耶利米書 5
1 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。
"Run back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places of it, if you can find a man, if there are any who does justly, who seeks truth; and I will pardon her.
2 雖然他們起誓說：「上主永在! 」其實他們起的誓仍是虛誓。
Though they say, 'As the LORD lives;' surely they swear falsely."
3 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。
O LORD, do your eyes not look on truth? You have stricken them, but they were not grieved. You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock. They have refused to return.
4 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。
Then I said, "Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they do not know the way of the LORD, nor the law of their God.
5 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。
I will go to the great men, and will speak to them; for they know the way of the LORD, and the law of their God." But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
6 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。
Therefore a lion out of the forest shall kill them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; everyone who goes out there shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backsliding is increased.
7 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；
"How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and sworn by what are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the prostitutes' houses.
8 他們像荒淫雄壯的牡馬，各向自己近人的妻室嘶鳴。
They were as fed horses roaming at large: everyone neighed after his neighbor's wife.
9 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﹖
Shouldn't I punish them for these things?" says the LORD; "and shouldn't my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 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。
"Go up on her walls, and destroy; but do not make a full end. Take away her branches; for they are not the LORD's.
11 以色列和猶大家，實在對我不忠，達到極點──
For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me," says the LORD.
12 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；
They have denied the LORD, and said, "It is not he; neither shall evil come on us; neither shall we see sword nor famine.
13 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。」
The prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them."
14 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。
Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, "Because you speak this word, look, I will make my words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 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
Look, I will bring a nation on you from far, house of Israel," says the LORD. "It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, neither understand what they say.
16 他們的箭有如張口墳墓；他們都是善戰的勇士。
Their quiver is an open tomb, they are all mighty men.
17 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。
They shall eat up your harvest, and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds. They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees. They shall beat down your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.
18 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。」
"But even in those days," says the LORD, "I will not make a full end with you.
19 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。」
It will happen, when you say, 'Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?' Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD, Just like you have forsaken me, and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve strangers in a land that is not yours.'
20 你們你們將這事通知雅各伯家，轉告猶大說：
"Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
21 「你們愚昧無知，有目不見，有耳不聞的人民，請聽聽這話：
'Hear now this, foolish people, and without understanding; who have eyes, and do not see; who have ears, and do not hear:
22 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。」
Do you not fear me?' says the LORD 'Won't you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it can't pass it? And though its waves toss themselves, yet they can't prevail; though they roar, yet they can't pass over it.'
23 但這內心頑固的心民，竟背叛而離去，
"But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; they have revolted and gone.
24 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。」
Neither do they say in their heart, 'Let us now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season; who preserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.'
25 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。
"Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld good from you.
26 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。
For among my people are found wicked men. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait. They set a trap. They catch men.
27 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。
As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore they have become great, and grew rich.
28 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。
They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they do not judge the right of the needy.
29 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﹖
"Shall I not punish for these things?" says the LORD. "Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 在國內發生了一件恐怖而可憎的事：
"An astonishing and horrible thing has happened in the land.
31 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﹖
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the cohanim rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it?
