大先知書 耶利米哀歌新譯(II)

                                                   大先知書
                                            耶利米哀歌新譯(II)
                                                 (中 英 對 照)

IV. 錫安今昔興衰(4:1-22):
      (I) 苦難難當(4:1-12):
1            黃金怎麼失光澤,                          How the gold has lost its luster,
              精金怎麼全變色!                               the fine gold becone dull!
              聖所寶石散街頭.   The sacred gems are scattered at the head of every street.

2            昔日寶貴錫安兒,                            How the precious sons of Zion,
              世人看得比金重,                           once worth their weight in gold,
              而今淪落如陶土,                         are now considered as pots of clay,
              成為陶匠手中物!                              the work of a potter's hands!

3             野狗尚且有慈愛,                            Even jackals offer their breasts
               母乳哺育其幼子;                                      to nurse their young,
               我民反而冷無情,                       but my people have become heartless
               有如曠野大駝鳥.                                 like ostriches in the desert.

4          嬰兒乾渴舌頂顎,   Because of thrist the infant's tongue sticks to the roof of of its mouth;
            孩童乞食無施捨.         the children beg for bread, but no one gives it to them.

5              錦衣玉食淪街頭,    Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets.
                紫衾紅褥臥糞堆.              Those nurtured in purple now lie in ash heaps.

6             我民所受到的刑罰,                           The punishment of my people
               比所多瑪人的還重;                           is greater than that of Sodom,
               在無人伸手愋助下,                      which was overthrown in a moment
               瞬息之間就被推翻.                        without a hand turned to help her.

7               王家公子如白雪,                     Their princes were brighter than snow
                 個個潔白如鮮奶;                                    and whiter than milk;
                 玉體鮮紅如寶石,                        their bodies more ruddy than rubies.
                 個個外表如碧玉.                            their appearance like sapphires.

8               他們現面黑如炭,                         But now they are blacker than soot;
                 在街上無人認識;                       they are not recognized in the streets.
                 他們廋得皮包骨,                      Their skin has shriveled on their bones;
                 全身乾癟如槁木.                              it has become as dry as a stick.

9         死於刀下勝餓死,  Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine;
           饑腸轆轆食無糧     racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field.

10             我民遭難毀滅時,              With their own hands compassionate women
                 慈母親手烹愛子,     have cooked their own children, who became their food;
                 啃吃骨肉填肚腹.                         when my people were destroyed.

11             耶和華大發雷霆,                   The Lord has given full vent to his wrath;
                毫不留情傾烈怒;                          he has poured out his fierce anger.
                親手點火焚錫安,                                    He kindled a fire in Zion
                烈燄燒燬城根基.                             that consumed her foundations.

12             地上君王皆不信,                        The kings of the earth did not believe,
                 世上人民也不信;                            nor did any of the world's people,
                 敵人仇家會攻入,                             that enmies and foes could enter
                 耶路撒冷的城門.                                      the gates of Jerusalem.

     (II) 罰惡領袖(4:13-20):
13              皆因先知的罪惡,         But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
                  以及祭司的罪孽;                          and the iniquities of her priests,
                  他們在耶路撒冷,                                     who shed within her
                  遍流義人的鮮血.                             the blood of the the righteous.

14               現在他們像瞎子,                       Now they grope through the streets
                   在街上摸索行走.                                  like men who are blind.
                   滿身都被鮮血玷,                            They are so defiled with blood
                   無人敢摸他衣裳.                   that no one dares to touch their garments.

15   人都向他們喊叫: "走開! 不潔的人!     "Go away! You are unclean!" men cry to them.
           滾開! 滾開! 不要碰到我們!"                        "Away! Away! Don't touch us!"
                   他們逃跑流亡時,                           When they flee and wander about,
                   列國的人民都說:                               people among the nations say,
                "不能再讓他們久留."                                "They can stay no longer."

16               主親自分散他們,                          The Lord himsel has scattered them;
                   再也不看顧他們;                             he no longer watches over them.
                   祭司不再得尊崇,                              The priests are shown no honor,
                   長老不再蒙恩待.                                          the elders no favor.

17               我們盼望都落空,                                     Moreover our eyes failed,
                   以致雙目皆失明;                                      looking in vain for help;
                   瞭望台上企盼的,                                  from our towers we watched
                   竟非救我們的國.                              for a nation that could not save us.

18                仇敵在昂揚橫行,                       Men stalked us at every step,
                    我們不敢街上走.                   so we could not walk in our streets.
                    結局已近日無多,            Our end was near, our days were numbered,
                    我們末日已到來.                                for our end had come.

