Jeremiah 2
1 And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,
上主的話傳給我說：
2 “Go, and you have called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said YHWH: I have remembered for you The kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, Your going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown.
「你去! 向耶路撒冷大聲疾呼說：上主這樣說：我憶起你年青時的熱情，你訂婚時的戀愛；那你在曠野裏，在未耕種的地上追隨了我。
3 Israel [is] holy to YHWH, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Calamity comes to them,” A declaration of YHWH.
以色列成了上主的聖民，成了衪收穫的初果，凡舌食她的都要有罪，災禍必要降在他們身上──上主的斷語。
4 Hear a word of YHWH, O house of Jacob, And all you families of the house of Israel—
雅各伯家和以色列家的一切家族! 你們聽上主的話，
5 Thus said YHWH: “What perversity have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after vanity, and become vain,
上主這樣說：你們的祖先在我身上發現了什麼不義竟遠離我而去追隨「虛無」，自成為虛無呢﹖
6 And have not said, Where [is] YHWH, Who brings us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leads us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land that none has passed through, Nor has man dwelt there?
他們也不問一問：那曾引我們由埃及地上來，那經過曠野、荒原和崎嶇之地，乾旱和黑暗之地，沒人遊歷無人居住之地，引領我們的上主現在在哪裏呢﹖
7 Indeed, I bring you into a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And you come in and defile My land, And have made My inheritance an abomination.
我引領你們進入了肥沃的土地，吃其中的出產和美物；但你們一進來，就玷污了我的土地，使我的產業成了可憎之物。
8 The priests have not said, Where [is] YHWH? And those handling the Law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Ba‘al, And have gone after those who do not profit.
司祭們也不問一問：「上主在哪裏﹖」那些管理法律的，不認識我了；那些為人牧的，叛離了我；先知們也奉巴耳講預言，追隨無能的神袛。
9 Therefore, I yet plead with you,” A declaration of YHWH, “And I plead with your sons’ sons.
為此，我要控訴你們──上主的斷語，也要控訴你們的子孫
10 For pass to the islands of Chittim and see, And send to Kedar and consider well, And see if there has been [anything] like this:
好吧! 你們往基廷島嶼去觀察一下，派人到刻達爾去詳細調察，看看巾沒有與此相類似的事：
11 Has a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people has changed its glory For that which does not profit.
難道有一個民族更換了自己的神袛﹖──雖然他們並非真神；但是我的人民竟以自己的光榮換取了一個「無能的東西。」
12 Be astonished, you heavens, at this, Indeed, be frightened, be greatly desolated,” A declaration of YHWH.
諸天! 你們對此應驚駭戰慄，大為驚異──上主的斷語，
13 “For My people have done two evils, They have forsaken Me, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells—broken wells, That do not contain the waters.
因為我的人民犯了雙重的罪惡：他們離棄了我這活水的泉源，卻給自己掘了蓄水池，不能蓄水的漏水池。
14 [Is] Israel a servant? Is he a child of the house? Why has he been for a prey?
以色列豈是 奴隸，或是家生的奴隸﹖為什麼竟成了人的掠奪物﹖
15 Young lions roar against him, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burned without inhabitant.
獅子向她咆哮，高聲吼叫：牠們使她的地域變成了荒野，使她的城市化為灰燼，無人居住。
16 Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume you—the crown of the head!
連諾夫和塔黑乃斯的子民，也削去你的腦蓋。
17 Do you not do this to yourself? [By] your forsaking your God YHWH, At the time He is leading you in the way?
你這不是自作自受嗎﹖因為上主你的天主在路上引導你的時候，你竟離棄了衪。
18 And now, why do you [go] in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And why do you [go] in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the River?
現在你又為什麼路到埃及去喝尼羅河的水，跑到亞述去喝幼發拉的河水﹖
19 Your wickedness instructs you, And your backslidings reprove you, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [is] your forsaking your God YHWH, And My fear not being on you,” A declaration of Lord YHWH of Hosts.
是你的罪惡懲罰你，是你的不忠責斥你，那麼你應該明白覺察：離棄上主你的天主，對我沒有敬畏，是如何邪惡和痛苦的事──吾主萬軍上主的斷語。
20 “For from of old you have broken your yoke, Drawn away your bands, and say, I do not serve, For on every high height, and under every green tree, You are wandering—a harlot.
的確，從古以來，你就折斷了你的軛，掙斷了你的繩索說：我不願服從；反在一切高丘上，和一切綠樹下，偃臥行淫。
21 And I planted you [as] a choice vine, wholly of true seed, And how have you been turned Into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine to Me?
