淒慘的耶路撒冷

從前人煙稠密的城,
現在何其荒涼!
從前揚威萬邦的強國,
現在竟像寡婦一樣。
從前在諸省做公主的,
現在卻淪為奴婢。

她在夜間痛哭,淚流滿面。
情人中沒有一個前來安慰。
朋友都出賣她,與她為敵。

猶大飽受苦難和奴役,
被擄往遠方,流落異邦,
找不到安居之所。
她在走投無路之際被追敵擒獲。

通往錫安[a]的道路滿目淒涼,
因為無人前去過節。
她的城門冷落,
她的祭司悲歎,
她的少女哀傷,她痛苦不已。

敵人做了她的主人,
興旺發達。
因為她作惡多端,
耶和華叫她飽受困苦,
她的孩子被敵人擄去。

錫安的尊榮消逝,
她的首領像找不到草吃的鹿,
無力逃脫敵人的追趕。

在困苦流離中,
耶路撒冷想起昔日的榮華。
如今,她的人民落在敵人手中,
無人援救。
仇敵看見她,都嘲笑她的滅亡。

耶路撒冷罪大惡極,
淪為污穢之物。
從前尊重她的人看見她赤身裸體,就蔑視她。
她只能哀歎、退避。

她的裙子沾滿污穢,
她未曾想過自己的結局。
她的敗落無比淒慘,
無人安慰。
她哭喊道:「耶和華啊,
仇敵已經獲勝,
求你垂顧我的苦難!」

10 敵人伸手奪去她的一切珍寶。
她目睹外族人闖入聖殿——那是耶和華禁止他們進入的地方。

11 她的人民呻吟著四處覓食,
用珍寶換取糧食維生。

耶路撒冷的哀歎

她說:「耶和華啊,求你眷顧我,
因為我被人蔑視。

12 「路人啊,你們都無動於衷嗎?
你們看看,
耶和華向我發烈怒,降禍於我,
還有誰比我更痛苦呢?

13 「祂從高天降下火來,
焚燒我的骨頭;
祂在我腳前設下網羅,
使我返回;
祂使我淒涼孤寂,終日痛苦。

14 「我的罪惡連接成軛,
祂親手把它們編在一起,
綁在我的頸項上,
使我精疲力盡。
主把我交給我無力抵擋的敵人。

15 「主藐視我所有的勇士,
召集軍隊攻擊我,
打垮我的青年。
主踐踏猶大人[b]
如同在榨酒池踩踏。

16 「我為此哭泣,
淚流滿面,
卻無人安慰、鼓勵我。
我的兒女淒涼孤苦,
因為仇敵已經得勝。」

17 錫安伸手求助,卻無人理睬。
耶和華已命四周鄰國與雅各為敵。
耶路撒冷在他們當中成了污穢之物。

18 「但耶和華是公義的,
因為我違背了祂的命令。
萬國啊,請聽我的話,
看看我的痛苦!
我的年輕男女都被擄去。

19 「我向情人們求助,
他們卻欺騙我。
我的祭司和長老在覓食求生時,
倒斃在城中。

20 「耶和華啊,
看看我是多麼痛苦!
我的內臟攪動,
我的心靈翻騰,
因為我背叛了你。
街上有屠殺,
家中有死亡。

21 「人們聽見我的哀歎,
卻無人安慰我。
敵人看見你降給我的災難,
都幸災樂禍。
願你應許的審判之日來臨,
叫他們像我一樣受苦!

22 「願他們的惡行都擺在你眼前!
你怎樣因我的罪惡而懲罰我,
願你也照樣懲罰他們!
我歎息不絕,心中哀傷。」

Footnotes

  1. 1·4 錫安」又稱「耶路撒冷」。
  2. 1·15 猶大人」希伯來文是「猶大的純潔少女」。

How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.

The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.

And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.

Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.

10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.

11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile.

12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.

15 The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.

16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.

18 The Lord is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.

20 Behold, O Lord; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.

21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.

22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.

[a]耶路撒冷的忧患

唉!先前人口稠密的城市,
现在为何独坐!
先前在列国中为大的,
现在竟如寡妇!
先前在各省中为王后的,
现在竟成为服苦役的人!

