Jeremiah 51
1 This is what the Lord says: Look! I'm going to stir up a destructive wind against Babylon and against the people of Babylonia.
耶和華如此說： 我必使毀滅的風颳起， 攻擊巴比倫和住在立加米的人。
2 I will send foreign soldiers to attack Babylon to winnow her and turn her country into a wasteland—they will attack her from all directions when her time of trouble comes.
我要打發外邦人來到巴比倫， 簸揚她，使她的地空虛。 在她遭禍的日子， 他們要周圍攻擊她。
3 The archer doesn't need to use his bow; the infantryman doesn't need to put on his armor. Don't spare her young soldiers; set apart her whole army for destruction!
拉弓的，要向拉弓的和貫甲挺身的射箭。 不要憐惜她的少年人； 要滅盡她的全軍。
4 They will fall down wounded in her streets, killed in the country of Babylonia.
他們必在迦勒底人之地被殺仆倒， 在巴比倫的街上被刺透。
5 Israel and Judah have not been deserted by their God, the Lord Almighty, even though they sinned against the Holy One of Israel everywhere in their country.
以色列和猶大雖然境內充滿違背以色列聖者的罪， 卻沒有被他的上帝－萬軍之耶和華丟棄。
6 Escape from Babylon! Run for your lives! Don't get caught up in her punishment and die, for this is the time when the Lord pays her back for her sins.
你們要從巴比倫中逃奔， 各救自己的性命！ 不要陷在她的罪孽中一同滅亡； 因為這是耶和華報仇的時候， 他必向巴比倫施行報應。
7 Once Babylon was a golden cup the Lord held in his hand. She made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine which is why they went mad.
巴比倫素來是耶和華手中的金杯， 使天下沉醉； 萬國喝了她的酒就顛狂了。
8 Now, all of a sudden, Babylon has fallen. She has been smashed to pieces. Weep for her; get her some treatment for her pain. Maybe she can be healed.
巴比倫忽然傾覆毀壞； 要為她哀號； 為止她的疼痛， 拿乳香或者可以治好。
9 “We tried to heal her, but she couldn't be helped. So give up on her! All of us should go home to where we came from. The news of her punishment has reached everywhere, all the way to heaven.
我們想醫治巴比倫， 她卻沒有治好。 離開她吧！我們各人歸回本國； 因為她受的審判通於上天，達到穹蒼。
10 The Lord has encouraged and supported us. Come on, let's tell people here in Jerusalem what the Lord has done for us!”
耶和華已經彰顯我們的公義。 來吧！我們可以在錫安 報告耶和華－我們上帝的作為。
11 Sharpen the arrows! Pick up the shields! The Lord has encouraged the kings of the Medes, because his plan is directed at the destruction of Babylon. The Lord is paying them back for what happened to his Temple.
你們要磨尖了箭頭， 抓住盾牌。 耶和華定意攻擊巴比倫，將她毀滅，所以激動了米底亞君王的心；因這是耶和華報仇，就是為自己的殿報仇。
12 Raise the signal flag to attack the walls of Babylon; strengthen the guard; have the watchmen take their places; get the ambush ready. The Lord planned and carried out his threats against the people of Babylon.
你們要豎立大旗， 攻擊巴比倫的城牆； 要堅固瞭望臺， 派定守望的設下埋伏； 因為耶和華指着巴比倫居民所說的話、 所定的意，他已經作成。
13 You people who live beside by many waters, and have so much wealth, this is the time of your end—your life will be cut short.
住在眾水之上多有財寶的啊， 你的結局到了！ 你貪婪之量滿了！
14 The Lord Almighty vowed by his own life, saying, I'm going to make sure to fill you with so many enemy soldiers they'll be like locusts. They will shout as they celebrate their victory over you.
萬軍之耶和華指着自己起誓說： 我必使敵人充滿你，像螞蚱一樣； 他們必吶喊攻擊你。
15 It was God who made the earth by his power. He created the world by his wisdom and by his understanding he put the heavens in place.
耶和華用能力創造大地， 用智慧建立世界， 用聰明鋪張穹蒼。
16 The waters of the heavens rain down with a roar at his command. He makes the clouds to rise all over the earth. He makes lightning to accompany rain, and sends the wind from his storehouses.
