< Jeremiah 44 >
1 The word that has been to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews who are dwelling in the land of Egypt—who are dwelling in Migdol, and in Tahpanhes, and in Noph, and in the land of Pathros—saying,
以下是關於住在埃及地,住在米革多耳,塔黑培乃斯、諾夫和帕特洛斯地的一切猶太人,傳給耶肋米亞的話:「
2 “Thus said YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel: You have seen all the calamity that I have brought in on Jerusalem, and on all the cities of Judah, and behold, they [are] a desolation to this day, and there is none dwelling in them,
萬軍的上主,以色列的天主這樣說:你們看見了我對耶路撒冷和猶大各城召來的一切災禍,看,今日已成為無人居住的曠野。
3 because of their wickedness that they have done, by provoking Me to anger, by going to make incense, by serving other gods, that they did not know, they, you, and your fathers.
這是因為他們做了惹我動怒的惡事,向他們、你們和你們的祖先從不認識的外方神祇焚香敬拜;
4 And I send to you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending, saying, Please do not do this abomination that I have hated—
雖然我早就不斷洽你們派遣我所有的先知僕人們說:你們切不可做我所憎恨的可惡之事!
5 and they have not listened nor inclined their ear to turn back from their wickedness, not to make incense to other gods,
他們卻沒有側耳聽從,沒有放棄他們向外方神祇焚香的惡習。
6 and My fury is poured out, and My anger, and it burns in cities of Judah, and in streets of Jerusalem, and they are for a ruin, for a desolation, as [at] this day.
於是我的憤恨如火發作,焚毀了猶大城市和耶路撒冷的街市,使她成為荒涼的曠野,有如今日。
7 And now, thus said YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel: Why are you doing great evil to your own souls, to cut off man and woman, infant and suckling, from you, from the midst of Judah, so as not to leave a remnant to you:
現在,上主萬軍的天主以色列的天主這樣說:為什麼你們招來這樣大的災禍,加害自己,使你們中的男人、婦女、幼童、嬰兒,全由猶大滅絕,不給你們留下遺民﹖
8 by provoking Me to anger by the works of your hands, by making incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, to where you are going to sojourn, so as to cut yourselves off, and so as to your being for a reviling and for a reproach among all nations of the earth?
為什麼你們做惹我動怒的事,向你們來寄居的埃及地的外方神祇獻香,使你們自遭滅亡,成為普世萬民詛咒和恥笑的對象﹖
9 Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, that they have done in the land of Judah, and in streets of Jerusalem?
難道你們忘了你們的祖先、猶大君王和他們的妻妾、你們自己和你們的女人,在猶大地和耶路撒冷街上犯的種種罪惡﹖
10 They have not been humbled to this day, nor have they been afraid, nor have they walked in My law, and in My statutes, that I have set before you and before your fathers.
他們直到今日尚不後悔,也不畏懼,更不履行我給你們和你們的祖先頒布的法律和誡命。
11 Therefore, thus said YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel: Behold, I am setting My face against you for calamity, even to cut off all Judah,
為此,萬軍的上主,以色列的天主這樣說:看,我面向你們,是為降災,消滅整個猶大。
12 and I have taken the remnant of Judah, who have set their faces to enter the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they have all been consumed in the land of Egypt; they fall by sword [and] are consumed by famine, from the least even to the greatest, they die by sword and by famine, and they have been for an execration, for an astonishment, and for a reviling, and for a reproach.
凡決意往埃及地去,要六那裏寄居的猶大遺民,我必要剷除,叫他們全死在埃及地,喪身刀下,饑餓而死;不分老幼都死於刀劍、饑荒,飽受憎恨、厭惡、詛咒和侮辱。
13 And I have seen after those dwelling in the land of Egypt, as I saw after Jerusalem, with sword, with famine, and with pestilence,
我必以刀劍、饑荒和瘟疫懲罰住在埃及地的人,如懲罰耶路撒冷一樣,
14 and there is not an escaped and remaining one of the remnant of Judah, who are entering into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, even to turn back to the land of Judah, to where they are lifting up their soul to return to dwell, for they do not turn back, except those escaping.”
使前往寄居埃及的猶大遺民,無一能幸免逃脫,返回他們所渴望回去居住的猶大地;除少數脫身者外,他們不會回來了。」
15 And they answer Jeremiah—all the men who are knowing that their wives are making incense to other gods, and all the women who are remaining, a great assembly, even all the people who are dwelling in the land of Egypt, in Pathros—saying:
於是凡知道自己的女人曾向外方神祇燒香的人,和一大群環立在旁的婦女,以及住在埃及地和帕特洛斯的全體人民,就答覆耶肋米亞說:「
16 “The word that you have spoken to us in the Name of YHWH—we are not listening to you;
你奉上主的名對我們說的話,我們不願聽從;
17 for we certainly do everything that has gone out of our mouth, to make incense to the queen of the heavens, and to pour out drink-offerings to her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our heads, in cities of Judah, and in streets of Jerusalem, and—we are satisfied with bread, and we are well, and we have not seen calamity.
