耶路撒冷的罪

耶和华说:

“你们在耶路撒冷街头四处看看,
在广场找找,
如果你们能找到一个公正诚实的人,
我就赦免这城。
虽然他们凭永活的耶和华起誓,
却口是心非。”
耶和华啊,你要的不是诚实吗?
你责打他们,他们不感到疼痛;
你严惩他们,他们仍不受教。
他们屡教不改,
脸比石头还硬。

我想:“他们贫穷、愚昧,
不明白他们上帝耶和华的道,
也不知道祂的法令。
我要找他们的首领说话,
因为这些首领明白耶和华的道,
知道他们上帝的法令。”
然而,他们却一致违背耶和华的律法,
不服从祂的法令。
因此,林中的狮子必袭击他们,
荒野的豺狼必残害他们,
豹子也蹲伏在他们的城外,
伺机撕裂出城的人,
因为他们罪大恶极,屡屡叛道。

耶和华说:
“耶路撒冷啊,我怎能赦免你呢?
你的儿女背弃我,
凭假神起誓。
我供应他们的一切需要,
他们却纵情淫乱,
涌向娼妓的家。
他们像吃得肥壮、发情的公马,
垂涎邻居的妻子。
我怎能不惩罚他们呢?
我怎能不亲自报应这样的国民呢?
这是耶和华说的。
10 你们要去毁坏她的葡萄园,
但不可彻底毁坏。
要砍掉枝子,
因为那些枝子不属于耶和华。
11 以色列人和犹大人根本不忠于我。
这是耶和华说的。

12 “他们撒谎说,
‘耶和华不会管我们,
我们必不会遇到灾祸、战争和饥荒。
13 先知的话不过是一阵风,
不是来自上帝,
他们预言的灾祸必降临到自己身上。’”

14 因此,万军之上帝耶和华对我说:
“因为他们说了这话,
我要使我的话在你口中成为火,
使他们像柴一样被烧毁。
15 以色列人啊,我要使一个国家,
一个历久不衰的古国从远方来攻击你们,
你们不明白他们的语言,
也听不懂他们说的话。
这是耶和华说的。
16 他们都是勇士,
他们的弓箭杀人无数。
17 他们必吞噬你们的儿女、牛羊、
粮食、葡萄和无花果,
用刀剑摧毁你们所依靠的坚城。”

18 耶和华说:“即使在那时,我也不会彻底毁灭你们。 19 耶利米啊,如果有人问,‘为什么我们的上帝耶和华这样待我们?’你可以对他们说,‘你们怎样背弃耶和华,在自己的土地上供奉外族的神明,也要怎样在异地他乡服侍外族人。’

20 “要在犹大向雅各家高声宣布,
21 ‘听着,你们这群愚昧无知的人啊,
你们视而不见,
听而不闻。
22 难道你们不敬畏我吗?
这是耶和华说的。
难道你们在我面前不颤抖吗?
我以沙石为海的界限,
使水永远不能越过它。
汹涌的波涛不能逾越,
澎湃的海浪不能漫过。
23 但你们这些人顽固不化,
悖逆成性。
你们离我而去。
24 你们心中从未说,
我们要敬畏我们的上帝耶和华,
祂按时降下秋雨和春雨,
让我们按时收割。
25 你们的罪过使你们不再风调雨顺,
你们的罪恶使你们失去祝福。’
26 我的子民中有恶人,
他们像捕鸟人一样埋伏等候,
设下网罗陷害人。
27 他们的家里充满了诡诈,
就像笼子装满了鸟。
他们变得有财有势,
28 吃得肥胖红润,
坏事做尽,不为孤儿申冤,
不为穷人主持公道。”
29 耶和华说:“我怎能坐视不理呢?
我怎能不惩罚这样的国家呢?
30 这地方发生了一件令人震惊、恐惧的事,
31 就是先知说假预言,
祭司滥用权力,
我的子民却以此为乐。
但当最后的结局来临时,
他们还能做什么呢?

