耶利米書 2
1 耶和華的話臨到我說：
And there is a word of Jehovah 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 thou hast called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said Jehovah: I have remembered for thee The kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, Thy going after Me in a wilderness, in 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。
Holy [is] Israel to Jehovah, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Evil cometh in unto them, an affirmation of Jehovah.
4 雅各家、以色列家的各族啊，你們當聽耶和華的話。
Hear a word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, And all ye 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 said Jehovah: What — have your fathers found in Me perversity, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after the vanity, and become 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？
And have not said, Where [is] Jehovah, Who bringeth us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leadeth us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land — none hath passed through it, Nor dwelt hath man there?'
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。
Yea, I bring you in to a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And ye come in and defile My land, And Mine inheritance have 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 have not said, 'Where [is] Jehovah?' And those handling the law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Baal, And after those who profit not have gone.
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 I plead with you, An affirmation of Jehovah, And with your sons' sons 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 to the isles of Chittim, and see, And to Kedar send, and consider well, And see if there hath been like 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? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people hath changed its honour For that which doth 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 astonished, ye heavens, at this, Yea, be frightened, be greatly wasted, An affirmation of Jehovah.
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 evils hath My people done, Me they have forsaken, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells — broken wells, That contain not the waters.
14 以色列是僕人嗎？ 是家中生的奴僕嗎？ 為何成為掠物呢？
A servant [is] Israel? Is he a child of the house? Wherefore hath he been for 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 roar do young lions, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burnt without inhabitant.
16 挪弗人和答比匿人也打破你的頭頂。
Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume thee — 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？
Dost thou not do this to thyself? [By] thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, At the time He is leading thee in 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？
And now, what — to thee in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And what — to thee in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the 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。
Instruct thee doth thy wickedness, And thy backslidings reprove thee, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [Is] thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, And My fear not being on thee, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah 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 from of old thou hast broken thy yoke, Drawn away thy bands, and sayest, 'I do not serve,' For, on every high height, and under every green tree, Thou art wandering — a harlot.
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？
And I planted thee a choice vine, wholly a true seed, And how hast thou been turned to Me, To the degenerate shoots of a strange 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。
But though thou dost wash with nitre, And dost multiply to thyself soap, Marked is thine iniquity before Me, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.
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 sayest thou, 'I have not been defiled, After the Baalim I have not gone?' See thy way in a valley, know what thou hast done, A swift dromedary winding her 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 accustomed to a wilderness, In the desire of her soul she hath swallowed up wind, Her meeting — who doth turn her back? None seeking her do weary themselves, In her month they 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, And thou sayest, 'It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and after them 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 put to shame have been the house of Israel, They, their kings, their heads, 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 wood, 'My father [art] thou!' And to a stone, 'Thou hast brought me forth,' For they turned unto me the back and not the face, And in the time of their vexation, They say, 'Arise Thou, 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。
And where [are] thy gods, that thou hast made to thyself? Let them arise, if they may save thee, In the time of thy vexation, For — the number of thy cities have been 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。
Why do ye strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.
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 I have smitten your sons, Instruction they have not accepted, Devoured hath your sword your prophets, As a destroying 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？
O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah: A wilderness have I been to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Wherefore have My people said, 'We mourned, We come not in again 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！
Doth a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And 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。
What — dost thou make pleasing thy ways to seek love? Therefore even the wicked thou hast 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。
Also in thy skirts hath been found the blood of innocent needy souls, Not by digging have I found them, but upon 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。
And thou sayest, 'Because I have been innocent, Surely turned back hath His anger from me?' Lo, I have been judged with thee, Because of thy saying, '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。
What? thou art very vile to repeat thy way, Even of Egypt thou art ashamed, As thou hast been ashamed of Asshur,
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。
Also from this thou goest out, And thy hands on thy head, For Jehovah hath kicked at thy confidences, And thou dost not give prosperity to them!
