< Isaiah 44 >

1 And now hear, O Jacob, my servant, and Israel whom I have chosen.
但是現在,我的僕人雅各伯!我所揀選的以色列!你聽罷!
2 Thus saith the Lord that made and formed thee, thy helper from the womb: Fear not, O my servant Jacob, and thou most righteous whom I have chosen.
那造成你,從母胎形成你,且協助你的上主這樣說:「我的僕人雅各伯!我所揀選的耶叔戎,你不要害怕!
3 For I will pour out waters upon the thirsty ground, and streams upon the dry land: I will pour out my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy stock.
因為我要把水倒在乾地上,使豪雨落在旱陸上;我要把我的神傾住在你的苗裔身上,把我的祝福降在你的子孫身上。
4 And they shall spring up among the herbs, as willows beside the running waters.
他們要生長,有如水邊的青草,又如溪畔的楊柳。
5 One shall say: I am the Lord’s, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand, To the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
這個說:「我是上主的,」那個要起雅各伯的名字,另一個要在手上寫 :「屬於上主,」並要起以色列的名號。
6 Thus saith the Lord the king of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts: I am the brat, and I am the last, and besides me there is no God.
上主,以色列的君王,救主,萬軍的上主這樣說:「我是元始,我是終末,在我以外沒有別的神。
7 Who is like to me? let him call and declare: and let him set before me the order, since I appointed the ancient people: and the things to come, and that shall be hereafter, let them shew unto them.
誰相似我﹖讓他前來伸述,讓他說明,給我拿出證據來!誰能從永遠預言未來的事,請他告訴我們快要發生的事罷!
8 Fear ye not, neither be ye troubled, from that time I have made thee to hear, and have declared: you are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me, a maker, whom I have not known?
你們不必驚慌,不用害怕!我不是早已告訴過你,早已宣布了嗎﹖你們是我的證人,在我以外還有別的神嗎﹖決沒有別的磐石!我一個也不認識!」
9 The makers of idols are all of them nothing, and their best beloved things shall not profit them. They are their witnesses, that they do not see, nor understand, that they may be ashamed.
製造偶像的人都是虛無,他們所喜愛的,也毫無用處;他們的見證人一無所見,毫無所知,必將蒙受恥辱。
10 Who hath formed a god, and made a graven thing that is profitable for nothing?
有誰製造神像或鑄偶像,不想得利呢﹖
11 Behold, all the partakers thereof shall be confounded: for the makers are men: they shall all assemble together, they shall stand and fear, and shall be confounded together.
看哪!凡作他夥伴的,都要蒙受恥辱,因為製造偶像的,也只是人而已! 讓他們集合起來一同前來罷!他們必要驚慌羞愧!
12 The smith hath wrought with his file, with coals, and with hammers he hath formed it, and hath wrought with the strength of his arm: he shall hunger and faint, he shall drink no water, and shall be weary.
鐵匠先在炭火上工作,再用鎚子打成偶像,他用大力的手臂工作,當饑餓時,也就沒有力量;沒有水喝,他就疲勞不堪。
13 The carpenter hath stretched out his rule, he hath formed it with a plane: he hath made it with corners, and hath fashioned it round with the compass: and he hath made the image of a man as it were a beautiful man dwelling in a house.
木匠伸展繩墨,用筆劃線,後拿刨子刨平,再用圓規測量,做成一個人形,具有人的美麗,好供在廟裏。
14 He hath cut down cedars, taken the holm, and the oak that stood among the trees of the forest: he hath planted the pine tree, which the rain hath nourished.
人先去砍伐一塊香柏,或取一塊榆木,或橡木;或在樹林中選一塊堅固的木料,或自己種植一棵月桂樹,讓雨水使之長大。
15 And it hath served men for fuel: he took thereof, and warmed himself: and he kindled it, and baked bread: but of the rest he made a god, and adored it: he made a graven thing, and bowed down before it.
