. They sit in black on the ground. The cry of Jerusalem goes 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 nobles send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns, and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are disappointed and confounded, and cover their heads.
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 the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land, the ploughmen are disappointed. They 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。
Yes, the doe in the field also calves and forsakes her young, because 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 heights. They pant for air like jackals. Their eyes fail, because 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。
Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name’s sake, LORD; for our rebellions are many. 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 hope of Israel, its Saviour in the time of trouble, why should you be as a foreigner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a 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 should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can’t save? Yet you, LORD, are in the middle of us, and we are called by your name. Don’t 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」。
The LORD says to this people: “Even so they have loved to wander. They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish them for their sins.”
The LORD said to me, “Don’t pray for this people for their good.
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」。
When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”
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, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets tell them, ‘You will not see the sword, neither will you have famine; but I will give you assured peace 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。
Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I didn’t send them. I didn’t command them. I didn’t speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.
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 the LORD says concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, but I didn’t send them, yet they say, ‘Sword and famine will not be in this land.’ Those prophets will be consumed 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。
The people to whom they prophesy will be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. They will have no one to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters, for I will pour 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。
“You shall say this word to them: “‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous 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 into the field, then behold, the slain with the sword! If I enter into the city, then behold, those who are sick with famine! For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.’”
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 utterly rejected Judah? Has your soul loathed Zion? Why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!
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 acknowledge, LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; 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 abhor us, for your name’s sake. Do not disgrace the throne of your glory. Remember, and don’t 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。
Are there any amongst the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the sky give showers? Aren’t you he, the LORD our God? Therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things.