Esias 44
1 But now hear, Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen.
但是現在，我的僕人雅各伯！我所揀選的以色列！你聽罷！
2 Thus saith the Lord God that made thee, and he that formed thee from the womb; Thou shalt yet be helped: fear not, my servant Jacob; and beloved Israel, whom I have chosen.
那造成你，從母胎形成你，且協助你的上主這樣說：「我的僕人雅各伯！我所揀選的耶叔戎，你不要害怕！
3 For I will give water to the thirsty that walk in a dry land: I will put my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessings upon thy children:
因為我要把水倒在乾地上，使豪雨落在旱陸上；我要把我的神傾住在你的苗裔身上，把我的祝福降在你的子孫身上。
4 and they shall spring up as grass between brooks, and as willows on [the banks of] running water.
他們要生長，有如水邊的青草，又如溪畔的楊柳。
5 One shall say, I am God's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall write with his hand, I am God's, and shall call himself by the name of Israel.
這個說：「我是上主的，」那個要起雅各伯的名字，另一個要在手上寫 ：「屬於上主，」並要起以色列的名號。
6 Thus saith God the King of Israel, and the God of hosts that delivered him; I am the first, and I am hereafter: beside me there is no God.
上主，以色列的君王，救主，萬軍的上主這樣說：「我是元始，我是終末，在我以外沒有別的神。
7 Who is like me? let him stand, and call, and declare, and prepare for me from the time that I made man for ever; and let them tell you the things that are coming before they arrive.
誰相似我﹖讓他前來伸述，讓他說明，給我拿出證據來！誰能從永遠預言未來的事，請他告訴我們快要發生的事罷！
8 Hide not yourselves, nor go astray: have ye not heard from the beginning, and [have not] I told you? ye are witnesses if there is a God beside me.
你們不必驚慌，不用害怕！我不是早已告訴過你，早已宣布了嗎﹖你們是我的證人，在我以外還有別的神嗎﹖決沒有別的磐石！我一個也不認識！」
9 But they that framed [false gods] did not then hearken; and they that graved [images] are all vain, performing their own desires, which shall not profit them, but they shall be ashamed
製造偶像的人都是虛無，他們所喜愛的，也毫無用處；他們的見證人一無所見，毫無所知，必將蒙受恥辱。
10 that form a god, and all that grave worthless things:
有誰製造神像或鑄偶像，不想得利呢﹖
11 and all by whom they were made are withered: yea, let all the deaf be gathered from [among] men, and let them stand together; and let them be ashamed and confounded together:
看哪！凡作他夥伴的，都要蒙受恥辱，因為製造偶像的，也只是人而已！ 讓他們集合起來一同前來罷！他們必要驚慌羞愧！
12 For the artificer sharpens the iron; he fashions [the idol] with an axe, and fixes it with an awl, and fashions it with the strength of his arm: and he will be hungry and weak, and will drink no water.
鐵匠先在炭火上工作，再用鎚子打成偶像，他用大力的手臂工作，當饑餓時，也就沒有力量；沒有水喝，他就疲勞不堪。
13 The artificer having chosen a piece of wood, marks it out with a rule, and fits it with glue, and makes it as the form of a man, and as the beauty of a man, to set it up in the house.
木匠伸展繩墨，用筆劃線，後拿刨子刨平，再用圓規測量，做成一個人形，具有人的美麗，好供在廟裏。
14 He cuts wood out of the forest, which the Lord planted, [even] a pine tree, and the rain made it grow,
人先去砍伐一塊香柏，或取一塊榆木，或橡木；或在樹林中選一塊堅固的木料，或自己種植一棵月桂樹，讓雨水使之長大。
15 that it might be for men to burn: and having taken part of it he warms himself; yea, they burn part of it, and bake loaves thereon; and [of] the rest they make for themselves gods, and they worship them.
