< 耶利米書 6 >

1 便雅憫人哪,你們要逃出耶路撒冷, 在提哥亞吹角, 在伯‧哈基琳立號旗; 因為有災禍與大毀滅從北方張望。
“You people in Jerusalem who are from [the tribe of] Benjamin, flee from this city! Blow the trumpets in Tekoa [city south of Jerusalem]! Send up a [smoke] signal in Beth-Haccherem [town] [to warn the people of the coming danger]! A powerful [army] will come from the north, and they will cause great destruction.
2 那秀美嬌嫩的錫安女子, 我必剪除。
Jerusalem is [like] a beautiful pasture [full of sheep], but it will soon be destroyed.
3 牧人必引他們的羊群到她那裏, 在她周圍支搭帳棚, 各在自己所佔之地使羊吃草。
[Enemy kings, not] shepherds [MET], will come [with their armies] and set up their tents around the city, and each [king will choose a part of the city for his soldiers to destroy like] [MET] shepherds divide their pastures for their flocks of sheep.
4 你們要準備攻擊她。 起來吧,我們可以趁午時上去。 哀哉!日已漸斜, 晚影拖長了。
[The kings will tell their troops], “Get ready for the battle. We should attack them before noontime. But [if we arrive there late in the afternoon] when the shadows are becoming long,
5 起來吧,我們夜間上去, 毀壞她的宮殿。
we will attack them at night and tear down their fortresses.”
6 因為萬軍之耶和華如此說: 你們要砍伐樹木, 築壘攻打耶路撒冷。 這就是那該罰的城, 其中盡是欺壓。
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, says this: “[I will command those soldiers to] cut down the trees [outside Jerusalem] and to build dirt ramps up to the top of the city walls [in order that they can enter the city]. This city must be punished because everyone there continually oppresses others.
7 井怎樣湧出水來, 這城也照樣湧出惡來; 在其間常聽見有強暴毀滅的事, 病患損傷也常在我面前。
[It is as though] the wicked things that the people do pour out of the city like [SIM] water flows out of a spring. [The noise from people doing] violent and destructive actions is heard everywhere. I continually see [people who are] suffering and wounded.
8 耶路撒冷啊,你當受教, 免得我心與你生疏, 免得我使你荒涼, 成為無人居住之地。
Listen to what I am warning you, [you people of] [APO] Jerusalem, because if you do not listen, I will reject you and cause your land to become desolate, a land where no one lives.”
9 萬軍之耶和華曾如此說: 敵人必擄盡以色列剩下的民, 如同摘淨葡萄一樣。 你要像摘葡萄的人摘了又摘,回手放在筐子裏。
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, also says this: “[I will tell your enemies] to cause your country to become as desolate [SIM] as a vineyard from which all the grapes have been completely stripped from the vines. [Their soldiers will seize the possessions of] those who remain in Israel [after the others have been exiled] like [SIM] farmers go to the vines again to pick any grapes [that were (left/not picked)].”
10 現在我可以向誰說話作見證,使他們聽呢? 他們的耳朵未受割禮,不能聽見。 看哪,耶和華的話他們以為羞辱, 不以為喜悅。
[Then I said, “If I speak to the Israeli people] to warn them, (who will listen to me?/No one will listen to me.) [RHQ] [It is as though] their ears are closed, [and as a result] they cannot hear [what I say]. They scorn Yahweh’s messages; they do not want to listen to them at all.
11 因此我被耶和華的忿怒充滿,難以含忍。 我要傾在街中的孩童和聚會的少年人身上, 連夫帶妻, 並年老的與日子滿足的都必被擒拿。
So [now] I am extremely angry, like Yahweh is angry, and I cannot restrain it any longer.” [So] Yahweh said [to me], “Tell everyone that you are very angry with them. Tell the children in the streets and the young men who gather together. Tell the men and their wives; tell the very old people [DOU], also.
12 他們的房屋、田地, 和妻子都必轉歸別人; 我要伸手攻擊這地的居民。 這是耶和華說的。
[Tell the men that] I will give their houses to [their enemies], and I will give their property/fields and their wives to them, also, when I punish [IDM] the people who live in this land.
13 因為他們從最小的到至大的都一味地貪婪, 從先知到祭司都行事虛謊。
Everyone is trying to get money by tricking others, from the most [important people] to the least [important people]; even the prophets and the priests are trying to deceive [people to get money].
14 他們輕輕忽忽地醫治我百姓的損傷, 說:平安了!平安了! 其實沒有平安。
[They act as though the sins of my people are like] [MET] small wounds that they do not need to put bandages on. They continually [greet people by] saying ‘I hope things are going well with you,’ when things are not going well.
15 他們行可憎的事知道慚愧嗎? 不然,他們毫不慚愧, 也不知羞恥。 因此,他們必在仆倒的人中仆倒; 我向他們討罪的時候, 他們必致跌倒。 這是耶和華說的。
They should be [RHQ] ashamed about the disgusting things that they do, but they are not ashamed at all. They do not [even] know how to (blush/show on their faces that they are ashamed). So, they also will be among those who will be killed. They will be destroyed when I punish them.”
