< Jeremias 8 >
1 At that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Juda, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves;
到那時──上主的斸語──人必從墳墓中拖出猶大君王的遺骸,司祭的遺骸,先知的遺骸,和耶路撒冷居民的遺骸,
2 and they shall spread them out to the sun, and the moon, and to all the stars, and to all the host of heaven, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and to which they have held, and which they have worshipped; they shall not be mourned for, neither shall they be buried; but they shall be for an example on the face of the earth,
陳列在他們曾愛戀、事奉、追隨、求問和朝拜過的太陽、月亮和天上群星,前再沒有人收殮埋葬,任其留在地面充作肥料。
3 because they chose death rather than life, even to all the remnant that are left of that family, in every place whither I shall drive them out.
這可惡種族剩下的全體遺民,在我驅逐他們所到的任何地,方都願意死,而不願意生──萬軍上主斷語。
4 For thus saith the Lord, Shall not he that falls arise? or he that turns away, shall he not turn back again?
你應對他們說:上主這樣說:人跌倒了,豈能不再起來﹖人離去了,豈能不再回來﹖
5 Wherefore has this my people turned away with a shameless revolting, and strengthened themselves in their willfulness, and refused to return?
為什麼這人民一墮落,便永久墮落,執迷不悟而不肯反悔呢﹖
6 Hearken, I pray you, and hear: will they not speak thus, There is no man that repents of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? the runner has failed from his course, as a tired horse in his neighing.
我留心細聽,他們都言談不軌,沒有一個人悔恨自己的邪惡說:「可憐! 我做是什麼事﹖」反倒各自一再任性奔馳,有如衝入戰場的戰馬。
7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knows her time, [also] the turtle-dove and wild swallow; the sparrows observe the times of their coming in; but this my people knows not the judgments of the Lord.
天空的鸛鳥也知道自己的時令;斑鳩、燕子和雁,都固守自己的歸期;但是我的人民卻不知道上主法令。
8 How will ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? In vain have the scribes used a false pen.
你怎麼能說:我們是智者,我們有上主的法律﹖的確,但已為書記們以荒謬的筆鋒把乇編成了謊言。
9 The wise men are ashamed, and alarmed, and taken; because they have rejected the word of the Lord; what wisdom is there in them?
智慧人必要蒙羞驚慌,而至被捕;的確,他們即拋棄了上主話,還能有什麼智慧﹖
10 Therefore will I give their wives to others, and their fields to [new] inheritors; and they shall gather their fruits, saith the Lord.
為此,我必將他們的妻室交給外人,將他們的莊田交與別的地主,因為從最小的到最大的,都貪財圖利;從先知到司祭,都欺詐行事,
草率治愈我的瘡痍說:「好了! 好了! 」其實卻沒有好。
他們既行事可憎,就理當知恥;可是,他們不但不知恥,反而連羞愧也不知是什麼;為此,他們要與倒斃者倒斃,在我降罰他們時,都要一厥不振──上主說。
13 There are no grapes on the vines, and there are no figs on the fig-trees, and the leaves have fallen off.
我要徹底消滅他們──上主的斷語──葡萄樹上沒有葡萄,無花果樹上沒有無花果,樹葉都已凋零;我要派人來蹂躝。
14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the strong cities, and let us be cast out there: for God has cast us out, and made us drink water of gall, because we have sinned before him.
為什麼我們還坐著﹖集合起來吧! 讓我們進入堅城,死在那裏,因為上主我們的天主要消滅我們,我們喝苦膽,因為我們得罪了上主。
15 We assembled for peace, but there was no prosperity; for a time of healing, but behold anxiety.
我們原期待和平,卻不見好轉;原期待復興的時機,反而只見恐怖!
16 We shall hear the neighing of his swift horses out of Dan: the whole land quaked at the sound of the neighing of his horses; and he shall come, and devour the land and the fullness of it; the city, and them that dwell in it.
從丹就可聽到敵人戰馬的喘息聲,戰馬嘶鳴,聲震全地;前來併吞土地和地上的一切,吞食城邑和城中的居民。
17 For, behold, I send forth against you deadly serpents, which cannot be charmed, and they shall bite you
看,我必給你們派來不伯符咒的毒蛇,咬傷你們──上主的斷語──
18 mortally with the pain of your distressed heart.
無法療愈。我戚戚憂傷,我心已憔悴。
19 Behold, [there is] a sound of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land afar off: Is not the Lord in Sion? is there not a king there? because they have provoked me with their graven [images], and with strange vanities.
由遠方傳來我女兒──人民──哀號的呼聲:「上主已不在熙雍﹖或者衪君王已不在那裏嗎﹖──為什麼他們以自己的偶像和外邦的「虛無」激怒我﹖──
20 The summer is gone, the harvest is past, and we are not saved.
收割期已經過去,夏天已經完結,我們仍沒有獲救! 」
21 For the breach of the daughter of my people I have been saddened: in my perplexity pangs have seized upon me as of a woman in travail.
我的女兒──人民──的創傷使我心痛欲裂,鬱鬱不安,不勝感傷。
22 And is there no balm in Galaad, or is there no physician there? why has not the healing of the daughter of my people taken place?
難道在基肋阿得沒有膏藥,或在那裏沒有醫生嗎﹖究竟為了什麼,我的女兒──人民──的創傷還沒有痊愈﹖