< Jeremiah 23 >
1 Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah.
禍哉,那把我牧場上的羊群摧殘和趕散的牧人──上主的斷語──
2 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith Jehovah.
為此上主,以色列的天主,對牧放我民的牧人這樣說:「你們驅散趕走了我的羊群,不加照顧;現在,看,我必依照你們的惡行來懲罰你們──上主的斷語──
3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
我要從我以前驅散牠們所到的各地,集合我尚存的羊,引導牠們再回自己的羊棧,叫牠們滋生繁殖;
4 And I will set up shepherds over them, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, saith Jehovah.
我要興起牧者來牧放牠們,使牠們無恐無懼,再也不會失掉一個──上主的斷語。
5 Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
看,時日將到──上主的斷語──我必給達味興起一支正義的苗芽,叫他執政為王,斷事明智,在地上執行公道正義。
6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness.
在他的日子裏,猶大必獲救,以色列必居享安寧;人將稱他為:「上主是我們的正義。」
7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that they shall no more say, As Jehovah liveth, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
為此,看,時日將到──上主的斷語──人不再以『那領以色列子民由埃及地上來的上主,永在』的話起誓,
8 but, As Jehovah liveth, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries whither I had driven them. And they shall dwell in their own land.
卻要以『那領以色列家的後裔,由北方,由他驅逐他們所到的各地回來,使他們再住在自己故鄉的上主,永在』的話起誓。
9 Concerning the prophets. My heart within me is broken, all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of Jehovah, and because of his holy words.
論到先知:我的心在我懷內已破碎,我渾身骨骸戰慄;為了上主,為了他的聖言,我好像成了一個醉漢,成了一個不勝酒力的人,
10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. And their course is evil, and their might is not right;
因為地上充滿了犯奸的人,為此,地受詛咒,只有哀傷,原野草場已枯乾;他們奔走的是邪路,他們的勢力是不義。
11 for both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith Jehovah.
實在,先知和司祭都不虔誠,以至連在我的殿裏,也發現了他們的邪惡──上主的斷語──
12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah.
因此,他們的道路為他們必將變為滑道,他們必被驅入黑暗,必要跌倒;因為到了降罰他們的年分,我必給他們招來災禍──上主的斷語──
13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
在撒瑪黎雅的先知中,我亦發現了可惡的事:他們竟奉巴耳的名義說預言,使我的以色列民誤入歧途。
14 In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
在耶路撒冷的先知中,我更發現了極可惡的事:他們竟犯姦淫,行動虛偽,助長惡人的勢力,致使誰也不痛悔自己的邪惡;他們對我猶如索多瑪,其中的居民好像哈摩辣人。
15 Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land.
為此,萬軍的上主論先知這樣說:看啊! 我必叫他們吃苦艾,喝毒水,因為全地邪惡蔓延,都是出於耶路撒冷的先知。
16 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah.
萬軍的上主這樣說:不要聽向你們說預言的先知的話;他們只使你們妄想,他們講的,並非出自上主的口,而只是他們心中的幻想。
17 They say continually unto them that despise me, Jehovah hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon you.
他們對那輕視我的人肯定:「上主說:你們必享平安。」對一切隨從自己頑固的心行事的人說:「災禍不會來到你們身上。」
18 For who hath stood in the council of Jehovah, that he should perceive and hear his word? who hath marked my word, and heard it?
其實,有誰參加過上主的會議,親自聽見過他的話﹖有誰曾留意聽他的話,而實在聽到了﹖
19 Behold, the tempest of Jehovah, [even his] wrath, is gone forth, yea, a whirling tempest: it shall burst upon the head of the wicked.
看,上主的憤怒,如暴風發作,像旋風在惡人的頭上旋轉。
20 The anger of Jehovah shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it perfectly.
上主的烈怒必不止息,直到他執行和完成了他心裏的計劃;到末日你自必能徹底明瞭。
21 I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied.
我並沒有派遣這些先知,他自卻自動奔走;我並沒有對他們說話,他們卻擅說預言。
22 But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
假使他們果真參加過我的會議,就該使我的人民聽到我的話,叫他們離棄自己邪道,和自己邪惡的行為。
23 Am I a God at hand, saith Jehovah, and not a God afar off?
難道對近處的,我是天主──上主的斷語──對遠處的,我就不是天主了嗎﹖
24 Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him? saith Jehovah. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith Jehovah.
人若隱藏在暗處,我就看不見了嗎﹖──上主的斷語──
25 I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
我聽見了這些先知說的,他們奉我名預言虛妄說:我做了一夢,我做了一夢!
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart?
先知在民間妄說預言,宣講自己心中的幻想,要到幾時呢﹖
27 that think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgat my name for Baal.
他們互相傳述自己的夢幻,企圖使我的人民忘記我的名,如同他們的祖先為了巴耳而忘記了我的名一樣。
28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? saith Jehovah.
得了夢的先知,讓他傳夢;得了我的話的,就該忠實傳述我的話;麥稈怎能與麥粒相比﹖──上主的斷語──
29 Is not my word like fire? saith Jehovah; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
我的話豈不是像火﹖──上主的斷語──豈不是像擊碎巖石的鐵鎚﹖
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith Jehovah, that steal my words every one from his neighbor.
為此,看──上主的斷語──我要懲罰互相竊取我話的先知。
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith Jehovah, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
看──上主的斷語──我要懲罰那些轉動自己的舌頭,妄說「神諭」的先知。
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy lying dreams, saith Jehovah, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I sent them not, nor commanded them; neither do they profit this people at all, saith Jehovah.
看──上主的斷語──我要懲罰那些預言和傳述幻夢,以自己的謊妄語迷惑我人民的先知;我既沒有派遣他們,也沒有對他們有所吩咐,他們對這人民就決不能有任何貢獻──上主的斷語。
33 And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of Jehovah? then shalt thou say unto them, What burden! I will cast you off, saith Jehovah.
若是這人民,先知或司祭問你什麼是「上主的重擔﹖」你就答應他們說:你們就是重擔,我要將你們拋棄──上主的斷語──
34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of Jehovah, I will even punish that man and his house.
凡是問「上主的重擔」的先知、司祭或人民,我必懲罰這人和他的家。
35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, What hath Jehovah answered? and, What hath Jehovah spoken?
你們應每人對自己的鄰人和兄弟這樣說:「上主有了什麼答覆﹖」或「上主說了什麼﹖」
36 And the burden of Jehovah shall ye mention no more: for every man’s own word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of Jehovah of hosts our God.
不應再提「上主的重擔;」不然,各人的話必要成為自己的重擔,因為你們歪曲了永生的天主,萬軍的上主,和我們的天主的話。
37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath Jehovah answered thee? and, What hath Jehovah spoken?
你應這樣問先知說:「上主對你有了什麼答覆﹖」或「上主說了什麼﹖」
38 But if ye say, The burden of Jehovah; therefore thus saith Jehovah: Because ye say this word, The burden of Jehovah, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of Jehovah;
如果你們還說:「上主的重擔。」上主就要這樣說:就因你們還說「上主的重擔」這句話──我原派人對你們說:不要再說「上主的重擔」──
39 therefore, behold, I will utterly forget you, and I will cast you off, and the city that I gave unto you and to your fathers, away from my presence:
為此,看,我要把你們卸下,把你們和我賜與你及你們祖先的城市,由我面前遠遠拋棄,
40 and I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.
使你們永遠受辱,受永遠不能忘的污辱。