[b]夜间痛哭,泪流满颊,
在所有亲爱的人中,找不到一个安慰她的。
她的朋友都以诡诈待她,
成为她的仇敌。

犹大被掳,
遭遇苦难,多服劳役。
她住在列国中,得不着安息;
追逼她的在狭窄之地追上她。

锡安的道路因无人前来过节就哀伤,
她的城门荒凉,
祭司叹息,
少女悲伤;
她自己充满痛苦。

她的敌人作主,
她的仇敌亨通;
耶和华因她过犯多而使她受苦,
她的孩童在敌人面前去作俘虏。

锡安[c]的威荣全都失去。
她的领袖如找不着草场的鹿,
在追赶的人面前无力行走。

耶路撒冷在困苦窘迫之时,
就追想古时一切的荣华。
她的百姓落在敌人手中,无人帮助;
敌人看见,就因她的毁灭嗤笑。

耶路撒冷犯了大罪,
因此成为不洁净;
素来尊敬她的,见她裸露就都藐视她,
她自己也叹息退后。

她的污秽是在下摆上;
她未曾思想自己的结局,
她的败落令人惊诧,
无人安慰她。
“耶和华啊,求你看顾我的苦难,
因为仇敌强大。”

10 敌人伸手夺取她的一切贵重物品;
她眼见列国侵入她的圣所,
你曾吩咐他们不可进入你的集会。

11 她的百姓都叹息,寻求食物;
他们用贵重物品换取粮食,要救性命。
“耶和华啊,求你观看,
留意我多么卑微。”

耶路撒冷的哀号

12 所有过路的人哪,愿这事不要发生在你们身上[d]
你们要留意观看,
有像这样临到我的痛苦没有?
耶和华在他发烈怒的日子使我受苦。

13 他从高处降火进入我的骨头,
克制了我;
他张开网,绊我的脚,
使我退后,
又令我终日凄凉发昏。
14 他用手绑我罪过的轭,
卷绕着加在我颈项上;
他使我力量衰败。
主将我交在我不能抵挡的人手中。

15 主弃绝我们当中所有的勇士,
聚集会众攻击我,
要压碎我的年轻人。
主踹下少女犹大[e]
在榨酒池中。

16 我因这些事哭泣,
眼泪汪汪;
因为那安慰我、使我重新得力的,
离我甚远。
我的儿女孤苦,
因为仇敌得胜了。

17 锡安伸出双手,却无人安慰。
论到雅各,耶和华已经出令,
使四围的人作他的仇敌;
耶路撒冷在他们中间成为不洁净。

18 耶和华是公义的!
我违背了他的命令。
万民哪,请听,
来看我的痛苦;
我的少女和壮丁都被掳去。

19 我招呼我所亲爱的,
他们却欺骗了我。
我的祭司和长老寻找食物,要救性命的时候,
就在城中断了气。
20 耶和华啊,求你观看,
因为我在急难中;
我的心肠烦乱,
我心在我里面翻转,
因我大大背逆。
在外,刀剑使人丧亡;
在家,犹如死亡。

21 有人听见我叹息[f]
却无人安慰我!
我所有的仇敌听见我的患难就喜乐,
因这是你所做的。
你使你所宣告的日子来临,
愿他们像我一样。

22 愿他们的恶行都呈现在你面前;
你怎样因我一切的罪过待我,
求你也照样待他们;
因我叹息甚多,心中发昏。

Footnotes

  1. 耶利米哀歌 1:1 本哀歌原文第一至第四章都是字母诗。
  2. 1.2 “她”:本修订版的“国”和“城”的代名词都用“它”;本卷用“她”。
  3. 1.6 “锡安”:原文直译“锡安女子”。
  4. 1.12 “愿这事…身上”或译“这事你们不介意吗”;七十士译本和其他古译本没有本句。
  5. 1.15 “少女犹大”:原文直译“少女犹大女子”。
  6. 1.21 “有人…叹息”:七十士译本是“听啊,我在叹息”。

[a]How deserted(A) lies the city,
    once so full of people!(B)
How like a widow(C) is she,
    who once was great(D) among the nations!
She who was queen among the provinces
    has now become a slave.(E)

Bitterly she weeps(F) at night,
    tears are on her cheeks.
Among all her lovers(G)
    there is no one to comfort her.
All her friends have betrayed(H) her;
    they have become her enemies.(I)

After affliction and harsh labor,
    Judah has gone into exile.(J)
She dwells among the nations;
    she finds no resting place.(K)
All who pursue her have overtaken her(L)
    in the midst of her distress.

