< Jeremiah 50 >
1 The word that Jehovah spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet.
關於巴比倫和加色丁地上主藉耶肋米亞先知所說的話:
2 Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and lift up a banner; publish, conceal not! Say, Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed: her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.
你們該在民族間宣布傳揚,該樹起旗幟傳揚,不該隱瞞,說:「巴比倫已陷落了,貝耳遭受了羞辱,默洛達客傾倒了;她的偶像遭受了恥辱,她的神祇傾倒了。」
3 For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: both man and beast are fled; they are gone.
因為有一民族從北方上來,向她進攻,使她的國土化為無人居住,人獸絕跡的荒野。
4 In those days, and at that time, saith Jehovah, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping as they go, and shall seek Jehovah their God.
在那些日子裡和在那時期中──上主的斷語──以色列子民要與猶大子民一同歸來,且走且哭,尋覓上主他們的天主,
5 They shall inquire concerning Zion, with their faces thitherward, [saying, ] Come, and let us join ourselves to Jehovah, in an everlasting covenant that shall not be forgotten.
他們必詢問熙雍的所在,面朝往那裏的道路說:來,讓我們以永久不可忘的盟約依附上主! 」
6 My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they turned them away on the mountains: they went from mountain to hill, they forgot their resting-place.
我的人民是一群迷途的羊群,他們的牧人使他們流浪,在群山間徘徊,翻山越嶺地漫遊,忘掉了自己的羊棧。
7 All that found them devoured them, and their adversaries said, We are not guilty, because they have sinned against Jehovah, the habitation of righteousness, even Jehovah, the hope of their fathers.
凡遇見他們的,將他們吞噬;他們的仇敵反而說:「我們並沒有過錯,因為是他們得罪了上主,正義的淵源和他們祖先的希望。」
8 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he-goats before the flock.
你們該逃離巴比倫,走出加色丁地,如同羊群前領頭的公山羊。
9 For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon, an assemblage of great nations from the north country; and they shall set themselves in array against her: from thence shall she be taken. Their arrows shall be as those of a mighty expert man: none shall return empty.
因為,看,我必從北方,發動一群強盛的民族前來進攻巴比倫,列陣向她進攻,就地將她攻陷;他們的箭像是善戰的勇士,從不空手而歸。
10 And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all the spoilers thereof shall be satiated, saith Jehovah.
加色丁必遭劫掠,凡劫掠她的,必心滿意足──上主的斷語。
11 For ye rejoiced, for ye triumphed, ye plunderers of my heritage; for ye have been wanton as the heifer at grass, and neighed as steeds.
你們搶奪我產業的人,你們儘管喜樂,儘管歡欣:跳躍,好像踏青的小公牛;嘶鳴,有如獲偶的牡馬!
12 Your mother hath been sorely put to shame; she that bore you hath been covered with reproach: behold, [she is become] hindmost of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
你們的母親已遭受極大的恥辱,生養你的,已滿面羞慚。看,她已成為民族中最卑下的,成了曠野、旱地和荒原;
13 Because of the wrath of Jehovah, it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate; every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and shall hiss, because of all her plagues.
在上主的盛怒下,她已無人居住,滿目淒涼:凡經過巴比倫的人,看見的種種慘狀,莫不驚異嗟嘆。
14 Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against Jehovah.
一切開張弓弩的射手! 你們應列陣圍攻巴比倫,向她射擊,不要吝惜箭羽,因為她得罪了上主。
15 Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand; her ramparts are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for this is the vengeance of Jehovah. Take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.
你們四周圍繞,向她吶喊! 她必伸手請降,她的城樓必將陷落,她的城牆必要被攻陷,因為這是上主的報復。你們報復她,照她作的還報!
16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest. For fear of the oppressing sword let them turn every one to his people, and let them flee every one to his own land.
你們要殲滅巴比倫播種和手持鐮刀收割的人! 面臨無情的刀劍,各人回歸自己的民族,各自逃往自己的故鄉。
17 Israel is a hunted sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria devoured him, and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.
以色列是獅子追捕的亡羊,首先吞噬她的,是亞述君王;最後咬碎她骨骸的,是拿步高巴比倫王。
18 Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will visit the king of Babylon and his land, like as I have visited the king of Assyria.
為此,萬軍的上主,以色列的天主這樣說:「看,我要懲罰巴比倫王和他的國土,就如我懲罰了亞述君王一樣。
19 And I will bring Israel again to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and in Gilead.
我要領以色列回歸自己的牧場,在加爾默耳和巴商牧放,使他們的心靈在厄弗辣因與基肋阿得山上,獲得滿足。
20 In those days, and at that time, saith Jehovah, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon those whom I leave remaining.
那些日子裏和在那時期中──上主的斷語──要想尋求以色列的不義,卻一無所有;要想尋猶大的罪惡,卻一無所見;因為我必寬恕我留下的遺民。
21 Go up against the land of double rebellion, against it, and against the inhabitants of visitation; waste and utterly destroy after them, saith Jehovah, and do according to all that I have commanded thee.
你們該向默辣塔因地推進,進攻培科得的居民,屠殺,徹底將他們消滅──上主的斷語──全照我吩咐的進行。
22 A sound of battle is in the land, and great destruction.
地上發生了交戰的吶喊,巨大的毀滅。
23 How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! How is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
怎麼,威震全地的鎚子也被破碎毀壞了﹖怎麼,巴比倫在萬民中也變得如此悽涼﹖
24 I have laid a snare for thee, and thou, Babylon, art also taken, and thou wast not aware; thou art found, and also caught, for thou hast contended with Jehovah.