耶路撒冷的罪

耶和華說:

「你們在耶路撒冷街頭四處看看,
在廣場找找,
如果你們能找到一個公正誠實的人,
我就赦免這城。
雖然他們憑永活的耶和華起誓,
卻口是心非。」
耶和華啊,你要的不是誠實嗎?
你責打他們,他們不感到疼痛;
你嚴懲他們,他們仍不受教。
他們屢教不改,
臉比石頭還硬。

我想:「他們貧窮、愚昧,
不明白他們上帝耶和華的道,
也不知道祂的法令。
我要找他們的首領說話,
因為這些首領明白耶和華的道,
知道他們上帝的法令。」
然而,他們卻一致違背耶和華的律法,
不服從祂的法令。
因此,林中的獅子必襲擊他們,
荒野的豺狼必殘害他們,
豹子也蹲伏在他們的城外,
伺機撕裂出城的人,
因為他們罪大惡極,屢屢叛道。

耶和華說:
「耶路撒冷啊,我怎能赦免你呢?
你的兒女背棄我,
憑假神起誓。
我供應他們的一切需要,
他們卻縱情淫亂,
湧向娼妓的家。
他們像吃得肥壯、發情的公馬,
垂涎鄰居的妻子。
我怎能不懲罰他們呢?
我怎能不親自報應這樣的國民呢?
這是耶和華說的。
10 你們要去毀壞她的葡萄園,
但不可徹底毀壞。
要砍掉枝子,
因為那些枝子不屬於耶和華。
11 以色列人和猶大人根本不忠於我。
這是耶和華說的。

12 「他們撒謊說,
『耶和華不會管我們,
我們必不會遇到災禍、戰爭和饑荒。
13 先知的話不過是一陣風,
不是來自上帝,
他們預言的災禍必降臨到自己身上。』」

14 因此,萬軍之上帝耶和華對我說:
「因為他們說了這話,
我要使我的話在你口中成為火,
使他們像柴一樣被燒毀。
15 以色列人啊,我要使一個國家,
一個歷久不衰的古國從遠方來攻擊你們,
你們不明白他們的語言,
也聽不懂他們說的話。
這是耶和華說的。
16 他們都是勇士,
他們的弓箭殺人無數。
17 他們必吞噬你們的兒女、牛羊、
糧食、葡萄和無花果,
用刀劍摧毀你們所依靠的堅城。」

18 耶和華說:「即使在那時,我也不會徹底毀滅你們。 19 耶利米啊,如果有人問,『為什麼我們的上帝耶和華這樣待我們?』你可以對他們說,『你們怎樣背棄耶和華,在自己的土地上供奉外族的神明,也要怎樣在異地他鄉服侍外族人。』

20 「要在猶大向雅各家高聲宣佈,
21 『聽著,你們這群愚昧無知的人啊,
你們視而不見,
聽而不聞。
22 難道你們不敬畏我嗎?
這是耶和華說的。
難道你們在我面前不顫抖嗎?
我以沙石為海的界限,
使水永遠不能越過它。
洶湧的波濤不能逾越,
澎湃的海浪不能漫過。
23 但你們這些人頑固不化,
悖逆成性。
你們離我而去。
24 你們心中從未說,
我們要敬畏我們的上帝耶和華,
祂按時降下秋雨和春雨,
讓我們按時收割。
25 你們的罪過使你們不再風調雨順,
你們的罪惡使你們失去祝福。』
26 我的子民中有惡人,
他們像捕鳥人一樣埋伏等候,
設下網羅陷害人。
27 他們的家裡充滿了詭詐,
就像籠子裝滿了鳥。
他們變得有財有勢,
28 吃得肥胖紅潤,
壞事做盡,不為孤兒伸冤,
不為窮人主持公道。」
29 耶和華說:「我怎能坐視不理呢?
我怎能不懲罰這樣的國家呢?
30 這地方發生了一件令人震驚、恐懼的事,
31 就是先知說假預言,
祭司濫用權力,
我的子民卻以此為樂。
但當最後的結局來臨時,
他們還能做什麼呢?

