耶利米書

第 9 章

1. 但願我的頭為水、我的眼為淚的泉源、我好為我百姓〔原文作民女七節同〕中被殺的人、晝夜哭泣。
Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.
2. 惟願我在曠野有行路人住宿之處、使我可以離開我的民出去．因他們都是行姦淫的、是行詭詐的一黨。
Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travelers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people.
3. 他們彎起舌頭、像弓一樣、為要說謊話．他們在國中、增長勢力、不是為行誠實、乃是惡上加惡、並不認識我．這是耶和華說的。
"They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me," declares the LORD.
4. 你們各人當謹防鄰舍、不可信靠弟兄．因為弟兄盡行欺騙、鄰舍都往來讒謗人。
"Beware of your friends; do not trust your brothers. For every brother is a deceiver, and every friend a slanderer.
5. 他們各人欺哄鄰舍、不說真話．他們教舌頭學習說謊．勞勞碌碌的作孽。
Friend deceives friend, and no one speaks the truth. They have taught their tongues to lie; they weary themselves with sinning.
6. 你的住處在詭詐的人中．他們因行詭詐不肯認識我．這是耶和華說的。
You live in the midst of deception; in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me," declares the LORD.
7. 所以萬軍之耶和華如此說、看哪、我要將他們融化熬煉．不然、我因我百姓的罪該怎樣行呢。
Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty says: "See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people?
8. 他們的舌頭是毒箭、說話詭詐．人與鄰舍口說和平話、心卻謀害他。
Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks with deceit. With his mouth each speaks cordially to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.
9. 耶和華說、我豈不因這些事討他們的罪呢．豈不報復這樣的國民呢。
Should I not punish them for this?" declares the LORD. "Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?"
10. 我要為山嶺哭泣悲哀、為曠野的草場揚聲哀號、因為都已乾焦、甚至無人經過．人也聽不見牲畜鳴叫．空中的飛鳥、和地上的野獸、都已逃去。
I will weep and wail for the mountains and take up a lament concerning the desert pastures. They are desolate and untraveled, and the lowing of cattle is not heard. The birds of the air have fled and the animals are gone.
11. 我必使耶路撒冷變為亂堆、為野狗的住處．也必使猶大的城邑、變為荒場、無人居住。
"I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals; and I will lay waste the towns of Judah so no one can live there."
12. 誰是智慧人、可以明白這事．耶和華的口向誰說過、使他可以傳說．遍地為何滅亡乾焦好像曠野、甚至無人經過呢。
What man is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the LORD and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross?
13. 耶和華說、因為這百姓離棄我在他們面前所設立的律法、沒有遵行、也沒有聽從我的話．
The LORD said, "It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law.
14. 只隨從自己頑梗的心行事、照他們列祖所教訓的、隨從眾巴力．
Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as their fathers taught them."
15. 所以萬軍之耶和華以色列的　神如此說、看哪、我必將茵蔯給這百姓喫、又將苦膽水給他們喝。
Therefore, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "See, I will make this people eat bitter food and drink poisoned water.
16. 我要把他們散在列邦中、就是他們和他們列祖素不認識的列邦．我也要使刀劍追殺他們、直到將他們滅盡。
I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will pursue them with the sword until I have destroyed them."
17. 萬軍之耶和華如此說、你們應當思想、將善唱哀歌的婦女召來．又打發人召善哭的婦女來。
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Consider now! Call for the wailing women to come; send for the most skillful of them.
18. 叫他們速速為我們舉哀、使我們眼淚汪汪、使我們的眼皮湧出水來。
Let them come quickly and wail over us till our eyes overflow with tears and water streams from our eyelids.
19. 因為聽見哀聲出於錫安、說、我們怎樣敗落了．我們大大的慚愧、我們撇下地土、人也拆毀了我們的房屋。
The sound of wailing is heard from Zion: 'How ruined we are! How great is our shame! We must leave our land because our houses are in ruins.'"
20. 婦女們哪、你們當聽耶和華的話、領受他口中的言語．又當教導你們的兒女舉哀、各人教導鄰舍唱哀歌。
Now, O women, hear the word of the LORD; open your ears to the words of his mouth. Teach your daughters how to wail; teach one another a lament.
21. 因為死亡上來、進了我們的窗戶、入了我們的宮殿．要從外邊剪除孩童、從街上剪除少年人。
Death has climbed in through our windows and has entered our fortresses; it has cut off the children from the streets and the young men from the public squares.
22. 你當說、耶和華如此說、人的屍首必倒在田野像糞土、又像收割的人遺落的一把禾稼、無人收取。
Say, "This is what the LORD declares: "'The dead bodies of men will lie like refuse on the open field, like cut grain behind the reaper, with no one to gather them.'"
23. 耶和華如此說、智慧人不要因他的智慧誇口、勇士不要因他的勇力誇口、財主不要因他的財物誇口．
This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches,
24. 誇口的卻因他有聰明、認識我是耶和華、又知道我喜悅在世上施行慈愛公平和公義、以此誇口．這是耶和華說的。
but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.
25. 耶和華說、看哪、日子將到、我要刑罰一切受過割禮、心卻未受割禮的．
"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh--
26. 就是埃及、猶大、以東、亞捫人、摩押人、和一切住在曠野剃周圍頭髮的．因為列國人都沒有受割禮、以色列人心中、也沒有受割禮。
Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the desert in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart."