耶利米書 2
1 耶和華的話臨到我說：
And the word of Yahweh came unto 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 cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying—Thus saith Yahweh, I remember in thy behalf, the lovingkindness of thy youthful days, The love of thy bridal estate, —Thy coming out after me, Through the desert, Through a land, not sown:
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。
Holiness, was Israel unto Yahweh, The first-fruit of his increase, —All that devoured it, were held guilty, Calamity used to come upon them, —Declareth Yahweh.
4 雅各家、以色列家的各族啊，你們當聽耶和華的話。
Hear ye the word of Yahweh O house of Jacob, And all the families of the house of Israel.
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？
Thus, saith Yahweh, —What did your fathers find in me by way of perversity, that they removed far from me, —and went after vanity, and became vain?
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？
Neither said they, Where is Yahweh, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, —Who led us Through the desert, Through a land of wastes and clefts, Through a land of parched places and of death-shade, Through a land, Along which no man had passed, And in which no son of earth dwelt?
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。
Then brought I you into a country of garden land, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof, —and yet when ye entered, then defiled ye my land, and mine inheritance, ye made an abomination
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。
The priests, said not Where is Yahweh? And, they who handled the law, did not acknowledge me, And the shepherds transgressed against me, —And the prophets, prophesied by Baal, And so after things that could not profit, did they walk.
9 耶和華說：我因此必與你們爭辯， 也必與你們的子孫爭辯。
Therefore yet further will I plead with you Declareth Yahweh, Yea with your children’s children, will I plead.
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。
For—pass through the coastlands of the West and see, And unto Kedar, send ye and consider diligently, —And see—whether there hath been the like of this!
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。
Hath a nation, changed gods, although they were No-gods? Yet my people have changed my glory for that which could not profit!
12 諸天哪，要因此驚奇， 極其恐慌，甚為淒涼！ 這是耶和華說的。
Be amazed, O ye heavens, at this, —And shudder, be dried up utterly, Urgeth Yahweh.
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 two wicked things, have my people committed, —Me, have they forsaken a fountain of living water, To hew out for themselves cisterns broken cisterns, that cannot 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？
Was Israel a servant? Born in the house, was he? Wherefore hath he become a prey?
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。
Against him, have been roaring wild lions, They have uttered their voice, —and have made his land a desolation, His cities, have been burned, so as to have no inhabitant.
16 挪弗人和答比匿人也打破你的頭頂。
Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes have been crushing the crown of the head.
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？
Is not this what thou wast certain to do for thyself, —in that thou didst forsake Yahweh thy God, when he was leading thee by the 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, therefore what hast thou to do with the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? Or what hast thou to do with the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River ["Euphrates"]?
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。
Let thy wickedness correct thee And thine apostasies, rebuke thee, Know therefore and see That it is a wicked thing and a bitter, that thou shouldest have forsaken Yahweh thy God, And that the dread of me should not have pertained to thee, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh of hosts.
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。
For, in age-past time, I brake thy yoke, I tare off thy fetters, And thou saidst, I will not transgress, —Nevertheless, on every high hill, and under every green tree, wast thou lying down as an unchaste woman.
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？
Yet, I, planted thee a precious vine, a wholly true seed, —How then didst thou change thyself towards me, into the degenerate plantings of the alien 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。
For though thou wash thee with nitre, And take thee much soap, Yet is thine iniquity inscribed before me Declareth My Lord Yahweh.
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 canst thou say, I have not defiled myself, After the Baalim, have I not gone? See thy way, in the valley, Own what thou hast done, —A nimble young she-camel, crossing her own ways;
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。
A wild ass, taught of the desert, In the desire of her soul, she snuffeth the wind, In her occasion, who can turn her back? None who seek her, will weary themselves, In her month, they shall find her!
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。
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst! But thou saidst Hopeless! No! for I love foreigners and after them, will I go.
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。
As the shame of a thief when he is found, So, hath been put to shame, the house of Israel, —They, their kings their princes, and 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。
Saying, to a tree, My father, art thou! And to a stone, Thou, didst give us birth, For they have turned unto me the back and not the face, —But in the time of their calamity, they will say, Arise, 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。
Where then are thy gods which thou hast made for thyself? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy calamity, —For according to the number of thy cities, have become thy gods O Judah.
29 耶和華說： 你們為何與我爭辯呢？ 你們都違背了我。
Wherefore, should ye plead against me, All of you, have transgressed against me Declareth Yahweh.
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。
In vain, have I smitten your children, Correction, have they not accepted, —Your sword hath devoured your prophets, as a lion that destroyeth.
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？
O generation see, ye, the word of Yahweh, A desert, became I unto Israel? Or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore, have my people said, We have roved about, We will not come in any more unto thee?
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！
Can, a virgin, forget, her ornaments, —A bride, her girdle? Yet, my people, have forgotten me, days without number.
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 thou dost make winsome thy way, to seek love! Therefore, even unto wicked women, hast thou taught thy ways.
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。
Even in thy skirts, is there found, The blood of the lives of the helpless innocents, —Not in the act of breaking in, didst thou find them, yet [the blood is] on all these.
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。
Although thou saidst, Because I am innocent, surely hath his anger turned back from me, —Behold me! entering into judgment with thee, because thou sayest, I have not 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。
How vigorously, thou goest about changing thy way! Even of Egypt, shalt thou be ashamed, just as thou wast ashamed of 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。
Even from this one, shalt thou go forth, with thy hands upon thy head, —For Yahweh hath rejected those in whom thou confidest, and thou shalt not prosper with them.
