< Isaiah 44 >
1 Now, then—hear, O Jacob, my Servant, —and Israel whom I have chosen:
但是現在,我的僕人雅各伯!我所揀選的以色列!你聽罷!
2 Thus, saith Yahweh—Who made thee and formed thee from birth, Who helpeth thee: Do not fear O my Servant Jacob, and Jeshurun whom I have chosen;
那造成你,從母胎形成你,且協助你的上主這樣說:「我的僕人雅各伯!我所揀選的耶叔戎,你不要害怕!
3 For I will pour, Water upon the thirsty soil, and Floods upon the dry ground, —I will pour My spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring;
因為我要把水倒在乾地上,使豪雨落在旱陸上;我要把我的神傾住在你的苗裔身上,把我的祝福降在你的子孫身上。
4 So will they spring up among the grass, As willows by the water-courses:
他們要生長,有如水邊的青草,又如溪畔的楊柳。
5 This one, will say Yahweh’s, am I, and That one, will call himself by the name of Jacob, and Yonder one will write on his hand—Yahweh’s, And after the name of Israel, will one entitle himself.
這個說:「我是上主的,」那個要起雅各伯的名字,另一個要在手上寫 :「屬於上主,」並要起以色列的名號。
6 Thus saith Yahweh—King of Israel, Even his Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts, —I, am, First, and, I, Last, And besides me, there is no God.
上主,以色列的君王,救主,萬軍的上主這樣說:「我是元始,我是終末,在我以外沒有別的神。
7 Who then, like me, can call, and declare it, and order it, for me, Seeing that I appointed an age-abiding people, —Or things yet to be, and that shall come to pass, Let them declare on their part.
誰相似我﹖讓他前來伸述,讓他說明,給我拿出證據來!誰能從永遠預言未來的事,請他告訴我們快要發生的事罷!
8 Do not ye dread, nor yet be alarmed, Have I not from olden time, told thee and declared? So that, ye, are my witnesses, —Whether there is a GOD besides me? Or is no Rock—I knew of none!
你們不必驚慌,不用害怕!我不是早已告訴過你,早已宣布了嗎﹖你們是我的證人,在我以外還有別的神嗎﹖決沒有別的磐石!我一個也不認識!」
9 The fashioners of an image—all of them, are emptiness, And, the things they delight in, cannot profit, —And, their, witnesses, they, neither see nor know, That they may be ashamed.
製造偶像的人都是虛無,他們所喜愛的,也毫無用處;他們的見證人一無所見,毫無所知,必將蒙受恥辱。
10 Who hath fashioned a GOD, Oran image, hath molten? It cannot profit!
有誰製造神像或鑄偶像,不想得利呢﹖
11 Lo! all his partners, turn pale, Even, the artificers themselves, are of the sons of earth, —Let them gather themselves together—all of them. Let them take their stand, Let them dread, and turn pale, together!
看哪!凡作他夥伴的,都要蒙受恥辱,因為製造偶像的,也只是人而已! 讓他們集合起來一同前來罷!他們必要驚慌羞愧!
12 As for the smith, [with his] cutting-tool, —When he hath wrought in the live coals, And, with hammers, hath fashioned it, —And hath wrought it with his strong arm, Anon he is hungry, and hath no strength, He hath drunk no water and so hath become faint!
鐵匠先在炭火上工作,再用鎚子打成偶像,他用大力的手臂工作,當饑餓時,也就沒有力量;沒有水喝,他就疲勞不堪。
13 As for the carpenter, —He hath stretched out a line hath drawn it with a pencil, Hath made it with carving tools, With compasses, hath rounded it, —And so hath made it after the figure of a great man, After the beauty of a son of earth, that it may remain in a house!
木匠伸展繩墨,用筆劃線,後拿刨子刨平,再用圓規測量,做成一個人形,具有人的美麗,好供在廟裏。
14 When one was cutting him down cedars, Then took he a holm-tree and an oak, And secured them for himself, among the trees of the forest, —He planted a fir-tree and the pouring rain made it grow;
人先去砍伐一塊香柏,或取一塊榆木,或橡木;或在樹林中選一塊堅固的木料,或自己種植一棵月桂樹,讓雨水使之長大。
15 So it serveth for a man to burn, And he hath taken of the branches and warmed himself, Also he kindleth a fire, and baketh bread, —Also he maketh a GOD, and hath bowed himself down, Hath made of it a carved image, and adored it:
這些木料原是為人作燃料,原可用來取煖,也可燃燒烘烤麵包;人卻用它來作神像去恭敬,或做偶像去叩拜:
16 The half thereof, hath he burned in the fire, Over half thereof, he eateth flesh, He roasteth roast, that he may be satisfied, —Also he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen a blaze;
人把一半木頭投入火中燃燒,在火炭上烤肉吃;待吃飽了烤肉,又取了煖,遂說:「哈哈!我暖和了,也覺得有了火!」
17 And the residue thereof, Into a GOD, he maketh, Into his carved image, —Adoreth it, and boweth down and prayeth unto it, And saith Deliver me, for, my GOD, thou art!
