< 瑪拉基書 2 >
And now, this commandment is for you, O ye priests.
2 如果你們不聽從,不把光榮我名的事放在心上──萬軍的上主說──我必使詛咒臨到你們身上,使你們的祝福變為詛咒。我已詛咒了,因為中誰也沒有把這事放在心上。
If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts: I will even send out against you a curse, and I will curse your blessings; yea, I will curse the same, because ye do not lay it to heart.
3 看,我必要砍斷你們的手臂,把糞污,即你們祭牲的糞污,撒在你們的臉上,使你們滿面慚愧。
Behold, I will destroy unto you the seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your festive offerings; and one shall take you away with it.
4 這樣你們便知道,我為你們提出了這警告,是為保存我與肋未所訂立的盟約,──萬軍的上主說。
And ye shall thereby know that I have sent out unto you this commandment, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
5 我與他訂立的盟約,是有關生命及平安的盟,所以我賜給了他生命和平安;同時又是敬畏的盟約,所以他敬畏我,對我的名有所尊敬;
My covenant was with him life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and because of my name he had dread.
6 在他口中有真實教訓,在他脣舌上從不見謊言;他心懷虔誠和正直與我來往,使多人遠離了罪惡。
The law of truth was in his mouth, and falsehood was not found on his lips: in peace and equity he walked with me, and many did he turn away from iniquity.
7 的確,司祭的脣應保衛智識,人也應該從他的口中得到教訓,因為他是萬軍上主的使者。
For the priest's lips are ever to keep knowledge, and the law are they to seek from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
8 但是你們卻離棄正道,使許多人在法律上跌倒;你們破壞了我和肋未所立的盟約──萬軍的上主說。
But ye are indeed departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of the Levite, saith the Lord of hosts.
9 為,此我也使你們受全體人民的輕視,因為你們沒有遵行我的道,在施教訓上觀情顧面。
Therefore have I also made you contemptible and low before all the people, in the same measure as ye do not keep my ways, but act with partiality in the law.
10 我們是共有一個父親嗎﹖不是一個天主造生了我們嗎﹖為什麼我們彼此欺騙褻瀆我們祖先的盟約﹖
Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? [then] why shall we deal treacherously every man against his brother, to profane the covenant of our fathers?
11 猶大不守信義,在以色列和耶路撒冷行了醜惡的事,因為猶大褻瀆了上主所愛的聖所,娶了供奉邦神祗的女子。
Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination hath been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the sanctuary of the Lord which he loveth, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
12 惟願上主將行這事的人,連証證的人和監誓人,從雅各伯的會幕中剷除,由向萬軍的上主奉獻祭物的集會中剷除。
The Lord will cut off unto the man that doth this, son and grandson, out of the tents of Jacob, and him that bringeth near an offering unto the Lord of hosts.
13 其次,你們還行了這件事:你們向上主的祭壇灑盡了眼淚,哭泣呻吟,
And this do ye secondly, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with loud complaint, so that he turneth not any more his regard to the offerings, nor receiveth it with favor at your hand.
14 你們還問:「這是為什麼﹖」是因為上主是你與你青年時所娶的妻子之間的証人。她雖是你的伴侶,是你結盟的髮妻,你道對她不守信義。
Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast indeed dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
15 上主不是造了他們成為一體,一個肉身,一個性命嗎﹖為什麼要結為一體﹖是為求得天主的子女;所以應關心你們的性命,對你青年結髮的妻子不要背信。
And not one doth so who hath a remnant of a [good] spirit; for what desireth such a one? he seeketh [to possess] a godly posterity: therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none of you deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
16 上主以色列的天主說:我憎恨休妻,休妻使人在自己的衣服上沾滿了不義,萬軍的上主聲明說。所以你們當關心你們的性命,不要不守信莪。
For he hateth putting away [the wife], so hath said the Lord the God of Israel, and him who covereth his garment with violence, so hath said the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, and deal not treacherously.
17 你們的言談使上主生厭,你們還問:「我們在什麼事上使衪生厭﹖」即在你們說:「凡作惡的,在天主眼裏都是善的,而且衪還喜悅他們,」或說:「公義的天主在哪裏﹖」的時候。
Ye have wearied the Lord with your words: yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? By your saying, Every one that doth evil is good in the eyes of the Lord, and in them he findeth delight; or else, Where is the God of justice!