< Ezra 9 >

1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, [doing] according to their abominations, [even] of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
這事做完了,眾首領來見我,說:「以色列民和祭司並利未人,沒有離絕迦南人、赫人、比利洗人、耶布斯人、亞捫人、摩押人、埃及人、亞摩利人,仍效法這些國的民,行可憎的事。
2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of [those] lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
因他們為自己和兒子娶了這些外邦女子為妻,以致聖潔的種類和這些國的民混雜;而且首領和官長在這事上為罪魁。」
3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
我一聽見這事,就撕裂衣服和外袍,拔了頭髮和鬍鬚,驚懼憂悶而坐。
4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.
凡為以色列上帝言語戰兢的,都因這被擄歸回之人所犯的罪聚集到我這裏來。我就驚懼憂悶而坐,直到獻晚祭的時候。
5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,
獻晚祭的時候我起來,心中愁苦,穿着撕裂的衣袍,雙膝跪下向耶和華-我的上帝舉手,
6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over [our] head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
說:「我的上帝啊,我抱愧蒙羞,不敢向我上帝仰面;因為我們的罪孽滅頂,我們的罪惡滔天。
7 Since the days of our fathers [have] we [been] in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, [and] our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as [it is] this day.
從我們列祖直到今日,我們的罪惡甚重;因我們的罪孽,我們和君王、祭司都交在外邦列王的手中,殺害、擄掠、搶奪、臉上蒙羞正如今日的光景。
8 And now for a little space grace hath been [shewed] from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
現在耶和華-我們的上帝暫且施恩與我們,給我們留些逃脫的人,使我們安穩如釘子釘在他的聖所,我們的上帝好光照我們的眼目,使我們在受轄制之中稍微復興。
9 For we [were] bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
我們是奴僕,然而在受轄制之中,我們的上帝仍沒有丟棄我們,在波斯王眼前向我們施恩,叫我們復興,能重建我們上帝的殿,修其毀壞之處,使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有牆垣。
10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,
「我們的上帝啊,既是如此,我們還有甚麼話可說呢?因為我們已經離棄你的命令,
11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
就是你藉你僕人眾先知所吩咐的說:『你們要去得為業之地是污穢之地;因列國之民的污穢和可憎的事,叫全地從這邊直到那邊滿了污穢。
12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave [it] for an inheritance to your children for ever.
所以不可將你們的女兒嫁他們的兒子,也不可為你們的兒子娶他們的女兒,永不可求他們的平安和他們的利益,這樣你們就可以強盛,吃這地的美物,並遺留這地給你們的子孫永遠為業。』
13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities [deserve], and hast given us [such] deliverance as this;
上帝啊,我們因自己的惡行和大罪,遭遇了這一切的事,並且你刑罰我們輕於我們罪所當得的,又給我們留下這些人。
14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed [us], so that [there should be] no remnant nor escaping?
我們豈可再違背你的命令,與這行可憎之事的民結親呢?若這樣行,你豈不向我們發怒,將我們滅絕,以致沒有一個剩下逃脫的人嗎?
15 O LORD God of Israel, thou [art] righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as [it is] this day: behold, we [are] before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
耶和華-以色列的上帝啊,因你是公義的,我們這剩下的人才得逃脫,正如今日的光景。看哪,我們在你面前有罪惡,因此無人在你面前站立得住。」

< Ezra 9 >