The roads to Zion mourn,(M)
    for no one comes to her appointed festivals.
All her gateways are desolate,(N)
    her priests groan,
her young women grieve,
    and she is in bitter anguish.(O)

Her foes have become her masters;
    her enemies are at ease.
The Lord has brought her grief(P)
    because of her many sins.(Q)
Her children have gone into exile,(R)
    captive before the foe.(S)

All the splendor has departed
    from Daughter Zion.(T)
Her princes are like deer
    that find no pasture;
in weakness they have fled(U)
    before the pursuer.

In the days of her affliction and wandering
    Jerusalem remembers all the treasures
    that were hers in days of old.
When her people fell into enemy hands,
    there was no one to help her.(V)
Her enemies looked at her
    and laughed(W) at her destruction.

Jerusalem has sinned(X) greatly
    and so has become unclean.(Y)
All who honored her despise her,
    for they have all seen her naked;(Z)
she herself groans(AA)
    and turns away.

Her filthiness clung to her skirts;
    she did not consider her future.(AB)
Her fall(AC) was astounding;
    there was none to comfort(AD) her.
“Look, Lord, on my affliction,(AE)
    for the enemy has triumphed.”

10 The enemy laid hands
    on all her treasures;(AF)
she saw pagan nations
    enter her sanctuary(AG)
those you had forbidden(AH)
    to enter your assembly.

11 All her people groan(AI)
    as they search for bread;(AJ)
they barter their treasures for food
    to keep themselves alive.
“Look, Lord, and consider,
    for I am despised.”

12 “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?(AK)
    Look around and see.
Is any suffering like my suffering(AL)
    that was inflicted on me,
that the Lord brought on me
    in the day of his fierce anger?(AM)

13 “From on high he sent fire,
    sent it down into my bones.(AN)
He spread a net(AO) for my feet
    and turned me back.
He made me desolate,(AP)
    faint(AQ) all the day long.

14 “My sins have been bound into a yoke[b];(AR)
    by his hands they were woven together.
They have been hung on my neck,
    and the Lord has sapped my strength.
He has given me into the hands(AS)
    of those I cannot withstand.

15 “The Lord has rejected
    all the warriors in my midst;(AT)
he has summoned an army(AU) against me
    to[c] crush my young men.(AV)
In his winepress(AW) the Lord has trampled(AX)
    Virgin Daughter(AY) Judah.

16 “This is why I weep
    and my eyes overflow with tears.(AZ)
No one is near to comfort(BA) me,
    no one to restore my spirit.
My children are destitute
    because the enemy has prevailed.”(BB)

17 Zion stretches out her hands,(BC)
    but there is no one to comfort her.
The Lord has decreed for Jacob
    that his neighbors become his foes;(BD)
Jerusalem has become
    an unclean(BE) thing(BF) among them.

18 “The Lord is righteous,(BG)
    yet I rebelled(BH) against his command.
Listen, all you peoples;
    look on my suffering.(BI)
My young men and young women
    have gone into exile.(BJ)

19 “I called to my allies(BK)
    but they betrayed me.
My priests and my elders
    perished(BL) in the city
while they searched for food
    to keep themselves alive.

20 “See, Lord, how distressed(BM) I am!
    I am in torment(BN) within,
and in my heart I am disturbed,(BO)
    for I have been most rebellious.(BP)
Outside, the sword bereaves;
    inside, there is only death.(BQ)

21 “People have heard my groaning,(BR)
    but there is no one to comfort me.(BS)
All my enemies have heard of my distress;
    they rejoice(BT) at what you have done.
May you bring the day(BU) you have announced
    so they may become like me.

22 “Let all their wickedness come before you;
    deal with them
as you have dealt with me
    because of all my sins.(BV)
My groans(BW) are many
    and my heart is faint.”

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 1:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Lamentations 1:14 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint He kept watch over my sins
  3. Lamentations 1:15 Or has set a time for me / when he will