十二小先知書新譯
陸. 彌迦書(MICAH)
前 言
彌迦書是舊約十二小先知書第六卷, 作者彌迦, 意 "誰像耶和華" 或 "耶和華像神." 他是出自農村的先知,
生於耶路撒冷西南, 肥沃高原地區的摩利沙村. 他對農村事物耳熟能詳. 傳講信息時所用比喻可見一斑
(彌2:12,4:12-13, 6:15, 7:1, 4,14). 彌迦多半在民間傳揚神的話, 故有 "鄉村先知" 之稱. 彌迦雖在猶大
農村長大, 但他表達能力甚强, 聖經中很多優美詞句均出自彌迦(彌1:4, 2:10, 12, 3:1-4, 12, 4:1, 6:8, 7:17).
彌迦在約坦、亞哈斯、希西家諸王在位時(主前777-717年)作先知, 那是個危險時代, 預示以色列和猶大國
的毁滅將臨. 北國以色列膜拜偶像, 墮落敗壞, 終於亡於亞述; 而南國猶大在約坦統治時期, 雖嚴守正道, 但到了
亞哈斯作王時, 也效法以色列, 悖逆敗壞; 後在希西家在位時, 撥亂反正, 曙光一現, 然危機逼近, 耶和華乃興起
彌迦, 向他的百姓發出强烈警告, 將要在他們身上施行懲罰審判. 與彌迦同期先知以賽亞主要是對南國猶大國,
阿摩司和何西阿則主要對北國以色列; 彌迦的信息正好呼應以賽亞和阿摩司的預言.
本書主題: 耶和華對以色列的責備, 以及祂賜給以色列的復興.
I. 序言(1:1):
當猶大王約坦、亞哈斯和希西家在位時, 耶和華有關撒瑪利亞和耶路撒冷的話, 臨到摩利沙人彌迦.
II. 以猶審判(1:2-3:12):
(I) 開場白(1:2):
萬民哪! 你們都要聽, Hear, O people, all of you,
地和其上的! 你們都要細聽; listen, O earth and who are in it,
主耶和華要從衪的聖殿中, that the Sovereign Lord may witness against you,
親自見證指控你們. the Lord from his holy temple.
(II) 預告毀滅(1:3-7):
3 看哪! 耶和華從祂的居所降臨, Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling place;
衪降臨在地上腳踏高地. he comes down and treads the hign place of the earth.
4 山在祂腳下熔化, 山谷裂開, The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart,
如臘在烈火之前, 水瀉斜坡. like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.
5 這全都因雅各的過犯, All this because of Jacob's transgression,
也因以色列家的罪惡. because of the sins of the house of Isreal.
雅各的過犯在那裏呢? What is Jacob's transgression?
豈不是在撒瑪利亞嗎? is it not Samaria?
猶大的邱壇在那裏呢? What is Judah's high place?
豈不是在耶路撒冷嗎? it iit not Jerusalem?
6 因此我必使撒瑪利亞成廢堆, Therefore I will make Samaria heap of rubble,
作栽植葡萄之地. a place for planting vineyards.
我也必把石頭傾倒谷中, I will pour her stones into the valley
使她的地基荒涼. and lay bare her foundations.
7 她所有偶像必打得粉碎, All her idols will be broken to pieces;
她廟中供獻必焚燒淨盡; all her temple gifts will be burned with fire;
我必把她所有偶像毀滅. I will destroy all her images.
因所收奉獻乃賣淫所得, Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes,
他們一再運用賣淫所得. as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used."
(III) 哀嘆毀滅(1:8-16):
8 為此我要哭泣哀號, Because of this I will weep and wail;
赤足裸身四處奔走. I will go about barefoot and naked.
哀嚎如野狗, 悲鳴如夜鷹. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.
9 因她創傷難治, For her wound is incurable;
而且殃及猶大, it has come to Judah.
延及我民城門, It has reached the very gate of my people,
甚至耶路撒冷. even to Jerusalem itself.
10 勿向迦特報信, Tell it not in Gath,
勿在亞葛哭泣, weep not at all in Aco.
卻在伯亞弗拉泥中滾. In Beth Ophrah roll in the dust.
11 沙裴居民啊! Pass on nakedness and shame,
你們要赤身羞愧走過, you who live in Shaphir.
撒南的居民不敢出來. Those who live in Zaanan will not come out.
伯以薛失保護而哀傷. Beth Ezel is in mourning; its protection is taken from you.
12 瑪律居民痛苦中盼救助 Those who live in Maroth writhe in pain, waiting in relief,
因災難已從耶和華降下, because disaster has come from the Lord,
甚至已達耶路撒冷城門. even to the gate of Jerusalem
13 拉吉的居民啊! You who live in Lachish,
要用快馬套車. harness the team to the chariot.
你們是錫安子民罪惡的根源, You were the beginning of sin to the Daughter of Zion,
因以色列的過犯都來自你們. for the transgressions of Isreal were found in you.