我給你佈下羅網,你竟被捉住;而你,巴比倫,尚不自覺;你被尋獲,且被捉住,因為你竟敢違抗上主! 」
25 Jehovah hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation; for this is a work for the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, in the land of the Chaldeans.
上主開了自已的武庫,搬出了自己洩怒的武器,因為吾主萬軍的上主,在加色丁地有事要完成。
26 Come ye against her from every quarter, open her storehouses; pile her up like sheaves, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.
你們從四面八方向她湧來,打開她的倉庫,堆積成堆,徹底消滅,不給她留下殘餘;
27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.
屠殺她的一切公牛,叫他們下入屠場! 卜們的災難臨頭,因為他們的日子到了,到了懲罰他們的時候。
28 The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of Jehovah our God, the vengeance of his temple.
聽從巴比倫地逃命出走的人,在熙雍報告說:「上主我們的天主在復仇,為自己的殿宇雪恥。
29 Call together the archers against Babylon, all those that bend the bow: encamp against her round about; let there be no escaping: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath acted proudly against Jehovah, against the Holy One of Israel.
你們召集弓手,一切挽弓的人,來向巴比倫進攻,在她周圍紮營,不要讓她有人逃脫,該按照她的作為而報復她,照她所作的對待她,因為她傲慢反對上主,反對以色列的聖者。
30 Therefore shall her young men fall in her streets; and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith Jehovah.
為此,她的青年人要倒斃在她的廣場,她所有的戰士都要在那一天內滅亡──上主的斷語──
31 Behold, I am against thee, proud one, saith the Lord Jehovah of hosts; for thy day is come, the time that I visit thee:
你這驕橫的人! 看,我來對付你──我主萬軍上主的斷語──因為你的日子到了,到了懲罰你的時候。
32 and the proud one shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up; yea, I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all that are round about him.
驕橫的必要傾覆顛仆,再沒有人來使她復興;我必放火燒毀她的城市,火要吞滅她四周的一切。」
33 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The children of Israel and the children of Judah were together oppressed; and all that took them captives held them fast: they refused to let them go.
萬軍的上主這樣說:「以色列子民與猶大子民一同遭受了壓迫;凡俘擄他們的,都扣留他們,不肯釋放。」
34 Their Redeemer is strong; Jehovah of hosts is his name: he will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
但是他們的救贖者,名叫萬軍的上主,剛強有力,必要辯護他們的案件,使大地安寧,使巴比倫的居民惶亂。
35 The sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith Jehovah, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men;
刀劍加於加色丁人──上主的斷語──加於巴比倫的居民,她的公卿和她的謀臣;
36 the sword is upon the liars, and they shall become fools; the sword is upon her mighty men, and they shall be dismayed;
刀劍加於她的巫士,使他們瘋狂;刀劍加於她的勇士,叫他們驚慌;
37 the sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her, and they shall become as women; the sword is upon her treasures, and they shall be robbed:
刀劍加於她的戰馬戰車,加於她境內所有的雜族,使他們柔弱如婦女;刀劍加於她的府庫,使人任意搶奪;
38 a drought is upon her waters, and they shall be dried up; for it is a land of graven images, and they are mad after frightful idols.
刀劍加於她的水源,叫水源涸竭,因為她偶像遍地,人們癡戀這些怪物;
39 Therefore wild beasts of the desert with jackals shall dwell there, and ostriches shall dwell therein; and it shall be no more inhabited for ever, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
為此,她必成為野貓和野狗的巢穴,駝鳥的棲身地,永遠不會有人居住,世世代代不會有居民;
40 As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and their neighbour cities, saith Jehovah, no one shall dwell there, neither shall a son of man sojourn therein.
恰如天主滅亡了的索多瑪、哈摩辣及附近的城市一樣──上主的斷語──再沒有人居住,再沒有人留宿。
41 Behold, a people cometh from the north, and a great nation. And many kings shall arise from the uttermost parts of the earth.
看,有一個民族,從北方來,有一個強盛的異邦和許多君王從地極興起,
42 They lay hold of bow and spear; they are cruel, and will not shew mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses — set in array like a man for the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.
緊握弓矛,殘忍無情,像海嘯般喧嚷,騎著戰馬,萬眾一心,嚴陣準備向你進攻,巴比倫女郎!
43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands wax feeble; trouble hath taken hold of him, pangs as of a woman in travail.
巴比倫王聽到了他們前來的消息,束手無策,不勝憂慮,痛苦得有如臨盆的產婦。
44 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of the Jordan against the strong habitation; for I will make him suddenly run away from it; and who is a chosen [man] whom I may appoint over her? For who is like me? and who will assign me a time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before me?
看哪,好像一隻雄獅,從約但的叢林上來,走向常綠的牧場;同樣,我也要轉瞬間將他們趕走,派我選定的人來統治。誠然,誰是我的對手﹖誰敢向我提出質問﹖誰能對抗我的牧人﹖
45 Therefore hear the counsel of Jehovah, which he hath taken against Babylon, and his purposes which he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: The little ones of the flock shall certainly draw them away; he shall certainly make their habitation desolate for them.
為此,請你們聽上主對巴比倫設下的計謀,對加色丁地策劃的策略:連最弱小的羊也一定要被人牽去,他們的牧場也必對他們戰慄。
46 At the sound of the taking of Babylon the earth hath quaked, and the cry is heard among the nations.
巴比倫轟然陷落,大地為之震動;哀號之聲,直達萬邦。