阿摩司書 7
1 主耶和華指示我一件事：為王割菜之後，菜又發生；剛發生的時候，主造蝗蟲。
This is what the Lord God showed me. I saw that he was preparing a swarm of locusts just when the spring crops began to grow. (Spring crops begin to grow right after the time when the king's hay is cut.)
2 蝗蟲吃盡那地的青物，我就說：「主耶和華啊，求你赦免；因為雅各微弱，他怎能站立得住呢？」
And so when the locusts finished eating every green plant in the fields, I pleaded with the Lord God, “Please forgive your people! How can the descendants of Jacob survive? They are so weak.”
3 耶和華就後悔說：「這災可以免了。」
So the Lord changed his mind. “It won't happen,” said the Lord.
4 主耶和華又指示我一件事：他命火來懲罰以色列，火就吞滅深淵，險些將地燒滅。
This is what the Lord God showed me. I saw that the Lord God was calling for a judgment of fire. The fire burned up the depths of the sea and destroyed the farmland.
5 我就說：「主耶和華啊，求你止息；因為雅各微弱，他怎能站立得住呢？」
I pleaded with the Lord God, “Please stop! How can the descendants of Jacob survive? They are so weak.”
6 耶和華就後悔說：「這災也可免了。」
So the Lord changed his mind. “This too won't happen,” said the Lord.
7 他又指示我一件事：有一道牆是按準繩建築的，主手拿準繩站在其上。
This is what he showed me. I saw the Lord was standing beside a wall that had been built with a plumb line. He was holding a plumb line in his hand.
8 耶和華對我說：「阿摩司啊，你看見甚麼？」我說：「看見準繩。」主說：「我要吊起準繩在我民以色列中，我必不再寬恕他們。
And the Lord asked me, “Amos, what do you see?” I replied, “A plumb line.” And the Lord God said, “I am placing a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I won't ignore their sins anymore.
9 以撒的邱壇必然淒涼；以色列的聖所必然荒廢。我必興起，用刀攻擊耶羅波安的家。」
The high places of the descendents of Isaac will be torn down, and the holy places of Israel will be destroyed. Sword in hand, I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam.”
10 伯特利的祭司亞瑪謝打發人到以色列王耶羅波安那裏，說：「阿摩司在以色列家中圖謀背叛你；他所說的一切話，這國擔當不起；
Then Amaziah, priest of Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, king of Israel, saying, “Amos is plotting against you among the people of Israel. What he's saying is unbearable!
11 因為阿摩司如此說：『耶羅波安必被刀殺；以色列民定被擄去離開本地。』」
For he's saying Jeroboam will be killed by the sword, and the people will be taken away from their land into exile.”
12 亞瑪謝又對阿摩司說：「你這先見哪，要逃往猶大地去，在那裏糊口，在那裏說預言，
Amaziah said to Amos, “Go away prophet! Run away to the land of Judah. Go and prophesy there to earn your bread.
13 卻不要在伯特利再說預言；因為這裏有王的聖所，有王的宮殿。」
But don't ever prophesy again at Bethel, for this is where the king worships, the national Temple.”
14 阿摩司對亞瑪謝說：「我原不是先知，也不是先知的門徒。我是牧人，又是修理桑樹的。
But Amos replied, “I'm not a trained prophet, or the son of a prophet. I was just a shepherd, and also took care of fig trees.
15 耶和華選召我，使我不跟從羊群，對我說：『你去向我民以色列說預言。』
The Lord took me from following my flock, and the Lord told me, ‘Go, and give my message to my people of Israel.’”
16 亞瑪謝啊，現在你要聽耶和華的話。你說：『不要向以色列說預言，也不要向以撒家滴下預言。』
So now hear what the Lord is telling you: You say, “Don't prophesy against Israel, and don't preach against the descendants of Isaac.”
17 所以耶和華如此說：『你的妻子必在城中作妓女；你的兒女必倒在刀下。你的地必有人用繩子量了分取；你自己必死在污穢之地。以色列民定被擄去離開本地。』」
But this is what the Lord says: Your wife will become a prostitute in the city; your sons and daughters will be killed by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a foreign land. The people of Israel will definitely be taken from the land and go into exile.
