耶利米书 18
1 耶和华的话临到耶利米说：
The word that came unto Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying:
2 “你起来，下到窑匠的家里去，我在那里要使你听我的话。”
Arise and go down to the house of the potter, —and, there, will I cause thee to hear my words.
3 我就下到窑匠的家里去，正遇他转轮做器皿。
So I went down, to the house of the potter, —and there he was! making a piece of work on the wheels,
4 窑匠用泥做的器皿，在他手中做坏了，他又用这泥另做别的器皿；窑匠看怎样好，就怎样做。
Then was marred, the vessel that he was making, while yet it was clay in the hand of the potter, —so he turned and made of it another vessel, as seemed right in the eyes of the potter to make it.
5 耶和华的话就临到我说：
Then came the word of Yahweh unto me, saying:
6 “耶和华说：以色列家啊，我待你们，岂不能照这窑匠弄泥吗？以色列家啊，泥在窑匠的手中怎样，你们在我的手中也怎样。
Like this potter, can I not deal with you O house of Israel? Demandeth Yahweh: Lo! as clay in the hand of the potter, So, are, ye, in my hand O house of Israel.
7 我何时论到一邦或一国说，要拔出、拆毁、毁坏；
The moment I speak, concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, —to pull up and to break down, and to destroy;
8 我所说的那一邦，若是转意离开他们的恶，我就必后悔，不将我想要施行的灾祸降与他们。
and that nation return from its wickedness against whom I have spoken, then will I repent concerning the calamity which I had devised to bring upon it.
9 我何时论到一邦或一国说，要建立、栽植；
And, the moment I speak, concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, —to build and to plant;
10 他们若行我眼中看为恶的事，不听从我的话，我就必后悔，不将我所说的福气赐给他们。
and it commit wickedness in mine eyes, in not hearkening unto my voice, then will I repent concerning the good wherewith I had said I would do it good.
11 现在你要对犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民说：‘耶和华如此说：我造出灾祸攻击你们，定意刑罚你们。你们各人当回头离开所行的恶道，改正你们的行动作为。’
Now, therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the men of Judah and concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying, Thus, saith Yahweh, —Lo! I am fashioning against you calamity, and devising against you, a device, —Return I pray you every man from his wicked way, And amend your ways and your doings.
12 “他们却说：‘这是枉然。我们要照自己的计谋去行。’各人随自己顽梗的恶心做事。”
And, since they will say, Hopeless! For after our own devices, will we walk, And, every one, the stubbornness of his own wicked heart, will we do!
13 所以，耶和华如此说： 你们且往各国访问， 有谁听见这样的事？ 以色列民行了一件极可憎恶的事。
Therefore, Thus saith Yahweh, Ask I pray you among the nations, —Who hath heard such things as these? A very horrible thing, hath, the virgin, Israel done!
14 黎巴嫩的雪从田野的磐石上岂能断绝呢？ 从远处流下的凉水岂能干涸呢？
Shall the snow of Lebanon, fail from the rock of the field? Or shall waters from afar, deep, overflowing, be dried up?
15 我的百姓竟忘记我， 向假神烧香， 使他们在所行的路上，在古道上绊跌， 使他们行没有修筑的斜路，
Yet my people have forgotten me, Unto vanity, have they been burning incense; And it hath caused them to stumble In their ways The roads of age-past times, To walk in by-paths—A way not cast up.
16 以致他们的地令人惊骇， 常常嗤笑； 凡经过这地的必惊骇摇头。
To make their land a desolation The hissings of age-abiding times, —Every one that passeth by her, shall be astonished and wag his head.
17 我必在仇敌面前分散他们， 好像用东风吹散一样。 遭难的日子，我必以背向他们， 不以面向他们。
Like an east wind, will I scatter them before the enemy, —The back and not the face, will I let them see in the day of their distress.
18 他们就说：“来吧！我们可以设计谋害耶利米；因为我们有祭司讲律法，智慧人设谋略，先知说预言，都不能断绝。来吧！我们可以用舌头击打他，不要理会他的一切话。”
Then said they, —Come ye and let us devise against Jeremiah devices, For the law shall not perish from the priest, Nor, counsel, from the wise, Nor, the word from the prophet: Come and let as smite him with the tongue, And let us not give ear to any of his words!
19 耶和华啊，求你理会我， 且听那些与我争竞之人的话。
Give thou ear O Yahweh unto me, —And hearken unto the voice of mine accusers.
20 岂可以恶报善呢？ 他们竟挖坑要害我的性命！ 求你记念我怎样站在你面前为他们代求， 要使你的忿怒向他们转消。
Shall, evil, be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my life, —Remember how I stood before thee To speak in their behalf what was good! To turn back thine indignation from them.
21 故此，愿你将他们的儿女交与饥荒和刀剑； 愿他们的妻无子，且作寡妇； 又愿他们的男人被死亡所灭， 他们的少年人在阵上被刀击杀。
Therefore, give thou up their sons to the famine And deliver them into the hands of the sword, And let their, wives, become, childless and widows, And let, their men, be slain by death, Their young men be smitten by the sword in battle.
22 你使敌军忽然临到他们的时候， 愿人听见哀声从他们的屋内发出； 因他们挖坑要捉拿我， 暗设网罗要绊我的脚。
Let there be heard a cry out of their houses, When thou shalt bring in upon them a troop, suddenly, —Because they digged a pit to capture me, And snares, did they hide for my feet.
23 耶和华啊，他们要杀我的那一切计谋， 你都知道。 不要赦免他们的罪孽， 也不要从你面前涂抹他们的罪恶， 要叫他们在你面前跌倒； 愿你发怒的时候罚办他们。
But, thou, O Yahweh, knowest all their counsels against me to put me to death, Put thou no propitiatory-covering over their iniquity, And their sin from before thee, do not thou blot out, —But let them be overthrown before thee, In the time of thine anger, deal thou effectively with them.