他一發聲，空中便有多水激動； 他使雲霧從地極上騰。 他造電隨雨而閃， 從他府庫中帶出風來。
17 Everyone is stupid; they don't know anything. Every metalworker is embarrassed by the idols they make. For their images made of molten metal are fraudulent—they're not alive!
各人都成了畜類，毫無知識。 各銀匠都因他的偶像羞愧； 他所鑄的偶像本是虛假的， 其中並無氣息，
18 They are useless, an object to be laughed at. They will be destroyed at the time of their punishment.
都是虛無的，是迷惑人的工作， 到追討的時候，必被除滅。
19 The God of Jacob is not like these idols, for he is the creator of everything, including his own people that are special to him. The Lord Almighty is his name.
雅各的分不像這些， 因他是造作萬有的主； 以色列也是他產業的支派。 萬軍之耶和華是他的名。
20 You are my war club, the weapon I use in battle. I use you to destroy nations; I use you to destroy kingdoms.
你是我爭戰的斧子和打仗的兵器； 我要用你打碎列國， 用你毀滅列邦；
21 I use you to destroy horses and their riders; I use you to destroy chariots and their drivers.
用你打碎馬和騎馬的； 用你打碎戰車和坐在其上的；
22 I use you to destroy men and women; I use you to destroy old men and youths; I use you to destroy young men and girls.
用你打碎男人和女人； 用你打碎老年人和少年人； 用你打碎壯丁和處女；
23 I use you to destroy shepherds and their flocks; I use you to destroy farmers and their cattle; I use you to destroy rulers and state officials.
用你打碎牧人和他的群畜； 用你打碎農夫和他一對牛； 用你打碎省長和副省長。
24 Right in front of you I'm going to pay back Babylon and everyone who live in Babylonia for all the evil they did to Jerusalem, declares the Lord.
耶和華說：「我必在你們眼前報復巴比倫人和迦勒底居民在錫安所行的諸惡。」
25 Watch out, because I am against you, you destructive monster who devastates the whole world, declares the Lord. I will reach out to attack you; I will roll you down the cliffs; I will turn you into a mountain of ash.
耶和華說： 你這行毀滅的山哪， 就是毀滅天下的山， 我與你反對。 我必向你伸手， 將你從山巖滾下去， 使你成為燒毀的山。
26 Nobody will be even able to find themselves a cornerstone or a foundation stone among your ruins, because you will be so utterly destroyed, declares the Lord.
人必不從你那裏取石頭為房角石， 也不取石頭為根基石； 你必永遠荒涼。 這是耶和華說的。
27 Raise a signal flag in the country! Blow the trumpet call to war among the nations! Get the nations ready to attack her; Summon the kingdoms to march against her: Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Choose a commander to lead the armies to attack her; send into battle cavalry like a swarm of locusts.
要在境內豎立大旗， 在各國中吹角， 使列國預備攻擊巴比倫， 將亞拉臘、米尼、亞實基拿各國招來攻擊她； 又派軍長來攻擊她， 使馬匹上來如螞蚱，
28 Have the armies of the nations prepare for battle against her. This applies to the kings of the Medes, their leaders and all their officers, and every country they rule.
使列國和米底亞君王，與省長和副省長， 並他們所管全地之人，都預備攻擊她。
29 The earth quakes and trembles because the Lord is determined to carry out what he threatened against Babylon—to turn Babylonia into a wasteland where no one lives.
地必震動而瘠苦； 因耶和華向巴比倫所定的旨意成立了， 使巴比倫之地荒涼，無人居住。
30 Babylon's defenders have given up fighting—they're just sitting in their fortresses. They're worn out; they've become like frightened women. Babylon's houses are burning; the bars securing her gates have been smashed.
巴比倫的勇士止息爭戰， 藏在堅壘之中。 他們的勇力衰盡，好像婦女一樣。 巴比倫的住處有火着起， 門閂都折斷了。
31 A runner hands his message over to another to carry; one messenger follows another messenger, all of them alerting the king of Babylon to the news that his city has been completely conquered,
跑報的要彼此相遇， 送信的要互相迎接， 報告巴比倫王說： 城的四方被攻取了，
32 the river crossings have been captured, the marshlands set on fire and his soldiers are panicking.
