< Isaiah 38 >

1 About that time, Hezekiah became [very] ill and was close to dying. [So] I went to see him. And I gave him this message: “This is what Yahweh says: ‘You should tell the people in your palace what you want them to do after you die, because you will not recover from this illness. You are going to die’”
在那些日期內,希則克雅害病要死,阿摩茲的兒子依撒意亞先知前來看他,並對他說:「上主這樣說:快料理你的家務,因為你快死,不能久活了!」
2 Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed this:
希則克雅就轉面朝牆懇求上主說:「
3 “Yahweh, do not forget that I have always served you very faithfully, and I have done things that pleased you!” Then Hezekiah [started to] cry loudly.
上主!求你記憶我如何懷著忠誠齊全的心,在你面前行走;如何作了你視為正義的事。」然後希則克雅放聲大哭。
4 [I left his room, but] Yahweh gave me this message:
上主的話傳給依撒意亞說:「
5 “Go [back] to Hezekiah and tell him that this is what I, the God to whom your ancestor King David belonged, say: ‘I have heard what you prayed, and I have seen you crying. So listen: I will enable you to live 15 years more.
你去對希則克雅說:上主,你祖先達味的天主這樣說:我聽見了你的祈禱,看見了你的眼淚;看,我要在你的壽數上加多十五年,
6 And, I will rescue you and this city from the power [MTY] of the King of Assyria. I will defend this city.
且由亞述王手中拯救你和這座城,我必要保護這座城。
7 And this is what I will do to prove that I will do what I have just now promised. I will cause the shadow of the sun to move ten steps backward on the sundial that was built by King Ahaz.’”
上主必實踐他所說的話,這將是給你的記號:
8 So the shadow of the sun on the sundial moved backward ten steps.
看,我要使那射在阿哈次的日晷上的日影倒退十度。」果然,射在日晷上的日影倒退了十度。
9 When King Hezekiah was almost well again, he wrote this:
猶大王希則克雅在病中與病愈後所詠的「金詩:」
10 I thought to myself, “Is it necessary for me to die and go to the place where the dead people are during this time of my life when I am still strong? Is Yahweh going to rob me of the remaining years that I [should live]?” (Sheol h7585)
我曾想過:「正當我的中年,我就要離去;我的餘年將被交於陰府之門。」 (Sheol h7585)
11 I said, “I will not see Yahweh [again] in this world where people are alive. I will not see my friends again, or be with others who [now] are alive in this world.
我曾想過:「我再不能在活人的地上看見上主,我再不能在世上的居民中看見世人。
12 [It is as if] my life has been taken away like [SIM] a tent [whose pegs] have been pulled up by a shepherd and taken away. My time to live has been cut short, like a piece of cloth that a weaver [cuts and] rolls up [after he has finished weaving a cloth].” Suddenly, [it seemed that] my life was ending.
我的居所被拆除,由我身上撤去,彷彿牧童的帳幕;你好像織工,捲起了我的生命,由織機上將我割斷。白日黑夜你總想將我結束!」
13 I waited patiently all during the night, but [my pain was as though] [MET] I was being torn apart by lions. [It seemed that] my life was finished.
我哀號直到清晨,上主卻如獅子咬碎了我所有的骨骸。
14 [I was delirious, and] I chirped like a swift or a swallow, and moaned like a dove. My eyes became tired looking up [toward heaven] for help. I cried out, Lord, help me, [because] I am distressed!’
我呢喃好似燕子,我哀鳴有如斑鳩;我痛哭的眼睛向上仰視:「上主!我實在痛苦,求你扶持我!」
15 But there was really nothing [RHQ] that I could say and ask him to reply to me, because it was Yahweh who sent this illness. [So now] I will live humbly during my [remaining] years because I am very anguished.
我還有什麼話可說﹖因為是上主給我說的,因為是他行的;帶著我內心的痛苦,我要善度我的餘年。
16 Yahweh, the sufferings (OR, the promises) that you give are good, [because] what you do and what you say bring [new] life and health to us. And you restore/heal me and allow me [to continue] to live!
吾主!我的心唯有仰望你!求你使我的精神甦醒,使我復原,使我生存。
17 Truly, my suffering was good for me; you loved me, and as a result you have rescued me from dying and have also forgiven all my sins.
看,我的苦楚已變為安寧,是你保存了我的生命脫免滅亡的深淵,因為你將我所有的罪惡盡拋於你背後。
18 Dead people [MTY] cannot praise you; they cannot sing to praise you. Those who have descended to their graves cannot confidently expect you to faithfully [do things for them]. (Sheol h7585)
誠然,陰府不會讚頌你,死亡也不會稱揚你;下到深淵的,也不會再仰望你的忠誠。 (Sheol h7585)
19 Only people who are still alive, like I am, can praise you. Fathers tell their children how you are faithful, [and if I remain alive, I will do the same thing].
生者,唯有生者能讚頌你,如我今日一樣;為父的當使自己的兒女認識你的忠信。
20 [I know that] Yahweh will fully heal me, [so] I will sing to praise him while others praise him playing musical instruments; I will do that every day of my life, in the temple of Yahweh.”
上主救了我,為此我們願以終生的歲月,在上主的殿內彈奏絃琴!
21 I had [previously] said to Hezekiah’s servants, “Prepare an ointment from [mashed] figs, and spread it on his boil, and then he will recover.” [So they did that, and Hezekiah recovered].
依撒意亞曾吩咐說:「拿一塊無花果餅來,貼在他的瘡口上,他就會好了。」
22 And Hezekiah had [previously] asked, “What will Yahweh do to prove that I will [recover and be able to] go to his temple?”
希則克雅曾問說:「有什麼憑據,我將登上上主的殿﹖」

< Isaiah 38 >