< Hosea 12 >

1 Ephraim striveth after wind, and followeth after the east wind; all the day he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.
厄弗辣因愛好颶風，整日追逐東風，說許多謊話，行許多暴行，既與亞述結盟，又給埃及送油。
2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his doings will He recompense him.
上主要與以色列爭辯，要按他們的行徑懲罰雅各伯，依照他的行為報復他：
3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and by his strength he strove with a godlike being;
他在母胎中就欺騙了他的弟兄，及至壯年又曾與天神搏鬥；
4 So he strove with an angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him; at Beth-el he would find him, and there he would speak with us;
他與天神博鬥，並且獲得了勝利；他哭了，曾懇求他開恩；在貝特耳再遇見了他，在那裏天主對他說：──
5 But the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD is His name.
上主，萬軍的天主，雅威是他的名號x──
6 Therefore turn thou to thy God; keep mercy and justice, and wait for thy God continually.
「至於你，你應當歸向你的天主，遵守仁愛和正義，時刻仰望你的天主。」
7 As for the trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand. He loveth to oppress.
厄弗辣因有如客納罕人，手裏拿著欺詐的天秤，喜行欺騙。
8 And Ephraim said: 'Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth; in all my labours they shall find in me no iniquity that were sin.'
厄弗辣因說：「我現在實在成了富翁，發了大財。」然而他所獲得的一切，為補贖他所犯的罪孽，仍嫌不夠。
9 But I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt; I will yet again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed season.
自從在埃及地時，我就是上主，你的天主：我必再使你住在帳幕中，如在盛會的節日一樣。
10 I have also spoken unto the prophets, and I have multiplied visions; and by the ministry of the prophets have I used similitudes.
是我向先知們說了話，是我增多了異象，我也必藉先知們消滅他們。
11 If Gilead be given to iniquity becoming altogether vanity, in Gilgal they sacrifice unto bullocks; yea, their altars shall be as heaps in the furrows of the field.
在基肋阿得只有罪惡，的確，他們只是虛無；在基耳加耳 他們向牛犢獻了祭，因此他們的祭壇必將成為田畦中的石堆。
12 And Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
雅各伯曾逃到阿蘭平原，以色列曾為娶妻而服役，曾為娶妻而放羊。
13 And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he kept.
上主曾藉一位先知領以色列出離埃及，也藉一位先知保護了他們。
14 Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly; therefore shall his blood be cast upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.
但厄弗辣因大大激怒了上主，他的血債必要歸到他身上，他的主必要在他身上報復自己受的凌辱。

< Hosea 12 >