以賽亞書 43
1 雅各啊，創造你的耶和華， 以色列啊，造成你的那位， 現在如此說： 你不要害怕！因為我救贖了你。 我曾提你的名召你，你是屬我的。
But now, you people of Israel, listen to Yahweh, the one who established your nation. The one who caused you to become a nation [DOU] says this: “Do not be afraid, because I previously rescued you. I enabled you to have a personal relationship with me [MTY], and you belong to me.
2 你從水中經過，我必與你同在； 你詵過江河，水必不漫過你； 你從火中行過，必不被燒， 火焰也不着在你身上。
When you [experience dangerous situations], and [you feel like] [MET] you are crossing deep rivers, I will be with you. When you have very big troubles/difficulties, you will [LIT] be able to endure them. When [people try to kill you like they tried to kill Daniel’s three friends by] throwing them in a fire, you will not [die, just like Daniel’s three friends were not] burned up,
3 因為我是耶和華－你的上帝， 是以色列的聖者－你的救主； 我已經使埃及作你的贖價， 使古實和西巴代替你。
because I am Yahweh, your God, the Holy One of Israel, the one who rescues you. I will enable [the army of the emperor of Persia] to conquer Egypt instead of conquering you; similarly I will enable them to conquer Ethiopia, and Seba [in Arabia], in order that you can be saved.
4 因我看你為寶為尊； 又因我愛你， 所以我使人代替你， 使列邦人替換你的生命。
I will cause other countries to be conquered, instead of your country; I will trade them for you, in order that you will not be killed, because you are very precious [DOU] to me and because I love you.
5 不要害怕，因我與你同在； 我必領你的後裔從東方來， 又從西方招聚你。
Do not be afraid, because I am with you. [Some day] I will gather your descendants from the east and from the west.
6 我要對北方說，交出來！ 對南方說，不要拘留！ 將我的眾子從遠方帶來， 將我的眾女從地極領回，
I will command the [rulers of the nations to] the north and to the south, ‘Allow all the people of Israel to return [to their country], from the most distant places on the earth.
7 就是凡稱為我名下的人， 是我為自己的榮耀創造的， 是我所做成，所造作的。
Allow all those who belong to me [MTY] to return, because I have caused them to become a nation in order that they would honor me; I am the one who has done that [DOU].’
8 你要將有眼而瞎、 有耳而聾的民都帶出來！
Summon the people who have eyes but [it is as though] they are blind; summon those who have ears but [because they do not listen to me, it is as though] they are deaf.
9 任憑萬國聚集； 任憑眾民會合。 其中誰能將此聲明， 並將先前的事說給我們聽呢？ 他們可以帶出見證來，自顯為是； 或者他們聽見便說：這是真的。
Gather people of all nations together, ones from all people-groups, [and ask them this]: ‘Has any of their idols foretold the things that are happening now? And can any of them predict what will happen in the future?’ Then bring people who will testify and say ‘I heard them predict things, and what they predicted was what happened,’ [but they will be lying].”
10 耶和華說：你們是我的見證， 我所揀選的僕人。 既是這樣，便可以知道，且信服我， 又明白我就是耶和華。 在我以前沒有真神； 在我以後也必沒有。
But Yahweh says, “You people of Israel (are my witnesses/know what I have done), and you are the ones who serve me. I chose you in order that you would know me, believe in me, and understand that I am the only one who is [truly] God. There is no other [true] God. There was no other [true] God previously, and there will never be another [true] God.
11 惟有我是耶和華； 除我以外沒有救主。
I, [only] I, am Yahweh, and there is no other one who can save you.
12 我曾指示，我曾拯救，我曾說明， 並且在你們中間沒有別神。 所以耶和華說： 你們是我的見證。 我也是上帝；
I said that I would rescue [your ancestors], and then I rescued them, and I proclaimed [that I had done it]. No foreign god among you did that! And you are witnesses that only I, Yahweh, am God.
