Jeremiah 18
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
上主有話傳給耶肋米亞說：
2 Up! go down to the potter's house, and there I will let my words come to your ears.
「起來，下到陶工家裏去，在那裏我要讓你聽到我的話」。
3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and he was doing his work on the stones.
我便下到陶工家裏，見他正在輪盤上工作。
4 And when the vessel, which he was forming out of earth, got damaged in the hand of the potter, he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make it.
陶工用泥做的器皿，若在他手中壞了，他便再做，或做成另一個器皿，全隨陶工的意思去做。
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
於是上主的話傳給我說：
6 O Israel, am I not able to do with you as this potter does? says the Lord. See, like earth in the potter's hand are you in my hands, O Israel.
「以色列家，我豈不能像這陶工一樣對待你們﹖──上主的斷語──以色列家! 看，你們在我手中，就像泥土在陶工手中一樣。
7 Whenever I say anything about uprooting a nation or a kingdom, and smashing it and sending destruction on it;
我一時可對一個民族，或如同國家，決意要拔除，要毀壞，要消滅；
8 If, in that very minute, that nation of which I was talking is turned away from its evil, my purpose of doing evil to them will be changed.
但是我要打擊的民族，若離棄自己的邪惡，我也反悔，不再給他降原定的災禍。
9 And whenever I say anything about building up a nation or a kingdom, and planting it;
或者，我一時想對一個民族或一個國家，決意要建設，要栽培，
10 If, in that very minute, it does evil in my eyes, going against my orders, then my good purpose, which I said I would do for them, will be changed.
但若她行我不喜歡的事，不聽從我的聲音，我也要反悔，不再給她許過的恩惠。
11 Now, then, say to the men of Judah and to the people of Jerusalem, This is what the Lord has said: See, I am forming an evil thing against you, and designing a design against you: let every man come back now from his evil way, and let your ways and your doings be changed for the better.
現在你可告訴猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民說：上主這樣說：看，我已給你們安排了災禍，定了懲罰你們的計劃，希望你們每人離棄自己的邪道，改善自己的途徑和作為」。
12 But they will say, There is no hope: we will go on in our designs, and every one of us will do what he is moved by the pride of his evil heart to do.
他們反倒答說：「已沒有希望弓! 因為我們願隨從自己的計謀，各按自己頑固的惡意行事」。
13 So this is what the Lord has said: Make search among the nations and see who has had word of such things; the virgin of Israel has done a very shocking thing.
為此上主這樣說：「你們可到各民族去詢問：有誰聽到了像這樣的事﹖以色列處女做出了極可憎的事。
14 Will the white snow go away from the top of Sirion? will the cold waters flowing from the mountains become dry?
黎巴嫩山巔的巖石豈能缺少積雪﹖叢山間湧流的冰泉，豈能涸竭﹖
15 For my people have put me out of their memory, burning perfumes to that which is nothing; and because of this, I will put a cause of falling in their ways, even in the old roads, and will make them go on side-roads, in a way not lifted up;
但我的人民卻忘掉了我，向「虛無」獻香，滑出了自己的正道，離開舊日的行徑，而走上了小道，不平坦的路，
16 Making their land a thing of wonder, causing sounds of surprise for ever; everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder, shaking his head.
使自己的地域變為驚愕的原因，取笑的目標；凡經過這 中2 的人，莫不驚異搖首。
17 I will send them in flight, as from an east wind, before the attacker; I will let them see my back and not my face on the day of their downfall.
我必像一陳東風在敵人面前將他們吹散；在他們滅亡之日，我必使你們只見我背，不見我面」。
18 Then they said, Come, let us make a design against Jeremiah; for teaching will never be cut off from the priest, or wisdom from the wise, or the word from the prophet. Come, let us make use of his words for an attack on him, and let us give attention with care to what he says.
他們說：「來，我們合謀陷害耶肋米亞! 因為沒有司祭，法律不會因此廢止；沒有智者，計謀不會因此缺乏；沒有先知，神諭不會因此斷絕。來，我們用舌頭評擊他，不注意他的一切 勸告」。
19 Give thought to me, O Lord, and give ear to the voice of those who put forward a cause against me.
上主，願你俯聽我，請聽我敵人的聲明。
20 Is evil to be the reward of good? for they have made a deep hole for my soul. Keep in mind how I took my place before you, to say a good word for them so that your wrath might be turned away from them.
難道該以怨報德嗎﹖他們竟掘下陷阱來陷害我的生命! 望你記憶：我曾在你面前為他們求情，替他們挽回你的盛怒。
21 For this cause, let their children be without food, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives be without children and become widows; let their men be overtaken by death, and their young men be put to the sword in the fight.
為此，你應使他們的子女遭受饑荒，任人屠殺；使他們的婦女喪予居寡，使他們的男人死於瘟疫，使他們的青年在戰埸上死於刀下。
22 Let a cry for help go up from their houses, when you send an armed band on them suddenly: for they have made a hole in which to take me, and have put nets for my feet secretly.
當你引匪隊突擊他們時，願從他們的屋裏可聽到哭聲，因為他們掘了陷阱捕捉我，在我腳下設下羅網。
23 But you, Lord, have knowledge of all the designs which they have made against my life; let not their evil-doing be covered or their sin be washed away from before your eyes: but let it be a cause of falling before you: so do to them in the time of your wrath.
如同你，上主，你知道他們對我的一切計劃是要殺害我；請你不要寬恕他們的過惡，不要由你面前抹去他們的過惡，務使他們倒仆在你面前；在你發怒時，求你報復他們。
