耶利米書 12
1 耶和華啊，我與你爭辯的時候， 你顯為義； 但有一件，我還要與你理論： 惡人的道路為何亨通呢？ 大行詭詐的為何得安逸呢？
Lord, when I complain to you, you always show yourself to be in the right. Even so I still want to present my case to you. Why is it that wicked people do so well? Why do those who are unfaithful to you live so comfortably?
2 你栽培了他們， 他們也扎了根， 長大，而且結果。 他們的口是與你相近， 心卻與你遠離。
You planted them, and they've taken root, grown, and produced fruit. They're always talking about you but they don't think of you, even for a moment.
3 耶和華啊，你曉得我，看見我， 察驗我向你是怎樣的心。 求你將他們拉出來， 好像將宰的羊， 叫他們等候殺戮的日子。
But you know me, Lord, you see me, and examine what I think about you. Drag off these people like sheep to be slaughtered; keep them apart for the time when they're killed.
4 這地悲哀， 通國的青草枯乾，要到幾時呢？ 因其上居民的惡行， 牲畜和飛鳥都滅絕了。 他們曾說：他看不見我們的結局。
How long will the land have to mourn and the grass in every field be dried up because of the evil of the people who live there? The animals and birds have died out because the people have said, “He doesn't know what's going to happen to us.”
5 耶和華說：你若與步行的人同跑， 尚且覺累， 怎能與馬賽跑呢？ 你在平安之地，雖然安穩， 在約旦河邊的叢林要怎樣行呢？
The Lord says, Once you've become worn out in a foot race against men, how would you win racing against horses? If you trip up in open ground, how would you do in the tangled undergrowth beside the Jordan?
6 因為連你弟兄和你父家都用奸詐待你。 他們也在你後邊大聲喊叫， 雖向你說好話， 你也不要信他們。
Even your own brothers and your father's family have betrayed you; they have publicly criticized you. Don't trust them when they talk nicely to you!
7 我離了我的殿宇， 撇棄我的產業， 將我心裏所親愛的交在她仇敵的手中。
I have given up on my people; I have abandoned the nation I chose. I have handed over the ones I truly love to their enemies.
8 我的產業向我如林中的獅子， 她發聲攻擊我， 因此我恨惡她。
They've turned into a wild lion, roaring at me—that's why I hate them.
9 我的產業向我豈如斑點的鷙鳥呢？ 鷙鳥豈在她四圍攻擊她呢？ 你們要去聚集田野的百獸， 帶來吞吃吧！
My people are like a spotted bird of prey to me with other birds of prey circling to attack it. Go and bring all the wild animals to eat up the carcass.
10 許多牧人毀壞我的葡萄園， 踐踏我的分， 使我美好的分變為荒涼的曠野。
Many shepherds have come and destroyed my vineyard; they have trampled down the crops in my field. They have turned my pleasant land into an empty wasteland.
11 他們使地荒涼； 地既荒涼，便向我悲哀。 全地荒涼，因無人介意。
They have made it into a desert; it mourns before me, lying desolate. The whole country is a wasteland, but no one cares.
12 滅命的都來到曠野中一切淨光的高處； 耶和華的刀從地這邊直到地那邊盡行殺滅。 凡有血氣的都不得平安。
The destructive armies have crossed all the bare desert hills for the Lord's sword destroys from one end of the country to the other. No one has any peace.
13 他們種的是麥子， 收的是荊棘； 勞勞苦苦卻毫無益處。 因耶和華的烈怒， 你們必為自己的土產羞愧。
My people sowed wheat but harvested thorns. They wore themselves out but gained no benefit. You should be ashamed of such a poor harvest, caused by the Lord's furious anger.
14 耶和華如此說：「一切惡鄰，就是佔據我使百姓以色列所承受產業的，我要將他們拔出本地，又要將猶大家從他們中間拔出來。
This is what the Lord says: When it comes these evil nearby nations who attack the country that I gave to my people Israel, I'm going to uproot them from their land. I'm also going to uproot the people of Judah from among them.
15 我拔出他們以後，我必轉過來憐憫他們，把他們再帶回來，各歸本業，各歸故土。
However, once I have uprooted them, I will have mercy on them again, and bring each one back to their property and their land.
16 他們若殷勤學習我百姓的道，指着我的名起誓說：『我指着永生的耶和華起誓』，正如他們從前教我百姓指着巴力起誓，他們就必建立在我百姓中間。
If they will honestly learn the ways of my people and respect me, making their vows to me, just as they once taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will do well among my people.
17 他們若是不聽，我必拔出那國，拔出而且毀滅。這是耶和華說的。」
But if they refuse to obey, then I will not only uproot that nation but I will completely destroy it, declares the Lord.
