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耶利米自叹遭主愤怒

我是因耶和华愤怒的杖遭遇困苦的人。 他引导我,使我行在黑暗中,不行在光明里。 他真是终日再三反手攻击我。 他使我的皮肉枯干,他折断[a]我的骨头。 他筑垒攻击我,用苦楚[b]和艰难围困我。 他使我住在幽暗之处,像死了许久的人一样。 他用篱笆围住我,使我不能出去,他使我的铜链沉重。 我哀号求救,他使我的祷告不得上达。 他用凿过的石头挡住我的道,他使我的路弯曲。 10 他向我如熊埋伏,如狮子在隐密处。 11 他使我转离正路,将我撕碎,使我凄凉。 12 他张弓将我当做箭靶子。 13 他把箭袋中的箭射入我的肺腑。 14 我成了众民的笑话,他们终日以我为歌曲。 15 他用苦楚充满我,使我饱用茵陈。 16 他又用沙石碜断我的牙,用灰尘将我蒙蔽。 17 你使我远离平安,我忘记好处。 18 我就说:“我的力量衰败,我在耶和华那里毫无指望。”

追忆主恩不致灭没

19 耶和华啊,求你记念我如茵陈和苦胆的困苦窘迫! 20 我心想念这些,就在里面忧闷。 21 我想起这事,心里就有指望。 22 我们不致消灭,是出于耶和华诸般的慈爱,是因他的怜悯不至断绝。 23 每早晨这都是新的,你的诚实极其广大。 24 我心里说:“耶和华是我的份,因此我要仰望他。” 25 凡等候耶和华,心里寻求他的,耶和华必施恩给他。

仰望救恩静候为美

26 人仰望耶和华,静默等候他的救恩,这原是好的。 27 人在幼年负轭,这原是好的。 28 他当独坐无言,因为这是耶和华加在他身上的。 29 他当口贴尘埃,或者有指望。 30 他当由人打他的腮颊,要满受凌辱。 31 因为主必不永远丢弃人。 32 主虽使人忧愁,还要照他诸般的慈爱发怜悯。 33 因他并不甘心使人受苦,使人忧愁。 34 人将世上被囚的踹[c]在脚下, 35 或在至高者面前屈枉人, 36 或在人的讼事上颠倒是非,这都是主看不上的。 37 除非主命定,谁能说成就成呢? 38 祸福不都出于至高者的口吗? 39 活人因自己的罪受罚,为何发怨言呢?

40 我们当深深考察自己的行为,再归向耶和华。 41 我们当诚心向天上的神举手祷告: 42 “我们犯罪悖逆,你并不赦免。 43 你自被怒气遮蔽,追赶我们;你施行杀戮,并不顾惜。 44 你以黑云遮蔽自己,以致祷告不得透入。 45 你使我们在万民中成为污秽和渣滓。 46 我们的仇敌都向我们大大张口。 47 恐惧和陷坑,残害和毁灭都临近我们。” 48 因我众民遭的毁灭,我就眼泪下流如河。 49 我的眼多多流泪,总不止息, 50 直等耶和华垂顾,从天观看。 51 因我本城的众民,我的眼使我的心伤痛。 52 无故与我为仇的追逼我,像追雀鸟一样。 53 他们使我的命在牢狱中断绝,并将一块石头抛在我身上。 54 众水流过我头,我说:“我命断绝了!”

求主解救

55 耶和华啊,我从深牢中求告你的名。 56 你曾听见我的声音:“我求你解救,你不要掩耳不听!” 57 我求告你的日子,你临近我,说:“不要惧怕!” 58 主啊,你申明了我的冤,你救赎了我的命。 59 耶和华啊,你见了我受的委屈,求你为我申冤。 60 他们仇恨我,谋害我,你都看见了。 61 耶和华啊,你听见他们辱骂我的话,知道他们向我所设的计, 62 并那些起来攻击我的人口中所说的话,以及终日向我所设的计谋。 63 求你观看,他们坐下、起来,都以我为歌曲。

