Jeremias 18
1 The word that came from the Lord to
上主有話傳給耶肋米亞說：
2 Jeremias, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there you shall hear my words.
「起來，下到陶工家裏去，在那裏我要讓你聽到我的話」。
3 So I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was making a vessel on the stones.
我便下到陶工家裏，見他正在輪盤上工作。
4 And the vessel which he was making with his hands fell: so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to him to make [it].
陶工用泥做的器皿，若在他手中壞了，他便再做，或做成另一個器皿，全隨陶工的意思去做。
5 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
於是上主的話傳給我說：
6 Shall I not be able, O house of Israel, to do to you as this potter? behold, as the clay of the potter are you in my hands.
「以色列家，我豈不能像這陶工一樣對待你們﹖──上主的斷語──以色列家! 看，你們在我手中，就像泥土在陶工手中一樣。
7 [If] I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation, or upon a kingdom, to cut them off, and to destroy [them];
我一時可對一個民族，或如同國家，決意要拔除，要毀壞，要消滅；
8 and that nation turn from all their sins, then will I repent of the evils which I purposed to do to them.
但是我要打擊的民族，若離棄自己的邪惡，我也反悔，不再給他降原定的災禍。
9 And [if] I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation and kingdom, to rebuild and to plant [it];
或者，我一時想對一個民族或一個國家，決意要建設，要栽培，
10 and they do evil before me, so as not to listen to my voice, then will I repent of the good which I spoke of, to do it to them.
但若她行我不喜歡的事，不聽從我的聲音，我也要反悔，不再給她許過的恩惠。
11 And now say to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Behold, I prepare evils against you, and devise a device against you: let every one turn now from his evil way, and amend your practices.
現在你可告訴猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民說：上主這樣說：看，我已給你們安排了災禍，定了懲罰你們的計劃，希望你們每人離棄自己的邪道，改善自己的途徑和作為」。
12 And they said, We will quit ourselves like men, for we will pursue our perverse ways, and we will perform each the lusts of his evil heart.
他們反倒答說：「已沒有希望弓! 因為我們願隨從自己的計謀，各按自己頑固的惡意行事」。
13 Therefore thus says the Lord; Enquire now among the nations, who has heard such very horrible things as the virgin of Israel has done?
為此上主這樣說：「你們可到各民族去詢問：有誰聽到了像這樣的事﹖以色列處女做出了極可憎的事。
14 Will fertilising streams fail [to flow] from a rock, or snow [fail] from Libanus? will water violently impelled by the wind turn aside?
黎巴嫩山巔的巖石豈能缺少積雪﹖叢山間湧流的冰泉，豈能涸竭﹖
15 For my people have forgotten me, they have offered incense in vain, and they fail in their ways, [leaving] the ancient tracks, to enter upon impassable paths;
但我的人民卻忘掉了我，向「虛無」獻香，滑出了自己的正道，離開舊日的行徑，而走上了小道，不平坦的路，
16 to make their land a desolation, and a perpetual hissing; all that go through it shall be amazed, and shall shake their heads.
使自己的地域變為驚愕的原因，取笑的目標；凡經過這 中2 的人，莫不驚異搖首。
17 I will scatter them before their enemies like an east wind; I will show them the day of their destruction.
我必像一陳東風在敵人面前將他們吹散；在他們滅亡之日，我必使你們只見我背，不見我面」。
18 Then they said, Come, and let us devise a device against Jeremias; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and we will hear all his words.
他們說：「來，我們合謀陷害耶肋米亞! 因為沒有司祭，法律不會因此廢止；沒有智者，計謀不會因此缺乏；沒有先知，神諭不會因此斷絕。來，我們用舌頭評擊他，不注意他的一切 勸告」。
19 Hear me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my pleading.
上主，願你俯聽我，請聽我敵人的聲明。
20 Forasmuch as evil is rewarded for good; for they have spoken words against my soul, and they have hidden the punishment they [meant] for me; remember that I stood before your face, to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
難道該以怨報德嗎﹖他們竟掘下陷阱來陷害我的生命! 望你記憶：我曾在你面前為他們求情，替他們挽回你的盛怒。
21 Therefore do you deliver their sons to famine, and gather them to the power of the sword: let their women be childless and widows; and let their men be cut off by death, and their young men fall by the sword in war.
為此，你應使他們的子女遭受饑荒，任人屠殺；使他們的婦女喪予居寡，使他們的男人死於瘟疫，使他們的青年在戰埸上死於刀下。
22 Let there be a cry in their houses: you shall bring upon them robbers suddenly: for they have formed a plan to take me, and have hidden snares for me.
當你引匪隊突擊他們時，願從他們的屋裏可聽到哭聲，因為他們掘了陷阱捕捉我，在我腳下設下羅網。
23 And you, Lord, know all their deadly counsel against me: account not their iniquities guiltless, and blot not out their sins from before you: let their weakness come before you; deal with them in the time of your wrath.
如同你，上主，你知道他們對我的一切計劃是要殺害我；請你不要寬恕他們的過惡，不要由你面前抹去他們的過惡，務使他們倒仆在你面前；在你發怒時，求你報復他們。
