< Jeremiah 12 >

1 O Lord, if I dispute with thee, thou art righteous: yet let mee talke with thee of thy iudgements: wherefore doeth the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse?
上主,幾時我與你爭論,總是你有理;但我仍願與你討論正義:「為什麼惡人的生活總是順利,一般詭詐極惡的人總享安寧﹖
2 Thou hast planted them, and they haue taken roote: they grow, and bring forth fruite: thou art neere in their mouth, and farre from their reines.
你栽植了他們,他們就生長根滋長,結出果實;他們的口離你近,他們的心卻離你遠。
3 But thou, Lord, knowest me: thou hast seene me, and tried mine heart towarde thee: pull them out like sheepe for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
至於你,上主,你是認識我的,你考察了我對你的心意;求你把他們像待宰的羔羊一樣拉出來,留待宰殺的一天。
4 Howe long shall the lande mourne, and the herbes of euery fielde wither, for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein? the beastes are consumed and the birdes, because they sayd, He wil not see our last ende.
[這地要哀傷,整個田野的草木要枯萎到幾時﹖由於居民的邪惡,野獸和飛鳥都被消滅。] 因為他們說:「天主不管我們的作為。」
5 If thou hast runne with the footemen and they haue wearied thee, then howe canst thou match thy selfe with horses? and if thou thoughtest thy selfe safe in a peaceable lande, what wilt thou do in the swelling of Iorden?
「你與人徒步競走,尚覺疲乏,你怎麼能與馬角逐﹖在平安的地區尚覺不安,在約旦河的叢林區,你更將何如﹖
6 For euen thy brethren, and the house of thy father, euen they haue delt vnfaithfully with thee, and they haue cryed out altogether vpon thee: but beleeue them not, though they speake faire to thee.
連你的兄弟和你的父族對你都無誠意,在你後面厲聲喊叫;即便他們對說好話,你也不要相信。」
7 I haue forsaken mine house: I haue left mine heritage: I haue giuen the dearely beloued of my soule into the hands of her enemies.
「 離開了我的家,拋棄了我的產業,將我最心愛的人交在敵人的手中。
8 Mine heritage is vnto mee, as a lion in the forest: it crieth out against mee, therefore haue I hated it.
我的產業對我竟好像是森林中的獅子,向我咆哮,為我憎恨他它。
9 Shall mine heritage bee vnto mee, as a bird of diuers colours? are not the birdes about her, saying, Come, assemble all ye beastes of the fielde, come to eate her?
我的產業對我竟成了一隻帶斑點的鷙鳥,以致鷙鳥圍著向它襲擊。你們去田黟的一切野獸,叫它們來吞噬。
10 Many pastors haue destroyed my vineyarde, and troden my portion vnder foote: of my pleasant portion they haue made a desolate wildernesse.
許多牧童毀壞了我的葡萄園,蹂躝了我的產業,使我喜愛的產業變為荒蕪的曠野。
11 They haue layde it waste, and it, being waste, mourneth vnto me: and the whole lande lyeth waste, because no man setteth his minde on it.
他們使它荒涼,荒涼得在我面前哀傷;全地荒涼,因為沒有一人關心。
12 The destroyers are come vpon all the high places in the wildernesse: for the sworde of the Lord shall deuoure from the one end of the land, euen to the other ende of the lande: no flesh shall haue peace.
破壞者已來到曠野的一切高崗上,因為上主的刀劍正在砍伐,從地極到地極,凡有血肉的,都不得安寧。
13 They haue sowen wheate, and reaped thornes: they were sicke, and had no profite: and they were ashamed of your fruites, because of the fierce wrath of the Lord.
他們播種了麥子,卻收割了荊棘;雖筋疲力竭,卻沒有利益;由於上主的憤怒,都因自己的收穫而害羞。
14 Thus sayeth the Lord against all mine euill neighbours, that touch the inheritance, which I haue caused my people Israel to inherite, Beholde, I will plucke them out of their lande, and plucke out the house of Iudah from among them.
上主這樣說:關於那些險惡的鄰邦.即侵犯我給予我民以色列佔有的產業的鄰邦,看,我要由他們的地上將他們拔除,也要由他們中拔除猶大家。
15 And after that I haue plucked them out, I will returne, and haue compassion on them, and will bring againe euery man to his heritage, and euery man to his land.
在我拔除他們以後,我要再憐憫他們,引他們復歸自己的產業,各回自己的故鄉。
16 And if they will learne the wayes of my people, to sweare by my Name, (The Lord liueth, as they taught my people to sweare by Baal) then shall they be built in the middes of my people.
設若他們殷勤學走我人民的道路,奉我名發誓說:「上主永在」,如同他們昔日教我人民奉巴耳發誓一樣,他們就可在我的人民中再度復興。
17 But if they will not obey, then will I vtterly plucke vp, and destroy that nation, sayeth the Lord.
倘若他們不聽從,我必拔除這民族,將他們拔除消滅──上主的斷語。

< Jeremiah 12 >