1Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;2.1 not…: or, not desirous 2Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’s anger come upon you. 3Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.
4¶ For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. 5Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. 6And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. 7And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.2.7 for the LORD: or, when, etc
8¶ I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border. 9Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them. 10This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts. 11The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.2.11 famish: Heb. make lean
12¶ Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword. 13And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness. 14And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work.2.14 cormorant: or, pelican2.14 upper…: or, knops, or, chapiters2.14 for…: or, when he hath uncovered 15This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
呼籲百姓悔改
1-2不知羞恥的國民啊，
趁命令尚未發出、
日子尚未如風中的糠疾飛而去、
耶和華的烈怒尚未臨到你們、
祂向你們發怒的日子尚未來臨，
要聚集，聚集起來！
3世上所有遵守耶和華典章的謙卑人啊，
要尋求耶和華，追求公義，為人謙卑。
也許在耶和華發怒的日子，
你們可以得到庇護。
審判以色列的鄰國
4迦薩必被拋棄，
亞實基倫必淪為廢墟，
亞實突的居民必在中午被趕走，
以革倫必被連根拔除。
5住在海邊的基利提人啊，
你們有禍了！
非利士人的土地——迦南啊，
耶和華宣告要毀滅你，
使你杳無人煙。
6沿海地區必成為草場，
有牧人的居所和羊圈。
7那裡必歸給猶大家的餘民，
他們必在那裡放牧，
晚上睡在亞實基倫的房屋裡，
因為他們的上帝耶和華必眷顧他們，
使他們回到故土。
8-9以色列的上帝——萬軍之耶和華說：
「我聽見了摩押人的譭謗和亞捫人的辱罵。
他們譭謗我的子民，揚言侵佔他們的土地。
我憑自己的永恆起誓，
摩押和亞捫必刺草叢生、鹽坑遍地、永遠荒廢，
如所多瑪和蛾摩拉一樣。
我餘下的子民必擄掠他們，
我倖存的百姓必承受他們的土地。」
10這是他們的報應，
因為他們狂妄自大，
譭謗萬軍之耶和華的子民。
11耶和華必令他們恐懼，
因為祂要消滅世上的神明。
天下萬民必各在本地敬拜祂。
12古實人啊，
你們必死在耶和華的刀下。
13祂必伸手攻擊北方，毀滅亞述，
使尼尼微一片荒涼，
如乾旱的曠野。
14牲畜和野獸必躺臥在那裡，
貓頭鷹和刺蝟棲身在房柱上，
窗口傳來鳥鳴，
門庭都已破敗，
露出香柏木梁。
15這就是那歡樂安逸、
自以為無與倫比的城，
現在竟然如此荒涼，
成為野獸棲息之地！
路過的人都搖手嘲笑它。