16 耶和華如此說: 你們當站在路上察看, 訪問古道, 哪是善道,便行在其間; 這樣,你們心裏必得安息。 他們卻說:我們不行在其間。
This is [also] what Yahweh said [to the Israeli people]: “Stand at the crossroads and look [at the people who pass by]. Ask them what was the good behavior [that their ancestors had] long ago. [And when they tell you], behave that way. If you do that, you will find rest for your souls.” But you replied, ‘We do not want to do that!’
17 我設立守望的人照管你們, 說:要聽角聲。 他們卻說:我們不聽。
I sent [my prophets who were like] [MET] watchmen. They said, ‘Listen carefully when we blow the trumpets [to warn you that your enemies are approaching],’ but you said, ‘[No], we do not want to listen.’
18 列國啊,因此你們當聽! 會眾啊,要知道他們必遭遇的事。
Therefore, you people in the other nations, listen to this: Pay attention to what is going to happen to the [Israeli people].
19 地啊,當聽! 我必使災禍臨到這百姓, 就是他們意念所結的果子; 因為他們不聽從我的言語, 至於我的訓誨,他們也厭棄了。
Listen, all of you! I am going to cause the [Israeli] people to experience disasters. That is what will happen to them because they have refused to listen to what I told them. They have refused to obey my laws.
20 從示巴出的乳香, 從遠方出的菖蒲 奉來給我有何益呢? 你們的燔祭不蒙悅納; 你們的平安祭,我也不喜悅。
[You Israeli people], when you burn frankincense that came from [far away in] Sheba, and [when you offer to me] sweet-smelling anointing oil that came from far away, I will not [RHQ] be pleased with your sacrifices. I will not accept the sacrifices that are completely burned on the altar; I am not pleased with [any of] your sacrifices.
21 所以耶和華如此說: 我要將絆腳石放在這百姓前面。 父親和兒子要一同跌在其上; 鄰舍與朋友也都滅亡。
Therefore, I will put obstacles on the roads on which my people will travel. Men and their sons and people’s neighbors and friends will stumble over those obstacles and fall down; everyone will die.”
22 耶和華如此說: 看哪,有一種民從北方而來, 並有一大國被激動,從地極來到。
Yahweh [also] says this: “You will see a [huge] army marching [towards you] from the north. [An army of] a great nation very far away is preparing [to attack you].
23 他們拿弓和槍, 性情殘忍,不施憐憫; 他們的聲音像海浪匉訇。 錫安城啊, 他們騎馬都擺隊伍, 如上戰場的人要攻擊你。
They have bows [and arrows] and spears; they are [very] cruel, and do not act mercifully [to anyone]. As they ride along on their horses, the horses’ feet sound like the roaring of the ocean [waves]; they are riding in battle formation to attack you people of Jerusalem.”
24 我們聽見他們的風聲,手就發軟; 痛苦將我們抓住, 疼痛彷彿產難的婦人。
[The people of Jerusalem say], “We have heard reports about the enemy; [so] we are very frightened, with the result that we feel weak. We are very afraid, and worried, like [SIM] women who are about to give birth to babies.
25 你們不要往田野去, 也不要行在路上, 因四圍有仇敵的刀劍和驚嚇。
[So one person says to another], ‘Do not go out into the fields! Do not go on the roads, because the enemy [soldiers] have swords [and they are everywhere]; they are coming from all directions, and we are extremely afraid.’”
26 我民哪,應當腰束麻布,滾在灰中。 你要悲傷,如喪獨生子痛痛哭號, 因為滅命的要忽然臨到我們。
[So I say], “My dear people, put on (sackcloth/rough clothes) and sit in ashes [to show that you are sorry for your sins]. Mourn and cry very much, like [SIM] [a woman would cry] if her only son had died, because your enemies are very near, and they are going to destroy [everything].”
27 我使你在我民中為高臺,為保障, 使你知道試驗他們的行動。
[Then Yahweh said to me], “[Jeremiah], I have caused you to become [like] [MET] someone who heats metal very hot [to completely burn the impurities]. You will examine my people’s behavior.
28 他們都是極悖逆的, 往來讒謗人。 他們是銅是鐵, 都行壞事。
You will find out that they are very stubborn rebels, they are always slandering others. [Their inner beings] are as hard as bronze or iron; they all [continually] deceive others.
29 風箱吹火,鉛被燒毀; 他們煉而又煉,終是徒然; 因為惡劣的還未除掉。
[A metalworker causes] the bellows to blow very hard to [make the fire very hot to] completely burn up the impurities [MET]. [But just as] a fire does not cause all the waste material to run off, it is impossible to separate [the righteous people from the wicked people, and punish only] the wicked people.
30 人必稱他們為被棄的銀渣, 因為耶和華已經棄掉他們。
[I], Yahweh, have rejected them; I say that they are [like] [MET] worthless silver.”

< 耶利米書 6 >