13 自從有日子以來，我就是上帝； 誰也不能救人脫離我手。 我要行事誰能阻止呢？
I am God, the one who has existed forever and who will exist forever; no one can snatch people from my hand, and no one can alter/change what I have done.”
14 耶和華－你們的救贖主、 以色列的聖者如此說： 因你們的緣故， 我已經打發人到巴比倫去； 並且我要使迦勒底人如逃民， 都坐自己喜樂的船下來。
Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, is the one who rescues you; and this is what he says: “For your sake, I will send [an army] to [attack] Babylon. They will force the people of that city to flee in ships which they have been proud of.
15 我是耶和華－你們的聖者， 是創造以色列的，是你們的君王。
I am Yahweh, your Holy One, the one who caused Israel to become a nation, and the one who is really your king.
16 耶和華在滄海中開道， 在大水中開路，
I am Yahweh, the one who opened a path through the water, making a road through the [Red] Sea.
17 使車輛、馬匹、軍兵、勇士都出來， 一同躺下，不再起來； 他們滅沒，好像熄滅的燈火。
Then I summoned the great army [of Egypt] to come with all their chariots and horses. [But when they tried to pursue my people], I caused the waves to flow over them [and they drowned]; their lives ended [like the light of a candle ends when someone] [MET] snuffs out the wick.
18 耶和華如此說： 你們不要記念從前的事， 也不要思想古時的事。
But do not think [only] about what happened in the past, long ago [DOU].
19 看哪，我要做一件新事； 如今要發現，你們豈不知道嗎？ 我必在曠野開道路， 在沙漠開江河。
Instead, consider the new thing that I am going to do. I have already started to do it; can you see it? I am going to make a road through the desert. And I will cause there to be streams in the wasteland/desert.
20 野地的走獸必尊重我； 野狗和鴕鳥也必如此。 因我使曠野有水， 使沙漠有河， 好賜給我的百姓、我的選民喝。
The jackals/wolves and owls and other wild creatures will thank me for giving them water in the desert. I will cause streams to appear in the dry desert in order that my people, the ones whom I have chosen, will have water;
21 這百姓是我為自己所造的， 好述說我的美德。
I will do that for the people whom I have created [and chosen] to belong to me, and [some day] they will cause many others to praise me.
22 雅各啊，你並沒有求告我； 以色列啊，你倒厭煩我。
But now, you descendants of Jacob, you refuse to request my help. It seems that you people of Israel have become tired of worshiping me.
23 你沒有將你的羊帶來給我作燔祭， 也沒有用祭物尊敬我； 我沒有因供物使你服勞， 也沒有因乳香使你厭煩。
You have not brought to me sheep or goats for offerings that will be completely burned [on the altar]; you have not honored me by [bringing to me any] sacrifices, even though the offerings of grain and incense [that I asked you] to bring to me were not a burden to you.
24 你沒有用銀子為我買菖蒲， 也沒有用祭物的脂油使我飽足； 倒使我因你的罪惡服勞， 使我因你的罪孽厭煩。
You have bought for me fragrant reeds, and you have brought me the fat from your sacrifices. But these have not pleased me, because you have burdened me by all the sins that you have committed, and made me weary because of all (your iniquities/the wrong things that you have done).
25 惟有我為自己的緣故塗抹你的過犯； 我也不記念你的罪惡。
I am the one who is able to forgive you for all your sins; I am the only one who can do that, with the result that I will never think about them again.
26 你要提醒我，你我可以一同辯論； 你可以將你的理陳明，自顯為義。
Tell me what I have done that you do not like. Do you think that when you state your case, you will prove that you (are innocent/have done nothing wrong) [IRO]?
27 你的始祖犯罪； 你的師傅違背我。
No, [what has happened is that] the first ancestor of you Israelis sinned [against me], and since then, all your leaders have rebelled against me.
28 所以，我要辱沒聖所的首領， 使雅各成為咒詛， 使以色列成為辱罵。
That is why I have caused your priests to be disgraced; and I have allowed others to destroy you people of Israel and caused you to be despised.”
