耶利米书 3
1 有话说,人若休妻,妻离他而去,作了别人的妻,前夫岂能再收回她来?若收回她来,那地岂不是大大玷污了吗?但你和许多亲爱的行邪淫,还可以归向我。这是耶和华说的。
"If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should he return to her again? Would not the land be completely defiled? But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers--would you now return to me?" declares the LORD.
2 你向净光的高处举目观看,你在何处没有淫行呢?你坐在道旁等候,好像亚拉伯人在旷野埋伏一样,并且你的淫行邪恶玷污了全地。
"Look up to the barren heights and see. Is there any place where you have not been ravished? By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers, sat like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness.
3 因此甘霖停止,春(原文作晚)雨不降。你还是有娼妓之脸,不顾羞耻。
Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to blush with shame.
4 从今以后,你岂不向我呼叫说,我父阿,你是我幼年的恩主。
Have you not just called to me: 'My Father, my friend from my youth,
5 耶和华岂永远怀怒,存留到底吗?看哪,你又发恶言又行坏事,随自己的私意而行(或作你虽这样说还是行恶放纵欲心)。
will you always be angry? Will your wrath continue forever?' This is how you talk, but you do all the evil you can."
6 约西亚王在位的时候,耶和华又对我说,背道的以色列所行的,你看见没有。她上各高山,在各青翠树下行淫。
During the reign of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, "Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there.
7 她行这些事以后,我说她必归向我,她却不归向我。她奸诈的妹妹犹大也看见了。
I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it.
8 背道的以色列行淫,我为这缘故给她休书休她。我看见她奸诈的妹妹犹大,还不惧怕,也去行淫。
I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.
9 因以色列轻忽了她的淫乱,和石头木头行淫,地就被玷污了。
Because Israel's immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood.
10 虽有这一切的事,她奸诈的妹妹犹大还不一心归向我,不过是假意归我。这是耶和华说的。
In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense," declares the LORD.
11 耶和华对我说,背道的以色列比奸诈的犹大还显为义。
The LORD said to me, "Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah.
12 你去向北方宣告说,耶和华说,背道的以色列阿,回来吧。我必不怒目看你们。因为我是慈爱的,我必不永远存怒。这是耶和华说的。
Go, proclaim this message toward the north: "'Return, faithless Israel,' declares the LORD, 'I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful,' declares the LORD, 'I will not be angry forever.
13 只要承认你的罪孽,就是你违背耶和华你的神,在各青翠树下向别神东奔西跑,没有听从我的话。这是耶和华说的。
Only acknowledge your guilt--you have rebelled against the LORD your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me,'" declares the LORD.
14 耶和华说,背道的儿女阿,回来吧。因为我作你们的丈夫,并且我必将你们从一城取一人,从一族取两人,带到锡安。
"Return, faithless people," declares the LORD, "for I am your husband. I will choose you--one from a town and two from a clan--and bring you to Zion.
15 我也必将合我心的牧者赐给你们。他们必以知识和智慧牧养你们。
Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.
16 耶和华说,你们在国中生养众多。当那些日子,人必不再提说耶和华的约柜,不追想,不记念,不觉缺少,也不再制造。
In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land," declares the LORD, "men will no longer say, 'The ark of the covenant of the LORD.' It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made.
17 那时,人必称耶路撒冷为耶和华的宝座。万国必到耶路撒冷,在耶和华立名的地方聚集。他们必不再随从自己顽梗的恶心行事。
At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.
18 当那些日子,犹大家要和以色列家同行,从北方之地一同来到我赐给你们列祖为业之地。
In those days the house of Judah will join the house of Israel, and together they will come from a northern land to the land I gave your forefathers as an inheritance.
19 我说,我怎样将你安置在儿女之中,赐给你美地,就是万国中肥美的产业。我又说,你们必称我为父,也不再转去不跟从我。
"I myself said, "'How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.' I thought you would call me 'Father' and not turn away from following me.
20 以色列家,你们向我行诡诈,真像妻子行诡诈离开他丈夫一样。这是耶和华说的。
But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Israel," declares the LORD.
21 在净光的高处听见人声,就是以色列人哭泣恳求之声,乃因他们走弯曲之道,忘记耶和华他们的神。
A cry is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel, because they have perverted their ways and have forgotten the LORD their God.
22 你们这背道的儿女阿,回来吧。我要医治你们背道的病。看哪,我们来到你这里,因你是耶和华我们的神。
"Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding." "Yes, we will come to you, for you are the LORD our God.
23 仰望从小山或从大山的喧嚷中得帮助,真是枉然的。以色列得救,诚然在乎耶和华我们的神。
Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills and mountains is a deception; surely in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.
24 从我们幼年以来,那可耻的偶像将我们列祖所劳碌得来的羊群,牛群,和他们的儿女都吞吃了。
From our youth shameful gods have consumed the fruits of our fathers' labor--their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters.
25 我们在羞耻中躺卧吧。愿惭愧将我们遮盖。因为从立国(原文作幼年)以来,我们和我们的列祖常常得罪耶和华我们的神,没有听从耶和华我们神的话。
Let us lie down in our shame, and let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our fathers; from our youth till this day we have not obeyed the LORD our God."