The Lord Will Judge Those Who Depend on Egypt
1How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help!
How terrible for those who depend on horses!
They trust in how many chariots they have.
They trust in how strong their horsemen are.
But they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel.
They don’t ask the Lord for his help.
2He too is wise. He can bring horrible trouble.
He does what he says he’ll do.
He’ll rise up against that evil nation.
He’ll fight against those who help them.
3The men of Egypt are only human beings.
They aren’t God.
Their horses are only flesh and blood.
They aren’t spirits.
The Lord will reach out his powerful hand
to punish everyone.
The Egyptians provide help.
But they will be tripped up.
The people of Judah receive the help.
But they will fall down.
All of them will be destroyed.
4The Lord says to me,
“A powerful lion stands over its food and growls.
A lot of shepherds can be brought together to drive it away.
But the lion is not frightened by their shouts.
It is not upset by the noise they make.
In the same way, I will come down from heaven.
I will fight on Mount Zion and on its hills.
Nothing will drive me away.
I am the Lord who rules over all.
5Like a bird hovering over its nest, I will guard Jerusalem.
I will keep it safe.
I will ‘pass over’ it and save it.
I am the Lord who rules over all.”
6People of Israel, return to the Lord. He’s the God you have so strongly opposed. 7You sinned when you made your gods out of silver and gold. The time will come when all of you will turn away from them.
8The Lord says, “The Assyrians will be killed by swords.
But the swords that kill them will not be used by human beings.
The Assyrians will run away from those swords.
But their young men will be caught
and forced to work hard.
9Their hiding places will be destroyed
when terror strikes them.
Their commanders will see their enemy’s battle flags.
Then they will be filled with panic,”
announces the Lord.
His fire blazes out from Mount Zion.
His furnace burns in Jerusalem.
31
エジプトに頼る者への叱責
1ああ、エジプトに助けを求めて走り、
イスラエルの聖なる神の指示を仰がず、
エジプトの強い騎兵と戦車をあてにする者。
2神はご自分の知恵によって、
その民に大きな災難を下します。
しかも、お心を変えることがありません。
彼らの悪を決して見逃さず、
彼らの味方につく者も打ち倒します。
3エジプト人はただの人間であって神ではありません。
その馬は取るに足らぬ動物で、
どんなものでも蹴散らす霊ではありません。
主がこぶしを振り上げると彼らはつまずき、
助けるはずだった人たちの間で倒れ、
どちらも滅んでしまいます。
4-5しかし主は、こう語りました。
「ライオンが羊をかみ殺すときに、
羊飼いの叫び声や騒ぎなど気にもかけない。
さっと襲いかかって一気に食べる。
同じように、シオンの山の上で戦うわたしは、
おびえて逃げたりはしない。
わたしは天の軍勢の主だ。
鳥が巣の上を飛び回るように、
エルサレムの上空を舞う。
こうして都を守り、救い出す。」
6それゆえ、私の民よ。反抗する者よ。神のもとへ帰りなさい。 7やがて、あなたがたがみな、罪深い手で造った金や銀の偶像を捨てる、すばらしい日が来ます。
8アッシリヤ人は滅びますが、
人の剣によってではありません。
「神の剣」が彼らを打ち倒すのです。
彼らはあわてふためいて逃げます。
屈強な若者は奴隷として引かれて行きます。
9「イスラエルの軍旗を見ると、将軍たちさえ恐れて身震いし、
一目散に逃げる」と主は言います。
神の炎が、赤々とエルサレムに燃え上がるからです。