遂用剩下的一半作了一個神像,一個偶像,向它叩拜,俯伏懇求說:「求你救我,因為你是我的神!」
18 They have not taken note, neither can they perceive, —He hath besmeared—past seeing—their eyes, Past understanding, their hearts;
他們不瞭解,也不覺悟,因為他們的眼糊住了,什麼也看不見;他們的心也不知覺悟,
19 And no one reflecteth—There is neither knowledge nor discernment—to say, Half thereof, have I burned up in the fire Moreover also I have baked, on the coals thereof, bread, I roasted flesh, and have been eating, —And of the remainder thereof, an abomination, shall I make? And, to a log of wood, shall I pay adoration?
也不回心想一下,也不會明智通達地說:「一半木頭我已投入火中燒了,並在火炭上烤了麵包,烤了肉吃;我竟將剩下的一半作了一個怪物,向這塊木頭敬拜。」
20 He is feeding on ashes, A deluded heart, hath turned him aside, —And he cannot deliver his own soul nor say, Is there not a falsehood in my right hand?
他所追求的僅是一把灰;他迷惑的心領他走入歧途,而不能自拔,也不會問說:「我右手所拿的不是虛無嗎﹖」
21 Remember these things, O Jacob, And, Israel, —for, my Servant, thou art, —I have fashioned thee, a Servant of mine, thou art.
雅各伯啊!你要記住這些事!以色列啊!你也應記住,因為你是我的僕人,我造了你,是叫你作我的僕人。以色列啊!我決不會忘了你!
22 O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me, I have wiped out, As with a thick cloud, thy transgressions, And as with a broad cloud, thy sins, —Return unto me, for I have redeemed thee.
我消除了你的罪過,有如煙消;我消除了你的愆尤,有如雲散;歸依我罷!因為我救贖了你。
23 Shout in triumph ye heavens for Yahweh, hath effectually wrought. Shout, O ye underparts of the earth, Ring out, Ye mountains, into cries of triumph, Thou forest, and every tree therein, —For, Yahweh, hath redeemed, Jacob, And in Israel, will he get himself glory.
諸天,歡騰罷!因為上主作了這一切;地下的深淵,歡呼罷!山嶺、森林和其中的樹木,高聲歌唱罷!因為上主拯救了雅各伯,在以色列顯揚了自己。
24 Thus, saith Yahweh Who hath redeemed thee, Who hath fashioned thee from birth, —I—Yahweh, am the maker of all things, Stretching out the heavens, alone, Spreading forth the earth, of myself;
你的救主,由母胎形成你的上主這樣說:「我是創造萬有的上主,只有我展開了諸天,佈置了大地,誰與我同在﹖
25 Frustrating the signs of praters, And, diviners, he confoundeth, —Turning wise men backwards, And their knowledge, he maketh folly;
是我破壞了占卜者的預兆,使巫士成為愚妄,使智者退後,使他們的知識變為愚蠢,
26 Establishing the word of his Servant, And the counsel of his Messengers, he maketh good, —Who saith of Jerusalem—She shall be inhabited! And of the cities of Judah—They shall be built! And the ruins thereof, will I set up!
是我叫我僕人們的話實現,叫我使者們的計謀成功;是我論及耶路撒冷說:「你必要有人居住。」論及猶大各城說:「你們要被重建,我必要重建你們的廢址。」
27 Who saith to the deep—Be dry and Thy rivers, will I drain!
是我對深淵說:「你必涸竭,我要使你的河流乾涸。」
28 Who saith of Cyrus—My Shepherd! and All my pleasure, shall he make good Even saying of Jerusalem—She shall be built! And of the temple—Be her foundation laid!
是我論及居魯士說:「他是我的牧人,他要履行我的一切計劃,要吩咐重建耶路撒冷,奠基重修聖殿。」