至於凡出自我們口中的話,我們必定實行,給天后焚香奠酒,如同我們、我們的祖先、君王及首領,在猶大城和耶路撒冷街上所做的一樣;那時我們都豐衣足食,安享太平,不見災禍。
18 And from the time we have ceased to make incense to the queen of the heavens, and to pour out drink-offerings to her, we have lacked all, and we have been consumed by sword and by famine,
可是,自從我們斷絕向天后獻香,不給她奠酒以來,我們就什麼也缺乏,死於刀劍和饑荒。
19 and when we are making incense to the queen of the heavens, and pouring out drink-offerings to her—have we made cakes for her to idolize her, and to pour out drink-offerings to her, without our husbands?”
至於我們的女人向天后焚香奠酒,又那能沒有我們男人的同意,依照她的形狀,給她備製祭餅,向她奠酒呢﹖」
20 And Jeremiah says to all the people, concerning the men and concerning the women, and concerning all the people who are answering him, saying,
耶肋米亞便對全體人民,對答覆他的男人和婦女以及所有的人說:「
21 “The incense that you made in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, you, and your fathers, your kings, and your heads, and the people of the land, has YHWH not remembered it? Indeed, it comes up on His heart.
難道你們、你們的祖先、君王、首領和地方上的人民,在猶大城和耶路冷街上燒香的事,上主就不記得了,再也不懷念在心了嗎﹖
22 And YHWH is not able to accept [you] anymore, because of the evil of your doings, because of the abominations that you have done, and your land is for a ruin, and for an astonishment, and for a reviling, without inhabitant, as [at] this day.
上主再也不能容忍你們邪惡的行為,和你們做的可惡的事,為此你們的土地變成了荒野,成了驚愕和詛咒的對象,無人居住,有如今日:
23 Because that you have made incense, and because you have sinned against YHWH, and have not listened to the voice of YHWH, and have not walked in His law, and in His statutes, and in His testimonies, therefore this calamity has met you as [at] this day.”
就因為你們燒香得罪了上主,不聽上主的勸告,不覆行他的法律、誡命和法令,纔給你們招來了像今日這樣的災禍。」
24 And Jeremiah says to all the people, and to all the women, “Hear a word of YHWH, all Judah who [are] in the land of Egypt:
以後,耶肋米亞又對全體人民和全體婦女說:「凡在埃及境內的猶大人,請聽上主的話!
25 Thus spoke YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel, saying, You and your wives both speak with your mouth, and with your hands have fulfilled, saying, We certainly execute our vows that we have vowed, to make incense to the queen of the heavens, and to pour out drink-offerings to her. You certainly establish your vows, and certainly execute your vows.
萬軍的上主,以色列的天主這樣說:你們和你們的女人都要親手做你們親口說的事;你們說:我們決意實踐我們許的誓願,向天后燒香奠酒。你們就實踐你們的誓願,舉行你們的奠祭罷!
26 Therefore, hear a word of YHWH, all Judah who are dwelling in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by My great Name, said YHWH, My Name is no longer proclaimed by the mouth of any man of Judah, saying, Lord YHWH lives—in all the land of Egypt.
但是,所有住在埃及地的猶大人,你們且聽上主的話:看,我以我偉大的名起誓──上主說:在埃及全地任何猶大人的口中,不會再呼號我名說:我主上主永在!
27 Behold, I am watching over them for calamity, and not for good, and all the men of Judah who [are] in the land of Egypt have been consumed by sword and by famine, until their consumption.
看,我注視他們,是為降災,不是為賜福,使在埃及地所有的猶大人,都死於刀劍饑荒,徹底消滅;
28 And the escaped of the sword turn back out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, few in number, and all the remnant of Judah, who are coming into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, have known whose word is established, Mine or theirs.
即使有逃脫刀劍,從埃及地回到猶大的人,為數也寥寥無幾。到埃及地來寄居的全體猶大遺民,終於會知道:誰的話要應驗,是我的還是他們的。
29 And this [is] the sign to you—a declaration of YHWH—that I am seeing after you in this place, so that you know that My words are certainly established against you for calamity—
這為你們是個徵兆──上主的斷語──就在這地方我要懲罰你們,叫你們知道:我對你們要降災的話,必要絕對應驗。
30 thus said YHWH: Behold, I am giving Pharaoh-Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of those seeking his life, as I have given Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and who is seeking his life.”
上主這樣說:看,我必將埃及王法郎曷斐辣交在他仇人和圖謀他性命的人手中,就如我曾將猶大王漆德克雅,交在他仇人和圖謀他性命的巴比倫王拿步高的手中一樣。」