求主施报于敌

64 耶和华啊,你要按着他们手所做的向他们施行报应。 65 你要使他们心里刚硬,使你的咒诅临到他们。 66 你要发怒追赶他们,从耶和华的天下除灭他们。

Footnotes

  1. 耶利米哀歌 3:4 或作:压伤。
  2. 耶利米哀歌 3:5 原文作:苦胆。
  3. 耶利米哀歌 3:34 原文作:压。

刑罚、悔改和盼望

我在耶和华烈怒的杖下受尽痛苦。
祂把我赶进黑暗,
使我不见光明,
又屡屡攻击我,终日不断。

祂使我皮肉枯槁,
祂折断我的骨头。
祂使我四面受困,
尝尽痛苦艰辛。
祂使我住在幽暗中,
像久已死去的人。

祂围困我,使我无法逃脱,
祂给我戴上沉重的铜链。
即使我哀哭呼求,
祂也掩耳不听。
祂用凿好的石头阻挡我的去路,
使我的道路曲折难行。

10 祂像埋伏的巨熊,
又像伺机突袭的猛狮,
11 把我拖离大路,
将我撕成碎片,一片凄凉。
12 祂弯弓搭箭,把我当箭靶,

13 用箭袋中的箭射穿我的心脏。
14 我成了万人的笑柄,
他们终日唱歌讽刺我。
15 祂使我饱受苦楚,尝尽苦涩。

16 祂用石头打断我的牙齿,
把我践踏在尘土中。
17 我失去平安,
忘记了什么是快乐。
18 我说:“我精疲力竭,
对耶和华失去盼望。”

19 想起我的痛苦和漂泊流离,
就如苦艾和胆汁一样苦涩。
20 那情景萦绕心头,
使我心情沉重。
21 然而,我想起这事,
便有了盼望,

22 就是耶和华的慈爱永不终止,
祂的怜悯永无穷尽。
23 祂的慈爱和怜悯每天早晨都是新的,
祂的信实无比伟大!
24 我心里知道,
耶和华是我的产业,
我要仰望祂。

25 耶和华必赐福给那些等候和寻求祂的人,
26 因此,默然等候耶和华的拯救是美好的。
27 年轻时负轭受苦是有益的。

28 受耶和华管教时,
要默然独坐。
29 要谦卑,脸伏于地,
或许还有希望。
30 要任人打脸,甘心忍受凌辱。

31 因为主不会永远撇弃人。
32 主尽管使人忧伤,
祂依然怜悯人,
因为祂有无限的慈爱。
33 祂不愿使人忧伤、痛苦。

34 将囚犯踩在脚下,
35 在至高者面前冤枉他人,
36 审理案件时颠倒是非,
都是主所不容许的。

37 若非主许可,
谁的话可以兑现呢?
38 祸福岂不都出自至高者的口吗?
39 世人因自己的罪受罚,
又何必怨天尤人呢?

40 我们要省察自己的行为,
重新归向耶和华。
41 让我们举起双手,
诚心向天上的上帝祷告说:
42 “我们犯罪、背叛,
你没有赦免我们。

43 “你满怀愤怒地追赶我们,
毫不留情地杀戮我们。
44 你以密云遮盖自己,
以致祷告达不到你那里。
45 你使我们在列国中沦为废物、渣滓。

46 “我们的仇敌都幸灾乐祸。
47 我们充满恐惧,
面临陷阱、残害和毁灭。”
48 因同胞被毁灭,我泪流成河。

49 我的眼泪涌流不息,
50 直到耶和华从天上垂顾。
51 目睹城中妇女的遭遇,
我痛苦不已。

52 敌人无故地追捕我,
如同捕猎飞鸟。
53 他们把我推进坑里,
又用石头砸我。
54 水已经漫过我的头,
我想我要灭亡了。

55 耶和华啊,
我在深渊呼求你的名。
56 你曾垂听我的呼求,
求你现在不要掩耳不听我的祈祷。
57 我向你呼求的时候,
你曾走近我身旁,
安慰我说:“不用害怕!”

58 主啊,你为我申了冤,
救赎了我的性命。
59 耶和华啊,你已明察我的冤情,
求你为我主持公道。
60 你看见了他们怎样仇恨我、
谋害我。

61 你听见了他们怎样辱骂我、
谋害我。
62 他们整天诽谤我,图谋害我。
63 你看!他们或坐下或起来,
都唱歌讽刺我。

64 耶和华啊,
求你按照他们的所作所为报应他们!
65 求你使他们心里顽固,
好让你的咒诅落在他们身上!
66 求你发怒追赶他们,
从世上铲除他们!

