Jerusalem Is Like an Unfaithful Wife
1A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2“Son of man, tell the people of Jerusalem the evil things they have done. I hate those things. 3Tell them, ‘The Lord and King speaks to Jerusalem. He says, “Your history in the land of Canaan goes back a long way. Your father was an Amorite. Your mother was a Hittite. 4On the day you were born your cord was not cut. You were not washed with water to clean you up. You were not rubbed with salt. And you were not wrapped in large strips of cloth. 5No one took pity on you. No one was concerned enough to do any of these things for you. Instead, you were thrown out into an open field. You were hated on the day you were born.
6“ ‘ “I was passing by. I saw you kicking around in your blood. As you were lying there, I said to you, ‘Live!’ 7I made you grow like a plant in a field. Soon you had grown up. You became a young adult. Your breasts had formed. Your hair had grown. But you were completely naked.
8“ ‘ “Later, I was passing by again. I looked at you. I saw that you were old enough for love. So I married you and took good care of you. I covered your naked body. I made a firm promise to you. I entered into a covenant with you. And you became mine,” announces the Lord and King.
9“ ‘ “I bathed you with water. I washed the blood off you. And I put lotions on you. 10I put a beautiful dress on you. I gave you sandals made out of fine leather. I dressed you in fine linen. I covered you with expensive clothes. 11I decorated you with jewelry. I put bracelets on your arms. I gave you a necklace for your neck. 12I put rings on your nose and ears. And I gave you a beautiful crown for your head. 13So you were decorated with gold and silver. Your clothes were made out of fine linen. They were made out of expensive and beautiful cloth. Your food was made out of honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful. You became a queen. 14You were so beautiful that your fame spread among the nations. The glory I had given you made your beauty perfect,” announces the Lord and King.
15“ ‘ “But you trusted in your beauty. You used your fame to become a prostitute. You offered your body freely to anyone who passed by. In fact, you gave yourself to anyone who wanted you. 16You used some of your clothes to make high places colorful. That is where people worshiped other gods. You were a prostitute there. You went to your lover and he took your beauty. 17I had given you fine jewelry. It was made out of gold and silver. You used it to make for yourself statues of male gods. You worshiped those gods. You were not faithful to me. 18You put your beautiful clothes on them. You offered my oil and incense to them. 19You also offered them food. It was made out of olive oil, honey and the finest flour. I had given it to you to eat. You offered it as sweet-smelling incense to them. That is what you did,” announces the Lord and King.
20“ ‘ “Then you took your sons and daughters who belonged to me. And you sacrificed them as food to other gods. Wasn’t it enough for you to be a prostitute? 21You killed my children. You sacrificed them to other gods. 22You did not remember the days when you were young. At that time you were completely naked. You were kicking around in your blood. But now you have done evil things. I hate them. You have worshiped other gods. You have not been faithful to me.
23“ ‘ “How terrible it will be for you!” announces the Lord and King. “How terrible for you! You continued to sin against me. 24Your people built up mounds for themselves in every market. They put little places of worship on them. 25They set them up at every street corner. Jerusalem, you misused your beauty. You offered your body to anyone who passed by. You did it again and again. 26You committed shameful acts with the people of Egypt. They were your neighbors who were ready to have sex with you. You offered yourself to them again and again. That made me very angry. 27So I reached out my powerful hand against you. I made your territory smaller. I handed you over to your Philistine enemies. The people in their towns were shocked by your impure conduct. 28You also committed shameful acts with the people of Assyria. Nothing ever seemed to satisfy you. You could never get enough. 29Then you offered yourself to the people of Babylon. But that did not satisfy you either. There are many traders in the land of Babylon.
30“ ‘ “I am filled with great anger against you,” announces the Lord and King. “Just look at all the things you are doing! You are acting like a prostitute who has no shame at all. 31Your people built up mounds at every street corner. You put little places of worship on them in every market. But you did not really act like a prostitute. That’s because you refused to let your lovers pay you anything.
