耶利米書 2
1 耶和華的話臨到我說：
The Lord's message came to me, saying,
2 「你去向耶路撒冷人的耳中喊叫說，耶和華如此說： 你幼年的恩愛， 婚姻的愛情， 你怎樣在曠野， 在未曾耕種之地跟隨我， 我都記得。
Go and announce to the people of Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: I remember when you were young how devoted to me you were. I remember how you loved me when you were my bride. I remember how you followed me in the desert, in a land where nothing is grown.
3 那時以色列歸耶和華為聖， 作為土產初熟的果子； 凡吞吃它的必算為有罪， 災禍必臨到他們。 這是耶和華說的。
Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest. Anyone who ate this harvest was guilty of sin, and they experienced the disastrous results, declares the Lord.
4 雅各家、以色列家的各族啊，你們當聽耶和華的話。
Listen to the Lord's message, descendants of Jacob, all you Israelites.
5 耶和華如此說： 你們的列祖見我有甚麼不義， 竟遠離我，隨從虛無的神， 自己成為虛妄的呢？
This is what the Lord says: What did your forefathers think was wrong with me that they went so far away from me? They went off to worship useless idols, and as a result became useless themselves!
6 他們也不說： 那領我們從埃及地上來， 引導我們經過曠野， 沙漠有深坑之地， 和乾旱死蔭、無人經過、 無人居住之地的耶和華在哪裏呢？
They didn't ask themselves, “Where is the Lord who led us from Egypt, who led us through the wasteland, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and darkness, a land that no one travels through and where no one lives?”
7 我領你們進入肥美之地， 使你們得吃其中的果子和美物； 但你們進入的時候就玷污我的地， 使我的產業成為可憎的。
I led you into a productive land to eat all the good things that grow there. But you came and made my land unclean, making it offensive to me.
8 祭司都不說，耶和華在哪裏呢？ 傳講律法的都不認識我。 官長違背我； 先知藉巴力說預言， 隨從無益的神。
Your priests did not ask, “Where is the Lord?” Your teachers of the law no longer believed in me, and your leaders rebelled against me. Your prophets prophesied by calling on Baal and followed worthless idols.
9 耶和華說：我因此必與你們爭辯， 也必與你們的子孫爭辯。
So I'm going to confront you again, declares the Lord, and I will bring charges against your children's children.
10 你們且過到基提海島去察看， 打發人往基達去留心查考， 看曾有這樣的事沒有。
Travel over to the islands of Cyprus and take a look; go to the land of Kedar and examine carefully to see if anything like this has ever happened before.
11 豈有一國換了他的神嗎？ 其實這不是神！ 但我的百姓將他們的榮耀換了那無益的神。
Has a nation ever changed its gods? —even though they're not gods at all! Yet my people have traded their glorious God for worthless idols.
12 諸天哪，要因此驚奇， 極其恐慌，甚為淒涼！ 這是耶和華說的。
You heavens, you should be appalled, shocked and horrified! declares the Lord.
13 因為我的百姓做了兩件惡事， 就是離棄我這活水的泉源， 為自己鑿出池子， 是破裂不能存水的池子。
For my people have done two evil things. They have abandoned me, the source of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that can't hold water.
14 以色列是僕人嗎？ 是家中生的奴僕嗎？ 為何成為掠物呢？
Are Israelites slaves? Were they born into slavery? So why have they become victims?
15 少壯獅子向他咆哮，大聲吼叫， 使他的地荒涼； 城邑也都焚燒，無人居住。
The young lions roared at you; they growled loudly. They have devastated your country; your towns lie in ruins. No one lives there.
16 挪弗人和答比匿人也打破你的頭頂。
The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved your heads.
17 這事臨到你身上，不是你自招的嗎？ 不是因耶和華－你上帝引你行路的時候， 你離棄他嗎？
Didn't you bring this on yourself by abandoning the Lord your God when he was leading you in the right way?
18 現今你為何在埃及路上要喝西曷的水呢？ 你為何在亞述路上要喝大河的水呢？
Now what will you benefit as you travel back to Egypt to drink the waters of Shihor River? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates River?
19 你自己的惡必懲治你； 你背道的事必責備你。 由此可知可見，你離棄耶和華－你的上帝， 不存敬畏我的心， 乃為惡事，為苦事。 這是主－萬軍之耶和華說的。
Your own wickedness will discipline you; your own disobedience will teach you a lesson. Think about it and you'll recognize what a bitter evil it is for you to abandon the Lord your God and not to respect me, declares the Lord God Almighty.
20 我在古時折斷你的軛，解開你的繩索。 你說：我必不事奉耶和華； 因為你在各高岡上、各青翠樹下屈身行淫。
You broke off your yoke and ripped off your chains long ago. “I won't worship you!” you declared. On the contrary, you lay down like a prostitute on every high hill and under every green tree.
