< 以賽亞書 13 >
[I], Isaiah, the son of Amoz, received [from Yahweh] this message about Babylon [city]:
2 應當在淨光的山豎立大旗, 向群眾揚聲招手, 使他們進入貴冑的門。
Lift up a flag on the bare [top of a] hill, to signal [that an army should come to attack Babylon]. Shout to them and wave your hand [to signal to them] that they should march through the city gates into the palaces of the proud [rulers of Babylon]!
3 我吩咐我所挑出來的人; 我招呼我的勇士- 就是那矜誇高傲之輩, 為要成就我怒中所定的。
[Yahweh says], “I have commanded those soldiers to do that; I have summoned the warriors whom I have chosen to punish [the people of Babylon] because of my being very angry with them, and those soldiers will be very proud [when they do that].”
4 山間有多人的聲音, 好像是大國人民。 有許多國的民聚集鬨嚷的聲音; 這是萬軍之耶和華點齊軍隊,預備打仗。
Listen to the noise on the mountains, which is the noise of a huge army marching! It is the noise made by people of many people-groups shouting. The Commander of the armies of angels has summoned this army to gather together.
5 他們從遠方來, 從天邊來, 就是耶和華並他惱恨的兵器 要毀滅這全地。
They come from countries that are far away, from the most remote places [IDM] on the earth. They are [like] [SIM] weapons that Yahweh will use [to punish the people with whom] he is very angry, and to destroy the entire country [of Babylonia].
6 你們要哀號, 因為耶和華的日子臨近了! 這日來到, 好像毀滅從全能者來到。
[You people of Babylon] will scream because you will be terrified, because it will be the time that Yahweh [has determined/chosen], the time for the all-powerful [God] to destroy [your city].
All of your people will be very afraid [DOU], with the result that they will be unable even to lift their arms.
8 他們必驚惶悲痛; 愁苦必將他們抓住。 他們疼痛,好像產難的婦人一樣, 彼此驚奇相看,臉如火焰。
All of you will be terrified. You will have [PRS] severe pains like [SIM] a woman has when she is giving birth to a baby. You will look at each other helplessly, and it will show on your faces that you feel horror.
9 耶和華的日子臨到, 必有殘忍、忿恨、烈怒, 使這地荒涼, 從其中除滅罪人。
Listen to this: The day that Yahweh has appointed/chosen is near, the day that he will furiously and fiercely [punish you] because he is very angry [with you]. He will cause your land [of Babylonia] to be desolate/barren, and he will destroy [all] the sinners in it.
10 天上的眾星群宿都不發光; 日頭一出就變黑暗; 月亮也不放光。
[When that happens], none of the stars will shine. When the sun rises, it will be dark, and there will be no light from the moon [at night].
11 我必因邪惡刑罰世界, 因罪孽刑罰惡人, 使驕傲人的狂妄止息, 制伏強暴人的狂傲。
[Yahweh says], “I will punish [everyone in] the world for the evil things that they do; I will punish the wicked people for the sins that they have committed. I will stop arrogant/proud people from being proud, and I will stop ruthless people from acting cruelly.
[And because I will cause most people to die], people will be harder to find than gold, harder to find than fine gold from Ophir [in Arabia].
13 我-萬軍之耶和華在忿恨中發烈怒的日子, 必使天震動, 使地搖撼,離其本位。
I will shake the sky, and the earth will [also] move out of its place. That will happen when [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, punish [wicked people], when [I show them that] I am extremely angry [with them].
14 人必像被追趕的鹿, 像無人收聚的羊, 各歸回本族, 各逃到本土。
And all [the foreigners in Babylon will run around] like [SIM] deer that are being hunted, like sheep that do not have a shepherd. They will try to find other people from their countries, and [then] they will escape [from Babylon] and return to their own countries.
15 凡被仇敵追上的必被刺死; 凡被捉住的必被刀殺。
Anyone who is captured [in Babylon] will be killed by [their enemies’] swords [DOU].
16 他們的嬰孩必在他們眼前摔碎; 他們的房屋必被搶奪; 他們的妻子必被玷污。
Their little children will be dashed to pieces on the rocks while [their parents] watch; [their enemies] will steal everything valuable from their houses and will rape their wives.
17 我必激動米底亞人來攻擊他們。 米底亞人不注重銀子, 也不喜愛金子。
Look! I am going to incite the people of Media to attack Babylon. The [army of Media] will attack Babylon, even if they are offered [DOU] silver or gold [if they promise to not attack it].
18 他們必用弓擊碎少年人, 不憐憫婦人所生的, 眼也不顧惜孩子。
[With] their arrows, the [soldiers of Media] will shoot the young men [of Babylon]; they will not [even] act mercifully [DOU] toward infants or children!”
19 巴比倫素來為列國的榮耀, 為迦勒底人所矜誇的華美, 必像上帝所傾覆的所多瑪、蛾摩拉一樣。
Babylon has been a very beautiful [MTY] city; [all] the people of Babylonia have been very proud of Babylon, [their capital city]; [but] God will destroy Babylon, like [SIM] he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 其內必永無人煙, 世世代代無人居住。 阿拉伯人也不在那裏支搭帳棚; 牧羊的人也不使羊群臥在那裏。
No one will ever live in Babylon again. It will be deserted forever. (Nomads/People who travel from place to place to live) will refuse to set up their tents there; shepherds will not bring their flocks of sheep to rest there.
21 只有曠野的走獸臥在那裏; 咆哮的獸滿了房屋。 鴕鳥住在那裏; 野山羊在那裏跳舞。
Instead, animals that live in the desert will be there; jackals/wolves will live in [the ruins of] the houses. Owls (OR, Ostriches) will live in [the ruins], and wild goats will romp/jump around [there].
22 豺狼必在它宮中呼號; 野狗必在它華美殿內吼叫。 巴比倫受罰的時候臨近; 它的日子必不長久。
Hyenas will howl in the [ruined] towers, and jackals/wolves will make their dens in [the ruins of] the palaces that [were previously] very beautiful. The time when [Babylon will be destroyed] is very near; Babylon will not exist much longer.