渡口被佔據了， 葦塘被火燒了， 兵丁也驚慌了。
33 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: The people of Babylon are like a threshing floor when the grain is trampled out. Her time of harvest will come very soon.
萬軍之耶和華－以色列的上帝如此說： 巴比倫城好像踹穀的禾場； 再過片時，收割她的時候就到了。
34 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon chewed me up and sucked me dry, making me as empty as a jar with nothing in it. He swallowed me down as if he were some monster, filling himself with the tastiest parts of me and throwing the rest away.
以色列人說： 巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒吞滅我，壓碎我， 使我成為空虛的器皿。 他像大魚將我吞下， 用我的美物充滿他的肚腹， 又將我趕出去。
35 “Babylon must bear the responsibility for the violent attacks on us,” say the inhabitants of Zion. “The people of Babylonia must bear the responsibility for the blood shed in my city,” says Jerusalem.
錫安的居民要說： 巴比倫以強暴待我， 損害我的身體， 願這罪歸給她。 耶路撒冷人要說： 願流我們血的罪歸到迦勒底的居民。
36 This is what the Lord says: Watch as I present your case for you and make your enemies pay for what they did to you. I'm going to dry up her river and her springs.
所以，耶和華如此說： 我必為你伸冤，為你報仇； 我必使巴比倫的海枯竭，使她的泉源乾涸。
37 Babylon will be turned into a pile of rubble, a home for jackals, a place that horrifies people, a place they jeer at, a place where no one lives.
巴比倫必成為亂堆，為野狗的住處， 令人驚駭、嗤笑， 並且無人居住。
38 The Babylonians will roar together like powerful lions and growl like lion cubs.
他們要像少壯獅子咆哮， 像小獅子吼叫。
39 But while their passions are aroused, I will serve them a banquet and get them drunk. They'll celebrate so much that they'll pass out and won't ever wake up, declares the Lord.
他們火熱的時候， 我必為他們設擺酒席， 使他們沉醉，好叫他們快樂， 睡了長覺，永不醒起。 這是耶和華說的。
40 I will take them down like lambs to be slaughtered, like rams and goats.
我必使他們像羊羔、 像公綿羊和公山羊下到宰殺之地。
41 How could it be? Babylon has fallen! The most famous city in the world has been conquered! What a horrible sight Babylon has become to everyone watching!
示沙克何竟被攻取？ 天下所稱讚的何竟被佔據？ 巴比倫在列國中何竟變為荒場？
42 It's as if the sea has flooded over Babylon, covering her in crashing waves.
海水漲起，漫過巴比倫； 她被許多海浪遮蓋。
43 The towns of Babylonia are in ruins, turned into a dry desert wasteland where no one lives—no one even passes by.
她的城邑變為荒場、旱地、沙漠， 無人居住，無人經過之地。
44 I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will force him to spit out what he swallowed. People of other nations won't run to worship him anymore. Even Babylon's wall has fallen.
我必刑罰巴比倫的彼勒， 使他吐出所吞的。 萬民必不再流歸他那裏； 巴比倫的城牆也必坍塌了。
45 My people, come out of her! Each one of you, save yourselves from the Lord's furious anger.
我的民哪，你們要從其中出去！ 各人拯救自己，躲避耶和華的烈怒。
46 Don't lose courage, and don't be afraid when you hear different rumors going around the country. There'll be one rumor one year, and another one the next, talking about violent revolution, of one ruler fighting against another.
你們不要心驚膽怯， 也不要因境內所聽見的風聲懼怕； 因為這年有風聲傳來； 那年也有風聲傳來， 境內有強暴的事， 官長攻擊官長。
47 Look, the time is coming when I will punish Babylon's idols. The whole country will be humiliated; it will be full of the dead bodies of those who have been killed.
日子將到，我必刑罰巴比倫雕刻的偶像。 她全地必然抱愧； 她被殺的人必在其中仆倒。
48 Then everyone in heaven and on earth will celebrate with shouts of joy at what's happened to Babylon, because the destroyers from the north will come and attack her, declares the Lord.
那時，天地和其中所有的， 必因巴比倫歡呼， 因為行毀滅的要從北方來到她那裏。 這是耶和華說的。
49 Babylon has to fall because of the Israelites and people of other nations she killed.
巴比倫怎樣使以色列被殺的人仆倒， 照樣她全地被殺的人也必在巴比倫仆倒。
50 Those of you who have managed to escape being killed, leave now! Don't delay! Remember the Lord in this far away place; think about Jerusalem.
