Isaiah 49
1 Listen to me, you people of the islands! Pay attention, you who live far away! The Lord called me before I was born; he gave me my name while I was still in my mother's womb.
眾海島啊，當聽我言！ 遠方的眾民哪，留心而聽！ 自我出胎，耶和華就選召我； 自出母腹，他就提我的名。
2 The words he gave me to speak are like a sharp sword. He has protected me by covering me with his hand. He put me in his quiver like a sharp arrow, keeping me safe there.
他使我的口如快刀， 將我藏在他手蔭之下； 又使我成為磨亮的箭， 將我藏在他箭袋之中；
3 He told me, “You are my servant, Israel, and I will reveal my glory through you.”
對我說：你是我的僕人以色列； 我必因你得榮耀。
4 But I replied, “I've worked for nothing! I've exhausted myself, and for what? Even so, I leave it with the Lord to do what's right, and my reward is with my God.”
我卻說：我勞碌是徒然； 我盡力是虛無虛空。 然而，我當得的理必在耶和華那裏； 我的賞賜必在我上帝那裏。
5 Now my Lord is going to speak, the one who formed me in the womb as his servant to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to himself. I am honored in the Lord's sight, and my God has given me strength.
耶和華從我出胎，造就我作他的僕人， 要使雅各歸向他， 使以色列到他那裏聚集。 原來耶和華看我為尊貴； 我的上帝也成為我的力量。
6 He says, “It's nothing much for you to be my servant to bring back the tribes of Jacob, those people of Israel that I've preserved. I'm also going to make you a light for the foreigners so that my salvation may reach everybody.”
現在他說：你作我的僕人， 使雅各眾支派復興， 使以色列中得保全的歸回尚為小事， 我還要使你作外邦人的光， 叫你施行我的救恩，直到地極。
7 This is what the Lord says, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, to the one who was despised and detested by the nation, to the one who is the servant of rulers: Kings will see you and stand up, and princes will bow down to you, because the Lord, who is trustworthy, the Holy One of Israel, has chosen you.
救贖主－以色列的聖者耶和華 對那被人所藐視、本國所憎惡、 官長所虐待的如此說： 君王要看見就站起， 首領也要下拜； 都因信實的耶和華， 就是揀選你－以色列的聖者。
8 This is what the Lord says: I will answer you at the proper time; I will help you on the day of salvation. I will take care of you, and I will give you to the people as my agreement with them, to restore the land and to reassign the parts that have been abandoned.
耶和華如此說： 在悅納的時候，我應允了你； 在拯救的日子，我濟助了你。 我要保護你， 使你作眾民的中保； 復興遍地， 使人承受荒涼之地為業。
9 Tell the prisoners, “Come out!” Tell those living in darkness, “Come into the light!” Like sheep they will feed along the roads and in the pastures on hills that once were barren.
對那被捆綁的人說：出來吧！ 對那在黑暗的人說：顯露吧！ 他們在路上必得飲食， 在一切淨光的高處必有食物。
10 They won't be hungry or thirsty, and they won't get hot in the sun, for the one who loves them will lead them to springs, and guide them to water.
不飢不渴， 炎熱和烈日必不傷害他們； 因為憐恤他們的必引導他們， 領他們到水泉旁邊。
11 I will turn all my mountains into a road; my highways will be really high!
我必使我的眾山成為大道； 我的大路也被修高。
12 Look at these people coming from far away! Look at these people coming from the north, and from the west, and from Upper Egypt.
看哪，這些從遠方來； 這些從北方、從西方來； 這些從秦國來。
13 Heavens, shout for joy! Earth, celebrate! Mountains, sing out in happiness! The Lord has come to care for his people, and he will treat his suffering people kindly.
諸天哪，應當歡呼！ 大地啊，應當快樂！ 眾山哪，應當發聲歌唱！ 因為耶和華已經安慰他的百姓， 也要憐恤他困苦之民。
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has given up on me; the Lord has forgotten about me.”
錫安說：耶和華離棄了我； 主忘記了我。
15 Really? Can a mother forget her nursing baby? Can she forget to be kind to the child she carried in her womb? Even if she could forget, I will never forget you!
婦人焉能忘記她吃奶的嬰孩， 不憐恤她所生的兒子？ 即或有忘記的， 我卻不忘記你。
16 Look at your names I've written on the palms of my hands! I'm always thinking about your walls.
看哪，我將你銘刻在我掌上； 你的牆垣常在我眼前。
17 Soon your children will come running back. Your destroyers, those that devastated your land, will be gone.
你的兒女必急速歸回； 毀壞你的，使你荒廢的，必都離你出去，
18 Take a look around. See all your children gathering and coming back to you. As I live, declares the Lord, you will wear them all as jewelry, proudly putting them on like a bride.
你舉目向四方觀看； 他們都聚集來到你這裏。 耶和華說：我指着我的永生起誓： 你必要以他們為妝飾佩戴， 以他們為華帶束腰，像新婦一樣。
19 Your ruined towns and abandoned places and devastated lands will be crowded with people, while those who took over your country will be long gone.
至於你荒廢淒涼之處， 並你被毀壞之地， 現今眾民居住必顯為太窄； 吞滅你的必離你遙遠。
20 The children born during your time of mourning in exile will say, “This place is too crowded for me! Make room so I have a place to live!”
你必聽見喪子之後所生的兒女說： 這地方我居住太窄， 求你給我地方居住。
21 Then you will say to yourself, “Who gave birth to all these children for me? My children were killed and I was unable to have more; I was exiled and thrown aside—so who brought these children up? Look, I was abandoned, so where did they come from?”
那時你心裏必說：我既喪子獨居， 是被擄的，漂流在外。 誰給我生這些？ 誰將這些養大呢？ 撇下我一人獨居的時候， 這些在哪裏呢？
22 This is what the Lord God says, Watch as I give the signal to the nations, as I raise my flag to let everyone know. They will bring them back, carrying your sons in their arms, and lifting your daughters onto their shoulders.
主耶和華如此說： 我必向列國舉手， 向萬民豎立大旗； 他們必將你的眾子懷中抱來， 將你的眾女肩上扛來。
23 Kings will be your child-minders; queens will be your nurses. They will bow low before you, and lick the dust from your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, and that those who put their trust in me will never be ashamed.
列王必作你的養父； 王后必作你的乳母。 他們必將臉伏地，向你下拜， 並舔你腳上的塵土。 你便知道我是耶和華； 等候我的必不致羞愧。
24 Can loot be taken from a warrior? Can prisoners be rescued from a dictator?
勇士搶去的豈能奪回？ 該擄掠的豈能解救嗎？
25 But this is what the Lord says: Even the prisoners of warriors will be won back; even loot will be recovered from a dictator. I will fight with your enemies, and I will rescue your children.
但耶和華如此說： 就是勇士所擄掠的，也可以奪回； 強暴人所搶的，也可以解救。 與你相爭的，我必與他相爭； 我要拯救你的兒女。
26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh and drink their own blood like wine. Then everyone will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.
並且我必使那欺壓你的吃自己的肉， 也要以自己的血喝醉，好像喝甜酒一樣。 凡有血氣的必都知道我－耶和華是你的救主， 是你的救贖主，是雅各的大能者。