14 故你們要把分手禮 Therefore you will give parting gifts
致送給摩利設迦特. to Moresheth Gath.
亞革悉的城邑證明 The town of Aezib will prove
都在欺騙以色列王. deceptive to the kings of Isreal.
15 我必令征服者攻擊瑪利沙居民, I will bring a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah.
使帶著以色列榮耀者到亞杜蘭. He who is the glory of Isreal will come to Adulam.
16 要為你們喜愛的兒女剃頭舉喪; Shave your heads mourning for children whom you delight;
使得你們的頭都光如禿鷹, make yourselves as bald as the vulture,
因他們都從你們那裏被擄. for they wiil go from you into exile.
(IV) 社會敗壞(2:1-11):
1. 欺壓有禍(2:1-5):
1 那些在床上圖謀行惡, Woe to those who plan iniquity,
及計劃犯罪的有禍了! to those who plot evil on their beds!
天 一發亮就作奸犯科, At morning's light they carry it out
因他們有能力這樣做. because it is in their power to do it.
2 他們貪圖田地就掠奪, They covet fields and seize them,
心中想要房屋就霸佔. z and houses, and take them.
他們以詐欺騙取房屋, They defraud a man of his home,
又以詐騙得同儕遺產. a fellowman of his inheritance.
因此耶和華這樣說: Therefore, the Lord says:
3 "我正策劃降災摧殘這民, "I am planning disaster against this people,
災難中你們無法救自己. from which you cannot save yourselves.
你們不再昂首傲步行走, You will no longer walk proudly,
因為這是個災難的時代. for it will be a time of calamity.
4 在那日你們將受人嘲笑, In that day men will redicule you;
他們將唱哀歌譏諷你們: they will taunt you with this mournful song:
我們被徹底擊潰敗亡, We are utterly ruined;
我子民財產全被瓜分, my people's possession is divided up.
即從我手中強取豪奪! He takes it from me!
將我們友好交給叛徒.'" He assigns our friends to traitors'."
5 因此在耶和華的會中, Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the Lord
無人為你們抽籤分地. to divide the land by lot.
2. 攻擊先知(2:6-11):
6 他們的先知說: "不可說預言. "Do not prophesy," their prophets say.
不可說有關這些事的預言, "Do not prophesy about these things,
這樣我們才不會受到羞辱." disgrace will not overtake us."
7 雅各家啊! 你們豈可說: Should it be said, O house of Jacob:
"耶和華的靈是否在發怒? "Is the spirit of the Lord angry?
衪會做這樣的事嗎?" Does he do such things?"
8 近來我子民起來如仇敵, Lately my people have risen up like an enemy.
竟敢剝去無辜路人衣袍,You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care,
他們像從戰場退下的人. like men returning from battle.
9 你們把我民婦女逐出美滿的家, You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes.
又從他們子女奪去我賜的福祉. You take away my blessing from their children ferever.
10 起來, 走開! Get up, go away!
因這不是你們安息地, For this is not your resting place,
因為你們把這地玷污, because it is defiled,
必遭無可挽救的毀滅. it is ruined, beyond all remedy.
11 若有騙子前來撒謊說: If a liar and deceiver comes and says,
我要預言你們多美酒,' I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,'
他就是這民的先知了! he would be just the prophet for this people!
(V) 復興應許(2:12-13):
12 "雅各啊! 我必招聚你們所有的人 "I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob;
我必把以色列餘民聚一起. I will surely bring together the remnant of Isreal.
我必把他們像羊趕入羊欄, I will surely bring together like sheep in a pen,
像牛羊牲畜放牧在草場上; like a flock in its pasture;
那地興旺擠滿了一大群人. One who breaks open the way will go up before them;
他們全力衝破城門走出去. they will break through the gate and go out.
他們的王從他們面前走過, Their king will pass through before them,
耶和華就在他們面前引領." the Lord at their head."
(VI) 首領定罪(3:1-12):
1. 首領官長(3:1-4):
1 於是我說: Then I said,
"雅各的首領啊! 你們要聽; "Listen, you leaders of Jacob,
以色列的統領啊! 你們也要聽. you rulers of the house of Isreal.
難道你們不知道要公平; Should you not know justice,
2 你們恨善愛惡, you who hate good and love evil;
剝我民的皮, who tear the skin from my people
啃骨中的肉, and flesh from their bones;
3 吃我民的肉, who eat my people's flesh,
剝皮又碎骨, strip off their skin and break their bones in pieces;
砍肉下炒鍋, who chop them up like meat for the pan,
鮮肉入砂鍋嗎? like flesh for the pot?"
4 於是他們向耶和華呼求, Then they will cry out to the Lord,
但衪置若罔聞不予回應. but he will not answer them.
那段期間祂向他們掩面 All that time he will hide his face from them
都是因為他們犯罪行惡. because of the evil they have done.
2. 責假先知(3:5-12):
耶和華這樣說: This is what the Lord says:
5 "對誤導我民走歧途的先知 "As for the prophets who lead my people astray,
若有人餵他們就大喊'和平,' if one feeds them, they proclaim 'peace;'
不然他們就預備對他開戰. if he does not, they prepare to wage war against him.
