Jeremiah 5
1 “Rush about through the streets of Jerusalem; search in her city squares, too. Then look and think about this: If you can find a man or anyone who is acting justly and trying to act faithfully, then I will forgive Jerusalem.
請你們巡行耶路撒冷的街道，觀察注意，在她的廣場上搜尋：若他們能找到一人，一個履正義，追求信實的人，我就寬恕這城。
2 Although they say, 'As Yahweh lives,' yet they are swearing falsely.”
雖然他們起誓說：「上主永在! 」其實他們起的誓仍是虛誓。
3 Yahweh, do your eyes not look for faithfulness? You struck the people, but they do not feel pain. You have completely defeated them, but they still refuse to receive discipline. They make their faces harder than rock, for they refuse to repent.
上主，你的眼睛難道不顧信實﹖你打擊了他們，他們卻毫不覺痛；你使他們挫敗，他們仍拒絕受教，使自己的面孔比火石還要頑硬，不願悔改。
4 So I said, “Surely these are only poor people. They are foolish, for they do not know Yahweh's ways, nor their God's decrees.
我想：「不錯，他們原是無知的平民，不認識上主的道路和衪他們天主的法律。
5 I will go to the important people and declare God's messages to them, for they at least know Yahweh's ways, the decrees of their God.” But they all broke their yoke together; they all tore apart the chains that bound them to God.
我要去問有權勢的人，與他們談論，因為他們知道火道路和他們天主的法律。」哎! 連他們也都折斷了軛，掙斷了繩索。
6 So a lion from a thicket will attack them. A wolf from the Arabah will ruin them. A lurking panther will come against their cities. Anyone who goes outside his city will be torn apart. For their transgressions increase. Their acts of faithlessness are unlimited.
為此，獅子由叢林出來襲擊他們，曠野的豺狼出來傷害他們，豹子潛伏在他們的城旁，凡出來的人都被撕裂，因為他們罪上加罪，失節有增無已。
7 Why should I pardon these people? Your sons have abandoned me and have made oaths by what are not gods. I fed them fully, but they committed adultery and walked in great numbers to the houses of prostitutes.
如此，我怎能寬恕你﹖你的子孫離棄了我，奉「非神」發誓。我使他們飽食，他們卻去行淫，群集在妓院裏；
8 They were horses in heat. They roamed about wanting to mate. Each man neighed to his neighbor's wife.
他們像荒淫雄壯的牡馬，各向自己近人的妻室嘶鳴。
9 So should I not punish them—this is Yahweh's declaration— and should I not avenge myself on a nation that is like this?
這些事，我怎能不懲罰﹖──上主的斷語──像這些火民族，我怎能不親自報復﹖
10 Go up onto her vineyards' terraces and destroy. But do not bring complete destruction to them. Trim their vines, since those vines do not come from Yahweh.
請你們登上她的牆上頭，加以毀壞，但不要完全毀滅，該除去她的枝條，因為它們不屬於上主。
11 For the houses of Israel and Judah have completely betrayed me—this is Yahweh's declaration.
以色列和猶大家，實在對我不忠，達到極點──
12 They have spoken falsely about Yahweh and they said, “He will do nothing; no harm will come upon us, and we will not see sword or famine.
上主的斷語。他們否認上主說：「衪不存在! 災禍不會臨到我們身上，我們也決不會見到戰爭和飢荒；
13 The prophets will become wind, the word is not in them, so let what they say be done to them.”
先知們不過是一陣風，他們並沒有上主的話；他們這樣只有自作自受。」
14 So Yahweh, the God of hosts says this, “Because you have said this, see, I am about to place my word in your mouth. It will be like a fire, and this people will be like wood! For it will consume them.
為此，上主萬軍火天主這樣說：「因為他們說了這話，我必使我的話在你的口中成為火，使這人民成為木柴，將他們吞滅。
15 Behold! I am about to bring a nation against you from far away, house of Israel—this is Yahweh's declaration— it is a lasting nation, an ancient nation! It is a nation whose language you do not know, nor will you understand what they say.
