Jeremiah 12
1 You are in the right, O Lord, when I put my cause before you: still let me take up with you the question of your decisions: why does the evil-doer do well? why are the workers of deceit living in comfort?
上主，幾時我與你爭論，總是你有理；但我仍願與你討論正義：「為什麼惡人的生活總是順利，一般詭詐極惡的人總享安寧﹖
2 They have been planted by you, they have taken root; they go on and give fruit: you are near in their mouths but far from their thoughts.
你栽植了他們，他們就生長根滋長，結出果實；他們的口離你近，他們的心卻離你遠。
3 But you, O Lord, have knowledge of me; you see me, searching and testing how my heart is with you: let them be pulled out like sheep to be put to death, make them ready for the day of death.
至於你，上主，你是認識我的，你考察了我對你的心意；求你把他們像待宰的羔羊一樣拉出來，留待宰殺的一天。
4 How long will the land have grief, and the plants of all the land be dry? because of the sins of the people living in it, destruction has overtaken the beasts and the birds; because they said, God does not see our ways.
[這地要哀傷，整個田野的草木要枯萎到幾時﹖由於居民的邪惡，野獸和飛鳥都被消滅。] 因為他們說：「天主不管我們的作為。」
5 If running with the fighting-men has made you tired, how will you be able to keep up with horses? and if in a land of peace you go in flight, what will become of you in the thick growth of Jordan?
「你與人徒步競走，尚覺疲乏，你怎麼能與馬角逐﹖在平安的地區尚覺不安，在約旦河的叢林區，你更將何如﹖
6 For even your brothers, your father's family, even they have been untrue to you, crying loudly after you: have no faith in them, though they say fair words to you.
連你的兄弟和你的父族對你都無誠意，在你後面厲聲喊叫；即便他們對說好話，你也不要相信。」
7 I have given up my house, I have let my heritage go; I have given the loved one of my soul into the hands of her haters.
「 離開了我的家，拋棄了我的產業，將我最心愛的人交在敵人的手中。
8 My heritage has become like a lion in the woodland to me; her voice has been loud against me; so I have hate for her.
我的產業對我竟好像是森林中的獅子，向我咆哮，為我憎恨他它。
9 My heritage is like a brightly coloured bird to me; the cruel birds are attacking her on every side: go, get together all the beasts of the field, make them come for destruction.
我的產業對我竟成了一隻帶斑點的鷙鳥，以致鷙鳥圍著向它襲擊。你們去田黟的一切野獸，叫它們來吞噬。
10 The keepers of sheep have been the destruction of my vine-garden, crushing my heritage under their feet; they have made my fair heritage an unplanted waste;
許多牧童毀壞了我的葡萄園，蹂躝了我的產業，使我喜愛的產業變為荒蕪的曠野。
11 They have made it waste; it is weeping to me, being wasted; all the land is made waste, because no man takes it to heart.
他們使它荒涼，荒涼得在我面前哀傷；全地荒涼，因為沒有一人關心。
12 Those who make waste have come on all the open hilltops in the waste land; for the sword of the Lord sends destruction from one end of the land to the other end of the land: no flesh has peace.
破壞者已來到曠野的一切高崗上，因為上主的刀劍正在砍伐，從地極到地極，凡有血肉的，都不得安寧。
13 Though good grain was planted, they have got in thorns: they have given themselves pain without profit: they will be shamed on account of their produce, because of the burning wrath of the Lord.
他們播種了麥子，卻收割了荊棘；雖筋疲力竭，卻沒有利益；由於上主的憤怒，都因自己的收穫而害羞。
14 This is what the Lord has said against all my evil neighbours, who put their hands on the heritage which I gave my people Israel: See, I will have them uprooted from their land, uprooting the people of Judah from among them.
上主這樣說：關於那些險惡的鄰邦．即侵犯我給予我民以色列佔有的產業的鄰邦，看，我要由他們的地上將他們拔除，也要由他們中拔除猶大家。
15 And it will come about that, after they have been uprooted, I will again have pity on them; and I will take them back, every man to his heritage and every man to his land.
在我拔除他們以後，我要再憐憫他們，引他們復歸自己的產業，各回自己的故鄉。
16 And it will be that, if they give their minds to learning the ways of my people, using my name in their oaths, By the living Lord; as they have been teaching my people to take oaths by the Baal; then their place will be made certain among my people.
設若他們殷勤學走我人民的道路，奉我名發誓說：「上主永在」，如同他們昔日教我人民奉巴耳發誓一樣，他們就可在我的人民中再度復興。
17 But if they will not give ear, then I will have that nation uprooted, and given to destruction, says the Lord.
倘若他們不聽從，我必拔除這民族，將他們拔除消滅──上主的斷語。
