< Esias 17 >
1 THE WORD AGAINST DAMASCUS. Behold, Damascus shall be taken away from amongst cities, and shall become a ruin;
有關大馬士革的神諭:看,大馬士革不再成為城市,將變為一堆廢墟。
2 abandoned for ever, to [be] a fold and resting-place for flocks, and there shall be none to go after them.
她的城邑將永被遺棄,成為羊群的牧場;牠們偃臥在那裏,無人驚擾。
3 And she shall no longer be a strong place for Ephraim to flee to, and there shall no longer be a kingdom in Damascus, or a remnant of Syrians; for you are no better than the children of Israel, [even] than their glory; thus says the Lord of hosts.
厄弗辣因的保壘將被撤除,大馬士革的主權將要消失,阿蘭的遺民將如以色列子民的光榮--萬軍上主的斷語。
4 There shall be in that day a failure of the glory of Jacob, and the riches of his glory shall be shaken.
到那天,雅各 伯的光榮必要衰落,他肥滿的身軀必要消瘦。
5 And it shall be as if one should gather standing corn, and reap the grain of the ears; and it shall be as if one should gather ears in a rich valley;
將如收割的人一手在抱麥稈,一手在割麥穗;又如人摘取葡萄,或在勒法因山谷採打橄欖樹,
6 and [as if] there should be left stubble therein, or [as it were] the berries of an olive tree, two or three on the topmost bough, or [as if] four or five should be left on their branches; thus says the Lord, the God of Israel.
上面總有些殘粒剩下,或兩三粒留在樹梢,或四五個留在果樹的枝梢上--上主,以色列的天主的斷語。
7 In that day a man shall trust in him that made him, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.
到那天,人必仰望自己的造主,眼睛必要注視以色列的聖者。
8 And they shall not at all trust in their altars, nor in the works of their hands, which their fingers made; and they shall not look to the trees, nor to their abominations.
再不願觀看他親手所造的祭壇;也不再顧盼他手指所製的「阿舍辣」和太陽柱。
9 In that day your cities shall be deserted, as the Amorites and the Evaeans deserted [theirs], because of the children of Israel; and they shall be desolate.
到那天,你的堅城,將如希威人和阿摩黎人在以色列子民前所放棄的地域,成為一片荒野,
10 Because you have forsaken God your Saviour, and have not been mindful of the Lord your helper; therefore shall you plant a false plant, and a false seed.
因為你忘卻了拯救你的天主,不懷念作你避難所的磐石。為此,你雖栽種阿多尼花木,種植異鄉的枝條;
11 In the day wherein you shall plant you shall be deceived; but if you sow in the morning, [the seed] shall spring up for a crop in the day wherein you shall obtain an inheritance, and as a man's father, you shall obtain an inheritance for your sons.
你縱然在一日之間使你所栽種的生長,清晨使你所種植的開花,但是收穫卻消失在患難和絕望痛苦的日子中。
12 Woe [to] the multitude of many nations, as the swelling sea, so shall you be confounded; and the force of many nations shall sound like water;
靜聽!許多民族在喧嚷,喧嚷得有如海嘯;好多百姓在咆哮,咆哮得有如汪洋的怒號。
13 many nations like much water, as when much water rushes violently: and they shall drive him away, and pursue him afar, as the dust of chaff when men winnow before the wind, and as a storm whirling the dust of the wheel.
然而上主一叱責,他必飄逸遠逃,有如為颶風捲去山上的禾湝,有如旋風前的薊絮。
14 Towards evening, and there shall be grief; before the morning, and he shall not be. This is the portion of them that spoiled you, and the inheritance to them that robbed you of your inheritance.
晚間盡是恐怖;天還未亮,已無蹤影!這是掠奪我們者的份子,搶劫我們者的命運。