耶利米書 2
1 上主的話傳給我說：
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2 「你去! 向耶路撒冷大聲疾呼說：上主這樣說：我憶起你年青時的熱情，你訂婚時的戀愛；那你在曠野裏，在未耕種的地上追隨了我。
Go and say in the ears of Jerusalem, The Lord says, I still keep the memory of your kind heart when you were young, and your love when you became my bride; how you went after me in the waste of sand, in an unplanted land.
3 以色列成了上主的聖民，成了衪收穫的初果，凡舌食她的都要有罪，災禍必要降在他們身上──上主的斷語。
Israel was holy to the Lord, the first-fruits of his increase: all who made attacks on him were judged as wrongdoers, evil came on them, says the Lord.
4 雅各伯家和以色列家的一切家族! 你們聽上主的話，
Give ear to the words of the Lord, O sons of Jacob and all the families of Israel:
5 上主這樣說：你們的祖先在我身上發現了什麼不義竟遠離我而去追隨「虛無」，自成為虛無呢﹖
These are the words of the Lord: What evil have your fathers seen in me that they have gone far from me, and, walking after what is false, have become false?
6 他們也不問一問：那曾引我們由埃及地上來，那經過曠野、荒原和崎嶇之地，乾旱和黑暗之地，沒人遊歷無人居住之地，引領我們的上主現在在哪裏呢﹖
And they never said, Where is the Lord, who took us up out of the land of Egypt; who was our guide through the waste of sand, through an unplanted land full of deep holes, through a dry land of deep shade, which no one went through and where no man was living?
7 我引領你們進入了肥沃的土地，吃其中的出產和美物；但你們一進來，就玷污了我的土地，使我的產業成了可憎之物。
And I took you into a fertile land, where you were living on its fruit and its wealth; but when you came in, you made my land unclean, and made my heritage a disgusting thing.
8 司祭們也不問一問：「上主在哪裏﹖」那些管理法律的，不認識我了；那些為人牧的，叛離了我；先知們也奉巴耳講預言，追隨無能的神袛。
The priests did not say, Where is the Lord? and those who were expert in the law had no knowledge of me: and the rulers did evil against me, and the prophets became prophets of the Baal, going after things without value.
9 為此，我要控訴你們──上主的斷語，也要控訴你們的子孫
For this reason, I will again put forward my cause against you, says the Lord, even against you and against your children's children.
10 好吧! 你們往基廷島嶼去觀察一下，派人到刻達爾去詳細調察，看看巾沒有與此相類似的事：
For go over to the sea-lands of Kittim and see; send to Kedar and give deep thought to it; and see if there has ever been such a thing.
11 難道有一個民族更換了自己的神袛﹖──雖然他們並非真神；但是我的人民竟以自己的光榮換取了一個「無能的東西。」
Has any nation ever made a change in their gods, though they are no gods? but my people have given up their glory in exchange for what is of no profit.
12 諸天! 你們對此應驚駭戰慄，大為驚異──上主的斷語，
Be full of wonder, O heavens, at this; be overcome with fear, be completely waste, says the Lord.
13 因為我的人民犯了雙重的罪惡：他們離棄了我這活水的泉源，卻給自己掘了蓄水池，不能蓄水的漏水池。
For my people have done two evils; they have given up me, the fountain of living waters, and have made for themselves water-holes, cut out from the rock, broken water-holes, of no use for storing water.
14 以色列豈是 奴隸，或是家生的奴隸﹖為什麼竟成了人的掠奪物﹖
Is Israel a servant? has he been a house-servant from birth? why has he been made waste?
15 獅子向她咆哮，高聲吼叫：牠們使她的地域變成了荒野，使她的城市化為灰燼，無人居住。
The young lions have made an outcry against him with a loud voice: they have made his land waste; his towns are burned up, with no one living in them.
16 連諾夫和塔黑乃斯的子民，也削去你的腦蓋。
Even the children of Noph and Tahpanhes have put shame on you.
17 你這不是自作自受嗎﹖因為上主你的天主在路上引導你的時候，你竟離棄了衪。
Has not this come on you because you have given up the Lord your God, who was your guide by the way?
18 現在你又為什麼路到埃及去喝尼羅河的水，跑到亞述去喝幼發拉的河水﹖
And now, what have you to do on the way to Egypt, to get your drink from the waters of the Nile? or what have you to do on the way to Assyria, to get your drink from the waters of the River?
19 是你的罪惡懲罰你，是你的不忠責斥你，那麼你應該明白覺察：離棄上主你的天主，對我沒有敬畏，是如何邪惡和痛苦的事──吾主萬軍上主的斷語。
The evil you yourselves have done will be your punishment, your errors will be your judge: be certain then, and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing to give up the Lord your God, and no longer to be moved by fear of me, says the Lord, the Lord of armies.
