< Hosea 11 >
1 I loved Israel when he was a child. He's my son I called out of Egypt.
以色列年幼的時候,我愛他, 就從埃及召出我的兒子來。
2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed to the Baals and offered incense to idols.
先知越發招呼他們, 他們越發走開, 向諸巴力獻祭, 給雕刻的偶像燒香。
3 I myself taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the hand, but they didn't realize I was the one who healed them.
我原教導以法蓮行走, 用膀臂抱着他們, 他們卻不知道是我醫治他們。
4 I led them along with cords of kindness, with ropes of love. I was the one who eased their burden and bent down to feed them.
我用慈繩愛索牽引他們; 我待他們如人放鬆牛的兩腮夾板, 把糧食放在他們面前。
5 However, because my people refuse to return to me, they will not return to the land of Egypt but Assyria shall be their king.
他們必不歸回埃及地, 亞述人卻要作他們的王, 因他們不肯歸向我。
6 War will sweep through their cities, putting an end to their boasting and destroying their plans.
刀劍必臨到他們的城邑, 毀壞門閂,把人吞滅, 都因他們隨從自己的計謀。
7 My people are hanging on to their apostasy from me. They call him “god on high” but he will not raise them up at all.
我的民偏要背道離開我; 眾先知雖然招呼他們歸向至上的主, 卻無人尊崇主。
8 How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I let you go, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is breaking; I am full of compassion.
以法蓮哪,我怎能捨棄你? 以色列啊,我怎能棄絕你? 我怎能使你如押瑪? 怎能使你如洗扁? 我回心轉意, 我的憐愛大大發動。
9 I will not execute the fierceness of my anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God, not a human being. I am the Holy One living among you. I will not enter your cities.
我必不發猛烈的怒氣, 也不再毀滅以法蓮。 因我是上帝,並非世人, 是你們中間的聖者; 我必不在怒中臨到你們。
10 The people will follow me, the Lord. He will roar like a lion. When he roars like a lion then his children will come trembling from the west.
耶和華必如獅子吼叫, 子民必跟隨他。 他一吼叫, 他們就從西方急速而來。
11 Like a flock of frightened birds they will come from Egypt, like doves they will come from Assyria, and I will bring them back home, declares the Lord.
他們必如雀鳥從埃及急速而來, 又如鴿子從亞述地來到。 我必使他們住自己的房屋。 這是耶和華說的。
12 Ephraim surrounds me with lies and Israel with deceit, and Judah still wanders with some deity, faithful to some “Holy One.”
以法蓮用謊話, 以色列家用詭計圍繞我; 猶大卻靠上帝掌權, 向聖者有忠心。