耶路撒冷被围
1“便雅悯人啊，你们要逃离耶路撒冷！
你们要在提哥亚吹响号角，
在伯·哈基琳发出警报，
因为有大灾难从北方逼近。
2我要毁灭美丽娇弱的少女锡安。
3首领必带着军队围攻她，
在她周围安营扎寨，
如同牧人在各自的片区放牧。
4他们喊道，‘准备作战！
起来吧，我们中午攻城。’
他们后来说，
‘唉！日已西沉，天色渐暗。
5起来吧，我们要乘夜攻打她，
毁灭她的宫殿。’”
6万军之耶和华说：
“你们要砍伐树木，
修筑高台围攻耶路撒冷，
因为这城充满压迫，
该受惩罚。
7她的邪恶如同泉水涌流不息，
暴力和毁灭之声充斥城中，
我看见的尽是疾病和伤痛。
8耶路撒冷啊，你要接受告诫，
否则我要离弃你，
使你荒无人烟。”
叛逆的以色列人
9万军之耶和华说：
“敌人要把以色列的余民掳掠一空，
如同人摘葡萄摘得一个不剩。
你要像摘葡萄的人一样伸手再摘枝上的葡萄。”
10我可以警告谁呢？谁会听呢？
他们耳朵闭塞，什么也听不见！
看啊，耶和华的话他们听着逆耳，
毫不喜欢。
11我充满耶和华的烈怒，
无法忍而不发。
耶和华说：“你把我的怒气发向街头的孩童和聚集成群的青年。
丈夫和妻子、老人和长者都要一同被掳。
12他们的房屋、田地和妻子都要交给别人。
我要伸手攻击这地方的居民。
这是耶和华说的。
13因为他们无论尊卑，
个个贪图不义之财；
无论是先知还是祭司，
都行为诡诈。
14他们敷衍了事地医治我子民的伤痛，
说，‘没事了，没事了！’
其实情况很糟。
15他们做可憎的事会羞愧吗？
不！他们不知廉耻，
毫不脸红。
因此，他们要与灭亡的人一同灭亡，
他们要在我惩罚之时覆灭。
这是耶和华说的。”
16耶和华说：
“你们要站在路口观看，
寻访古道，
找到正路并行在其上，
便会得到心灵的安宁。”
但他们却说：“我们不要这样行。”
17耶和华说：“我为你们设立守望者，
提醒你们要听号角声。”
但他们却说：“我们不听。”
18因此，耶和华说：
“列国啊，你们要听！
会众啊，要知道这些百姓的遭遇！
19地啊，听着！
我要降灾祸给这些百姓。
他们是自作自受，
因为他们没有听从我的话，
拒绝遵守我的律法。
20从示巴运来乳香，
从远方带来菖蒲献给我，
有什么用呢？
我不悦纳他们的燔祭，
不喜欢他们的祭牲。”
21因此，耶和华说：
“我要把绊脚石放在他们前面，
使父子一同绊倒，
邻居和朋友一同灭亡。”
22耶和华说：
“看啊，有一个民族要从北方来，
有一个强国要从地极发动进攻。
23少女锡安啊，他们残酷无情，
手持弓箭和矛枪，
骑马奔来，声势如怒海狂涛，
列阵攻击你。”
24我们听到风声，四肢发软，
痛苦不堪，
如分娩的妇人。
25不要去田野，
不要在路上走，
因为仇敌杀气腾腾，
恐怖四下弥漫。
26我的百姓啊，你们要身披麻布，
在灰中打滚；
你们要悲伤痛哭，如丧独子，
因为毁灭者将突然临到我们。
27耶和华对我说：
“我派你考验我的子民，
就像冶炼金属一样，
好察验他们的行为。
28他们顽固不化，
如铜如铁，
四处毁谤，
极其败坏。
29风箱猛力吹火，铅也会熔掉；
但他们被炼了又炼，终是徒然，
因为邪恶之人仍未被清除。
30他们被称为废弃的银渣，
因为耶和华已丢弃他们。”
Jerusalem Under Siege
1“Flee for safety, people of Benjamin!
Flee from Jerusalem!
Sound the trumpet in Tekoa!
Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem!
For disaster looms out of the north,
even terrible destruction.
2I will destroy Daughter Zion,
so beautiful and delicate.
3Shepherds with their flocks will come against her;
they will pitch their tents around her,
each tending his own portion.”
4“Prepare for battle against her!
Arise, let us attack at noon!
But, alas, the daylight is fading,
and the shadows of evening grow long.
5So arise, let us attack at night
and destroy her fortresses!”
6This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Cut down the trees
and build siege ramps against Jerusalem.
This city must be punished;
it is filled with oppression.
7As a well pours out its water,
so she pours out her wickedness.
Violence and destruction resound in her;
her sickness and wounds are ever before me.
8Take warning, Jerusalem,
or I will turn away from you
and make your land desolate
so no one can live in it.”
9This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Let them glean the remnant of Israel
as thoroughly as a vine;
pass your hand over the branches again,
like one gathering grapes.”
10To whom can I speak and give warning?
Who will listen to me?
Their ears are closed6:10 Hebrew uncircumcised
so they cannot hear.
The word of the Lord is offensive to them;
they find no pleasure in it.
11But I am full of the wrath of the Lord,
and I cannot hold it in.
“Pour it out on the children in the street
and on the young men gathered together;
both husband and wife will be caught in it,
and the old, those weighed down with years.
12Their houses will be turned over to others,
together with their fields and their wives,
when I stretch out my hand
against those who live in the land,”
declares the Lord.
13“From the least to the greatest,
all are greedy for gain;
prophets and priests alike,
all practice deceit.
14They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
when there is no peace.
15Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
No, they have no shame at all;
they do not even know how to blush.
So they will fall among the fallen;
they will be brought down when I punish them,”
says the Lord.
16This is what the Lord says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17I appointed watchmen over you and said,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But you said, ‘We will not listen.’
18Therefore hear, you nations;
you who are witnesses,
observe what will happen to them.
19Hear, you earth:
I am bringing disaster on this people,
the fruit of their schemes,
because they have not listened to my words
and have rejected my law.
20What do I care about incense from Sheba
or sweet calamus from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;
your sacrifices do not please me.”
21Therefore this is what the Lord says:
“I will put obstacles before this people.
Parents and children alike will stumble over them;
neighbors and friends will perish.”
22This is what the Lord says:
“Look, an army is coming
from the land of the north;
a great nation is being stirred up
from the ends of the earth.
23They are armed with bow and spear;
they are cruel and show no mercy.
They sound like the roaring sea
as they ride on their horses;
they come like men in battle formation
to attack you, Daughter Zion.”
24We have heard reports about them,
and our hands hang limp.
Anguish has gripped us,
pain like that of a woman in labor.
25Do not go out to the fields
or walk on the roads,
for the enemy has a sword,
and there is terror on every side.
26Put on sackcloth, my people,
and roll in ashes;
mourn with bitter wailing
as for an only son,
for suddenly the destroyer
will come upon us.
27“I have made you a tester of metals
and my people the ore,
that you may observe
and test their ways.
28They are all hardened rebels,
going about to slander.
They are bronze and iron;
they all act corruptly.
29The bellows blow fiercely
to burn away the lead with fire,
but the refining goes on in vain;
the wicked are not purged out.
30They are called rejected silver,
because the Lord has rejected them.”
