エレミヤ書 13
1 主はわたしにこう言われた、「行って、亜麻布の帯を買い、腰に結べ。水につけてはならない」。
[One day] Yahweh said to me, “Go and buy a linen waistcloth. Put it on, but do not wash it.”
2 そこで、わたしは主の言葉に従い、帯を買って腰に結んだ。
So I bought a [very nice] waistcloth, which is what Yahweh told me to do, and I put it on.
3 主の言葉は、再びわたしに臨んで言った、
Then [later] Yahweh gave me another message.
4 「あなたが買って腰に結んでいる帯を手に取り、立ってユフラテの川へ行き、その所の岩の裂け目にこれを隠せ」。
He said, “Go to the small Perath Stream [near Jerusalem] and hide your waistcloth in a crevice/hole in the rocks.”
5 わたしは主が命じられたように、行って、これをユフラテの川のほとりに隠した。
So I went to the stream and did what Yahweh told me to do.
6 多くの日を経てのち、主はわたしに言われた、「立って、ユフラテの川へ行き、あなたに命じて、そこに隠させた帯をその所から取ってきなさい」。
A long time later, Yahweh said to me, “Go [back] to that stream and get the waistcloth that I told you to hide there.”
7 そこでわたしはユフラテの川へ行き、地を掘って、隠した所から帯を取り出したが、その帯はそこなわれて、役に立たなくなっていた。
So I went to the Perath Stream and dug out the waistcloth from the crevice/hole in which I had hidden it. But it was ruined, and useless.
8 その時、主の言葉がわたしに臨んだ、
Then Yahweh gave me this message:
9 「主はこう仰せられる、これと同じように、わたしはユダの高ぶりとエルサレムの大いなる高ぶりを、破るのである。
“[What happened to your waistcloth] shows that I will destroy the things that [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah are very proud of.
10 この悪しき民はわたしの言葉を聞くことを拒み、自分の心を強情にして歩み、また他の神々に従ってこれに仕え、これを拝んでいる。彼らはこの帯のように、なんの役にも立たなくなる」。
Those wicked people refuse to pay attention to what I say. They stubbornly do just what they desire to do; they worship other gods. Therefore, they will become completely useless, like your waistcloth.
11 主は言われる、「帯が人の腰に着くように、イスラエルのすべての家とユダのすべての家とをわたしに着かせ、これをわたしの民とし、名とし、誉とし、栄えとしようとした。しかし彼らは聞き従おうともしなかった」。
Just like a waistcloth clings closely/tightly to a man’s waist, I wanted the people [MTY] of Israel and Judah to cling closely to me. I wanted them to be my people, people who would praise me and honor me. But they would not pay attention [to me]. “
12 「あなたはこの言葉を彼らに語らなければならない、『イスラエルの神はこう言われる、酒つぼには、みな酒が満ちる』と。彼らはあなたに言うであろう、『酒つぼに、みな酒が満ちることをわれわれが知らないことがあろうか』と。
“[So], tell this to them: ‘Yahweh, the God whom you Israeli [people worship], says that every leather wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And [when you tell that to them], they will reply, ‘(Of course/Certainly) we know [RHQ] that all wineskins should be filled with wine!’
13 その時、あなたは彼らに言わなければならない、『主はこう言われる、見よ、わたしはこの地に住むすべての者と、ダビデの位に座す王たちと、祭司と預言者およびエルサレムに住むすべての者に酔いを満たし、
And then you must tell them, ‘No, that is not what Yahweh means. What he said means that he will cause this land to be filled with people who are drunk. [That will include all of you]—the king who sits on the throne that King David previously sat on, the priests and the prophets, and even the common people of Jerusalem.’
14 彼らを互に打ち当てて砕く。父と子をもそのようにすると、主は言われる。わたしは彼らをあわれまず、惜しまず、かわいそうとも思わずに滅ぼす』と」。
[He is saying], ‘I will cause you to bash each other. [Even] parents will bash their children. I will not pity you or act mercifully toward you at all; pitying you will not prevent me from getting rid of you.’”
15 耳を傾けて聞け、高ぶってはならない、主がお語りになるからである。
[You people of Judah], pay very careful attention [DOU]. Do not be proud, because Yahweh has spoken to you.
