< エレミヤ書 6 >
1 ベニヤミンの人々よ、エルサレムの中から避難せよ。テコアでラッパを吹き、ベテハケレムに合図の火をあげよ。北から災が臨み、大いなる滅びが来るからである。
“You people in Jerusalem who are from [the tribe of] Benjamin, flee from this city! Blow the trumpets in Tekoa [city south of Jerusalem]! Send up a [smoke] signal in Beth-Haccherem [town] [to warn the people of the coming danger]! A powerful [army] will come from the north, and they will cause great destruction.
2 わたしは美しい、たおやかなシオンの娘を滅ぼす。
Jerusalem is [like] a beautiful pasture [full of sheep], but it will soon be destroyed.
3 牧者たちは、その群れをひきいて来て、彼女を攻め、彼女の周囲に天幕を張る。群れはおのおのその所で草を食う。
[Enemy kings, not] shepherds [MET], will come [with their armies] and set up their tents around the city, and each [king will choose a part of the city for his soldiers to destroy like] [MET] shepherds divide their pastures for their flocks of sheep.
4 「戦いを始め、彼女を攻めよ。立て、われわれは真昼に攻撃しよう」。「わざわいなるかな、日ははや傾き、夕日の影は長くなった」。
[The kings will tell their troops], “Get ready for the battle. We should attack them before noontime. But [if we arrive there late in the afternoon] when the shadows are becoming long,
5 「立て、われわれは夜の間に攻撃しよう、そして彼女のもろもろの宮殿を破壊しよう」。
we will attack them at night and tear down their fortresses.”
6 万軍の主はこう言われる、「あなたがたは彼女の木を切り倒し、エルサレムにむかって塁を築け。これは罰すべき町である、そのうちにはただ圧制だけがある。
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, says this: “[I will command those soldiers to] cut down the trees [outside Jerusalem] and to build dirt ramps up to the top of the city walls [in order that they can enter the city]. This city must be punished because everyone there continually oppresses others.
7 井戸に新しい水がわくように彼女はその悪を常にあらたに流す。そのうちには暴虐と破滅とが聞える。わたしの前に病と傷とが絶えない。
[It is as though] the wicked things that the people do pour out of the city like [SIM] water flows out of a spring. [The noise from people doing] violent and destructive actions is heard everywhere. I continually see [people who are] suffering and wounded.
8 エルサレムよ、戒めを受けいれよ。さもないと、わたしはあなたから離れ、あなたを荒れ地とし、住む人のない地とする」。
Listen to what I am warning you, [you people of] [APO] Jerusalem, because if you do not listen, I will reject you and cause your land to become desolate, a land where no one lives.”
9 万軍の主はこう言われる、「ぶどうの残りを摘みとるように、イスラエルの残りの民をのこらず摘み取れ。ぶどうを摘みとる人のように、あなたの手をふたたびその枝に伸ばせ」。
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, also says this: “[I will tell your enemies] to cause your country to become as desolate [SIM] as a vineyard from which all the grapes have been completely stripped from the vines. [Their soldiers will seize the possessions of] those who remain in Israel [after the others have been exiled] like [SIM] farmers go to the vines again to pick any grapes [that were (left/not picked)].”
10 わたしはだれに語り、だれを戒めて、聞かせようか。見よ、彼らの耳は閉ざされて、聞くことができない。見よ、彼らは主の言葉をあざけり、それを喜ばない。
[Then I said, “If I speak to the Israeli people] to warn them, (who will listen to me?/No one will listen to me.) [RHQ] [It is as though] their ears are closed, [and as a result] they cannot hear [what I say]. They scorn Yahweh’s messages; they do not want to listen to them at all.
11 それゆえ、わたしの身には主の怒りが満ち、それを忍ぶのに、うみつかれている。「それをちまたにいる子供らと、集まっている若い人々とに漏らせ。夫も妻も、老いた人も、年のひじょうに進んだ人も捕えられ、
So [now] I am extremely angry, like Yahweh is angry, and I cannot restrain it any longer.” [So] Yahweh said [to me], “Tell everyone that you are very angry with them. Tell the children in the streets and the young men who gather together. Tell the men and their wives; tell the very old people [DOU], also.
12 彼らの家と畑と妻とは共に他人に渡る。わたしが手を伸ばして、この地に住む者を撃つからである」と主は言われる。
[Tell the men that] I will give their houses to [their enemies], and I will give their property/fields and their wives to them, also, when I punish [IDM] the people who live in this land.
13 「それは彼らが、小さい者から大きい者まで、みな不正な利をむさぼり、また預言者から祭司にいたるまで、みな偽りを行っているからだ。
Everyone is trying to get money by tricking others, from the most [important people] to the least [important people]; even the prophets and the priests are trying to deceive [people to get money].
14 彼らは、手軽にわたしの民の傷をいやし、平安がないのに『平安、平安』と言っている。
[They act as though the sins of my people are like] [MET] small wounds that they do not need to put bandages on. They continually [greet people by] saying ‘I hope things are going well with you,’ when things are not going well.
15 彼らは憎むべきことをして、恥じたであろうか。すこしも恥ずかしいとは思わず、また恥じることを知らなかった。それゆえ彼らは倒れる者と共に倒れる。わたしが彼らを罰するとき、彼らは倒れる」と主は言われる。
They should be [RHQ] ashamed about the disgusting things that they do, but they are not ashamed at all. They do not [even] know how to (blush/show on their faces that they are ashamed). So, they also will be among those who will be killed. They will be destroyed when I punish them.”
