耶利米書 5
1 請你們巡行耶路撒冷的街道，觀察注意，在她的廣場上搜尋：若他們能找到一人，一個履正義，追求信實的人，我就寬恕這城。
Run ye about in the streets of Jerusalem, and see, and know, and seek in her broad places, if ye can find [one], if there is any one that does judgment, and seeks faithfulness; and I will pardon them, saith the Lord.
2 雖然他們起誓說：「上主永在! 」其實他們起的誓仍是虛誓。
The Lord lives, they say; do they not therefore swear falsely?
3 上主，你的眼睛難道不顧信實﹖你打擊了他們，他們卻毫不覺痛；你使他們挫敗，他們仍拒絕受教，使自己的面孔比火石還要頑硬，不願悔改。
O Lord, thine eyes are upon faithfulness: thou hast scourged them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them; but they would not receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; and they would not return.
4 我想：「不錯，他們原是無知的平民，不認識上主的道路和衪他們天主的法律。
Then I said, It may be they are poor; for they are weak, for they know not the way of the Lord, or the judgment of God.
5 我要去問有權勢的人，與他們談論，因為他們知道火道路和他們天主的法律。」哎! 連他們也都折斷了軛，掙斷了繩索。
I will go to the rich men, and will speak to them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of God: but, behold, with one consent they have broken the yoke, they have burst the bonds.
6 為此，獅子由叢林出來襲擊他們，曠野的豺狼出來傷害他們，豹子潛伏在他們的城旁，凡出來的人都被撕裂，因為他們罪上加罪，失節有增無已。
Therefore has a lion out of the forest smitten them, and a wolf has destroyed them even to [their] houses, and a leopard has watched against their cities: all that go forth from them shall be hunted: for they have multiplied their ungodliness, they have strengthened themselves in their revoltings.
7 如此，我怎能寬恕你﹖你的子孫離棄了我，奉「非神」發誓。我使他們飽食，他們卻去行淫，群集在妓院裏；
In what [way] shall I forgive thee for these things? Thy sons have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: and I fed them to the full, and they committed adultery, and lodged in harlots' houses.
8 他們像荒淫雄壯的牡馬，各向自己近人的妻室嘶鳴。
They became as wanton horses: they neighed each one after his neighbour's wife.
9 這些事，我怎能不懲罰﹖──上主的斷語──像這些火民族，我怎能不親自報復﹖
Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this.
10 請你們登上她的牆上頭，加以毀壞，但不要完全毀滅，該除去她的枝條，因為它們不屬於上主。
Go up upon her battlements, and break [them] down; but make not a full end: leave her buttresses: for they are the Lord's.
11 以色列和猶大家，實在對我不忠，達到極點──
For the house of Israel have indeed dealt treacherously against me, saith the Lord: the house of Juda also
12 上主的斷語。他們否認上主說：「衪不存在! 災禍不會臨到我們身上，我們也決不會見到戰爭和飢荒；
have lied to their Lord, and they have said, These things are not so; no evils shall come upon us; and we shall not see sword or famine.
13 先知們不過是一陣風，他們並沒有上主的話；他們這樣只有自作自受。」
Our prophets became wind, and the word of the Lord was not in them.
14 為此，上主萬軍火天主這樣說：「因為他們說了這話，我必使我的話在你的口中成為火，使這人民成為木柴，將他們吞滅。
Therefore thus saith the Lord Almighty, Because ye have spoken this word, behold, I have made my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 以色列家! 看，我從遠方給你們引來一個民族──上主的斷語──一個所向無敵的民族，一個支老的民族，一個你們不慬她的語言，也聽不出她說什麼的民族
Behold, I [will] bring upon you a nation from far, O house of Israel, saith the Lord; a nation the sound of whose language one shall not understand.
16 他們的箭有如張口墳墓；他們都是善戰的勇士。
[They are] all mighty men:
17 這民族必吃掉你的收穫和食糧，必吃掉你的兒子和女兒，必吃掉你的羊群和牛群，必吃掉你的葡萄和無花果，必以武力蹂躝你依恃的堅城。
and they shall devour your harvest, and your bread; and shall devour your sons, and your daughters; and they shall devour your sheep, and your calves, and devour your vineyards, and your fig-plantations, and your olive yards: and they shall utterly destroy your strong cities, wherein ye trusted, with the sword.
18 即在那些時日裏──上主的斷語──我也不對你們加以徹底的毀滅。」
And it shall come to pass in those days, saith the Lord thy God, that I will not utterly destroy you.
19 假使有人問：「為什麼上主我們的天主對我們做了這一切的事﹖」你當對他們說：「你們怎樣離棄了我，在你們國內事奉了外邦的神祗，你們也該怎樣在不屬於你們的境內事奉外邦人。」
And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore has the Lord our God done all these things to us? that thou shalt say to them, Because ye served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
20 你們你們將這事通知雅各伯家，轉告猶大說：
Proclaim these things to the house of Jacob, and let them be heard in the house of Juda.
21 「你們愚昧無知，有目不見，有耳不聞的人民，請聽聽這話：
Hear ye now these things, O foolish and senseless people; who have eyes, and see not; and have ears, and hear not:
22 你們不敬畏我嗎﹖──上主的斷語──你們在我面前不戰憟嗎﹖是我堆集了沙石作海的界限，作為它永不能越過的界限浪雖然洶湧，仍無能為力；雖怒號澎湃，仍不能越過。」
will ye not be afraid of me? saith the Lord; and will ye not fear before me, who have set the sand for a bound to the sea, [as] a perpetual ordinance, and it shall not pass it: yea, it shall rage, but not prevail; and its waves shall roar, but not pass over it.
23 但這內心頑固的心民，竟背叛而離去，
But this people has a disobedient and rebellious heart; and they have turned aside and gone back:
24 從不反心自省：「我們應該敬畏上主，我們的天主，因為衪按時降下雨露、秋霜和春雨；又給我們保持固定的收穫時節。」
and they have not said in their heart, Let us fear now the Lord our God, who gives us the early and latter rain, according to the season of the fulfillment of the ordinance of harvest, and has preserved [it] for us.
25 是你們的過犯混亂了這些時令，是罪惡阻止了你們享這幸福。
Your transgressions have turned away these things, and your sins have removed good things from you.
26 因為在我的人民中發現惡人；他們像隱伏的捕鳥者在窺探，布下羅網捕捉人。
For among my people were found ungodly men; and they have set snares to destroy men, and have caught [them].
27 猶如籠中滿了飛鳥，他們家中也充滿了欺詐，因此成了有勢力，有錢財的人。
As a snare which has been set is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore have they grown great, and become rich:
28 他們肥胖紅潤，作奸犯科，不為孤兒辯護；只求自己享受，也不關懷窮人的權利。
and they have transgressed [the rule of] judgment; they have not judged the cause of the orphan, nor have they judged the cause of the widow.
29 像這樣的事，我怎能不懲罰﹖──上主的斷語──像這樣的民族，我怎能不親自報復﹖
Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 在國內發生了一件恐怖而可憎的事：
Shocking and horrible deeds have been done on the land;
31 先知們說假預言，司祭們爭權奪利，我的人民反以此為樂；到了最後，你們究竟還要作什麼﹖
the prophets utter unrighteous prophecies, and the priests have clapped their hands: and my people has loved [to have it] thus: and what will ye do for the future.
