Isaiah 44
1 And now, listen, 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 says the Lord, who made and formed you, your Helper from the womb: Do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant and my most righteous, 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 pour out waters upon the thirsty ground, and rivers upon the dry land. I will pour out my Spirit upon your offspring, and my benediction upon your stock.
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 will spring up among the plants, like willows beside running waters.
他們要生長，有如水邊的青草，又如溪畔的楊柳。
5 This one will say, “I am the Lord’s,” and that one will call himself by the name of Jacob, and yet another will write with his hand, “For the Lord,” and he will take the name 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 says the Lord, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the Lord of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last, and there is no God apart from me.
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 call out and announce it. And let him explain to me the order of things, since it is I who appointed the ancient people. The things of the near and the distant future, let him announce them.
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 Do not be afraid, and do not be disturbed. From the time when I caused you to listen, I also announced it. You are my witnesses. Is there another God beside me, also a Maker, whom I have not known?
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 All of those who create idols are nothing, and their most beloved things will not benefit them. These are their witnesses, for they do not see, and they do not understand, so that they might be confounded.
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 Who has formed a god or cast a molten image, which is useful for nothing?
有誰製造神像或鑄偶像，不想得利呢﹖
11 Behold, all those who partake in this will be confounded. For these makers are men. They will all assemble together. They will stand and be terrified. And they will be 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 The maker of iron has wrought with his file. With coals and hammers, he has formed it, and he has wrought with the strength of his arm. He will hunger and grow faint. He will not drink water, and he will become weary.
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 maker of wood has extended his ruler. He has formed it with a plane. He has made it with corners, and he has smoothed its curves. And he has made the image of a man, a seemingly beautiful man, dwelling in a 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 has cut down cedars; he has taken the evergreen oak, and the oak that stood among the trees of the forest. He has planted the pine tree, which the rain has nourished.
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 And it is used by men for fuel. He took from it and warmed himself. And he set it on fire and baked bread. But from the remainder, he made a god, and he adored it. He made an idol, and he bowed down before it.
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 Part of it, he burned with fire, and with part of it, he cooked meat; he boiled food and was filled. And he was warmed, and so he said: “Ah, I am warm. I have gazed at 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 But from its remainder, he made a god and a graven image for himself. He bowed down before it, and he adored it, and he prayed to it, saying: “Free me! For you are 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 neither known nor understood. For their eyes are obscured, lest they see with their eyes and understand 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 They do not consider in their mind, nor do they know, nor do they think to say: “I have burned part of it in the fire, and I have baked bread upon its coals. I have cooked flesh and I have eaten. And from its remainder, should I make an idol? Should I fall prostrate before the trunk of a tree?”
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 Part of it is ashes. His foolish heart adores it. And he will not liberate his soul, and he will not say, “Perhaps 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, O Israel. For you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant, Israel. Do 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 I have wiped away your iniquities like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to me, because I have redeemed you.
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 Give praise, O heavens! For the Lord has shown mercy. Shout with joy, O ends of the earth! Let the mountains resound with praise, with the forest and all its trees. For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and Israel will 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 says the Lord, your Redeemer, and your Maker from the womb: I am the Lord, who makes all things, who alone extends the heavens, who makes the earth firm. And there is no one with me.
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 I make the signs of the diviners useless, and I turn the seers to madness. I turn the wise backwards, and make their knowledge into 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 I lift up the word of my servant, and I fulfill the counsel of my messengers. I say to Jerusalem, “You shall be inhabited,” and to the cities of Judah, “You shall be rebuilt,” and I will lift up its deserts.
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 I say to the depths, “Be desolate,” and, “I will dry up your rivers.”
是我對深淵說：「你必涸竭，我要使你的河流乾涸。」
28 I say to Cyrus, “You are my shepherd, and you will accomplish all that I will.” I say to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the Temple, “Your foundations shall be laid.”
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。」