God Locked Me Up in Deep Darkness

1-3 I’m the man who has seen trouble,
    trouble coming from the lash of God’s anger.
He took me by the hand and walked me
    into pitch-black darkness.
Yes, he’s given me the back of his hand
    over and over and over again.

4-6 He turned me into a skeleton
    of skin and bones, then broke the bones.
He hemmed me in, ganged up on me,
    poured on the trouble and hard times.
He locked me up in deep darkness,
    like a corpse nailed inside a coffin.

7-9 He shuts me in so I’ll never get out,
    handcuffs my wrists, shackles my feet.
Even when I cry out and plead for help,
    he locks up my prayers and throws away the key.
He sets up blockades with quarried limestone.
    He’s got me cornered.

10-12 He’s a prowling bear tracking me down,
    a lion in hiding ready to pounce.
He knocked me from the path and ripped me to pieces.
    When he finished, there was nothing left of me.
He took out his bow and arrows
    and used me for target practice.

13-15 He shot me in the stomach
    with arrows from his quiver.
Everyone took me for a joke,
    made me the butt of their mocking ballads.
He forced rotten, stinking food down my throat,
    bloated me with vile drinks.

16-18 He ground my face into the gravel.
    He pounded me into the mud.
I gave up on life altogether.
    I’ve forgotten what the good life is like.
I said to myself, “This is it. I’m finished.
    God is a lost cause.”

It’s a Good Thing to Hope for Help from God

19-21 I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
    the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
    the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there’s one other thing I remember,
    and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:

22-24 God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
    his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
    How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
    He’s all I’ve got left.

25-27 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
    to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
    quietly hope for help from God.
It’s a good thing when you’re young
    to stick it out through the hard times.

28-30 When life is heavy and hard to take,
    go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:
    Wait for hope to appear.
Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.
    The “worst” is never the worst.

31-33 Why? Because the Master won’t ever
    walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
    His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,
    in throwing roadblocks in the way:

34-36 Stomping down hard
    on luckless prisoners,
Refusing justice to victims
    in the court of High God,
Tampering with evidence—
    the Master does not approve of such things.

God Speaks Both Good Things and Hard Things into Being

37-39 Who do you think “spoke and it happened”?
    It’s the Master who gives such orders.
Doesn’t the High God speak everything,
    good things and hard things alike, into being?
And why would anyone gifted with life
    complain when punished for sin?

40-42 Let’s take a good look at the way we’re living
    and reorder our lives under God.
Let’s lift our hearts and hands at one and the same time,
    praying to God in heaven:
“We’ve been contrary and willful,
    and you haven’t forgiven.

43-45 “You lost your temper with us, holding nothing back.
    You chased us and cut us down without mercy.
You wrapped yourself in thick blankets of clouds
    so no prayers could get through.
You treated us like dirty dishwater,
    threw us out in the backyard of the nations.

46-48 “Our enemies shout abuse,
    their mouths full of derision, spitting invective.
We’ve been to hell and back.
    We’ve nowhere to turn, nowhere to go.
Rivers of tears pour from my eyes
    at the smashup of my dear people.

49-51 “The tears stream from my eyes,
    an artesian well of tears,
Until you, God, look down from on high,
    look and see my tears.
When I see what’s happened to the young women in the city,
    the pain breaks my heart.

52-54 “Enemies with no reason to be enemies
    hunted me down like a bird.
They threw me into a pit,
    then pelted me with stones.
Then the rains came and filled the pit.
    The water rose over my head. I said, ‘It’s all over.’

55-57 “I called out your name, O God,
    called from the bottom of the pit.
You listened when I called out, ‘Don’t shut your ears!
    Get me out of here! Save me!’
You came close when I called out.
    You said, ‘It’s going to be all right.’

58-60 “You took my side, Master;
    you brought me back alive!
God, you saw the wrongs heaped on me.
    Give me my day in court!
Yes, you saw their mean-minded schemes,
    their plots to destroy me.

61-63 “You heard, God, their vicious gossip,
    their behind-my-back plots to ruin me.
They never quit, these enemies of mine, dreaming up mischief,
    hatching malice, day after day after day.
Sitting down or standing up—just look at them!—
    they mock me with vulgar doggerel.

64-66 “Make them pay for what they’ve done, God.
    Give them their just deserts.
Break their miserable hearts!
    Damn their eyes!
Get good and angry. Hunt them down.
    Make a total demolition here under your heaven!”