32“ ‘ “You unfaithful wife! You would rather be with strangers than with your own husband! 33Every prostitute receives gifts. Instead, you give gifts to all your lovers. You offer them money to come to you from everywhere. You want them to sleep with you. You are not faithful to me. 34As a prostitute, you are the opposite of others. No one runs after you to sleep with you. You are exactly the opposite. You pay them. They do not pay you.” ’ ”
35You prostitute, listen to the Lord’s message. 36The Lord and King says, “You poured out your desire on your lovers. You took off your clothing and slept with them. You did it again and again. You worshiped other gods. I hate them. You even sacrificed your children to them. 37So I am going to gather together all the lovers you found pleasure with. They include those you loved and those you hated. I will gather them against you from everywhere. I will take your clothes off right in front of them. Then they will see you completely naked. 38I will hand down my sentence against you. You will be punished like women who commit adultery and sacrifice their children to other gods. I am so angry with you. So I will sentence you to death for everything you have done. 39Then I will hand you over to your lovers. They will tear down those mounds you built. They will destroy the little places of worship you put on them. They will take your clothes off. They will remove your fine jewelry. And they will leave you completely naked. 40They will bring a crowd against you. The crowd will put you to death by throwing stones at you. And they will chop you to pieces with their swords. 41They will burn down your houses and punish you. Many women will see it. I will not let you be a prostitute anymore. You will no longer pay your lovers. 42Then my great anger against you will die down. My jealous anger will turn away from you. I will be calm. I will not be angry anymore.
43“You did not remember the days when you were young. The things you did made me very angry. So anything that happens to you will be your own fault,” announces the Lord and King. “You added impure conduct to all the other evil things you did. I hate all those things.
44“All those who use proverbs will use this one about you. They will say, ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ 45You are a true daughter of your mother. She hated her husband and children. And you are a true sister of your sisters. They hated their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite. Your father was an Amorite. 46Your older sister was Samaria. She lived north of you with her daughters. Your younger sister was Sodom. She lived south of you with her daughters. 47You lived exactly the way they did. You copied their evil practices. I hate those practices. Everything you did was so sinful that you soon became even worse than they were. 48Your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King.
49“Here is the sin your sister Sodom committed. She and her daughters were proud. They ate too much. They were not concerned about others. They did not help those who were poor and in need. 50They were very proud. They did many things that were evil in my eyes. I hated those things. So I got rid of Sodom and her daughters, just as you have seen. 51Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You sinned even more than they did. I hate those sins. Compared to what you did, you made your sisters seem godly. 52So you will be dishonored. You have given your sisters an excuse for what they did. Your sins were far worse than theirs. In fact, your sisters appear to be more godly than you. So then, be ashamed. You will be dishonored. You have made them appear to be godly.
53“I will not only give you back what you had before. I will also do the same thing for Sodom and her daughters. And I will do the same for Samaria and her daughters. 54That will make you feel dishonored. You will be ashamed of everything you have done. You have made them feel better because you sinned more and were punished more than they were. 55Your sisters Sodom and Samaria and their daughters will return to what they were before. And you and your daughters will return to what you were before. 56In the past you would not even mention your sister Sodom. You were proud at that time. 57That was before your sin was uncovered. Now the daughters of Edom make fun of you. So do all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines. Everyone who lives around you hates you. 58You will be punished for your impure conduct. I will also punish you for the other evil things you have done. I hate all those things,” announces the Lord.
59The Lord and King says, “I will punish you in keeping with what you have done. I sealed with a promise the covenant I made with you. You hated that promise. And you broke my covenant. 60But I will remember my covenant with you. I made it with you when you were young. Now I will make a new covenant with you. It will last forever. 61Then you will remember how you have lived. You will be ashamed when I give you Samaria and Sodom. Samaria is your older sister. Sodom is your younger one. I will give them and their daughters to you as daughters. That can’t happen based on my old covenant with you. 62So I will make my new covenant with you. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 63I will pay for all the sins you have committed. Then you will remember what you have done. You will be ashamed of it. Because of your shame, you will never speak against me again,” announces the Lord and King.
