耶利米書 23
1 耶和華說：「那些殘害、趕散我草場之羊的牧人有禍了！」
Yahweh declares, “Terrible things will happen to [the leaders] [MET] [of my people—those who are like] shepherds of [the people who are like] my sheep—because they have scattered my people and sent them away, and have not taken care of them.
2 耶和華－以色列的上帝斥責那些牧養他百姓的牧人，如此說：「你們趕散我的羊群，並沒有看顧他們；我必討你們這行惡的罪。這是耶和華說的。
So, this is what [I, ] Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli [people worship], say to those leaders: ‘Instead of taking care of my people and [leading them to places where they are safe, like a shepherd does for] his sheep, you have scattered them. So I will punish you for the evil things that you have done.
3 我要將我羊群中所餘剩的，從我趕他們到的各國內招聚出來，領他們歸回本圈；他們也必生養眾多。
But later I will gather those who are still alive, from the countries where I have forced them to go. I will bring them back to their own country, where they will have many children, and their number/population will increase.
4 我必設立照管他們的牧人，牧養他們。他們不再懼怕，不再驚惶，也不缺少一個；這是耶和華說的。」
[Then] I will appoint [other] leaders for my people, leaders who will take care of them. And my people will never be afraid [DOU] of anything again, and none of them will be [like a] lost [sheep].’”
5 耶和華說：「日子將到，我要給大衛興起一個公義的苗裔；他必掌王權，行事有智慧，在地上施行公平和公義。
Yahweh [also] says, “Some day I will appoint for you a righteous man who will be a descendant of King David. He will be a king who rules wisely. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
6 在他的日子，猶大必得救，以色列也安然居住。他的名必稱為『耶和華－我們的義』。」
At that time, all the Israeli people [DOU] will be saved [from their enemies], and they will be safe. And his name will be ‘Yahweh, the one who vindicates/defends us.’”
7 耶和華說：「日子將到，人必不再指着那領以色列人從埃及地上來永生的耶和華起誓，
Yahweh [also] says that at that time, people [who are solemnly promising to do something] will no longer say, “[I will do it as surely] as Yahweh lives, who rescued the Israeli people from Egypt.”
8 卻要指着那領以色列家的後裔從北方和趕他們到的各國中上來、永生的耶和華起誓。他們必住在本地。」
Instead, they will say, “[I will do it] as surely as Yahweh lives, who brought [us] Israeli people back to our own land, from the land to the northeast and from all the [other] countries to which he had exiled us.” And they will live in their own land [again].
9 論到那些先知， 我心在我裏面憂傷， 我骨頭都發顫； 因耶和華和他的聖言， 我像醉酒的人， 像被酒所勝的人。
I am very shocked because of the sacred message that Yahweh has spoken about [what will happen to] the [false] prophets; [it is as though] all my bones shake. I stagger like a man who is drunk after drinking a lot of wine.
10 地滿了行淫的人！ 因妄自賭咒，地就悲哀； 曠野的草場都枯乾了。 他們所行的道乃是惡的； 他們的勇力使得不正。
The land is full of [people who commit] adultery; and [Yahweh] has cursed the land. Even the pastures in the desert are all dried up, because the people do what is evil, and [the false prophets] use their power to do things that are not just/fair.
11 連先知帶祭司都是褻瀆的， 就是在我殿中我也看見他們的惡。 這是耶和華說的。
Yahweh says, “[Yes, even] the priests and the prophets are ungodly; they do wicked things even in my temple.
12 因此，他們的道路必像黑暗中的滑地， 他們必被追趕，在這路中仆倒； 因為當追討之年， 我必使災禍臨到他們。 這是耶和華說的。
Therefore, [it will be as though] the paths that they walk on are slippery. [It will be as though] they are being chased in the darkness, and there they will fall down, because I will cause them to experience disasters at the time that I will punish them. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
13 我在撒馬利亞的先知中曾見愚妄； 他們藉巴力說預言， 使我的百姓以色列走錯了路。
[Previously] I saw that the prophets in Samaria were doing something that was wrong; they were prophesying, saying that Baal [gave them the messages that they were proclaiming], and they were deceiving my people.