6 因此你們只有黑夜沒異象 Therefore night will come over you, without vision,
只有黑暗沒默示. and darkness, without divination.
對先知太陽西沉, The sun will set for the prophets,
對他們白晝變黑. and the day will go dark for them.
7 先見羞愧, 卜者蒙羞. The seers will be ashamed and the diviners disgraced.
他們都必掩面慚愧, They will all cover their faces
因得不到神的回應." because there is no answer from God."
8 至於我, 藉耶和華的靈, But as for me, I am filled with power,
充滿力量, with the Spirit of the Lord,
公正才能, and with justice and might,
宣告雅各的過犯, to declare to Jacob his trasgression,
和以色列的罪惡. to Isreal his sin.
3. 惡有惡報(3:9-12):
9 雅各家的首領啊! 細聽我言; Hear this, you leaders of the house of Jacob,
以色列家的統領啊! 也要細聽我言; you rulers of the house of Isreal,
你們蔑視公正, who despise justice
更加扭曲正直; and distrot all that is right;
10 以流出鮮血建錫安, who build Zion with bloodshed,
以罪惡造耶路撒冷. and Jerusalem with wickedness.
11 首領審判收賄賂, Her leaders judge for a bribe,
祭司教導為束修; her priests teach for a price,
先知預言為金錢. and her prophets tell fortunes for money.
他們都靠耶和華, 說: Yet they lean upon the Lord and say,
"耶和華不是在我們中間 "Is not the Lord among us?
絕對不會有災難臨到我們." No disaster will come upon us."
12 所以因為你們, Therefore bacause of you,
錫安必被犁平如田地, Zion will be plowed like a field,
耶路撒冷必變廢土堆, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,
聖殿山必成為雜草崗. the temple hill a mount overgrown with thickets.
III. 以猶盼望(4:1-5:15):
(I) 未來國度(4:1-13):
1. 萬國中心(4:1-2):
1 在末後的日子, In the last days
聖殿山必矗立在萬山之上; the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established
高聳於眾山中, as chief among the mountains;
萬民如流來歸. it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.
2 萬國來朝並說: Many nations will come and say,
"讓我們上耶和華的聖山, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
去雅各神的殿. to the house of the God of Jacob.
衪必教我們衪的道, He will teach us his ways,
好讓我們走祂的路." so that we may walk in his paths."
律法必從錫安而出, The law will go out from Zion,
主道從耶路撒冷來. the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
2. 世界和平(4:3-5):
3 祂在各族中施行審判, He will judge between many peoples
廣泛解決強國間爭端. and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
使刀劍打成犁頭, They will beat their swords into plowshares
把長矛打成鐮刀. and their spears into pruning hooks.
這國不舉刀攻擊那國, Nation will not take up sword against nation,
列國也不再練兵作戰. nor will they train for war anymore.
4 人人坐在自己葡萄樹下, Every man will sit under his own vine
個個坐自己無花果樹底; and under his own fig tree,
無人再去騷擾驚嚇他們, and no one will make them afraid,
因這是耶和華親口說的. for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
5 萬國都奉他們神名行事, All the nations may walk in the name of their gods;
我們卻奉耶和華我們神 we will walk in the name of the Lord
的名而行直到永永遠遠. our God for ever and ever.
3. 重歸故土(4:6-11):
6 耶和華說: "在那日, "In that day," declares the Lord,
我必招聚跛子, "I will gather the lamb;
集合被擄的人, I will assemble the exiles
和我苦待過的. and those I have bought to grief.
7 我必使跛子成餘民, I will make the lamb a remnant,
被擄的人成為強國. those driven away a strong nation.
耶和華必在錫安山統治他們, The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion
從那日直到永遠. from that day and forever.
8 至於你們, 羊群的瞭望臺啊! As for you, O watchtower of the flock,
錫安兒女的堡壘啊! O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion,
從前的國權必重歸你們, the former dominion will be restored to you;
王位重歸耶路撒冷兒女." kingship will come to the Daughter of Jerusalem."
9 現在你們為何大聲呼喊, Why do you now cry aloud -
難道你們沒有王嗎? have you no king?
你們痛苦有如難產婦人, Has your counselor perished,
難道謀士死光了嗎? that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?
10 錫安兒女啊! 你們疼痛難忍, Writhe in agony, O Daughter of Zion,
有如難產婦人, like a woman in labor,
你們現必定有城邑露營, for now your must have the city to camp in the open field.
你們到巴比倫去得拯救; You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued.
耶和華定必在那裏救贖 There the Lord will redeem you
你們平安脫離敵人之手. out of the hand of your enemies.
11 但現有多國集結攻擊你們, But now many nations are gathered against you.
他們說: "讓錫安被玷污, They say, "Let her be defiled,
我們親眼見錫安行厄運!" let our eyes gloat over Zion!"