Romans 9
1 Truth, say I, in Christ, I utter no falsehood, —my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit, —
我在基督內說實話，並不說謊，有我的良心在聖神內與我一同作證：
2 That I have great grief and incessant travail in my heart;
我的憂愁極，大我心中不斷的痛苦；
3 For I could have wished to be accursed, even I myself, from the Christ, in behalf of my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh; —
為救我的弟兄，我血統的同胞，就是被詛咒，與基督隔絕，我也甘心情願。
4 Who, indeed, are Israelites, whose are the sonship, and the glory, and the covenants, and the legislation, and the divine service, and the promises,
他們是以色列人：義子的名份、光榮、盟約、法律、禮儀以及恩許，都是他們的；
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom is the Christ—according to the flesh—he who is over all, God, blessed unto the ages. Amen. (aiōn g165)
聖祖也是他們的，並且基督按血統說，也是從他們來的，祂是在萬有之上，世世代代應受讚美的天主! 阿們。 (aiōn g165)
6 It is not, however, as though the word of God had failed; for, not all they who are of Israel, the same are Israel.
這並不是說天主的話落了空，因為不是凡從以色列生的，都是真以色列人；
7 Neither, because they are seed of Abraham, are all children, —but, In Isaac, shall there be called unto thee a seed.
也不是凡是亞巴郎的後裔，就都是他的真子女，而是『由依撒格所生的，才稱為你的後裔，』
8 That is—not the children of the flesh, the same are children of God; but, the children of the promise, are reckoned as a seed.
即是說：不是血統上的子女，算是天主的子女，而是藉恩許所生的子女，才算為真後裔。
9 For, of promise, is this word—According to this season, will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
原來恩許是這樣說的：『到明年這時候我要來，撒辣必有一個兒子。』
10 And, not only so, but, when, Rebekah also, was with child, of one—Isaac our father, —
並且關於黎貝加也有相似的事。她從我們的先祖依撒格一人懷了孕；
11 They, in fact, not being yet born, nor having practised anything good or bad, —in order that the purpose of God by way of election might stand, —not by works but by him that was calling,
當時雙胎還沒有出生，也沒有行善或作惡；但為使天主預簡的計畫堅定不移，
12 It was said unto her—The elder, shall serve the younger;
且為顥示這計畫並不憑人的行為，而只憑天主的召選，遂有話給她說：『年長的要服事年幼的。』
13 Even as it is written—Jacob, have I loved, but, Esau, have I hated.
正如經上記載：『我愛了雅各伯而恨了厄撒烏。』
14 What, then, shall we say? Is there injustice with God? Far be it!
那麼，我們可說什麼呢？難道天主不公道嗎？絕對不是!
15 For, unto Moses, he saith—I will have mercy upon whomsoever I can have mercy, and I will have compassion upon whomsoever I can have compassion.
因為祂對梅瑟說過：『我要恩待的，就恩待；我要憐憫的，就憐憫。』
16 Hence, then, it is nor of him that wisheth nor of him that runneth, but of the mercy-shewing God.
這樣看來，蒙召並不在乎人願意，也不在乎人努力，而是由於天主的仁慈，
17 For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh—Unto this end, have I raised thee up, that I may thus shew in thee my power, and that I may declare my name in all the earth.
因為經上有話對法郎說：『我特興起了你，是為在你身上彰顯我的大能，並為使我的名傳遍全世界。』
18 Hence, then, —on whom he pleaseth, he hath mercy, and, whom he pleaseth, he doth harden.
這樣看來，祂願意恩待誰，就恩待誰；祂願意使誰心硬，就使誰心硬。
19 Thou wilt say to me, then—Why longer findeth he fault? For, his purpose, who hath withstood?
或者，你要問我說：既是這樣，為什麼祂要責怪人呢？有誰能抗拒祂的意志呢？
20 O man! Who, nevertheless, art, thou, that art answering again unto God? Shall the thing formed say unto him that formed it—Why didst thou make me thus?
人呀! 你是誰，竟敢向天主抗辯？製造品豈能對製造者說：你為什麼這樣製造了我？
21 Or hath not the potter a right over the clay—out of the same lump, to make some, indeed, into a vessel for honour, and some for dishonour?
難道陶工不能隨意用一團泥，把這一個作成貴重的器皿，把那一個作成卑賤的器皿嗎？
22 And, if God—wishing to shew his anger and to make known his power—bare, in much patience, with vessels of anger already fitted for destruction,
如果天主願意顯示自己的義怒，並彰顯自己的威能，曾以寬宏大量，容忍了那些惹祂發怒而應毀滅的器皿；
23 In order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy which he prepared beforehand for glory, —
祂如此作，是為把祂那豐富的光榮，在那些祂早已準備好，為進入光榮而蒙憐憫的器冊上彰顯出來，又有什麼不可能呢？
24 Whom he also called, even us, not only from among Jews, but also from among the nations, [what then?]
這些器皿就是我們這些不但從猶太人中，而且也從外邦人中被天主所寵召的人。
25 As also in Hosea he saith—I will call the not-my-people, My people, and the not-beloved, beloved,
這正如天主在歐瑟亞書中所說的：『我要叫「非我人民」為「我的人民」，又叫「不蒙愛憐者」為「蒙愛憐者」；
26 And it shall be—in the place where it was said [to them]—not my people are, ye! there, shall they be called—Sons of a Living God.
人在那裡對他們說：你們不是我的人民，在同樣的地方，他們要被稱為永生天主的子女。』
27 Isaiah, moreover, exclaimeth over Israel—Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, the remnant, shall be saved;
論到以色列，依撒意亞卻呼喊說：『以色列子民的數目雖煞多如海沙，唯有殘存者要蒙受救恩，
28 For, a complete and concise account, will the Lord make upon the earth.
因為上主在大地上，要徹底迅速完成祂的判決。』
29 And, even as Isaiah hath before said, —If, the Lord of hosts, had not left us a seed, as Sodom, had we become, and, as Gomorrha, had we been made like.
依撒意亞又預言過：『若非萬軍的上主給我們留下苖裔，我們早已如同索多瑪，相似哈摩辣了。』
30 What, then, shall we say? That, they of the nations, who were not in pursuit of righteousness, have laid hold of righteousness, —a righteousness, however, which is by faith;
那麼，我們可說什麼呢？外邦人沒有追求正義，卻獲得了正義，即由信仰而得的正義；
31 Whereas, Israel, though in pursuit of a law of righteousness, unto a law, have not attained.
以色列人追求使人成義的法律，卻沒有得到這種法律，
32 Wherefore? Because, not by faith but as by works, [have they sought it]: they have stumbled at the stone of stumbling,
這是為什麼呢？是因為他們不憑信仰，只憑著行為追求。他們正碰在那塊絆腳石上，
33 Even as it is written—Lo! I lay in Zion, a stone to strike against and a rock to stumble over, and, he that resteth faith thereupon, shall not be put to shame.
正如經上所載：『看，我在熙雍按放了一塊絆腳石，一塊使人絆跌的盤石；相信他的人，不致蒙羞。』