14 我在耶路撒冷的先知中曾見可憎惡的事； 他們行姦淫，做事虛妄， 又堅固惡人的手， 甚至無人回頭離開他的惡。 他們在我面前都像所多瑪； 耶路撒冷的居民都像蛾摩拉。
And [now] I have seen the prophets in Jerusalem doing terrible things. They commit adultery and habitually tell lies. They encourage evil people to continue to do evil things, with the result that the people do not stop sinning. Those prophets are as wicked as the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were.
15 所以萬軍之耶和華論到先知如此說： 我必將茵蔯給他們吃， 又將苦膽水給他們喝； 因為褻瀆的事出於耶路撒冷的先知，流行遍地。
So, this is what the Commander of the armies of angels says about those [false] prophets: “I will give those prophets bitter things to eat and poison to drink, because it is because of them that this land is filled with [people who do] wicked things.”
16 萬軍之耶和華如此說：「這些先知向你們說預言，你們不要聽他們的話。他們以虛空教訓你們，所說的異象是出於自己的心，不是出於耶和華的口。
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: “Do not pay any attention to what those [false] prophets say to you, because they are just deceiving you. They tell you about visions that they have thought/created [only] in their own minds, not about visions that I have given them.
17 他們常對藐視我的人說：『耶和華說：你們必享平安』；又對一切按自己頑梗之心而行的人說：『必沒有災禍臨到你們。』」
They habitually say to those who hate me, ‘[Yahweh says that] you will have peace.’ And they say to those who stubbornly do what they want to do, ‘Nothing bad will happen to you [because of your doing those things].’
18 有誰站在耶和華的會中 得以聽見並會悟他的話呢？ 有誰留心聽他的話呢？
But none of them has ever been in a council [meeting] in heaven in order to listen to a message from me. None of them has paid attention to anything that [I], Yahweh, have said.
19 看哪！耶和華的忿怒 好像暴風，已經發出； 是暴烈的旋風， 必轉到惡人的頭上。
So, listen to this: I will punish them; it will be [like] a great storm; it will come down [like] a whirlwind, swirling around the heads of those wicked people.
20 耶和華的怒氣必不轉消， 直到他心中所擬定的成就了。 末後的日子你們要全然明白。
I will not stop being angry until I completely accomplish all that I have planned. In the future, you will understand [all of] this clearly.”
21 我沒有打發那些先知， 他們竟自奔跑； 我沒有對他們說話， 他們竟自預言。
[Yahweh also says, ] “I have not appointed those prophets, but they run [around telling people their messages]. I did not speak to them, but they [continue to] prophesy.
22 他們若是站在我的會中， 就必使我的百姓聽我的話， 又使他們回頭離開惡道和他們所行的惡。
If they had been in my council [meetings], they would have been able to speak messages from me, and they would have caused people to turn away from committing evil things.”
23 耶和華說：「我豈為近處的上帝呢？不也為遠處的上帝嗎？」
Yahweh [also] says, “Am I a God who is only nearby? No, I am a God who is far away, also.
24 耶和華說：「人豈能在隱密處藏身，使我看不見他呢？」耶和華說：「我豈不充滿天地嗎？
So, no one can hide in some secret place with the result that I cannot see him. I am everywhere, in heaven and on the earth! [That is what I], Yahweh, say!
25 我已聽見那些先知所說的，就是託我名說的假預言，他們說：『我做了夢！我做了夢！』
I have heard those prophets prophesy lies, saying that they are telling people messages from me. They say, ‘[Listen to me tell you] the dream that God gave me last night! I [really] had this dream!’
26 說假預言的先知，就是預言本心詭詐的先知，他們這樣存心要到幾時呢？
How long will they continue to do this? How long will those lying prophets continue to prophesy things that come only from their own minds?
