Jeremiah 13
1 This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and buy yourself a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.”
上主對我這樣說：「你去買條麻帶，束在腰間，但是不要浸在水裏。」
2 So I bought a loincloth as the LORD had instructed me, and I put it around my waist.
我就照上主的話去買了根麻帶， 。
3 Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time:
上主的話第二次傳給我說：
4 “Take the loincloth that you bought and are wearing, and go at once to Perath and hide it there in a crevice of the rocks.”
「拿你買來束在腰間的帶子，起身往幼發拉的去，藏在那裏的嚴石縫裏」。
5 So I went and hid it at Perath, as the LORD had commanded me.
我照上主吩咐我的去了；將帶子藏在幼發拉的近旁。
6 Many days later the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to Perath, and get the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.”
過了多日，上主對我說：「你起身往幼發拉的去，拿回我吩咐你藏在那裏的帶子」。
7 So I went to Perath and dug up the loincloth, and I took it from the place where I had hidden it. But now it was ruined—of no use at all.
我便往幼發拉的去了，我由藏下的地方挖出那帶子；看，已經腐爛，毫無用處了。
8 Then the word of the LORD came to me:
於是有上主的話傳給我說：
9 “This is what the LORD says: In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
「上主這樣說：我也要這樣毀滅猶大的驕傲，和耶路撒冷極度的高傲。
10 These evil people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their own hearts, and who go after other gods to serve and worship them, they will be like this loincloth—of no use at all.
這個拒絕我的話，而隨從自己固執的心行事，追隨事奉，朝拜其他神祗的邪惡人民，必要如這毫無用處的帶子木樣。
11 For just as a loincloth clings to a man’s waist, so I have made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to Me, declares the LORD, so that they might be My people for My renown and praise and glory. But they did not listen.
因為正如帶子緊貼在人的腰間，同樣我也錔使以色列全 家和猶大全家緊緊依附我──上主的斷語──成為我的人民，我的名譽，我的讚美和我的光榮；但是他們卻沒有聽從。
12 Therefore you are to tell them that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Every wineskin shall be filled with wine.’ And when they reply, ‘Don’t we surely know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’
你應向他們宣佈這話：上主以色列的天主這樣說：每個壺應盛滿酒。如果他們對你說：難道我們不知道，每個壺都應盛滿酒嗎﹖
13 then you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land—the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the people of Jerusalem.
你就答覆他們說：上主這樣說：看，我要使這地上的一切居民，坐在達味寶座上的君王，以及司祭和先知並耶路撒冷的一切居民，都酩酊大醉，
14 I will smash them against one another, fathers and sons alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no mercy or pity or compassion to keep Me from destroying them.’”
使他們彼此衝突，連父子也彼此衝突──上主的斷語──我毫不憐憫、不慈悲、不留情地將他們消滅」。
15 Listen and give heed. Do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken.
你們側耳傾聽，不要傲慢，因為是上主在說話。
16 Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.
黑暗來臨以前，在你的腳還沒有在黑暗中撞在石上以前，應將光榮歸於上主的天主；不然，你們期待光明，衪反發放死影，使它變得漆黑。
17 But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
假使你們還不聽從這警告，對你的驕傲，我只有暗自痛哭，眼淚直流，因為上主的羊群已被擄去。
18 Say to the king and to the queen mother: “Take a lowly seat, for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads.”
你應對君王和太后說：「你們應坐低位，因為你們華麗的王冠已由你們頭上落下」。
19 The cities of the Negev have been shut tight, and no one can open them. All Judah has been carried into exile, wholly taken captive.
南部的城邑已被封鎖，沒有人去打開，全猶大已被擄去。
20 Lift up your eyes and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock entrusted to you, the sheep that were your pride?
請你舉目觀望那來自北方的人；昔日委託給你的羊群，那壯麗的羊群，如今在那裏﹖
21 What will you say when He sets over you close allies whom you yourself trained? Will not pangs of anguish grip you, as they do a woman in labor?
衪懲罰你，你還有什麼話說﹖是你教導了昔日的盟友來統治你，豈能不使你痛苦得像個臨產的婦女﹖
22 And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?” It is because of the magnitude of your iniquity that your skirts have been stripped off and your body has been exposed.
假使你心裏說：為什麼我遭遇了此事──是因你罪大惡極，你的衣邊才被掀起，你的腳才受到污辱。
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good— you who are accustomed to doing evil.
雇士人豈能改變牠的斑點﹖那你們這些習於作惡的人，豈能行善﹖
24 “I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind.
為此，我必使他們四散，像被曠野裏的風捲去的草芥。
25 This is your lot, the portion I have measured to you,” declares the LORD, “because you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood.
這是你的命運，是我量給你的分子──上主的斷語──因為你忘記了我，信賴了「虛無」；
26 So I will pull your skirts up over your face, that your shame may be seen.
故此我也要將你的衣邊掀到你面上，使人見到你的羞恥。
27 Your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution on the hills and in the fields— I have seen your detestable acts. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you remain unclean?”
你的姦淫，你春情的嘶鳴，你猥褻的淫亂，你在高丘上和田野間可恥的行為，我都看見了。禍哉，耶路撒冷! 你不肯自潔，要到何時﹖