20 的確，從古以來，你就折斷了你的軛，掙斷了你的繩索說：我不願服從；反在一切高丘上，和一切綠樹下，偃臥行淫。
For in the past, your yoke was broken by your hands and your cords parted; and you said, I will not be your servant; for on every high hill and under every branching tree, your behaviour was like that of a loose woman
21 我種植你時，原是精選的葡萄，純粹的真種子；你是怎麼竟給我變成了壞樹，成了野葡萄﹖
But when you were planted by me, you were a noble vine, in every way a true seed: how then have you been changed into the branching plant of a strange vine?
22 現在既使你用鹼洗濯，多加滷汁，你的罪污仍留在我面前──吾主上主的斷語──
For even if you are washed with soda and take much soap, still your evil-doing is marked before me, says the Lord God.
23 你怎能說：我沒有玷污我自己，我沒有追隨過巴耳﹖觀察你在谷中的行動，便知你的行動，無異一隻到處遊蕩，敏捷的母駱駝；
How are you able to say, I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals? see your way in the valley, be clear about what you have done: you are a quick-footed camel twisting her way in and out;
24 又像一頭習慣在荒野，急欲求配，呼氣喘息的母野驢；誰能抑制牠的性慾﹖凡尋找牠的，不必費辛苦，在她春情發動的月分，就可找著。
An untrained ass, used to the waste land, breathing up the wind in her desire; at her time, who is able to send her away? all those who are looking for her will have no need to make themselves tired; in her month they will get her.
25 留心! 不要使你的腳赤裸，不要使你的喉嚨乾渴! 但是你卻說：不會，不可能! 我既愛異邦神袛，我要跟隨他們。
Do not let your foot be without shoes, or your throat dry from need of water: but you said, There is no hope: no, for I have been a lover of strange gods, and after them I will go.
26 就如小偷被人發現時，感到羞愧；以色列家：他們，他們的君王和首領，他們的司祭和先知，都要同樣蒙受羞辱。
As the thief is shamed when he is taken, so is Israel shamed; they, their kings and their rulers, their priests and their prophets;
27 他們對木偶說：你是我的父親；對石碣說：是你生了我。的確，他們不但向我轉過臉去，而且也以褙向著我；但是，在他們遭難的時候，卻喊說：起來，拯救我們!
Who say to a tree, You are my father; and to a stone, You have given me life: for their backs have been turned to me, not their faces: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Up! and be our saviour.
28 你自己製造的神祗在哪裏﹖在你遭難的時候，他們若能救你，就讓他們起來! 因為猶大! 你祗的數目竟等於你域邑的數目，巴耳的香壇與耶路撒冷的街道一般多。
But where are the gods you have made for yourselves? let them come, if they are able to give you salvation in the time of your trouble: for the number of your gods is as the number of your towns, O Judah.
29 你們竟背叛了我，為什麼又向我提出抗議──上主的斷語──
Why will you put forward your cause against me? You have all done evil against me, says the Lord.
30 我打擊了你們的子孫，竟是徒然，你們沒有受到教訓；你們的刀劍如同一隻兇殘的獅子吞滅了眾先知。
I gave your children blows to no purpose; they got no good from training: your sword has been the destruction of your prophets, like a death-giving lion.
31 你們這一代人，體會上主的話吧! 難道我對以色列像一個荒野，或像一個黑暗地方﹖為什麼我的人民說：我們獲得了自由，我們不再來找你﹖
O generation, see the word of the Lord. Have I been a waste land to Israel? or a land of dark night? why do my people say, We have got loose, we will not come to you again?
32 一個處女豈能忘了自己的珍飾﹖一位新娘豈能忘了自己的彩帶﹖我的人民卻忘了我，時日已久長無法計算。
Is it possible for a virgin to put out of her memory her ornaments, or a bride her robes? but my people have put me out of their memories for unnumbered days.
33 你怎麼會如此想盡好方法去求愛﹖你也將你的方法教給了邪惡的女人；
With what care are your ways ordered when you are looking for love! so ... your ways.
34 連在你的衣邊上也發現無辜窮人的血漬：並不是在挖洞穴時，你捉住他們，而是在橡樹邊。
And in the skirts of your robe may be seen the life-blood of those who have done no wrong: ...
35 但你還說：我是無罪的，他的憤怒已離我遠去。看! 我要審判你，因你說：我沒有犯罪。
And still you said, I have done no wrong; truly, his wrath is turned away from me. See, I will take up the cause against you, because you say, I have done no wrong.
36 為什麼這樣輕易改變你的道路﹖你必要因埃及而蒙羞，猶如曾因亞述而蒙羞一樣。
Why do you go about so much for the purpose of changing your way? you will be shamed on account of Egypt, as you were shamed on account of Assyria.
37 你畢竟要從那裏抱頭出走，因為上主擯棄了你所仗恃的，使你不能靠他們獲得成功。
Truly, you will go out from him with your hands on your head: for the Lord has given up those in whom you have put your faith, and they will be of no help to you.
