耶利米書 8
1 到那時──上主的斸語──人必從墳墓中拖出猶大君王的遺骸，司祭的遺骸，先知的遺骸，和耶路撒冷居民的遺骸，
At that time, Declareth Yahweh, Shall they bring forth, The bones of the kings of Judah, and The bones of his princes, and The bones of the priests, and The bones of the prophets, and The bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Out of their graves,
2 陳列在他們曾愛戀、事奉、追隨、求問和朝拜過的太陽、月亮和天上群星，前再沒有人收殮埋葬，任其留在地面充作肥料。
And shall spread them out—To the sun, and To the moon, and To all the host of the heavens, Whom they have loved, And whom they have served, And after whom they have walked, And whom they have sought, And to whom they have bowed themselves down, —They shall not be gathered, Neither shall they be buried, As heaps of dung on the face of the ground, shall they be.
3 這可惡種族剩下的全體遺民，在我驅逐他們所到的任何地，方都願意死，而不願意生──萬軍上主斷語。
Then shall, death, be chosen rather than life, by all the remnant of them that remain, of this wicked family, —in all the places, whither I have driven them, Declareth Yahweh of hosts.
4 你應對他們說：上主這樣說：人跌倒了，豈能不再起來﹖人離去了，豈能不再回來﹖
Therefore shalt thou say unto them—Thus, saith Yahweh, Will men fall and not arise? Will one turn away, and not come back?
5 為什麼這人民一墮落，便永久墮落，執迷不悟而不肯反悔呢﹖
Wherefore hath this people of Jerusalem apostatized with an enduring apostacy, —Taken fast hold of deceit, Refused to come back?
6 我留心細聽，他們都言談不軌，沒有一個人悔恨自己的邪惡說：「可憐! 我做是什麼事﹖」反倒各自一再任性奔馳，有如衝入戰場的戰馬。
I hearkened and heard—Not aright, did they speak, —Not a man, repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done! They have every one, turned to their course again, Like a horse sweeping on through the battle.
7 天空的鸛鳥也知道自己的時令；斑鳩、燕子和雁，都固守自己的歸期；但是我的人民卻不知道上主法令。
Even the stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times, And the turtle and the swallow and the crane, observe the season for coming; But my people know not the just sentence of Yahweh.
8 你怎麼能說：我們是智者，我們有上主的法律﹖的確，但已為書記們以荒謬的筆鋒把乇編成了謊言。
How can ye say, Wise, are, we, And the law of Yahweh, is with us? But indeed lo! falsely, hath dealt the false pen of the scribes!
9 智慧人必要蒙羞驚慌，而至被捕；的確，他們即拋棄了上主話，還能有什麼智慧﹖
Ashamed are the wise, dismayed and captured! Lo! the word of Yahweh, have they rejected, And, what wisdom, have, they?
10 為此，我必將他們的妻室交給外人，將他們的莊田交與別的地主，因為從最小的到最大的，都貪財圖利；從先知到司祭，都欺詐行事，
Therefore, will I give—Their wives to others, Their fields to such as shall take possession of them, For from the least, even unto the greatest, Every one, is, wholly given to extortion: From the prophet even unto the priest, Every one, dealeth, falsely.
11 草率治愈我的瘡痍說：「好了! 好了! 」其實卻沒有好。
And so they have healed the grievous wound of the daughter of my people, slightly, —Saying, Peace! peace! when there was no peace!
12 他們既行事可憎，就理當知恥；可是，他們不但不知恥，反而連羞愧也不知是什麼；為此，他們要與倒斃者倒斃，在我降罰他們時，都要一厥不振──上主說。
Were they led to turn pale because an abominable thing, they had done? Nay! they did not, at all turn pale Nay! they did not so much as know how to exhibit shame! Therefore, shall they fall among them who are falling, In the time when they are punished, shall they be overthrown, Saith Yahweh:
13 我要徹底消滅他們──上主的斷語──葡萄樹上沒有葡萄，無花果樹上沒有無花果，樹葉都已凋零；我要派人來蹂躝。
I will, surely remove, them, declareth Yahweh: There shall be no grapes on the vine Nor figs on the fig-tree, Even the leaf, hath faded, Though I have given them these things, they shall pass away from them.
14 為什麼我們還坐著﹖集合起來吧! 讓我們進入堅城，死在那裏，因為上主我們的天主要消滅我們，我們喝苦膽，因為我們得罪了上主。
Why are, we, sitting still? Gather yourselves together and let us enter the defenced cities And let us be silent there, —For, Yahweh our God, hath put us to silence And made us drink poisoned water, Because we have sinned against Yahweh.
15 我們原期待和平，卻不見好轉；原期待復興的時機，反而只見恐怖!
A waiting For prosperity, but no welfare, —For a time of healing, but lo! terror.
16 從丹就可聽到敵人戰馬的喘息聲，戰馬嘶鳴，聲震全地；前來併吞土地和地上的一切，吞食城邑和城中的居民。
From Dan, was heard the snorting of his horses At the sound of the neighing of his chargers, the whole land trembled, —Yea they came in and did sat up The land and the fulness thereof, The city, and them who were dwelling therein.
17 看，我必給你們派來不伯符咒的毒蛇，咬傷你們──上主的斷語──
For behold me! sending among you serpents—vipers which there is no charming, —And they shall fatally bite you declareth Yahweh.
18 無法療愈。我戚戚憂傷，我心已憔悴。
When I would have cheered myself against sorrow, Against me, mine own heart sickened: —
19 由遠方傳來我女兒──人民──哀號的呼聲：「上主已不在熙雍﹖或者衪君王已不在那裏嗎﹖──為什麼他們以自己的偶像和外邦的「虛無」激怒我﹖──
Lo! the voice of the cry for help of the daughter of my people from a land far away, Is, Yahweh, not in Zion? Is, her King, not within her? Why, have they provoked me with their carved images, with their foreign vanities?
20 收割期已經過去，夏天已經完結，我們仍沒有獲救! 」
The harvest is passed, The fruit-gathering, is ended; And we are not saved!
21 我的女兒──人民──的創傷使我心痛欲裂，鬱鬱不安，不勝感傷。
For the grievous injury of the daughter of my people, I am grievously injured, —I am enshrouded in gloom, Horror, hath seized me: —
22 難道在基肋阿得沒有膏藥，或在那裏沒有醫生嗎﹖究竟為了什麼，我的女兒──人民──的創傷還沒有痊愈﹖
Balsam, is there none, in Gilead? Is there no physician, there? Why hath not appeared the healing of the daughter of my people?
