耶利米書 4
1 耶和華說：以色列啊， 你若回來歸向我， 若從我眼前除掉你可憎的偶像， 你就不被遷移。
Israel, if you want to come back, then come back to me, declares the Lord. If you get rid of these disgusting idols I see, and don't wander away,
2 你必憑誠實、公平、公義， 指着永生的耶和華起誓； 列國必因耶和華稱自己為有福， 也必因他誇耀。
and if when you make your vows, you do so only to me, sincerely, truly, and honestly, then the nations will be blessed by me, and they will praise me.
3 耶和華對猶大和耶路撒冷人如此說： 要開墾你們的荒地， 不要撒種在荊棘中。
This is what the Lord is saying to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: Plow your unplowed ground, and don't sow among the thorns.
4 猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民哪， 你們當自行割禮，歸耶和華， 將心裏的污穢除掉； 恐怕我的忿怒因你們的惡行發作， 如火着起， 甚至無人能以熄滅！
Dedicate yourselves to the Lord; be totally committed to him, people of Judah and Jerusalem. Otherwise, my anger will blaze like fire, burning so hard that no one can put it out because of the evil you've done.
5 你們當傳揚在猶大， 宣告在耶路撒冷說： 你們當在國中吹角，高聲呼叫說： 你們當聚集！ 我們好進入堅固城！
Announce this warning throughout Judah and Jerusalem! Tell them: Blow the trumpet everywhere in the country! Shout out, “Hurry! Let's run to the fortified towns for protection!”
6 應當向錫安豎立大旗。 要逃避，不要遲延， 因我必使災禍與大毀滅從北方來到。
Raise the danger flag; go to Zion! Find somewhere safe! Don't hesitate! I'm bringing enemies from the north who will cause terrible destruction.
7 有獅子從密林中上來， 是毀壞列國的。 牠已經動身出離本處， 要使你的地荒涼， 使你的城邑變為荒場無人居住。
A lion has left his hiding place; a destroyer of nations has started out. He has left his den to come and turn your country into a wasteland. Your towns will be demolished, and no one will live there.
8 因此，你們當腰束麻布，大聲哀號， 因為耶和華的烈怒沒有向我們轉消。
Wear clothes made of sackcloth, weep and wail, crying out, “The Lord's furious anger against us hasn't stopped.”
9 耶和華說：「到那時，君王和首領的心都要消滅；祭司都要驚奇，先知都要詫異。」
When that happens declares the Lord, the king and officials will lose heart, the priests will be devastated, and the prophets will be shocked.
10 我說：「哀哉！主耶和華啊，你真是大大地欺哄這百姓和耶路撒冷，說：『你們必得平安。』其實刀劍害及性命了。」
Then I said, “Oh, Lord God, you have completely fooled the people of Jerusalem by telling them, ‘You will have peace,’ while holding a sword to our throats.”
11 那時，必有話對這百姓和耶路撒冷說：「有一陣熱風從曠野淨光的高處向我的眾民颳來，不是為簸揚，也不是為揚淨。
At that time the people of Jerusalem will be told, “A burning wind from the bare hills of the desert is blowing toward the Jerusalem, but not to blow away the chaff or the dust.
12 必有一陣更大的風從這些地方為我颳來；現在我又必發出判語，攻擊他們。」
No, this wind is too strong for that, and it comes from me. Now I'm also going to tell them how I will punish them.”
13 看哪，仇敵必如雲上來； 他的戰車如旋風， 他的馬匹比鷹更快。 我們有禍了！ 我們敗落了！
Look, he's rushing in like stormclouds; his chariots are like a whirlwind. His horses fly faster than eagles. “What a disaster! We're ruined!”
14 耶路撒冷啊，你當洗去心中的惡， 使你可以得救。 惡念存在你心裏要到幾時呢？
Clean the evil from your heart, Jerusalem, so that you can be saved. How long will you hold onto your evil thoughts?
15 有聲音從但傳揚， 從以法蓮山報禍患。
News is shouted out from Dan, announcing disaster from the hills of Ephraim.
