< Jeremiah 2 >

1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
上主的話傳給我說:
2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
「你去! 向耶路撒冷大聲疾呼說:上主這樣說:我憶起你年青時的熱情,你訂婚時的戀愛;那你在曠野裏,在未耕種的地上追隨了我。
3 Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her found themselves guilty; disaster came upon them,’” declares the LORD.
以色列成了上主的聖民,成了衪收穫的初果,凡舌食她的都要有罪,災禍必要降在他們身上──上主的斷語。
4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel.
雅各伯家和以色列家的一切家族! 你們聽上主的話,
5 This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?
上主這樣說:你們的祖先在我身上發現了什麼不義竟遠離我而去追隨「虛無」,自成為虛無呢﹖
6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
他們也不問一問:那曾引我們由埃及地上來,那經過曠野、荒原和崎嶇之地,乾旱和黑暗之地,沒人遊歷無人居住之地,引領我們的上主現在在哪裏呢﹖
7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable.
我引領你們進入了肥沃的土地,吃其中的出產和美物;但你們一進來,就玷污了我的土地,使我的產業成了可憎之物。
8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.
司祭們也不問一問:「上主在哪裏﹖」那些管理法律的,不認識我了;那些為人牧的,叛離了我;先知們也奉巴耳講預言,追隨無能的神袛。
9 Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.
為此,我要控訴你們──上主的斷語,也要控訴你們的子孫
10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:
好吧! 你們往基廷島嶼去觀察一下,派人到刻達爾去詳細調察,看看巾沒有與此相類似的事:
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
難道有一個民族更換了自己的神袛﹖──雖然他們並非真神;但是我的人民竟以自己的光榮換取了一個「無能的東西。」
12 Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,”
諸天! 你們對此應驚駭戰慄,大為驚異──上主的斷語,
13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns— broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
因為我的人民犯了雙重的罪惡:他們離棄了我這活水的泉源,卻給自己掘了蓄水池,不能蓄水的漏水池。
14 Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey?
以色列豈是 奴隸,或是家生的奴隸﹖為什麼竟成了人的掠奪物﹖
15 The young lions have roared at him; they have growled with a loud voice. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.
獅子向她咆哮,高聲吼叫:牠們使她的地域變成了荒野,使她的城市化為灰燼,無人居住。
16 The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.
連諾夫和塔黑乃斯的子民,也削去你的腦蓋。
17 Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?
你這不是自作自受嗎﹖因為上主你的天主在路上引導你的時候,你竟離棄了衪。
18 Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
現在你又為什麼路到埃及去喝尼羅河的水,跑到亞述去喝幼發拉的河水﹖
19 Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,”
是你的罪惡懲罰你,是你的不忠責斥你,那麼你應該明白覺察:離棄上主你的天主,對我沒有敬畏,是如何邪惡和痛苦的事──吾主萬軍上主的斷語。
20 “For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.
的確,從古以來,你就折斷了你的軛,掙斷了你的繩索說:我不願服從;反在一切高丘上,和一切綠樹下,偃臥行淫。
21 I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?
我種植你時,原是精選的葡萄,純粹的真種子;你是怎麼竟給我變成了壞樹,成了野葡萄﹖
22 Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,”
現在既使你用鹼洗濯,多加滷汁,你的罪污仍留在我面前──吾主上主的斷語──
23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel galloping here and there,
你怎能說:我沒有玷污我自己,我沒有追隨過巴耳﹖觀察你在谷中的行動,便知你的行動,無異一隻到處遊蕩,敏捷的母駱駝;
24 a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her.
又像一頭習慣在荒野,急欲求配,呼氣喘息的母野驢;誰能抑制牠的性慾﹖凡尋找牠的,不必費辛苦,在她春情發動的月分,就可找著。
25 You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’
留心! 不要使你的腳赤裸,不要使你的喉嚨乾渴! 但是你卻說:不會,不可能! 我既愛異邦神袛,我要跟隨他們。
26 As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets
就如小偷被人發現時,感到羞愧;以色列家:他們,他們的君王和首領,他們的司祭和先知,都要同樣蒙受羞辱。
27 say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces, yet in the time of trouble they beg, ‘Rise up and save us!’
他們對木偶說:你是我的父親;對石碣說:是你生了我。的確,他們不但向我轉過臉去,而且也以褙向著我;但是,在他們遭難的時候,卻喊說:起來,拯救我們!
28 But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah.
你自己製造的神祗在哪裏﹖在你遭難的時候,他們若能救你,就讓他們起來! 因為猶大! 你祗的數目竟等於你域邑的數目,巴耳的香壇與耶路撒冷的街道一般多。
29 Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,”
你們竟背叛了我,為什麼又向我提出抗議──上主的斷語──
30 “I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”
我打擊了你們的子孫,竟是徒然,你們沒有受到教訓;你們的刀劍如同一隻兇殘的獅子吞滅了眾先知。
31 You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to You no more’?
你們這一代人,體會上主的話吧! 難道我對以色列像一個荒野,或像一個黑暗地方﹖為什麼我的人民說:我們獲得了自由,我們不再來找你﹖
32 Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number.
一個處女豈能忘了自己的珍飾﹖一位新娘豈能忘了自己的彩帶﹖我的人民卻忘了我,時日已久長無法計算。
33 How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways.
你怎麼會如此想盡好方法去求愛﹖你也將你的方法教給了邪惡的女人;
34 Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things
連在你的衣邊上也發現無辜窮人的血漬:並不是在挖洞穴時,你捉住他們,而是在橡樹邊。
35 you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
但你還說:我是無罪的,他的憤怒已離我遠去。看! 我要審判你,因你說:我沒有犯罪。
36 How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.
為什麼這樣輕易改變你的道路﹖你必要因埃及而蒙羞,猶如曾因亞述而蒙羞一樣。
37 Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.”
你畢竟要從那裏抱頭出走,因為上主擯棄了你所仗恃的,使你不能靠他們獲得成功。

< Jeremiah 2 >