19                 追趕我們的仇敵,                             Our pursuers were swifter
                     快過空中的飛鷹;                                 than eagles in the sky;
                     在山上追逐我們,                       they chased us over the mountains
                     在曠野伏候我們.                        and lay in wait for us in the desert.

20                  耶和華的受膏者,                  The Lord's annointed, our very life breath,
                      掉落暗阱被捕捉.                                   was caught in the traps.
                      咸認在衪蔭庇下,                         We thought that under his shadow
                      我們得在列國活.                           we would live among the nations.

       (III) 以東遭報(4:21):
21             烏斯的以東人啊!                            Rejoice and glad, O Daughters of Edom,
                 盡情歡欣快樂吧!                                    you who live in the land of Uz.
                但苦杯必傳給你們,                            But to you also the cup will be passed,
                讓你們喝醉體露裸.                             you will be drunk and stripped naked.

        (IV) 錫安得慰(4:22):
22     錫安的兒女啊! 你們刑期將告終,       O Daughters of Zion, your punishment will end,
            耶和華不再延長你們的流亡.                       he will not proplong your exile.
                   然而, 以東人啊!                                   But , O Daughters of Edom,
                  祂要懲罰你們的罪,                                    he will punish your sin
                  並且揭露你們的惡.                               and expose your wickedness.

  V. 哀求神恕(5:1-20):
      (I) 禱告訴苦(5:1-18):
1       耶和華啊! 求你毋忘我們的境遇,  Remember, O Lord, what has happened to us;
                細細察看我們的羞辱.                         look, and see our disgrace.
2               我們的產業交給外人,        Our inheritance has been turned over to aliens,
                 我們的家園轉給異族.                           our homes to foreigners.
3               我們都成為無父孤兒,              We have become orphans and fatherless,
                 我們的母親都成寡婦.                           our mothers like widows.
4               我們必需用錢買水喝,                     We must buy the water we drink
                 此外還要花錢買柴燒,                  our wood can be had only at a price.
5               強敵在緊迫追趕我們,                 Those who pursue us are at our heels;
                 我們精疲力竭難安歇.                        we are weary and find no rest.
6               我們臣服埃及和亞述,                    We submitted to Egypt and Assyria
                 為求施捨糧食充肚腹.                                  to get enough bread.
7               列祖罪孽深重遭滅絕,                    Our fathers sinned and are no more,
                 禍延子孫世代受懲罰.                         and we bear their punishment.
8               奴隸踞傲在統治我們,                                    Slaves rule over us,
                 無人仗義來拯救我們.              and there is none to free us from their hands.
9               我們冒生命危險搶食,                   We get our bread at the risk of our lives
                 因曠野刀劍威脅凶險.                        because of the sword in the desert.
10              因為饑腸轆轆腹中燒,                             Our skin is as hot as an oven,
                 熱得全身皮膚灼如爐.                                      feverish from hunger.
11                 錫安婦女被玷污,                             Women have been ravished in Zion,
                     猶大處女被強暴.                              and virgins in the towns of Judah.
12                 貴胄雙手被吊起,                        Princes have been hung up by their hands,
                    長老無人受尊崇.                                    elders are shown no respect.
13                 青年推磨苦不堪,                               Young men toil at the millstones;
                     孩童扛柴步蹣跚.                              boys stagger under loads of wood.
14                  長老離開城門口,                          The elders are gone from the city gate;
                     青少停奏歡樂歌.                         the young men have stopped their music.
15                  喜樂從心中消失,                                    Joy is gone from our hearts;
                      歡舞頓成喪家哀.                            our dancing has turned to mourning .
16                   我們頭上失冠冕,                           The crown has fallen from our head,
                      犯罪作惡有禍了!                                 Woe to us, for we have sinned.
17                  我們因此心憂煩,                             Because of this our hearts are faint,
                      雙目無力眼昏花.                       because of these things our eyes grow dim
18                  錫安山悽慘荒涼,                              for Mount Zion, which lies desolate,
                      成野狗覓食之所.                                    with jackals prowling over it.

       (II) 祈求復興(5:19-20):
19         耶和華啊! 你永遠為王統治,                           You, O Lord, reign forever;
                  你的寶座萬代長存.          your throne endures from generation to generation.
20             你為何一直忘記我們?                            Why do you always forget us?
                 你為何長久棄絕我們?                           why do you forsake us so long?
21             除非你完全棄絕我們,          Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return;
                且你的怒氣一發難收;                                  renew our days as of old
22             否則求使我們歸向你,                          unless you have utterly rejecte us
                 回轉重過以往好日子.                      and are angry with us beyond measure.

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感謝主, 讚美主,
一切榮耀歸我主,
哈利路亞, 阿們!

2017年8月30日初稿 / 2017年12月12日一校
2022年3月6日終校 台北