16 主がまだやみを起されないうちに、またあなたがたの足が薄暗がりの山につまずかないうちに、あなたがたの神、主に栄光を帰せよ。さもないと、あなたがたが光を望んでいる間に、主はそれを暗黒に変え、それを暗やみとされるからである。
[It is as though] he is ready to bring darkness on you and to cause you to stumble and fall [as you walk] on the hills when it is becoming dark. [So] praise/honor Yahweh your God before that happens. If you do not do that, you will look for light, but all you will see is darkness and gloom.
17 もしあなたがたが聞かないならば、わたしの魂はひそかな所で、あなたがたの高ぶりのために悲しむ。また主の群れが、かすめられたために、わたしの目はいたく泣いて、涙を流すのである。
And if you [still] refuse to heed what he says, [what will happen to you because of] your being proud will cause me to cry when I am alone. My eyes will be filled with tears because [you], Yahweh’s people, [whom he takes care of like a shepherd takes care of] [MET] his flock, will [all] be [captured by your enemies and] taken to other countries.
18 王と太后とに告げよ、「あなたがたは低い座にすわりなさい。麗しい冠はすでにあなたがたの頭から落ちてしまったからです」。
[You people of Judah], say to the king and to his mother, “Come down from sitting on your thrones and [humbly] sit in the dust, because [your enemies] will soon snatch from your heads your glorious crowns.”
19 ネゲブの町々は閉ざされて、これを開く人がない。ユダはみな捕え移される、ことごとく捕え移される。
The towns in the southern part of Judah will be surrounded by your enemies, and no one will be able to get through their lines [to rescue the people in those towns]. [You people of] Judah will be captured and taken away; you will all be (exiled/taken [to foreign countries)].
20 「目をあげて、北の方からくる者を見よ、あなたに賜わった群れ、あなたの麗しい群れはどこにいるのか。
[You leaders of Jerusalem], open your eyes and look: [The enemy armies are ready to] march down from the north. [When that happens], what will happen to [RHQ] the [people of Judah who are like] a beautiful flock of sheep, people that he gave to you to take care of?
21 彼らがあなたの親しみ慣れた人たちを、あなたの上に立ててかしらとするとき、あなたは何を言おうとするのか。あなたの苦しみは、子を産む女の苦しみのようでないであろうか。
What will you say [RHQ] when Yahweh appoints people from other countries to rule over you, people who you [mistakenly] thought were your friends? You will [RHQ] suffer very much pain, like a woman who is about to give birth to a baby.
22 あなたが心のうちに、『どうしてこのようなことがわたしに起ったのか』というならば、あなたの罪が重いゆえに、あなたの着物のすそはあげられ、はずかしめを受けるのだ。
You will ask yourselves, “Why is this happening to us?” [I will reply that] it is because of your many sins. That is why [soldiers of the invading armies] will lift up the skirts [of your women] and rape them.
23 エチオピヤびとはその皮膚を変えることができようか。ひょうはその斑点を変えることができようか。もしそれができるならば、悪に慣れたあなたがたも、善を行うことができる。
A man from Ethiopia certainly cannot [RHQ] change the color of his [black] skin, and a leopard certainly cannot [RHQ] change its spots. Similarly, you cannot start doing what is good, because you have always done what is evil.
24 わたしはあなたがたを散らし、野の風に吹き散らされるもみがらのようにする。
[Yahweh says], “I will scatter you like chaff that is blown away by the wind from the desert.
25 主は言われる、これがあなたに授けられた定め、わたしが量ってあなたに与える分である。あなたがわたしを忘れて、偽りを頼みとしたからだ。
That is what is certainly going to happen to you; the things that I have determined will happen to you, because you have forgotten me, and you are trusting in false [gods].
26 わたしはまたあなたの着物のすそを顔まであげて、あなたの恥をあらわす。
[It is as though] I myself will pull your skirts up over your faces and cause you to be very ashamed because everyone will be able to see your sex organs.
27 わたしはあなたの憎むべき行い、あなたの姦淫と、いななき、野の丘の上で行ったあなたのみだらな行いを見た。エルサレムよ、あなたはわざわいだ、あなたの清められるのはいつのことであろうか」。
I have seen that you [act like men who are eager to commit adultery]; you are like male horses that whinny when they desire [to have sex with] a female horse. I have seen that you worship disgusting idols in the fields and on the hills. [You people of] Jerusalem, terrible things will happen to you! How long will it be [RHQ] until you are acceptable to me [again]?”
