< Jeremiah 8 >

1 “At that time,” says the LORD, “they will bring the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, 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 They will spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the army of the sky, which they have loved, which they have served, after which they have walked, which they have sought, and which they have worshipped. They will not be gathered or be buried. They will be like dung on the surface 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 Death will be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says the LORD of Armies.
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 “Moreover you shall tell them, ‘The LORD says: “‘Do men fall, and not rise up again? Does one turn away, and not return?
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 have the people of Jerusalem fallen back by a perpetual backsliding? They cling to deceit. They refuse 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 listened and heard, but they didn’t say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Everyone turns to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in 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 Yes, the stork in the sky knows her appointed times. The turtledove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people don’t know the LORD’s law.
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 LORD’s law is with us”? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made that a lie.
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 disappointed. They are dismayed and trapped. Behold, they have rejected the LORD’s word. What kind of wisdom is 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 wives to others and their fields to those who will possess them. For everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.
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 They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace.
草率治愈我的瘡痍說:「好了! 好了! 」其實卻沒有好。
12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed. They couldn’t blush. Therefore they will fall amongst those who fall. In the time of their visitation they will be cast down, says 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 “‘I will utterly consume them, says the LORD. No grapes will be on the vine, no figs on the fig tree, and the leaf will fade. The things that I have given them will pass away from them.’”
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! Let’s enter into the fortified cities, and let’s be silent there; for the LORD our God has put us to silence, and given us poisoned water to drink, because 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, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!
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 horses is heard from Dan. The whole land trembles at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they have come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell therein.”
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 serpents, adders amongst you, which will not be charmed; and they will bite you,” says 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 Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! My heart is faint within me.
無法療愈。我戚戚憂傷,我心已憔悴。
19 Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land that is very far off: “Isn’t the LORD in Zion? Isn’t her King in her?” “Why have they provoked me to anger with their engraved images, and with foreign idols?”
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 past. The summer has 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 hurt of the daughter of my people, I am hurt. I mourn. Dismay has taken hold of 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 Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then isn’t the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
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 >