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姦淫の罪を犯すエルサレム
1再び、主からのことばがありました。
2「人の子よ、忌まわしい罪についてエルサレムに言いなさい。 3神である主は、エルサレムについてこう語ると。あなたはカナン人の地で興ったが、カナン人にまさるところは何もない。父はエモリ人、母はヘテ人だったのだ。 4あなたが生まれた時、だれも面倒を見てくれなかった。へその緒を切ってもらえず、裸のまま、産湯にも入れてもらえず、産声も上げられずに放置されていた。 5目をかける人も、かわいそうに思って世話をしてくれる人もいなかった。生まれたその日に野に捨てられ、死ぬばかりだった。望まれない子だったのだ。
6-7ところが、わたしが通りかかって、血まみれのあなたを見つけたのだ。『死んではいけない。野の草のようにたくましく、大きくなるのだ』と、わたしは言った。そして、そのとおりになった。あなたは背も高く、ほっそりとしなやかになり、玉のように美しい、うら若いおとめに育ち、乳房もふくらみ、髪も伸びた。だが裸のままだった。
8しばらくして、あなたのそばを通りかかると、結婚できる年ごろになっていた。そこで、わたしは自分の衣であなたを覆い、結婚の誓いをした。誓約を交わして、あなたはわたしのものとなった。 9-10結婚式の時、わたしは刺繍をほどこした豪華な服や、じゅごんの皮のサンダルをあなたに贈った。 11-12また、美しい装身具、腕輪や首飾り、鼻輪、イヤリング、宝石のついた冠も整えた。 13こうして、あなたは金や銀で美しく身を飾り、刺繍した絹や亜麻布をまとった。そのうえ最高のごちそうを食べて、いちだんと美しくなり、まるで女王のように、いや、女王そのものになった。 14その美しさは回りの国々の評判になった。あなたはわたしの贈り物で美しさを極めた。
15しかしあなたは、自分の美しさを鼻にかけ、それさえあれば、わたしなしでもやっていけると考えた。そして、やって来る男には、だれかれかまわず、娼婦のように身を任せた。その美しさは、それを求める男のものになり下がった。 16わたしが贈った物を偶像の宮のために使い、また売春の床を飾るために使ってしまった。信じられない、それまで見たこともないようなことだった。 17あなたはわたしが与えた宝石や金銀の装身具で男の像を造り、それを拝んだ。それこそ、わたしを裏切る姦淫だ。 18また、わたしが与えた刺繍入りの美しい服を偶像に着せ、わたしの油と香とをその前に供えた。 19あなたは、わたしが与えた上等の小麦粉や油やみつまでも偶像にささげたのだ。 20そして、わたしのために産んだ自分の息子や娘を、偶像の神々にいけにえとしてささげ、殺してしまった。自分が娼婦になるだけでは満足できなかったのか。 21ほんとうの神でもない偶像の祭壇で、わたしの子どもまで、いけにえとして焼き殺さなければならなかったのか。
22あなたは長い間姦淫と罪の生活にふけり、裸で血まみれだった昔のことを一度も思い出さなかった。 23あなたのすべての悪行、ああ、それはなんと忌まわしいことか。そのために災いが降りかかる。そのほかにも、 24あなたは愛人たちのために売春宿を設け、道々に偶像の祭壇を建てた。 25そこで、飽きもせず、通りかかる男という男に身を任せた。 26さらに、好色なエジプト人たちに身を売り、同盟を結んだ。わたしの怒りは頂点に達した。
27そのため、わたしはこの手であなたを打ち倒した。あなたの領土を小さくし、あなたを憎むペリシテ人の手中に陥らせた。ところが、その彼らでさえ、あなたの行状を見て顔を赤くしている。 28あなたは、アッシリヤ人とも密通した。次から次へと新しい神々を見つけても、まだ満足できないようだ。アッシリヤ人と密通してもまだ飽き足りず、 29あの大商都バビロンの神々をも拝んだ。だが、それでもまだ満足しなかった。」
30-31神である主は語ります。「こんなことをするあなたの心は、なんと汚れているのだ。道々に売春宿である偶像の祭壇を築き、ずうずうしく淫行を重ねている。あなたは娼婦よりも悪い。金を得るためでもなく、ただ悪にふけるためにそうしているからだ。 32あなたは夫以外の男と同棲する不貞の妻だ。 33-34娼婦は報酬を得るために働き、男たちは多くの贈り物をする。ところがあなたは自分のほうから贈り物をして、自分のところへ来てくれるように男たちを買収している。娼婦とは全く反対のことをしているのだ。だれからも求められないから、自分から報酬を払わなければならないのだ。