16 主はこう言われる、「あなたがたはわかれ道に立って、よく見、いにしえの道につき、良い道がどれかを尋ねて、その道に歩み、そしてあなたがたの魂のために、安息を得よ。しかし彼らは答えて、『われわれはその道に歩まない』と言った。
This is [also] what Yahweh said [to the Israeli people]: “Stand at the crossroads and look [at the people who pass by]. Ask them what was the good behavior [that their ancestors had] long ago. [And when they tell you], behave that way. If you do that, you will find rest for your souls.” But you replied, ‘We do not want to do that!’
17 わたしはあなたがたの上に見張びとを立て、『ラッパの音に気をつけよ』と言った。しかし彼らは答えて、『われわれは気をつけることはしない』と言った。
I sent [my prophets who were like] [MET] watchmen. They said, ‘Listen carefully when we blow the trumpets [to warn you that your enemies are approaching],’ but you said, ‘[No], we do not want to listen.’
18 それゆえ国々の民よ、聞け。会衆よ、彼らにどのようなことが起るかを知れ。
Therefore, you people in the other nations, listen to this: Pay attention to what is going to happen to the [Israeli people].
19 地よ、聞け。見よ、わたしはこの民に災をくだす。それは彼らのたくらみの実である。彼らがわたしの言葉に気をつけず、わたしのおきてを捨てたからである。
Listen, all of you! I am going to cause the [Israeli] people to experience disasters. That is what will happen to them because they have refused to listen to what I told them. They have refused to obey my laws.
20 シバから、わたしの所に乳香が来、遠い国から、菖蒲が来るのはなんのためか。あなたがたの燔祭はわたしには喜ばしくなく、あなたがたの犠牲もうれしくはない。
[You Israeli people], when you burn frankincense that came from [far away in] Sheba, and [when you offer to me] sweet-smelling anointing oil that came from far away, I will not [RHQ] be pleased with your sacrifices. I will not accept the sacrifices that are completely burned on the altar; I am not pleased with [any of] your sacrifices.
21 それゆえ主はこう言われる、『見よ、わたしはこの民の前につまずく石を置く、人々は父も子も共にそれにつまずき、隣り人もその友も滅びる』」。
Therefore, I will put obstacles on the roads on which my people will travel. Men and their sons and people’s neighbors and friends will stumble over those obstacles and fall down; everyone will die.”
22 主はこう言われる、「見よ、民が北の国から来る、大いなる国民が地の果から興る。
Yahweh [also] says this: “You will see a [huge] army marching [towards you] from the north. [An army of] a great nation very far away is preparing [to attack you].
23 彼らは弓とやりをとる。彼らは残忍で、あわれみがなく、海のような響きを立てる。シオンの娘よ、彼らは馬に乗り、いくさ人のように身をよろって、あなたを攻める」。
They have bows [and arrows] and spears; they are [very] cruel, and do not act mercifully [to anyone]. As they ride along on their horses, the horses’ feet sound like the roaring of the ocean [waves]; they are riding in battle formation to attack you people of Jerusalem.”
24 われわれはそのうわさを聞いて、手は弱り、子を産む女に臨むような悩みと苦しみとに捕えられた。
[The people of Jerusalem say], “We have heard reports about the enemy; [so] we are very frightened, with the result that we feel weak. We are very afraid, and worried, like [SIM] women who are about to give birth to babies.
25 畑に出てはならない、また道を歩いてはならない。敵はつるぎを持ち、恐れが四方にあるからだ。
[So one person says to another], ‘Do not go out into the fields! Do not go on the roads, because the enemy [soldiers] have swords [and they are everywhere]; they are coming from all directions, and we are extremely afraid.’”
26 わが民の娘よ、荒布を身にまとい、灰の中にまろび、ひとり子を失った時のように、悲しみ、いたく嘆け。滅ぼす者が、にわかにわれわれを襲うからだ。
[So I say], “My dear people, put on (sackcloth/rough clothes) and sit in ashes [to show that you are sorry for your sins]. Mourn and cry very much, like [SIM] [a woman would cry] if her only son had died, because your enemies are very near, and they are going to destroy [everything].”
27 「わたしはあなたを民のうちに立てて、ためす者、試みる者とした。あなたが彼らの道を知り、それをためすことができるようにするためである。
[Then Yahweh said to me], “[Jeremiah], I have caused you to become [like] [MET] someone who heats metal very hot [to completely burn the impurities]. You will examine my people’s behavior.
28 彼らはみな、強情な反逆者であって、歩きまわって人をそしる。彼らは青銅や鉄であって、みな卑しいことを行う。
You will find out that they are very stubborn rebels, they are always slandering others. [Their inner beings] are as hard as bronze or iron; they all [continually] deceive others.
29 ふいごは激しく吹き、鉛は火にとけて尽き、精錬はいたずらに進む。悪しき者がまだ除かれないからである。
[A metalworker causes] the bellows to blow very hard to [make the fire very hot to] completely burn up the impurities [MET]. [But just as] a fire does not cause all the waste material to run off, it is impossible to separate [the righteous people from the wicked people, and punish only] the wicked people.
30 主が彼らを捨てられたので、彼らは捨てられた銀と呼ばれる」。
[I], Yahweh, have rejected them; I say that they are [like] [MET] worthless silver.”