Jeremiah 2
1 And the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying;
上主的話傳給我說：
2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying—Thus saith Yahweh, I remember in thy behalf, the lovingkindness of thy youthful days, The love of thy bridal estate, —Thy coming out after me, Through the desert, Through 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 Holiness, was Israel unto Yahweh, The first-fruit of his increase, —All that devoured it, were held guilty, Calamity used to come upon them, —Declareth Yahweh.
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 ye the word of Yahweh O house of Jacob, And all the 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, saith Yahweh, —What did your fathers find in me by way of perversity, that they removed far from me, —and went after vanity, and became 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 Neither said they, Where is Yahweh, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, —Who led us Through the desert, Through a land of wastes and clefts, Through a land of parched places and of death-shade, Through a land, Along which no man had passed, And in which no son of earth dwelt?
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 Then brought I you into a country of garden land, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof, —and yet when ye entered, then defiled ye my land, and mine inheritance, ye made 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, said not Where is Yahweh? And, they who handled the law, did not acknowledge me, And the shepherds transgressed against me, —And the prophets, prophesied by Baal, And so after things that could not profit, did they walk.
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 yet further will I plead with you Declareth Yahweh, Yea with your children’s children, will I plead.
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 through the coastlands of the West and see, And unto Kedar, send ye and consider diligently, —And see—whether there hath been the like of 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 Hath a nation, changed gods, although they were No-gods? Yet my people have changed my glory for that which could 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 amazed, O ye heavens, at this, —And shudder, be dried up utterly, Urgeth Yahweh.
諸天! 你們對此應驚駭戰慄，大為驚異──上主的斷語，
13 For two wicked things, have my people committed, —Me, have they forsaken a fountain of living water, To hew out for themselves cisterns broken cisterns, that cannot hold water.
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 Was Israel a servant? Born in the house, was he? Wherefore hath he become 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 Against him, have been roaring wild lions, They have uttered their voice, —and have made his land a desolation, His cities, have been burned, so as to have no 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 Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes have been crushing the crown of the head.
連諾夫和塔黑乃斯的子民，也削去你的腦蓋。
17 Is not this what thou wast certain to do for thyself, —in that thou didst forsake Yahweh thy God, when he was leading thee by 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 Now, therefore what hast thou to do with the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? Or what hast thou to do with the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River ["Euphrates"]?
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 Let thy wickedness correct thee And thine apostasies, rebuke thee, Know therefore and see That it is a wicked thing and a bitter, that thou shouldest have forsaken Yahweh thy God, And that the dread of me should not have pertained to thee, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh 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, in age-past time, I brake thy yoke, I tare off thy fetters, And thou saidst, I will not transgress, —Nevertheless, on every high hill, and under every green tree, wast thou lying down as an unchaste woman.
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 Yet, I, planted thee a precious vine, a wholly true seed, —How then didst thou change thyself towards me, into the degenerate plantings of the alien vine?
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 For though thou wash thee with nitre, And take thee much soap, Yet is thine iniquity inscribed before me Declareth My Lord Yahweh.
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 canst thou say, I have not defiled myself, After the Baalim, have I not gone? See thy way, in the valley, Own what thou hast done, —A nimble young she-camel, crossing her own 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 ass, taught of the desert, In the desire of her soul, she snuffeth the wind, In her occasion, who can turn her back? None who seek her, will weary themselves, In her month, they shall 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 thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst! But thou saidst Hopeless! No! for I love foreigners and after them, will I go.
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, hath been put to shame, the house of Israel, —They, their kings their princes, 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 a tree, My father, art thou! And to a stone, Thou, didst give us birth, For they have turned unto me the back and not the face, —But in the time of their calamity, they will 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 Where then are thy gods which thou hast made for thyself? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy calamity, —For according to the number of thy cities, have become thy 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 Wherefore, should ye plead against me, All of you, have transgressed against me Declareth Yahweh.
你們竟背叛了我，為什麼又向我提出抗議──上主的斷語──
30 In vain, have I smitten your children, Correction, have they not accepted, —Your sword hath devoured your prophets, as a lion that destroyeth.
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, ye, the word of Yahweh, A desert, became I unto Israel? Or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore, have my people said, We have roved about, We will not come in any more unto thee?
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 Can, a virgin, forget, her ornaments, —A bride, her girdle? Yet, my people, have forgotten me, 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 How thou dost make winsome thy way, to seek love! Therefore, even unto wicked women, hast thou taught thy 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 Even in thy skirts, is there found, The blood of the lives of the helpless innocents, —Not in the act of breaking in, didst thou find them, yet [the blood is] 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 Although thou saidst, Because I am innocent, surely hath his anger turned back from me, —Behold me! entering into judgment with thee, because thou sayest, 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 How vigorously, thou goest about changing thy way! Even of Egypt, shalt thou be ashamed, just as thou wast ashamed of Assyria:
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 Even from this one, shalt thou go forth, with thy hands upon thy head, —For Yahweh hath rejected those in whom thou confidest, and thou shalt not prosper with 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。