你們躲避刀劍的要快走， 不要站住！ 要在遠方記念耶和華， 心中追想耶路撒冷。
51 “We are embarrassed because we've been mocked, and we held our heads in shame because foreigners went into the holy places of the Lord's Temple,”
我們聽見辱罵就蒙羞，滿面慚愧， 因為外邦人進入耶和華殿的聖所。
52 So keep watching, declares the Lord, because the time is coming when I will punish her for worshiping idols, and the sound of wounded people moaning will be heard throughout the country.
耶和華說： 日子將到，我必刑罰巴比倫雕刻的偶像， 通國受傷的人必唉哼。
53 Even if Babylon could climb up into the sky to strengthen her high fortresses, those I send to attack her will destroy her, declares the Lord.
巴比倫雖升到天上， 雖使她堅固的高處更堅固， 還有行毀滅的從我這裏到她那裏。 這是耶和華說的。
54 A cry comes from Babylon; the noise of terrible destruction comes from the country of Babylonia.
有哀號的聲音從巴比倫出來； 有大毀滅的響聲從迦勒底人之地發出。
55 For the Lord is going to destroy Babylon; he will put an end to her boastful talk. The waves of attacking army will roar like the crashing sea; the noise of their shouts will echo all around.
因耶和華使巴比倫變為荒場， 使其中的大聲滅絕。 仇敵彷彿眾水， 波浪匉訇，響聲已經發出。
56 A destroyer is coming to attack Babylon. Her soldiers will be taken prisoner, and their bows will be smashed, for the Lord is a God who punishes fairly; he will definitely pay them back.
這是行毀滅的臨到巴比倫。 巴比倫的勇士被捉住， 他們的弓折斷了； 因為耶和華是施行報應的上帝， 必定施行報應。
57 I will make her leaders and wise men drunk, along with her commanders, officers, and soldiers. Then they will pass out, and won't ever wake up, declares the King, whose name is the Lord Almighty.
君王－名為萬軍之耶和華的說： 我必使巴比倫的首領、 智慧人、省長、副省長，和勇士都沉醉， 使他們睡了長覺，永不醒起。
58 This is what the Lord Almighty says: Babylon's massive walls will be knocked down to the ground and her high gates burned. All that the people worked for will be for nothing; other nations who came to help will wear themselves out, only to see what they've done go up in flames.
萬軍之耶和華如此說： 巴比倫寬闊的城牆必全然傾倒； 她高大的城門必被火焚燒。 眾民所勞碌的必致虛空； 列國所勞碌的被火焚燒， 他們都必困乏。
59 This is the message that Jeremiah the prophet gave to Seraiah son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he accompanied King Zedekiah of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign. Seraiah was the king's personal assistant.
猶大王西底家在位第四年，上巴比倫去的時候，瑪西雅的孫子、尼利亞的兒子西萊雅與王同去（西萊雅是王宮的大臣），先知耶利米有話吩咐他。
60 Jeremiah had written on a scroll a description of all the disasters that would come to Babylon—all these words written here about Babylon.
耶利米將一切要臨到巴比倫的災禍，就是論到巴比倫的一切話，寫在書上。
61 Jeremiah told Seraiah, “When you arrive in Babylon, make sure you read out loud everything written here,
耶利米對西萊雅說：「你到了巴比倫務要念這書上的話；
62 and announce, ‘Lord, you have promised to destroy this place so that none will be left—no people or animals. In fact it will be deserted forever.’
又說：『耶和華啊，你曾論到這地方說：要剪除，甚至連人帶牲畜沒有在這裏居住的，必永遠荒涼。』
63 After you finish reading this scroll out loud, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates.
你念完了這書，就把一塊石頭拴在書上，扔在幼發拉底河中，
64 Then say, ‘This is how Babylon will sink and won't ever rise again, because of the disaster I'm bringing down on her. Her people will grow tired.’” This is the end of Jeremiah's messages.
說：『巴比倫因耶和華所要降與她的災禍，必如此沉下去，不再興起，人民也必困乏。』」 耶利米的話到此為止。
