耶路撒冷的罪
1耶和華說：
「你們在耶路撒冷街頭四處看看，
在廣場找找，
如果你們能找到一個公正誠實的人，
我就赦免這城。
2雖然他們憑永活的耶和華起誓，
卻口是心非。」
3耶和華啊，你要的不是誠實嗎？
你責打他們，他們不感到疼痛；
你嚴懲他們，他們仍不受教。
他們屢教不改，
臉比石頭還硬。
4我想：「他們貧窮、愚昧，
不明白他們上帝耶和華的道，
也不知道祂的法令。
5我要找他們的首領說話，
因為這些首領明白耶和華的道，
知道他們上帝的法令。」
然而，他們卻一致違背耶和華的律法，
不服從祂的法令。
6因此，林中的獅子必襲擊他們，
荒野的豺狼必殘害他們，
豹子也蹲伏在他們的城外，
伺機撕裂出城的人，
因為他們罪大惡極，屢屢叛道。
7耶和華說：
「耶路撒冷啊，我怎能赦免你呢？
你的兒女背棄我，
憑假神起誓。
我供應他們的一切需要，
他們卻縱情淫亂，
湧向娼妓的家。
8他們像吃得肥壯、發情的公馬，
垂涎鄰居的妻子。
9我怎能不懲罰他們呢？
我怎能不親自報應這樣的國民呢？
這是耶和華說的。
10你們要去毀壞她的葡萄園，
但不可徹底毀壞。
要砍掉枝子，
因為那些枝子不屬於耶和華。
11以色列人和猶大人根本不忠於我。
這是耶和華說的。
12「他們撒謊說，
『耶和華不會管我們，
我們必不會遇到災禍、戰爭和饑荒。
13先知的話不過是一陣風，
不是來自上帝，
他們預言的災禍必降臨到自己身上。』」
14因此，萬軍之上帝耶和華對我說：
「因為他們說了這話，
我要使我的話在你口中成為火，
使他們像柴一樣被燒毀。
15以色列人啊，我要使一個國家，
一個歷久不衰的古國從遠方來攻擊你們，
你們不明白他們的語言，
也聽不懂他們說的話。
這是耶和華說的。
16他們都是勇士，
他們的弓箭殺人無數。
17他們必吞噬你們的兒女、牛羊、
糧食、葡萄和無花果，
用刀劍摧毀你們所依靠的堅城。」
18耶和華說：「即使在那時，我也不會徹底毀滅你們。 19耶利米啊，如果有人問，『為什麼我們的上帝耶和華這樣待我們？』你可以對他們說，『你們怎樣背棄耶和華，在自己的土地上供奉外族的神明，也要怎樣在異地他鄉服侍外族人。』
20「要在猶大向雅各家高聲宣佈，
21『聽著，你們這群愚昧無知的人啊，
你們視而不見，
聽而不聞。
22難道你們不敬畏我嗎？
這是耶和華說的。
難道你們在我面前不顫抖嗎？
我以沙石為海的界限，
使水永遠不能越過它。
洶湧的波濤不能逾越，
澎湃的海浪不能漫過。
23但你們這些人頑固不化，
悖逆成性。
你們離我而去。
24你們心中從未說，
我們要敬畏我們的上帝耶和華，
祂按時降下秋雨和春雨，
讓我們按時收割。
25你們的罪過使你們不再風調雨順，
你們的罪惡使你們失去祝福。』
26我的子民中有惡人，
他們像捕鳥人一樣埋伏等候，
設下網羅陷害人。
27他們的家裡充滿了詭詐，
就像籠子裝滿了鳥。
他們變得有財有勢，
28吃得肥胖紅潤，
壞事做盡，不為孤兒伸冤，
不為窮人主持公道。」
29耶和華說：「我怎能坐視不理呢？
我怎能不懲罰這樣的國家呢？
30這地方發生了一件令人震驚、恐懼的事，
31就是先知說假預言，
祭司濫用權力，
我的子民卻以此為樂。
但當最後的結局來臨時，
他們還能做什麼呢？
No One Is Honest
1The Lord says, “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem.
Look around.
Think about what you see.
Search through the market.
See if you can find one honest person who tries to be truthful.
If you can, I will forgive this city.
2They make their promises in my name.
They say, ‘You can be sure that the Lord is alive.’
