< Ezra 9 >
1 And when these things were finished, the princes drew near to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands in their abominations, [even] the Chananite, the Ethite, the Pherezite, the Jebusite, the Ammonite, the Moabite, and the Moserite and the Amorite.
這些事完畢後,眾首領來到我面前說:「以色列民眾、司祭和肋未人可的事上,並沒有離開當地的人民:客納罕人、希威人、培黎齊人、耶步斯人、阿孟人、摩阿布人、埃及人和阿摩黎人,
2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and their sons; and the holy seed has passed among the nations of the lands, and the hand of the rulers [has been] first in this transgression.
因為他們為自己和自己是兒子,娶了他們的女子,以致聖潔的曲裔,與當地的人民合;尤其首長和官,是這罪孽的魁首」。
3 And when I heard this thing, I tore my garments, and trembled, and plucked [some] of the hairs of my head and of my beard, and sat down mourning.
我一聽這話,便撕裂了我的衣服和外氅,拔我的頭髮和鬍鬚,絕望地坐下。
4 Then there assembled to me all that followed the word of the God of Israel, on account of the transgression of the captivity; and I remained mourning until the evening sacrifice.
當時凡對以色列天主的誡命起敬起畏的人,為了充軍歸的罪孽,都聚集在我周圍,我絕望地坐著,直到晚祭。
5 And at the evening sacrifice I rose up from my humiliation; and when I had tore my garments, then I trembled, and I bow myself on my knees, and spread out my hands to the Lord God,
到了獻晚祭時,我悲憤人起來,仍穿著撕碎的衣服和外氅,雙膝跪下,伸手向上主我的天主說:
6 and I said, O Lord, I am ashamed and confounded, O my God, to lift up my face to you: for our transgressions have abounded over our head, and our trespasses have increased even to heaven.
「我的天主,我實覺慚愧! 我的天主! 我不敢向你仰面,因為我們的邪惡,積累得高過了我們的頭頂,我們的罪孽上達於天。
7 From the days of our fathers we have been in a great trespass until this day: and because of our iniquities we, and our kings, and our children, have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the Gentiles by the sword, and by captivity, and by spoil, and with shame of our face, as at this day.
自從我們的祖先時代,直到今日,我們犯了重大的罪孽;為了我們的罪惡,我們連我們的君王司祭,都被交在異地的君王手中,喪身刀下,被俘擄,遭劫,丟臉受辱,就像今日一樣。
8 And now our God has dealt mercifully with us, so as to leave us to escape, and to give us an establishment in the place of his sanctuary, to enlighten our eyes, and to give a little quickening in our servitude.
但是現在,轉瞬之間,上主我們的天主,對我們施了仁慈,留給了我們一些殘存的人,又在聖地給了我們居所;並且我們的天主,還使我們的眼目明亮,在我們為奴隸期中,使我們尚有少許生氣。
9 For we are slaves, yet in our servitude the Lord our God has not deserted us; and he has extended favor to us in the sight of the kings of the Persians, to give us a quickening, that they should raise up the house of our God, and restore the desolate places of it, and to give us a fence in Juda and Jerusalem.
我們原是奴隸,但我們在為奴隸期中,我們的天主沒有離棄我們,反而使我們在波斯王,獲得了寵遇,使我們有了生氣,得以重建天主的殿宇,修廢壚,我們在猶大和耶路撒冷,得了保障。
10 What shall we say, our God, after this? for we have forsaken your commandments,
現今,我們的天主! 在這些事後,我們還有什麼可說的呢﹖只能說我們又遺棄了你的誡命,
11 which you have given us by the hand of your servants the prophets, saying, The land, into which you go to inherit it, is a land subject to disturbance by the removal of the people of the nations for their abominations, wherewith they have filled it from one end to the other by their uncleanness.
因你曾藉你的僕人眾先知,吩咐說:『你們要去佔領的地方,因各地異民的卑污行為,成了不潔之地;他們的醜行和罪孽,充滿了那地方的各個角落,
12 And now give not your daughters to their sons, and take not of their daughters for your sons, neither shall you seek their peace or their good for ever: that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and transmit it as an inheritance to your children for ever.
所以你們絕不可將你們的女兒嫁給他們的兒子;也不給你們的兒子,他們的女兒為妻,也永不可他們共謀平安和福利:這樣你們才會強盛,才能吃那地方的出產,將這地留給你們的子孫,作為永遠基業」。
13 And after all that is come upon us because of our evil deeds, and our great trespass, [it is clear] that there is none such as our God, for you has lightly visited our iniquities, and given us deliverance;
為了我們的許多罪行和重大的罪孽,這一切降到了我們身上之後,──我們的天主! 其實你估了我們的罪惡,還給我們留下了這些亡命的人,──
14 whereas we have repeatedly broken your commandments, and intermarried with the people of the lands: be not very angry with us to [our] utter destruction, so that there should be no remnant or escaping one.
我們還敢破壞你的誡命,而同這些不潔的民族聯婚嗎﹖難道還要你向我們發怒,一直將我們完全消滅,不一個遺民或亡命的人嗎﹖
15 O Lord God of Israel, you [are] righteous; for we remain [yet] escaped, as at this day: behold, we [are] before you in our trespasses: for we can’t stand before you on this account.
上主,以色列的天主! 因你仁慈,才剩下了我們這些亡的人,像今天一樣;看,我們在你面前都帶有罪孽,因此,沒有一個能在你面前站得住。