16 你們當傳給列國， 報告攻擊耶路撒冷的事說： 有探望的人從遠方來到， 向猶大的城邑大聲吶喊。
“Let the nations know! Look what's happening! Announce this to Jerusalem: An army is coming to besiege you from a distant country; shouting war-cries against the towns of Judah.
17 他們周圍攻擊耶路撒冷， 好像看守田園的， 因為她背叛了我。 這是耶和華說的。
They encircle her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against me, declares the Lord.
18 你的行動，你的作為，招惹這事； 這是你罪惡的結果， 實在是苦， 是害及你心了！
You've brought this on yourself by your own attitudes and actions. This is your punishment, and it's so painful, it's like being stabbed in the heart!”
19 我的肺腑啊，我的肺腑啊，我心疼痛！ 我心在我裏面煩躁不安。 我不能靜默不言， 因為我已經聽見角聲和打仗的喊聲。
“I'm in agony, absolute agony! My heart is breaking! It's beating wildly in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I can't keep quiet because I've heard the trumpet, the signal for battle.
20 毀壞的信息連絡不絕， 因為全地荒廢。 我的帳棚忽然毀壞； 我的幔子頃刻破裂。
News of one disaster after another comes flooding in, for the whole country is in ruins. My own home is destroyed in a moment, and everything inside.
21 我看見大旗，聽見角聲， 要到幾時呢？
How long do I have to see the flags of war and hear the trumpets of battle?”
22 耶和華說：我的百姓愚頑，不認識我； 他們是愚昧無知的兒女， 有智慧行惡，沒有知識行善。
“My people are stupid; they don't know me. They are foolish children who just don't understand. They're experts at doing evil, but they don't know how to do good.”
23 先知說：我觀看地， 不料，地是空虛混沌； 我觀看天，天也無光。
I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; I looked to the heavens, and its light was gone.
24 我觀看大山，不料，盡都震動， 小山也都搖來搖去。
I looked at the mountains, and saw that they were shaking; all the hills were swaying to and fro.
25 我觀看，不料，無人； 空中的飛鳥也都躲避。
I looked, and nobody was left; all the birds had flown away.
26 我觀看，不料，肥田變為荒地； 一切城邑在耶和華面前， 因他的烈怒都被拆毀。
I looked, and the productive fields were a desert. All the towns were demolished because of the Lord's furious anger.
27 耶和華如此說：全地必然荒涼， 我卻不毀滅淨盡。
This is what the Lord says: “The whole country will be devastated, but I won't do so completely.
28 因此，地要悲哀， 在上的天也必黑暗； 因為我言已出，我意已定， 必不後悔，也不轉意不做。
The earth will mourn and the heavens above will go dark. I have spoken; this is what I have ordered. I'm not going to stop or change my mind.”
29 各城的人因馬兵和弓箭手的響聲就都逃跑， 進入密林，爬上磐石； 各城被撇下， 無人住在其中。
People from every town: run away when they hear the enemy horsemen and archers coming. They hide in the forest and among the rocks. All the towns are abandoned; no one lives in them.
30 你淒涼的時候要怎樣行呢？ 你雖穿上朱紅衣服， 佩戴黃金裝飾， 用顏料修飾眼目， 這樣標緻是枉然的！ 戀愛你的藐視你， 並且尋索你的性命。
You, Jerusalem, now desolate, what are you going to do? Even though you dress in scarlet clothes, and put on gold jewelry, and paint your eyes with make-up, all your dressing-up is pointless! Your lovers hate you; they want to kill you!
31 我聽見有聲音，彷彿婦人產難的聲音， 好像生頭胎疼痛的聲音， 是錫安女子的聲音； 她喘着氣、挓挲手， 說：我有禍了！ 在殺人的跟前，我的心發昏了。
I hear the cries like a woman in labor, the agonizing moans of a woman giving birth to her first child. These are the cries of the Daughter of Zion gasping for air, holding out her hands, saying, “Please help me, I'm being murdered!”