這些木料原是為人作燃料,原可用來取煖,也可燃燒烘烤麵包;人卻用它來作神像去恭敬,或做偶像去叩拜:
16 Part of it he burnt with fire, and with part of it he dressed his meat: he boiled pottage, and was filled, and was warmed, and said: Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire.
人把一半木頭投入火中燃燒,在火炭上烤肉吃;待吃飽了烤肉,又取了煖,遂說:「哈哈!我暖和了,也覺得有了火!」
17 But the residue thereof he made a god, and a graven thing for himself: he boweth down before it, and adoreth it, and prayeth unto it, saying: Deliver me, for thou art my God.
遂用剩下的一半作了一個神像,一個偶像,向它叩拜,俯伏懇求說:「求你救我,因為你是我的神!」
18 They have not known, nor understood: for their eyes are covered that they may not see, and that they may not understand with their heart.
他們不瞭解,也不覺悟,因為他們的眼糊住了,什麼也看不見;他們的心也不知覺悟,
19 They do not consider in their mind, nor know, nor have the thought to say: I have burnt part of it in the fire, and I have baked bread upon the coals thereof: I have broiled flesh and have eaten, and of the residue thereof shall I make an idol? shall I fall down before the stock of a tree?
也不回心想一下,也不會明智通達地說:「一半木頭我已投入火中燒了,並在火炭上烤了麵包,烤了肉吃;我竟將剩下的一半作了一個怪物,向這塊木頭敬拜。」
20 Part thereof is ashes: his foolish heart adoreth it, and he will not save his soul, nor say: Perhaps there is a lie in my right hand.
他所追求的僅是一把灰;他迷惑的心領他走入歧途,而不能自拔,也不會問說:「我右手所拿的不是虛無嗎﹖」
21 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for thou art my servant. I have formed thee, thou art my servant, O Israel, forget me not.
雅各伯啊!你要記住這些事!以色列啊!你也應記住,因為你是我的僕人,我造了你,是叫你作我的僕人。以色列啊!我決不會忘了你!
22 I have blotted out thy iniquities as a cloud, and thy sins as a mist: return to me, for I have redeemed thee.
我消除了你的罪過,有如煙消;我消除了你的愆尤,有如雲散;歸依我罷!因為我救贖了你。
23 Give praise, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath shewn mercy: shout with joy, ye ends of the earth: ye mountains, resound with praise, thou, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and Israel shall be glorified.
諸天,歡騰罷!因為上主作了這一切;地下的深淵,歡呼罷!山嶺、森林和其中的樹木,高聲歌唱罷!因為上主拯救了雅各伯,在以色列顯揚了自己。
24 Thus saith the Lord thy redeemer, and thy maker, from the womb: I am the Lord, that make all things, that alone stretch out the heavens, that establish the earth, and there is none with me.
你的救主,由母胎形成你的上主這樣說:「我是創造萬有的上主,只有我展開了諸天,佈置了大地,誰與我同在﹖
25 That make void the tokens of diviners, and make the soothsayers mad. That turn the wise backward, and that, make their knowledge foolish.
是我破壞了占卜者的預兆,使巫士成為愚妄,使智者退後,使他們的知識變為愚蠢,
26 That raise up the word of my servant and perform the counsel of my messengers, who say to Jerusalem: Thou shalt be inhabited: and to the cities of Juda: You shall be built, and I will raise up the wastes thereof.
是我叫我僕人們的話實現,叫我使者們的計謀成功;是我論及耶路撒冷說:「你必要有人居住。」論及猶大各城說:「你們要被重建,我必要重建你們的廢址。」
27 Who say to the deep: Be thou desolate, and I will dry up thy rivers.
是我對深淵說:「你必涸竭,我要使你的河流乾涸。」
28 Who say to Cyrus: Thou art my shepherd, and thou shalt perform all my pleasure. Who say to Jerusalem: Thou shalt be built: and to the temple: Thy foundations shall be laid.
是我論及居魯士說:「他是我的牧人,他要履行我的一切計劃,要吩咐重建耶路撒冷,奠基重修聖殿。」

< Isaiah 44 >