這些木料原是為人作燃料，原可用來取煖，也可燃燒烘烤麵包；人卻用它來作神像去恭敬，或做偶像去叩拜：
16 Half thereof he burns in the fire, and with half of it he bakes loaves on the coals; and having roasted flesh on it he eats, and is satisfied, and having warmed himself he says, I am comfortable, for I have warmed myself, and have seen the fire.
人把一半木頭投入火中燃燒，在火炭上烤肉吃；待吃飽了烤肉，又取了煖，遂說：「哈哈！我暖和了，也覺得有了火！」
17 And the rest he makes a graven god, and worships, and prays, saying, Deliver me; for thou art my God.
遂用剩下的一半作了一個神像，一個偶像，向它叩拜，俯伏懇求說：「求你救我，因為你是我的神！」
18 They have no understanding to perceive; for they have been blinded so that they should not see with their eyes, nor perceive with their heart.
他們不瞭解，也不覺悟，因為他們的眼糊住了，什麼也看不見；他們的心也不知覺悟，
19 And one has not considered in his mind, nor known in his understanding, that he has burnt up half of it in the fire, and baked loaves on the coals thereof and has roasted and eaten flesh, and of the rest of it he has made an abomination, and they worship it.
也不回心想一下，也不會明智通達地說：「一半木頭我已投入火中燒了，並在火炭上烤了麵包，烤了肉吃；我竟將剩下的一半作了一個怪物，向這塊木頭敬拜。」
20 Know thou that their heart is ashes, and they err, and no one is able to deliver his soul: see, ye will not say, [There is a] lie in my right hand.
他所追求的僅是一把灰；他迷惑的心領他走入歧途，而不能自拔，也不會問說：「我右手所拿的不是虛無嗎﹖」
21 Remember these things, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant; I have formed thee [to be] my servant: and do thou, Israel, not forget me.
雅各伯啊！你要記住這些事！以色列啊！你也應記住，因為你是我的僕人，我造了你，是叫你作我的僕人。以色列啊！我決不會忘了你！
22 For behold, I have blotted out as a cloud thy transgressions, and thy sin as darkness: turn to me, and I will redeem thee.
我消除了你的罪過，有如煙消；我消除了你的愆尤，有如雲散；歸依我罷！因為我救贖了你。
23 Rejoice, ye heavens; for God has had mercy upon Israel: sound the trumpet, ye foundations of the earth: ye mountains, shout [with] joy, ye hills, and all the trees therein: for God has redeemed Jacob, and Israel shall be glorified.
諸天，歡騰罷！因為上主作了這一切；地下的深淵，歡呼罷！山嶺、森林和其中的樹木，高聲歌唱罷！因為上主拯救了雅各伯，在以色列顯揚了自己。
24 Thus saith the Lord that redeems thee, and who formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that performs all things: I stretched out the heaven alone, and established the earth.
你的救主，由母胎形成你的上主這樣說：「我是創造萬有的上主，只有我展開了諸天，佈置了大地，誰與我同在﹖
25 Who else will frustrate the tokens of those that have divining spirits, and prophecies from the heart of [man]? turning the wise back, and making their counsel foolishness;
是我破壞了占卜者的預兆，使巫士成為愚妄，使智者退後，使他們的知識變為愚蠢，
26 and confirming the word of his servant, and verifying the counsel of his messengers: who says to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Idumea, Ye shall be built, and her desert places shall spring forth.
是我叫我僕人們的話實現，叫我使者們的計謀成功；是我論及耶路撒冷說：「你必要有人居住。」論及猶大各城說：「你們要被重建，我必要重建你們的廢址。」
27 Who says to the deep, Thou shalt be dried up, and I will dry up the rivers.
是我對深淵說：「你必涸竭，我要使你的河流乾涸。」
28 Who bids Cyrus be wise, and he shall perform all my will: who says to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built, and I will lay the foundation of my holy house.
是我論及居魯士說：「他是我的牧人，他要履行我的一切計劃，要吩咐重建耶路撒冷，奠基重修聖殿。」