But their promises can’t be trusted.”
3Lord, don’t your eyes look for truth?
You struck down your people.
But they didn’t feel any pain.
You crushed them.
But they refused to be corrected.
They made their faces harder than stone.
They refused to turn away from their sins.
4I thought, “The people of
Jerusalem are foolish.
They don’t know how the Lord wants them to live.
They don’t know what their God requires of them.
5So I will go to the leaders.
I’ll speak to them.
They should know how the Lord wants them to live.
They must know what their God requires of them.”
But all of them had broken off the yoke the Lord had put on them.
They had torn off the ropes he had tied them up with.
6So a lion from the forest will attack them.
A wolf from the desert will destroy them.
A leopard will hide and wait near their towns.
It will tear to pieces anyone who dares to go out.
Again and again they have refused to obey the Lord.
They have turned away from him many times.
7The Lord says, “Jerusalem, why should I forgive you?
Your people have deserted me.
They have made their promises in the names of gods
that are not really gods at all.
I supplied everything they needed.
But they committed adultery.
Large crowds went to the houses of prostitutes.
8Your people are like stallions that have plenty to eat.
Their sinful desires are out of control.
Each of them goes after another man’s wife.
9Shouldn’t I punish them for this?”
announces the Lord.
“Shouldn’t I pay back the nation
that does these things?
10“Armies of Babylon, go through their vineyards and destroy them.
But do not destroy them completely.
Strip off their branches.
These people do not belong to me.
11The people of Israel and the people of Judah
have not been faithful to me at all,”
announces the Lord.
12They have told lies about the Lord.
They said, “He won’t do anything!
No harm will come to us.
We will never see war or be hungry.
13The prophets are nothing but wind.
Their message doesn’t come from the Lord.
So let what they say will happen be done to them.”
14The Lord God rules over all. He says to me,
“The people have spoken these words.
So my words will be like fire in your mouth.
I will make the people like wood.
And the fire will burn them up.”
15“People of Israel, listen to me,”
announces the Lord.
“I am bringing against you
a nation from far away.
It is an old nation. And it will last for a long time.
Its people speak a language you do not know.
You can’t understand what they are saying.
16The bags they carry their arrows in are like an open grave.
All their soldiers are mighty.
17They will eat up your crops and your food.
They will strike down your sons and daughters.
They will kill your sheep and cattle.
They will destroy your vines and fig trees.
You trust in your cities that have high walls around them.
But the people in them will be killed by swords.
18“In spite of that, even in those days I will not destroy you completely,” announces the Lord. 19“ ‘Jeremiah,’ the people will ask, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ Then you will tell them, ‘You have deserted the Lord. You have served other gods in your own land. So now you will serve another nation in a land that is not your own.’
20“Here is what I want you to announce
to the people of Jacob.
Tell it in Judah.
Tell them I say,
21‘Listen to this, you foolish people,
who do not have any sense.
You have eyes, but you do not see.
You have ears, but you do not hear.
22Shouldn’t you have respect for me?’
announces the Lord.
‘Shouldn’t you tremble with fear in front of me?
I made the sand to hold the ocean back.
It will do that forever.
The ocean can’t go past it.
The waves might roll, but they can’t sweep over it.
They might roar, but they can’t go across it.
23But you people have stubborn hearts.
You refuse to obey me.
You have turned away from me.
You have gone astray.
24You do not say to yourselves,
“Let us have respect for the Lord our God.
He sends rain in the fall and the spring.
He promises us that the harvest will come
at the same time each year.”
25But the things you have done wrong
have robbed you of these gifts.
Your sins have kept these good things
far away from you.’
26“Jeremiah, some of my people are evil.
They hide and wait just as people hide to catch birds.
They set traps for people.
27A hunter uses tricks to fill his cage with birds.
And my people have filled their houses with a lot of goods.
They have become rich and powerful.
28They have grown fat and heavy.
There is no limit to the evil things they do.
In court they do not seek justice.
They don’t protect the rights of children whose fathers have died.
They do not stand up for poor people.
29Shouldn’t I punish them for this?”
announces the Lord.
“Shouldn’t I pay back the
nation that does these things?
30“Something horrible and shocking
has happened in the land.
31The prophets prophesy lies.
The priests rule by their own authority.
And my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?”