我種植你時，原是精選的葡萄，純粹的真種子；你是怎麼竟給我變成了壞樹，成了野葡萄﹖
22 But though you wash with natron, And multiply soap to yourself, Your iniquity is marked before Me,” A declaration of Lord YHWH.
現在既使你用鹼洗濯，多加滷汁，你的罪污仍留在我面前──吾主上主的斷語──
23 “How can you say, I have not been defiled, I have not gone after the Ba‘alim? See your way in a valley, know what you have done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,
你怎能說：我沒有玷污我自己，我沒有追隨過巴耳﹖觀察你在谷中的行動，便知你的行動，無異一隻到處遊蕩，敏捷的母駱駝；
24 A wild donkey accustomed to a wilderness, She has swallowed up wind in the desire of her soul, Her meeting—who turns her back? None seeking her weary themselves, In her month they find her.
又像一頭習慣在荒野，急欲求配，呼氣喘息的母野驢；誰能抑制牠的性慾﹖凡尋找牠的，不必費辛苦，在她春情發動的月分，就可找著。
25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, And your throat from thirst, And you say, It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and I go after them.
留心! 不要使你的腳赤裸，不要使你的喉嚨乾渴! 但是你卻說：不會，不可能! 我既愛異邦神袛，我要跟隨他們。
26 As the shame of a thief when he is found, So has the house of Israel been put to shame, They, their kings, their heads, And their priests, and their prophets,
就如小偷被人發現時，感到羞愧；以色列家：他們，他們的君王和首領，他們的司祭和先知，都要同樣蒙受羞辱。
27 Saying to wood, You [are] my father! And to a stone, You have brought me forth, For they turned to me the back and not the face, And in the time of their distress, They say, Arise, and save us.
他們對木偶說：你是我的父親；對石碣說：是你生了我。的確，他們不但向我轉過臉去，而且也以褙向著我；但是，在他們遭難的時候，卻喊說：起來，拯救我們!
28 And where [are] your gods, that you have made to yourself? Let them arise, if they may save you, In the time of your distress, For—the number of your cities have been your gods, O Judah,
你自己製造的神祗在哪裏﹖在你遭難的時候，他們若能救你，就讓他們起來! 因為猶大! 你祗的數目竟等於你域邑的數目，巴耳的香壇與耶路撒冷的街道一般多。
29 Why do you strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me,” A declaration of YHWH.
你們竟背叛了我，為什麼又向我提出抗議──上主的斷語──
30 “I have struck your sons in vain, They have not accepted instruction, Your sword has devoured your prophets, As a destroying lion.
我打擊了你們的子孫，竟是徒然，你們沒有受到教訓；你們的刀劍如同一隻兇殘的獅子吞滅了眾先知。
31 O generation, see the word of YHWH: Have I been a wilderness to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Why have My people said, We wandered freely, We do not come to You again.
你們這一代人，體會上主的話吧! 難道我對以色列像一個荒野，或像一個黑暗地方﹖為什麼我的人民說：我們獲得了自由，我們不再來找你﹖
32 Does a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And My people have forgotten Me [for] days without number.
一個處女豈能忘了自己的珍飾﹖一位新娘豈能忘了自己的彩帶﹖我的人民卻忘了我，時日已久長無法計算。
33 Why do you make your ways pleasing to seek love? Therefore you have even taught the wicked your ways.
你怎麼會如此想盡好方法去求愛﹖你也將你的方法教給了邪惡的女人；
34 Also the blood of innocent needy souls Has been found on your skirts, I have not found them by digging, But on all these.
連在你的衣邊上也發現無辜窮人的血漬：並不是在挖洞穴時，你捉住他們，而是在橡樹邊。
35 And you say, Because I have been innocent, Surely His anger has turned back from me? Behold, I have been judged with you, Because of your saying, I have not sinned.
但你還說：我是無罪的，他的憤怒已離我遠去。看! 我要審判你，因你說：我沒有犯罪。
36 What? You are very vile to repeat your way, You are even ashamed of Egypt, As you have been ashamed of Asshur,
為什麼這樣輕易改變你的道路﹖你必要因埃及而蒙羞，猶如曾因亞述而蒙羞一樣。
37 Also you go out from this, And your hands on your head, For YHWH has kicked at your confidences, And you do not give prosperity to them!”
你畢竟要從那裏抱頭出走，因為上主擯棄了你所仗恃的，使你不能靠他們獲得成功。