Not One Is Upright

“Go up and down(A) the streets of Jerusalem,
    look around and consider,(B)
    search through her squares.
If you can find but one person(C)
    who deals honestly(D) and seeks the truth,
    I will forgive(E) this city.
Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’(F)
    still they are swearing falsely.(G)

Lord, do not your eyes(H) look for truth?
    You struck(I) them, but they felt no pain;
    you crushed them, but they refused correction.(J)
They made their faces harder than stone(K)
    and refused to repent.(L)
I thought, “These are only the poor;
    they are foolish,(M)
for they do not know(N) the way of the Lord,
    the requirements of their God.
So I will go to the leaders(O)
    and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the Lord,
    the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
    and torn off the bonds.(P)
Therefore a lion from the forest(Q) will attack them,
    a wolf from the desert will ravage(R) them,
a leopard(S) will lie in wait near their towns
    to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great
    and their backslidings many.(T)

“Why should I forgive you?
    Your children have forsaken me
    and sworn(U) by gods that are not gods.(V)
I supplied all their needs,
    yet they committed adultery(W)
    and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.(X)
They are well-fed, lusty stallions,
    each neighing for another man’s wife.(Y)
Should I not punish them for this?”(Z)
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge(AA) myself
    on such a nation as this?

10 “Go through her vineyards and ravage them,
    but do not destroy them completely.(AB)
Strip off her branches,
    for these people do not belong to the Lord.
11 The people of Israel and the people of Judah
    have been utterly unfaithful(AC) to me,”
declares the Lord.

12 They have lied(AD) about the Lord;
    they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;(AE)
    we will never see sword or famine.(AF)
13 The prophets(AG) are but wind(AH)
    and the word is not in them;
    so let what they say be done to them.”

14 Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says:

“Because the people have spoken these words,
    I will make my words in your mouth(AI) a fire(AJ)
    and these people the wood it consumes.(AK)
15 People of Israel,” declares the Lord,
    “I am bringing a distant nation(AL) against you—
an ancient and enduring nation,
    a people whose language(AM) you do not know,
    whose speech you do not understand.
16 Their quivers(AN) are like an open grave;
    all of them are mighty warriors.
17 They will devour(AO) your harvests and food,
    devour(AP) your sons and daughters;
they will devour(AQ) your flocks and herds,
    devour your vines and fig trees.(AR)
With the sword(AS) they will destroy
    the fortified cities(AT) in which you trust.(AU)

18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not destroy(AV) you completely. 19 And when the people ask,(AW) ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods(AX) in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners(AY) in a land not your own.’

20 “Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
    and proclaim(AZ) it in Judah:
21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,(BA)
    who have eyes(BB) but do not see,
    who have ears but do not hear:(BC)
22 Should you not fear(BD) me?” declares the Lord.
    “Should you not tremble(BE) in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,(BF)
    an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
    they may roar,(BG) but they cannot cross it.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious(BH) hearts;
    they have turned aside(BI) and gone away.
24 They do not say to themselves,
    ‘Let us fear(BJ) the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains(BK) in season,
    who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’(BL)
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
    your sins have deprived you of good.(BM)

26 “Among my people are the wicked(BN)
    who lie in wait(BO) like men who snare birds
    and like those who set traps(BP) to catch people.
27 Like cages full of birds,
    their houses are full of deceit;(BQ)
they have become rich(BR) and powerful
28     and have grown fat(BS) and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
    they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;(BT)
    they do not defend the just cause of the poor.(BU)
29 Should I not punish them for this?”
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge(BV) myself
    on such a nation as this?

30 “A horrible(BW) and shocking thing
    has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy lies,(BX)
    the priests(BY) rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
    But what will you do in the end?(BZ)

Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.

And though they say, The Lord liveth; surely they swear falsely.

O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God.

I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.

They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour's wife.

Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the Lord's.

11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord.

12 They have belied the Lord, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:

13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.

14 Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the Lord: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.

16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.

17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.

18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the Lord, I will not make a full end with you.

19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the Lord our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not your's.

20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,

21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:

22 Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.

28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;

31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?