< Isaiah 55 >
1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat: yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price!
啊!凡口渴的,請到水泉來!那沒有錢的,也請來罷!請來買不花錢,不索值的酒和奶吃!
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for [that which is] not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye [that which is] good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
你們為什麼為那些不能充食的東西花錢,為那些不足果腹的東西浪費薪金呢﹖你們若細心聽我,你們就能吃豐美的食物,你們的心靈必因脂膏而喜悅。
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the sure mercies of David.
你們如側耳,走近我前來聽,你們必將獲得生命;我要與你們訂立一項永久的盟約,即誓許於達味的慈惠。
4 Behold, I have given him [for] a witness to the peoples, a prince and commander to the peoples.
看,我立了你為萬民的證人,為列國的領袖與主宰。
5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation thou knowest not, and a nation [that] knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of Jehovah thy God, and the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
看哪!你要召見你不認識的民族,不曾認識你的民族也要奔向你;這都是為了上主你的天主,為了那光榮了你的以色列的聖者的緣故。
6 Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.
趁上主可找到的時候,你們應尋找他;趁他在近處的時候,你們應呼求他。
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
罪人應離開自己的行徑,惡人該拋棄自己的思念,來歸附上主,好讓上主憐憫他;來歸附我們的天主,因為他是富於仁慈的。
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah.
因為我的思念不是你們的思念,你們的行徑也不是我的行徑:上主的斷語。
9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
就如天離地有多高,我的行徑離你們的行徑,我的思念離你們的思念也有多高。
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
譬如雨和雪從天降下,不再返回原處,只有灌溉田地,使之生長萌芽,償還播種者種子,供給吃飯者食糧;
11 so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall do that which I please, and it shall accomplish that for which I send it.
同樣,從我口中發出的言語,不能空空地回到我這裏來;反之,它必實行我的旨意,完成我派遣它的使命。
12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
的確,你們必要喜歡地出來,平安地為上主所引導,高山丘陵必在你們面前高呼歡騰,田間所有的樹木必要鼓掌。
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, and instead of the nettle shall come up the myrtle; and it shall be to Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign [that] shall not be cut off.
松柏要長起來代替荊棘,桃金娘要生出來代替苧麻:這將為上主留名,作為一座不能磨滅的永久紀念碑。