< Jeremiah 6 >
1 Flee for safety, ye children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth-haccherem: for evil looketh forth from the north, and a great destruction.
本雅明子民,請你們逃出耶路撒冷,在特科亞吹號,在貝特革楞豎立旗幟! 因為有一個災禍,即一個巨大的毀滅,已由北方隱約出現。
2 The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.
熙雍女郎仿佛美麗的草場,
3 Shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.
牧童領著自己的羊群坰她進發,在她四週張設帳幕,各據一方牧放。
4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day declineth, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
「請你們備戰,向她進攻;來,讓我們在正午就上前進攻! 我們真不幸! 因為日已偏西,暮影已長!
5 Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
不妨! 就趁夜上去,破壞她的閭闕。」
6 For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast up a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
因為萬軍的上主這樣說:6.「他們該砍伐她的樹木,雀起壁壘,圍攻耶路撒冷,這該受罰的城市,因為在那裏充滿了壓榨。
7 As a well casteth forth her waters, so she casteth forth her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.
泉源怎樣湧出泉水,她就怎樣湧出邪惡;從那裏只可聽到強暴和迫害,我金看見疾病和瘡痍。
8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from thee; lest I make thee a desolation, a land not inhabited.
耶路撒冷! 你應接受訓戒,免得我的心疏遠你,使你荒涼,成為沒有人居住的地方。」
9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn again thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.
萬軍的上主這樣說:「你應像收拾葡萄,把以色列的遺民收拾淨盡;又如收割的人 向枝條再伸出你的手來。」
10 To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is become unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
我應對誰說,應警告誰,使他們聽信我呢﹖看,他們的耳朵遲鈍不靈,不能留心細聽;看,上主的話對他們已成了笑柄,一點也不感興趣
11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.
為此,我滿懷上主火憤怒,我已無法再控制:「只得將憤怒發洩在街上的孩童和青年的隊伍身上,因為男人和女人,年長和年老的人,都要被擄去;
12 And their houses shall be turned unto others, their fields and their wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.
他們的住它、莊田和妻室,都要歸他人,因為我要向本地的居民伸出我的手──上主的斷語。」
13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
實在,從最小的到最的,都貪財圖利;從先知到司祭,都欺詐行事,
14 They have healed also the hurt of my people lightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
草率治療我人民的瘡痍說:「好了,好了! 」其實卻沒有好。
15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
他們既彿事可憎,就應當知恥;可是,他們不但毫不知恥,反而連羞愧也不知道是什麼;為此,他們要與倒斃者一同倒斃,在我降罰他們時,都要一厥不振──上主說。
16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk [therein].
上主這樣說:「你們應站在交叉路口,觀察探問舊路;那一條是好路,就在那路上走,你們的的心靈必獲安寧。」他們卻答說:「我們偏不走。」
17 And I set watchmen over you, [saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet; but they said, We will not hearken.
我給你們派駐哨兵,你們連注意號聲! 」他們卻答說:「我們偏不注意。
18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
為此,萬民! 你們必需細聽;群眾! 你們應知道他們的遭遇。
19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.
大地注意:看,我必給這百姓帶來災禍,作他們失節的的苦果,因為他們沒有聽從我的言辭,拋棄了卜法律。
20 To what purpose cometh there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto me.
那些來自舍巴的乳香,出自遠方的香蒲,於我有何用﹖你們的全燔祭不受悅納,你的犧牲不樂我意。
21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people: and the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
為此,上主這樣說:「看,我將這人民設下絆腳石,使父子一起絆倒,使鄰居和朋友同趨滅亡。」
22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.
上主這樣說:「看,有一個民族從北方前來,有一個強大的異邦從地極興起,
23 They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses; every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Zion.
緊握弓戈,殘忍無情,像海嘯一般喧嚷,騎著戰馬,萬眾一心,嚴陣準備向你進攻,熙雍女郎! 」
24 We have heard the fame thereof; our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.
我們聽到了這消息,束手無策,不勝憂慮,痛苦得有如臨產的婦女。
25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for [there is] the sword of the enemy, [and] terror on every side.
你們不要到田間去,不要在路上徘徊,因為敵人正在撕殺,四處令人恐怖。
26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
我的女兒──人民──你該穿上麻衣,輾轉於灰塵,悲哀傷心痛哭,如喪獨子,因為劫奪者要突然來襲擊我們!
27 I have made thee a tower [and] a fortress among my people; that thou mayest know and try their way.
我立了你作我人民的查察員,原是為叫你認識並考察他們的行徑。
28 They are all grievous revolters, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.
他們盡是極頑固的叛徒,往來散播流言,確是壞透了的破銅爛鐵。
29 The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.
風箱猛吹,雖有烈火,但鉛仍不溶化;煉工徒然鍛煉,渣滓總煉不掉。
30 Refuse silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
人都稱他們為「拋棄的銀渣,」因為上主已將他們拋棄。