< Jeremiah 8 >

1 At that time, saith the Lord, they shall cast out the bones of the kings of Juda, and the bones of the princes thereof, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves.
到那時──上主的斸語──人必從墳墓中拖出猶大君王的遺骸,司祭的遺骸,先知的遺骸,和耶路撒冷居民的遺骸,
2 And they shall spread them abroad to the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and adored: they shall not be gathered, and they shall not be buried: they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth.
陳列在他們曾愛戀、事奉、追隨、求問和朝拜過的太陽、月亮和天上群星,前再沒有人收殮埋葬,任其留在地面充作肥料。
3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all that shall remain of this wicked kindred in all places, which are left, to which I have cast them out, saith the Lord of hosts.
這可惡種族剩下的全體遺民,在我驅逐他們所到的任何地,方都願意死,而不願意生──萬軍上主斷語。
4 And thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord: Shall not he that falleth, rise again? and he that is turned away, shall he not turn again?
你應對他們說:上主這樣說:人跌倒了,豈能不再起來﹖人離去了,豈能不再回來﹖
5 Why then is this people in Jerusalem turned away with a stubborn revolting? they have laid hold on lying, and have refused to return.
為什麼這人民一墮落,便永久墮落,執迷不悟而不肯反悔呢﹖
6 I attended, and hearkened; no man speaketh what is good, there is none that doth penance for his sin, saying: What have I done? They are all turned to their own course, as a horse rushing to the battle.
我留心細聽,他們都言談不軌,沒有一個人悔恨自己的邪惡說:「可憐! 我做是什麼事﹖」反倒各自一再任性奔馳,有如衝入戰場的戰馬。
7 The kite in the air hath known her time: the turtle, and the swallow, and the stork have observed the time of their coming: but my people have not known the judgment of the Lord.
天空的鸛鳥也知道自己的時令;斑鳩、燕子和雁,都固守自己的歸期;但是我的人民卻不知道上主法令。
8 How do you say: We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Indeed the lying pen of the scribes hath wrought falsehood.
你怎麼能說:我們是智者,我們有上主的法律﹖的確,但已為書記們以荒謬的筆鋒把乇編成了謊言。
9 The wise men are confounded, they are dismayed, and taken: for they have cast away the word of the Lord, and there is no wisdom in them.
智慧人必要蒙羞驚慌,而至被捕;的確,他們即拋棄了上主話,還能有什麼智慧﹖
10 Therefore I will give their women to strangers, their fields to others for an inheritance: because from the least even to the greatest all follow covetousness: from the prophet even to the priest, all deal deceitfully.
為此,我必將他們的妻室交給外人,將他們的莊田交與別的地主,因為從最小的到最大的,都貪財圖利;從先知到司祭,都欺詐行事,
11 And they healed the breach of the daughter of my people disgracefully, saying Peace, peace: when there was no peace.
草率治愈我的瘡痍說:「好了! 好了! 」其實卻沒有好。
12 They are confounded, because they have committed abomination: yea rather they are not confounded with confusion, and they have not know how to blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall; in the time of their visitation they shall fall, saith the Lord.
他們既行事可憎,就理當知恥;可是,他們不但不知恥,反而連羞愧也不知是什麼;為此,他們要與倒斃者倒斃,在我降罰他們時,都要一厥不振──上主說。
13 Gathering I will gather them together, saith the Lord, there is no grape on the vines, and there are no figs on the fig tree, the leaf is fallen: and I have given them the things that are passed away.
我要徹底消滅他們──上主的斷語──葡萄樹上沒有葡萄,無花果樹上沒有無花果,樹葉都已凋零;我要派人來蹂躝。
14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fenced city, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our God hath put us to silence, and hath given us water of gall to drink: for we have sinned against the Lord.
為什麼我們還坐著﹖集合起來吧! 讓我們進入堅城,死在那裏,因為上主我們的天主要消滅我們,我們喝苦膽,因為我們得罪了上主。
15 We looked for peace and no good came: for a time of healing, and behold fear.
我們原期待和平,卻不見好轉;原期待復興的時機,反而只見恐怖!
16 The snorting of his horse was heard from Dan, all the land was moved at the sound of the neighing of his warriors: and they came and devoured the land, and all that was in it: the city and its inhabitants.
從丹就可聽到敵人戰馬的喘息聲,戰馬嘶鳴,聲震全地;前來併吞土地和地上的一切,吞食城邑和城中的居民。
17 For behold I will send among you serpents, basilisks, against which there is no charm: and they shall bite you, saith the Lord.
看,我必給你們派來不伯符咒的毒蛇,咬傷你們──上主的斷語──
18 My sorrow is above sorrow, my heart mourneth within me.
無法療愈。我戚戚憂傷,我心已憔悴。
19 Behold the voice of the daughter my people from a far country: Is not the Lord in Sion, or is not her king in her? why then have they provoked me to wrath with their idols, and strange vanities?
由遠方傳來我女兒──人民──哀號的呼聲:「上主已不在熙雍﹖或者衪君王已不在那裏嗎﹖──為什麼他們以自己的偶像和外邦的「虛無」激怒我﹖──
20 The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
收割期已經過去,夏天已經完結,我們仍沒有獲救! 」
21 For the affliction of the daughter of my people I am afflicted, and made sorrowful, astonishment hath taken hold on me.
我的女兒──人民──的創傷使我心痛欲裂,鬱鬱不安,不勝感傷。
22 Is there no balm in Galaad? or is no physician there? Why then is not the wound of the daughter of my people closed?
難道在基肋阿得沒有膏藥,或在那裏沒有醫生嗎﹖究竟為了什麼,我的女兒──人民──的創傷還沒有痊愈﹖

< Jeremiah 8 >