以色列家! 看，我從遠方給你們引來一個民族──上主的斷語──一個所向無敵的民族，一個支老的民族，一個你們不慬她的語言，也聽不出她說什麼的民族
16 Its quiver is like an open tomb. They are all soldiers.
他們的箭有如張口墳墓；他們都是善戰的勇士。
17 So your harvest will be consumed, your sons and daughters also, and your food. They will eat your flocks and cattle; they will eat the fruit from your vines and fig trees. They will beat down with a sword your fortified cities that you trusted in.
這民族必吃掉你的收穫和食糧，必吃掉你的兒子和女兒，必吃掉你的羊群和牛群，必吃掉你的葡萄和無花果，必以武力蹂躝你依恃的堅城。
18 But even in those days—this is Yahweh's declaration—I do not intend to destroy you completely.
即在那些時日裏──上主的斷語──我也不對你們加以徹底的毀滅。」
19 When you, Israel and Judah, say, 'Why has Yahweh our God done all these things to us?' then you, Jeremiah, will say to them, 'Just as you abandoned Yahweh and served foreign gods in your land, so you must also serve strangers in a land that is not your own.'
假使有人問：「為什麼上主我們的天主對我們做了這一切的事﹖」你當對他們說：「你們怎樣離棄了我，在你們國內事奉了外邦的神祗，你們也該怎樣在不屬於你們的境內事奉外邦人。」
20 Report this to the house of Jacob and let it be heard in Judah. Say,
你們你們將這事通知雅各伯家，轉告猶大說：
21 'Hear this, you foolish people who have no understanding; who have eyes but you cannot see, and you have ears but you cannot hear.
「你們愚昧無知，有目不見，有耳不聞的人民，請聽聽這話：
22 Do you not fear me—this is Yahweh's declaration—or tremble before my face? I have placed a border of sand against the sea, an ongoing decree that it does not violate— even though the sea rises and falls, still it does not violate it. Even though its waves roar, they do not cross it.
你們不敬畏我嗎﹖──上主的斷語──你們在我面前不戰憟嗎﹖是我堆集了沙石作海的界限，作為它永不能越過的界限浪雖然洶湧，仍無能為力；雖怒號澎湃，仍不能越過。」
23 But this people has a stubborn heart. It turns away in rebellion and goes away.
但這內心頑固的心民，竟背叛而離去，
24 For they do not say in their hearts, “Let us fear Yahweh our God, the one who brings the rain —the early rain and the late rains—in their right time, keeping the fixed weeks of the harvest for us.”
從不反心自省：「我們應該敬畏上主，我們的天主，因為衪按時降下雨露、秋霜和春雨；又給我們保持固定的收穫時節。」
25 Your iniquities kept these things from happening. Your sins have stopped good from coming to you.
是你們的過犯混亂了這些時令，是罪惡阻止了你們享這幸福。
26 For wicked men are found with my people. They watch as someone crouches to capture birds; they set a trap and catch people.
因為在我的人民中發現惡人；他們像隱伏的捕鳥者在窺探，布下羅網捕捉人。
27 Like a cage full of birds, their houses are full of deceit. So they grow large and become rich.
猶如籠中滿了飛鳥，他們家中也充滿了欺詐，因此成了有勢力，有錢財的人。
28 They have become fat; they shine with well-being. They crossed over all bounds of wickedness. They do not plead the cause of the people, or the cause of the orphan. They prosper even though they have not given justice to the needy.
他們肥胖紅潤，作奸犯科，不為孤兒辯護；只求自己享受，也不關懷窮人的權利。
29 Should I not punish them for these things—this is Yahweh's declaration— and will I not take vengeance for myself on a nation like this?
像這樣的事，我怎能不懲罰﹖──上主的斷語──像這樣的民族，我怎能不親自報復﹖
30 Atrocities and horrors have occurred in the land.
在國內發生了一件恐怖而可憎的事：
31 The prophets prophesy with deceit, and the priests rule with their own power. My people love it this way, but what will happen in the end?'”
先知們說假預言，司祭們爭權奪利，我的人民反以此為樂；到了最後，你們究竟還要作什麼﹖