35ああ、ふしだらな女よ、神のことばを聞け。」
36主は語ります。「わたしはあなたの汚れた罪や、偶像礼拝という姦淫の罪、わが子をいけにえとして神々にささげたことなどを見てきた。 37その報いとして、このようにする。あなたが愛した者であろうと、憎んだ者であろうと、あなたと同罪の愛人、つまりあなたの同盟国すべてを集め、彼らの見ている前であなたを裸にする。 38あなたを人殺しをした女、また不貞を働いた女として罰する。 39あなたの愛人である多くの国々の手で、あなたを滅ぼす。彼らはあなたが建てた売春宿や偶像の祭壇を打ち壊し、着ている物をはぎ取り、美しい宝石を奪い取って裸にし、さんざん辱める。 40-41彼らはあなたの家を焼き払い、大ぜいの女の見ている前であなたを罰する。わたしは、あなたが他の神々と通じることをやめさせる。あなたが同盟国にこびて報酬を支払うようなこともやめさせる。
42その時ようやく、わたしは激しい怒りを静め、ねたむことをやめ、心穏やかになる。もう怒ることをしない。 43だがまず、あなたが犯したすべての罪を徹底的に罰する。あなたは若いころに受けた恵みを忘れ、これらの悪を働いて、わたしを怒らせたからだ。」
主は言います。「あなたは悪を重ねるばかりか、感謝することも忘れている。
44『あの母にして、この娘あり。』みながあなたのことを、そう言っている。 45あなたの母親は夫と子どもをきらったが、同じことをあなたもしている。姉妹も同じで、夫や子どもをないがしろにした。あなたの母はヘテ人、父はエモリ人だったのだ。
46あなたの姉サマリヤは娘といっしょに北に住み、妹ソドムは娘といっしょに南に住んでいる。 47あなたは二人のようには罪を犯さなかった。いや、無関係と言ってよいくらいだった。それが、あっという間に、二人をはるかにしのぐほど堕落してしまった。」
48主は語ります。「ソドムとその娘たちは、あなたやあなたの娘たちほど邪悪ではなかった。 49妹ソドムとその娘たちの罪とは、貧しい人が飢えて苦しんでいるのを見ながらも思い上がり、安逸をむさぼって腹いっぱい食べていたことだ。 50彼女たちはわたしの見ている前で、無礼にも多くの偶像を拝んでいた。だから、わたしは彼女たちを滅ぼしたのだ。
51サマリヤでさえ、あなたの半分も罪を犯していない。あなたは姉妹たちがした以上に偶像を礼拝した。それに比べたら、姉妹たちはずっとまともに見える。 52だから、彼女たちの罰があなたより軽いと言って驚いてはならない。あなたがやったことはひどいことだ。あなたに比べたら、姉妹たちは潔白にさえ見える。
53いつの日にか、わたしはソドムやサマリヤ、そしてユダをも、以前のように栄えさせる。 54あなたが受ける恐ろしい罰を見てソドムやサマリヤは、自分たちの罰はまだ軽かったと慰められるだろう。
55やがて、あなたの姉妹ソドムとサマリヤ、また、その全住民は元の所へ帰る。その日には、ユダにも繁栄が戻ってくる。 56あなたは、自分だけは特別だと得意になっていた時には、ソドムなど気にも留めなかった。 57だが今、あなたの悪は全世界にあばかれ、エドムやその近隣の国々、すべてのペリシテ人の笑いものになっている。 58これは、あなたが犯したすべての罪に対する罰の一部だ。」
59-60神である主はこう語ります。「わたしは、あなたが約束を破ったので報復する。あなたは、わたしと結んだ神聖な契約を、いとも簡単に破ってしまった。だが、わたしは、あなたの若いころに結んだ契約を、これからも守る。わたしはあなたと永遠の契約を結んだのだ。 61それであなたもようやく、自分のしてきた悪を残らず思い返して、恥じるようになるだろう。わたしがあなたの姉妹であるサマリヤとソドムとを選び取り、彼女たちをあなたの娘とし、あなたに統治させるとき、あなたは恥じ入る。わたしとの契約を破ったからには、こんな優しい取り扱いを受ける資格などないことが、よくわかっているからだ。 62わたしがあなたとの約束をし直すとき、あなたはわたしが神であることを知るようになる。 63あなたの今までの行いにもかかわらず、わたしは思いやりを示す。わたしがあなたの行った悪のすべてを赦すとき、あなたは恥じ入って口をつぐむだろう。」神である主が、このように語るのです。