27 他們各人將所做的夢對鄰舍述說，想要使我的百姓忘記我的名，正如他們列祖因巴力忘記我的名一樣。
They think that because of the dreams that they tell to each other, people will forget me, like their ancestors forgot about me when they started to worship Baal.
28 得夢的先知可以述說那夢；得我話的人可以誠實講說我的話。糠詷怎能與麥子比較呢？這是耶和華說的。」
Allow those [false] prophets to tell people their dreams, but those who have messages that [really] come from me should proclaim those messages faithfully. I, Yahweh, say [that like] straw and grain are certainly very different, [my messages and the messages from those false prophets are certainly very different].
29 耶和華說：「我的話豈不像火，又像能打碎磐石的大錘嗎？」
[It is as though] my messages [burn] like a fire; they [strike people’s inner beings like] someone strikes a rock with a hammer and smashes it into pieces.
30 耶和華說：「那些先知各從鄰舍偷竊我的言語，因此我必與他們反對。」
Therefore, [I, ] Yahweh say, 'I oppose all those prophets who steal messages from each other and claim that those messages came from me.
31 耶和華說：「那些先知用舌頭，說是耶和華說的；我必與他們反對。」
I oppose those prophets who speak their own messages but claim that those messages came from me.
32 耶和華說：「那些以幻夢為預言，又述說這夢，以謊言和矜誇使我百姓走錯了路的，我必與他們反對。我沒有打發他們，也沒有吩咐他們。他們與這百姓毫無益處。這是耶和華說的。」
I oppose those prophets who falsely say that I told them something in a vision, but they are [only] telling lies that cause my people to sin. I did not send those prophets. I did not even appoint them [to be prophets]. And they have no messages that will benefit my people at all.' [That is what I, ] Yahweh, declare.”
33 「無論是百姓，是先知，是祭司，問你說：『耶和華有甚麼默示呢？』你就對他們說：『甚麼默示啊？耶和華說：我要撇棄你們。』
[Yahweh said to me], “If one of those prophets or priests or one of the [other] people asks you, ‘What problem has Yahweh told you about [now]?’, you must reply, ‘You are the problem! And Yahweh says that he will abandon you!’
34 無論是先知，是祭司，是百姓，說『耶和華的默示』，我必刑罰那人和他的家。
And if any prophet or priest or anyone [else falsely] says, ‘[I have] a prophecy from Yahweh,’ I will punish that person and his family.
35 你們各人要對鄰舍，各人要對弟兄如此說：『耶和華回答甚麼？』『耶和華說了甚麼呢？』
What you should continually ask each other is, ‘[When you spoke to Yahweh, ] what did he reply? What is he saying [to us]?’
36 『耶和華的默示』你們不可再提，各人所說的話必作自己的重擔，因為你們謬用永生上帝、萬軍之耶和華－我們上帝的言語。
But stop saying ‘[I have] a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ because those who say that are doing it only because they want people to accept their ideas, and by doing that they distort/change the messages that are from our God, the Commander of the armies of angels.
37 你們要對先知如此說：『耶和華回答你甚麼？』『耶和華說了甚麼呢？』
This is what you should ask each prophet: ‘What did Yahweh reply [when you talked to him]? What is he saying [to us]?’
38 你們若說『耶和華的默示』，耶和華就如此說：『因你們說「耶和華的默示」這句話，我也打發人到你們那裏去，告訴你們不可說「耶和華的默示」。』
If he replies, ‘[What I told you] is a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ you should say to him, ‘You have continued to say, “[I received] a prophecy/message from Yahweh” even though I told you to not claim that you have received prophecies/messages from Yahweh.’
39 所以我必全然忘記你們，將你們和我所賜給你們並你們列祖的城撇棄了；
So I [, Yahweh, ] will get rid of you [false prophets]. I will expel you from my presence. And I will get rid of this city that I gave to you and to your ancestors.
40 又必使永遠的凌辱和長久的羞恥臨到你們，是不能忘記的。」
I will cause people to make fun of you forever. People will never forget that you were disgraced.”
