< Isaiah 54 >

1 “Sing, barren, you who didn’t give birth! Break out into singing, and cry aloud, you who didn’t travail with child! For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife,” says the LORD.
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 “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; don’t spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
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 For you will spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and settle in desolate cities.
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 “Don’t be afraid, for you will not be ashamed. Don’t be confounded, for you will not be disappointed. For you will forget the shame of your youth. You will remember the reproach of your widowhood no more.
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 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of Armies is his name. The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He will be called the God of the whole earth.
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 For the LORD has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, when she is cast off,” says your God.
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 “For a small moment I have forsaken you, but I will gather you with great mercies.
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 In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
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 “For this is like the waters of Noah to me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke 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 For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness will not depart from you, and my covenant of peace will not be removed,” says the LORD who has mercy on you.
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 afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
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 make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious 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 All your children will be taught by the LORD, and your children’s peace will be great.
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 You will be established in righteousness. You will be far from oppression, for you will not be afraid, and far from terror, for it shall not come near you.
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 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me. Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of 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 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame, and forges a weapon for his work; and I have created the destroyer to destroy.
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 No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the LORD’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says the LORD.
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。

< Isaiah 54 >

A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark
A Dove is Sent Forth from the Ark