< Isaiah 54 >
1 Yahweh says, “You [people of Jerusalem] [MET], start to sing! You [who are like] [MET] women who have never given birth to children, sing loudly and shout joyfully, because you, [who are like] [MET] childless women who have been abandoned [by their husbands], will [soon] have more children than women who have never had any children.
不生育的石女,歡樂罷!未經產痛的女子!歡呼高唱罷!因為被棄者的子女比有夫者的子女還多:這是上主說的。
2 Make your tents larger; make them wider, and fasten them firmly with tent pegs.
拓展你帳幕的空位,伸展你住所的帷幔,不必顧忌!拉長你的繩索,堅固你的木橛!
3 [You will need to make your city much larger] because [soon] you and your descendants will spread all over the land. They will force the people of [other] nations [who now live in your cities] to leave, and you will live [again] in those cities [that were previously abandoned].
因為你要向左右拓展,你的後裔將以外邦之地為業,住滿廢棄了的城邑!
4 Do not be afraid; you will no [longer] be ashamed. Previously you were ashamed [because your enemies conquered you] and caused many of your women to become widows, but [soon] you will not even remember that.
不要害怕!因為你再不會蒙羞;不要羞慚!因為你再不會受辱;其實,你要忘記你幼年時所受的恥辱,再不懷念居寡時所受的侮慢,
5 [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, the Holy one of Israel, who rules over the whole earth, the one who created you, will be [like] [MET] a husband to you.
因為你的夫君是你的造主,他的名字是「萬軍的上主;」你的救主是以色列的聖者,他將稱為「全世界的天主。」
6 You were like a woman whose husband left her, and caused you to be very sad; you were like a young woman who got married when she was [very] young, and then her husband abandoned her.
是的,上主召見你時,你是一個被棄而心靈憂傷的婦女;人豈能遺棄他青年時的妻子﹖你的天主說。
7 I abandoned you [people of Jerusalem] for a while, but [now] I am saying, ‘I will take you back.’
其實,我離棄了你,只是一會兒,但是我要用絕大的仁慈召你回來。
8 I was very angry with you for a while, and I turned away from you. But I will act mercifully toward you and I will faithfully love you forever. That is what [I], Yahweh, your protector, say to you.
在我的盛怒中,我曾一會兒掩面不看你,可是我要以永遠的慈悲憐憫你,你的救主上主說。
9 During the time that Noah lived, I solemnly promised that I would never again allow a flood to cover the earth. So [now] I solemnly promise that I will not be angry with you again and (rebuke you/threaten to punish you).
這事對我有如諾厄的時日一般:就如那時我曾發誓說:諾厄的大水不再淹沒世界;同樣,我如今起誓:再不向你發怒,再不責斥你。
10 Even if the mountains and hills shake and collapse, I will not stop faithfully loving you, and I will not cancel my agreement to cause things to go well for you. That is what [I], Yahweh, who act mercifully, say.
高山可移動,丘陵能挪去,但我對你的仁慈決不移去,我的和平盟約總不動搖:憐憫你的上主說。
11 You [people of Jerusalem] [APO], [your enemies acted very violently toward you]; [it was as though] your city was battered by a severe storm, and no one helped you. But [now] I will cause your city to be rebuilt with stones made of (turquoise/valuable stones), and I will cause the foundations of the city to be made of (sapphires/valuable blue stones).
你這遭磨難,受顛沛,無安慰的城啊!看,我要用孔雀石安置你的基石,以碧玉奠定你的根基;
12 I will cause the towers on the city wall to be made of (rubies/valuable red stones), and all the gates of the city will be made of [other] very valuable stones.
我要以紅瑪瑙修你的城垛,以水晶石築你的門戶,以各種寶石建你的圍牆。
13 I will be the one who will teach you people and cause things to go well with you.
你所有的兒子,都是上主所訓誨的;你的兒子們,要享受絕大的幸福。
14 Your [government] will be strong because of acting justly/fairly; no one will (oppress you/cause you to suffer); you will not be afraid, because there will be nothing [PRS] that will (terrorize you/cause you to become extremely afraid).
你將建築在正義的根基上;欺壓已遠去,你無需再有所恐懼;驚嚇也遠去了,它再不會臨近你。
15 If any army attacks you, it will not be because I have incited them to do that, and you will defeat any group that attacks you.
請看!如果有人攻擊你,那不是出於我;凡攻打你的,必在你前跌倒。
16 Think about this: (Blacksmiths/Men who make things from metal) fan the coals to make a very hot flame in order to produce weapons that can be used [in battles], but I am the one who has produced blacksmiths! And I am also the one who created people who destroy [other people and cities].
請看!是我造了吹煤火的鐵匠,由於他工作中造出了各種武器,可是也是我造了毀滅者來加以破壞。
17 [But I am promising you that I will] not allow you to be defeated/injured by soldiers using weapons that have been made to attack you, and when others try to accuse you, you will (refute them/show that they are wrong). That is the reward that I will give to the people who serve me; I will defend them; that is what [I], Yahweh, promise.”
所製造的各種武器,為攻打你,一概無用;在訴訟中,凡起來與你爭辯的舌頭,都要被你駁倒。這是上主的僕人應得之分,是他們由我所得的報酬──上主的斷語。
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark