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耶利米詢問耶和華

12 耶和華啊,我與你爭辯的時候,
你總是顯為義;
但有一件,我還要與你理論:
惡人的道路為何亨通呢?
大行詭詐的為何得安逸呢?
你栽培了他們,
他們也扎了根,
長大,而且結果。
他們的口與你相近,
心卻與你遠離。
耶和華啊,你認識我,看見我,
你察驗我向你的心如何。
求你將他們拉出來,
如將宰的羊,
為殺戮的日子分別出來。
這地悲哀,
一切田野的青草枯乾要到幾時呢?
因其上居民的惡行,
牲畜和飛鳥都滅絕了。
因為他們說:「他看不見[a]我們的結局[b]。」

「你與步行的人同跑,
尚且覺得累,
怎能與馬賽跑呢?
你在安全之地尚且會跌倒[c]
約旦河邊的叢林要怎麼辦呢?
因為連你兄弟和你父家都以詭詐待你,
甚至在你後邊大聲喊叫。
雖然他們向你說好話,
你也不要相信他們。」

耶和華為他的子民憂傷

我離棄了我的殿宇,
撇棄了我的產業,
將我心裏所親愛的交在她[d]仇敵手中。
我的產業向我如林中的獅子,
出聲攻擊我,
因此我恨惡她。
我的產業向我如斑點的鷙鳥,
有鷙鳥在四圍攻擊她。
你們去聚集田野的百獸,
叫牠們來吞吃吧!
10 許多牧人毀壞我的葡萄園,
踐踏我的地產,
使我美好的地產變為荒涼的曠野。
11 他們使地荒涼;
地既荒涼,就向我哀哭。
全地荒涼,卻無人在意。
12 滅命的來到曠野中一切光禿的高地;
耶和華的刀從地這邊直到地那邊,盡行殺滅,
凡血肉之軀都不得平安。
13 他們種的是麥子,
收的卻是荊棘;
辛辛苦苦卻無收穫。
因耶和華的烈怒,
你們必為自己的收成感到羞愧。

耶和華對以色列的許諾

14 耶和華如此說:「看哪,我要將所有的惡鄰拔出本地,他們曾佔據了我賜給以色列百姓所承受的產業;我也要將猶大家從他們中間拔出來。 15 我拔出他們以後,必回轉過來憐憫他們,使他們歸回,各歸本業,各歸故土。 16 他們若殷勤學習我百姓的道,指着我的名起誓:『我指着永生的耶和華起誓』,正如他們從前教我百姓指着巴力起誓,他們必在我百姓中得以建立。 17 他們若是不聽,我必拔出那國,不但拔出,還要毀滅。這是耶和華說的。」

Footnotes

  1. 12.4 「他看不見」:死海古卷是「耶和華不讓你看見」。
  2. 12.4 「他看不見…結局」:七十士譯本是「 神看不見我們的道路」。
  3. 12.5 「尚且會跌倒」或譯「感覺安穩」。
  4. 12.7 「她」指的是「所親愛的」、「產業」。

Jeremiah’s Complaint

12 You are always righteous,(A) Lord,
    when I bring a case(B) before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:(C)
    Why does the way of the wicked prosper?(D)
    Why do all the faithless live at ease?
You have planted(E) them, and they have taken root;
    they grow and bear fruit.(F)
You are always on their lips
    but far from their hearts.(G)
Yet you know me, Lord;
    you see me and test(H) my thoughts about you.
Drag them off like sheep(I) to be butchered!
    Set them apart for the day of slaughter!(J)
How long will the land lie parched(K)
    and the grass in every field be withered?(L)
Because those who live in it are wicked,
    the animals and birds have perished.(M)
Moreover, the people are saying,
    “He will not see what happens to us.”

God’s Answer

“If you have raced with men on foot
    and they have worn you out,
    how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble[a] in safe country,
    how will you manage in the thickets(N) by[b] the Jordan?
Your relatives, members of your own family—
    even they have betrayed you;
    they have raised a loud cry against you.(O)
Do not trust them,
    though they speak well of you.(P)

“I will forsake(Q) my house,
    abandon(R) my inheritance;
I will give the one I love(S)
    into the hands of her enemies.(T)
My inheritance has become to me
    like a lion(U) in the forest.
She roars at me;
    therefore I hate her.(V)
Has not my inheritance become to me
    like a speckled bird of prey
    that other birds of prey surround and attack?
Go and gather all the wild beasts;
    bring them to devour.(W)
10 Many shepherds(X) will ruin my vineyard
    and trample down my field;
they will turn my pleasant field
    into a desolate wasteland.(Y)
11 It will be made a wasteland,(Z)
    parched and desolate before me;(AA)
the whole land will be laid waste
    because there is no one who cares.
12 Over all the barren heights in the desert
    destroyers will swarm,
for the sword(AB) of the Lord(AC) will devour(AD)
    from one end of the land to the other;(AE)
    no one will be safe.(AF)
13 They will sow wheat but reap thorns;
    they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.(AG)
They will bear the shame of their harvest
    because of the Lord’s fierce anger.”(AH)

14 This is what the Lord says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance(AI) I gave my people Israel, I will uproot(AJ) them from their lands and I will uproot(AK) the people of Judah from among them. 15 But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion(AL) and will bring(AM) each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. 16 And if they learn(AN) well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’(AO)—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal(AP)—then they will be established among my people.(AQ) 17 But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy(AR) it,” declares the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 12:5 Or you feel secure only
  2. Jeremiah 12:5 Or the flooding of

12 Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

But thou, O Lord, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.

I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it.

Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.

10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

11 They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.

12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the Lord shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.

13 They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the Lord.

14 Thus saith the Lord against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.

15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.

16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The Lord liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.

17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah’s Question

12 Righteous (A)are You, O Lord, when I plead with You;
Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
(B)Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?
You have planted them, yes, they have taken root;
They grow, yes, they bear fruit.
(C)You are near in their mouth
But far from their [a]mind.

But You, O Lord, (D)know me;
You have seen me,
And You have (E)tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
And prepare them for (F)the day of slaughter.
How long will (G)the land mourn,
And the herbs of every field wither?
(H)The beasts and birds are consumed,
(I)For the wickedness of those who dwell there,
Because they said, “He will not see our final end.”

The Lord Answers Jeremiah

“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you,
Then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace,
In which you trusted, they wearied you,
Then how will you do in (J)the [b]floodplain of the Jordan?
For even (K)your brothers, the house of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you;
Yes, they have called [c]a multitude after you.
(L)Do not believe them,
Even though they speak [d]smooth words to you.

“I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage;
I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies.
My heritage is to Me like a lion in the forest;
It cries out against Me;
Therefore I have (M)hated it.
My [e]heritage is to Me like a speckled vulture;
The vultures all around are against her.
Come, assemble all the beasts of the field,
(N)Bring them to devour!

10 “Many (O)rulers[f] have destroyed (P)My vineyard,
They have (Q)trodden My portion underfoot;
They have made My [g]pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 They have made it (R)desolate;
Desolate, it mourns to Me;
The whole land is made desolate,
Because (S)no one takes it to heart.
12 The plunderers have come
On all the desolate heights in the wilderness,
For the sword of the Lord shall devour
From one end of the land to the other end of the land;
No flesh shall have peace.
13 (T)They have sown wheat but reaped thorns;
They have [h]put themselves to pain but do not profit.
But be ashamed of your harvest
Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”

14 Thus says the Lord: “Against all My evil neighbors who (U)touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit—behold, I will (V)pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15 (W)Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them (X)and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land. 16 And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, (Y)to swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be (Z)established in the midst of My people. 17 But if they do not (AA)obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,” says the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 12:2 Most secret parts, lit. kidneys
  2. Jeremiah 12:5 Or thicket
  3. Jeremiah 12:6 Or abundantly
  4. Jeremiah 12:6 Lit. good
  5. Jeremiah 12:9 inheritance
  6. Jeremiah 12:10 Lit. shepherds or pastors
  7. Jeremiah 12:10 desired portion of land
  8. Jeremiah 12:13 Or strained