21 然而，我栽你是上等的葡萄樹， 全然是真種子； 你怎麼向我變為外邦葡萄樹的壞枝子呢？
I was the one who planted you like the finest vine, grown from the very best seed. How could you degenerate into a useless wild vine?
22 你雖用鹼、多用肥皂洗濯， 你罪孽的痕跡仍然在我面前顯出。 這是主耶和華說的。
Even bleach and plenty of soap can't get rid of your guilty stains. I still see them, declares the Lord God.
23 你怎能說： 我沒有玷污、沒有隨從眾巴力？ 你看你谷中的路，就知道你所行的如何。 你是快行的獨峰駝，狂奔亂走。
How dare you say, “I'm not unclean! I haven't gone to worship the Baals!” Look at what you've been doing down in the valley. Admit what you've done! You're a young female camel, racing around everywhere.
24 你是野驢，慣在曠野， 慾心發動就吸風； 起性的時候誰能使牠轉去呢？ 凡尋找牠的必不致疲乏； 在牠的月份必能尋見。
You're a female donkey living in the desert, sniffing the wind for a mate because she's in heat. No one can control her at mating time. All those who're looking for her won't have trouble finding her when she's in heat.
25 我說：你不要使腳上無鞋， 喉嚨乾渴。 你倒說：這是枉然。 我喜愛別神，我必隨從他們。
You don't have to run around barefoot or have your throat go dry. But you reply, “No, it's impossible! I'm in love with foreign gods—I must go to them.”
26 賊被捉拿，怎樣羞愧， 以色列家和他們的君王、首領、 祭司、先知也都照樣羞愧。
In the same way that a thief feels guilty when they're caught, so the people of Israel have been shamed. All of them—their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets.
27 他們向木頭說：你是我的父； 向石頭說：你是生我的。 他們以背向我， 不以面向我； 及至遭遇患難的時候卻說： 起來拯救我們。
They say to an idol made of wood, “You are my father,” and one made of stone, “You gave birth to me.” They turn their backs on me, and hide their faces from me. But when they're in trouble they come begging to me, saying, “Please come and save us!”
28 你為自己做的神在哪裏呢？ 你遭遇患難的時候， 叫他們起來拯救你吧！ 猶大啊，你神的數目與你城的數目相等。
So where are these “gods” of yours that you made for yourselves? Let them come and help you when you're in trouble! Let them save you if they can, because you Israelites have as many gods as you have towns.
29 耶和華說： 你們為何與我爭辯呢？ 你們都違背了我。
Why are you complaining to me? It's all of you who have all rebelled against me! declares the Lord.
30 我責打你們的兒女是徒然的， 他們不受懲治。 你們自己的刀吞滅你們的先知， 好像殘害的獅子。
It was pointless of me to punish your children because they refused to accept any discipline. You used your own swords to kill your prophets, destroying them like a ferocious lion.
31 這世代的人哪， 你們要看明耶和華的話。 我豈向以色列作曠野呢？ 或作幽暗之地呢？ 我的百姓為何說： 我們脫離約束，再不歸向你了？
You people of today, think about what the Lord is saying: Israel, have I treated you like an empty desert, or a land of thick darkness? Why are my people saying, “We can go where we like! We don't have to come and worship you any more”?
32 處女豈能忘記她的妝飾呢？ 新婦豈能忘記她的美衣呢？ 我的百姓卻忘記了我無數的日子！
Does a girl forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding dress? Yet my people have forgotten me for too many years to count.
33 你怎麼修飾你的道路要求愛情呢？ 就是惡劣的婦人你也叫她們行你的路。
How cleverly you look for your lovers! Even prostitutes could learn something from you!
34 並且你的衣襟上有無辜窮人的血； 你殺他們並不是遇見他們挖窟窿， 乃是因這一切的事。
On top of that, your clothes are stained with the blood of the poor and the innocent. It's not like you killed them breaking into your homes. Despite all this,
35 你還說：我無辜； 耶和華的怒氣必定向我消了。 看哪，我必審問你； 因你自說：我沒有犯罪。
you go on saying, “I'm innocent! Surely he can't still be upset with me!” Watch out! I'm going to punish you because you go on saying, “I haven't sinned.”
36 你為何東跑西奔要更換你的路呢？ 你必因埃及蒙羞， 像從前因亞述蒙羞一樣。
You're just so fickle—you keep on changing your mind! You will end up just as disappointed by your alliance with Egypt as you were with Assyria.
37 你也必兩手抱頭從埃及出來； 因為耶和華已經棄絕你所倚靠的， 你必不因他們得順利。
In fact you will go into exile with your hands on your head as prisoners, because the Lord will have nothing to do with those you trust; they will be no help to you.
