阿摩司書 5
1 以色列家啊，要聽我為你們所作的哀歌：
Listen, people of Israel, to this funeral lament that I sing about you!
2 以色列民跌倒，不得再起； 躺在地上，無人攙扶。
Virgin Israel has fallen, and will never rise again! She lies abandoned on the ground, and there is no one to help her up.
3 主耶和華如此說： 以色列家的城發出一千兵的，只剩一百； 發出一百的，只剩十個。
This is what the Lord says: From a city that sends out a thousand soldiers, only a hundred will return; from a city that sends out a hundred soldiers, only ten will return.
4 耶和華向以色列家如此說： 你們要尋求我，就必存活。
This is what the Lord says to the people of Israel: Look to me so you may live!
5 不要往伯特利尋求， 不要進入吉甲， 不要過到別是巴； 因為吉甲必被擄掠， 伯特利也必歸於無有。
Do not look to the false gods of Bethel, do not go to the pagan shrines of Gilgal or travel to those of Beersheba. For Gilgal will go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.
6 要尋求耶和華，就必存活， 免得他在約瑟家像火發出， 在伯特利焚燒，無人撲滅。
Look to the Lord so you may live! Otherwise he will explode like fire against the descendants of Joseph and no one from Bethel will be able to quench it.
7 你們這使公平變為茵蔯、 將公義丟棄於地的，
You twist justice and make it bitter, you throw integrity to the ground.
8 要尋求那造昴星和參星， 使死蔭變為晨光， 使白日變為黑夜， 命海水來澆在地上的－ 耶和華是他的名；
The One who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns the darkness into morning, and daytime into night, who calls for the water of the seas, and pours it down as rain upon the earth—the Lord is his name!
9 他使力強的忽遭滅亡， 以致保障遭遇毀壞。
In a flash he cuts down the strong and destroys the fortresses.
10 你們怨恨那在城門口責備人的， 憎惡那說正直話的。
You hate anyone who confronts injustice and loathe anyone who speaks honestly.
11 你們踐踏貧民， 向他們勒索麥子； 你們用鑿過的石頭建造房屋， 卻不得住在其內； 栽種美好的葡萄園， 卻不得喝所出的酒。
Because you trample down the poor and impose a tax on their grain, building for yourselves impressive houses, you will not live in them, and you will not drink wine from the fine vineyards you have planted.
12 我知道你們的罪過何等多， 你們的罪惡何等大。 你們苦待義人，收受賄賂，在城門口屈枉窮乏人。
For I know the extent of your wrongdoing and your numerous sins. You oppress good people by taking bribes, and you prevent the poor from getting justice in the courts.
13 所以通達人見這樣的時勢必靜默不言， 因為時勢真惡。
So smart people keep quiet in such evil times.
14 你們要求善， 不要求惡，就必存活。 這樣，耶和華－萬軍之上帝 必照你們所說的與你們同在。
Do what is right, and not evil, so you may live. Then the Lord God of power will be with you, as you claim he is.
15 要惡惡好善， 在城門口秉公行義； 或者耶和華－萬軍之上帝向約瑟的餘民施恩。
Hate evil and love good—and make sure justice wins out in your courts. Maybe the Lord God of power will have mercy on those who are left of Jacob's people.
16 主耶和華－萬軍之上帝如此說： 在一切寬闊處必有哀號的聲音； 在各街市上必有人說： 哀哉！哀哉！ 又必叫農夫來哭號， 叫善唱哀歌的來舉哀。
For this is what the Lord, the Lord God of power says: There will be weeping in the city squares and wailing in the streets. They will call even the farmers to grieve, as well as the professional mourners.
17 在各葡萄園必有哀號的聲音， 因為我必從你中間經過。 這是耶和華說的。
There will be wailing in every vineyard, for I will pass through the midst of you, says the Lord.
18 想望耶和華日子來到的有禍了！ 你們為何想望耶和華的日子呢？ 那日黑暗沒有光明，
How disastrous it will be for those of you who long for the day of the Lord. Why would you want the day of the Lord to come? It will bring darkness, not light.
19 景況好像人躲避獅子又遇見熊， 或是進房屋以手靠牆，就被蛇咬。
It will be like a man running away from a lion only to meet a bear; or a man who goes home and leans his hand on a wall, only to be bitten by a snake.
20 耶和華的日子不是黑暗沒有光明嗎？ 不是幽暗毫無光輝嗎？
Isn't the day of the Lord darkness without light? Yes, pitch dark without a glimmer of light.
21 我厭惡你們的節期， 也不喜悅你們的嚴肅會。
I hate, I despise your festivals and take no delight in your religious assemblies.
22 你們雖然向我獻燔祭和素祭， 我卻不悅納， 也不顧你們用肥畜獻的平安祭；
Even though you present me with burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. As for your peace offerings of fattened cattle—I will not even look at them.
23 要使你們歌唱的聲音遠離我， 因為我不聽你們彈琴的響聲。
Stop your noisy worship songs. I will not listen to the melody of your harps.
24 惟願公平如大水滾滾， 使公義如江河滔滔。
Rather let justice flow like a river, and doing right like an ever-flowing stream.
25 「以色列家啊，你們在曠野四十年，豈是將祭物和供物獻給我呢？
Did you bring me sacrifices during those forty years in the desert, people of Israel?
26 你們抬着為自己所造之摩洛的帳幕和偶像的龕，並你們的神星。
But now you carry idols of Sakkuth your king and Kaiwan your star god that you made for yourselves.
27 所以我要把你們擄到大馬士革以外。」這是耶和華－名為萬軍之上帝說的。
So I will send you into exile in a land beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is the God of power.
