1The word which the LORD spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet:
1耶和華藉先知耶利米論巴比倫和迦勒底人之地所說的話。
2'Declare and proclaim among the nations. Proclaim it and lift up a standard. Do not conceal [it but] say, 'Babylon has been captured, Bel has been put to shame, Marduk has been shattered; Her images have been put to shame, her idols have been shattered.'
2你們要在萬國中傳揚報告，豎立大旗；要報告，不可隱瞞，說：巴比倫被攻取，彼勒蒙羞，米羅達驚惶。巴比倫的神像都蒙羞；他的偶像都驚惶。
3'For a nation has come up against her out of the north; it will make her land an object of horror, and there will be no inhabitant in it. Both man and beast have wandered off, they have gone away!
3因有一國從北方上來攻擊他，使他的地荒涼，無人居住，連人帶牲畜都逃走了。
4'In those days and at that time,' declares the LORD, 'the sons of Israel will come, [both] they and the sons of Judah as well; they will go along weeping as they go, and it will be the LORD their God they will seek.
4耶和華說：當那日子、那時候，以色列人要和猶大人同來，隨走隨哭，尋求耶和華─他們的神。
5'They will ask for the way to Zion, [turning] their faces in its direction; they will come that they may join themselves to the LORD [in] an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.
5他們必訪問錫安，又面向這裡，說：來罷，你們要與耶和華聯合為永遠不忘的約。
6'My people have become lost sheep; Their shepherds have led them astray. They have made them turn aside [on] the mountains; They have gone along from mountain to hill And have forgotten their resting place.
6我的百姓作了迷失的羊，牧人使他們走差路，使他們轉到山上。他們從大山走到小山，竟忘了安歇之處。
7'All who came upon them have devoured them; And their adversaries have said, 'We are not guilty, Inasmuch as they have sinned against the LORD [who is] the habitation of righteousness, Even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.'
7凡遇見他們的，就把他們吞滅。敵人說：我們沒有罪；因他們得罪那作公義居所的耶和華，就是他們列祖所仰望的耶和華。
8'Wander away from the midst of Babylon And go forth from the land of the Chaldeans; Be also like male goats at the head of the flock.
8我民哪，你們要從巴比倫中逃走，從迦勒底人之地出去，要像羊群前面走的公山羊。
9'For behold, I am going to arouse and bring up against Babylon A horde of great nations from the land of the north, And they will draw up [their] battle lines against her; From there she will be taken captive. Their arrows will be like an expert warrior Who does not return empty-handed.
9因我必激動聯合的大國從北方上來攻擊巴比倫，他們要擺陣攻擊他；他必從那裡被攻取。他們的箭好像善射之勇士的箭，一枝也不徒然返回。
10'Chaldea will become plunder; All who plunder her will have enough,' declares the LORD.
10迦勒底必成為掠物；凡擄掠他的都必心滿意足。這是耶和華說的。
11'Because you are glad, because you are jubilant, O you who pillage My heritage, Because you skip about like a threshing heifer And neigh like stallions,
11搶奪我產業的啊，你們因歡喜快樂，且像踹穀撒歡的母牛犢，又像發嘶聲的壯馬。
12Your mother will be greatly ashamed, She who gave you birth will be humiliated. Behold, [she will be] the least of the nations, A wilderness, a parched land and a desert.
12你們的母巴比倫就極其抱愧，生你們的必然蒙羞。他要列在諸國之末，成為曠野、旱地、沙漠。
13'Because of the indignation of the LORD she will not be inhabited, But she will be completely desolate; Everyone who passes by Babylon will be horrified And will hiss because of all her wounds.
13因耶和華的忿怒，必無人居住，要全然荒涼。凡經過巴比倫的要受驚駭，又因他所遭的災殃嗤笑。
14'Draw up your battle lines against Babylon on every side, All you who bend the bow; Shoot at her, do not be sparing with [your] arrows, For she has sinned against the LORD.
14所有拉弓的，你們要在巴比倫的四圍擺陣，射箭攻擊他。不要愛惜箭枝，因他得罪了耶和華。
15'Raise your battle cry against her on every side! She has given herself up, her pillars have fallen, Her walls have been torn down. For this is the vengeance of the LORD: Take vengeance on her; As she has done [to others, so] do to her.
15你們要在他四圍吶喊；他已經投降。外郭坍塌了，城牆拆毀了，因為這是耶和華報仇的事。你們要向巴比倫報仇；他怎樣待人，也要怎樣待他。
16'Cut off the sower from Babylon And the one who wields the sickle at the time of harvest; From before the sword of the oppressor They will each turn back to his own people And they will each flee to his own land.
16你們要將巴比倫撒種的和收割時拿鐮刀的都剪除了。他們各人因怕欺壓的刀劍，必歸回本族，逃到本土。
17'Israel is a scattered flock, the lions have driven [them] away. The first one [who] devoured him was the king of Assyria, and this last one [who] has broken his bones is Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
17以色列是打散的羊，是被獅子趕出的。首先是亞述王將他吞滅，末後是巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒將他的骨頭折斷。
18'Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I am going to punish the king of Babylon and his land, just as I punished the king of Assyria.
18所以萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：我必罰巴比倫王和他的地，像我從前罰亞述王一樣。
19'And I will bring Israel back to his pasture and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan, and his desire will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead.
19我必再領以色列回他的草場，他必在迦密和巴珊吃草，又在以法蓮山上和基列境內得以飽足。
20'In those days and at that time,' declares the LORD, 'search will be made for the iniquity of Israel, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found; for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.'
20耶和華說：當那日子、那時候，雖尋以色列的罪孽，一無所有；雖尋猶大的罪惡，也無所見；因為我所留下的人，我必赦免。
21'Against the land of Merathaim, go up against it, And against the inhabitants of Pekod. Slay and utterly destroy them,' declares the LORD, 'And do according to all that I have commanded you.
21耶和華說：上去攻擊米拉大翁之地，又攻擊比割的居民。要追殺滅盡，照我一切所吩咐你的去行。
22'The noise of battle is in the land, And great destruction.
22境內有打仗和大毀滅的響聲。
23'How the hammer of the whole earth Has been cut off and broken! How Babylon has become An object of horror among the nations!
23全地的大錘何竟砍斷破壞？巴比倫在列國中何竟荒涼？
24'I set a snare for you and you were also caught, O Babylon, While you yourself were not aware; You have been found and also seized Because you have engaged in conflict with the LORD.'
24巴比倫哪，我為你設下網羅，你不知不覺被纏住。你被尋著，也被捉住；因為你與耶和華爭競。
25The LORD has opened His armory And has brought forth the weapons of His indignation, For it is a work of the Lord GOD of hosts In the land of the Chaldeans.
25耶和華已經開了武庫，拿出他惱恨的兵器；因為主─萬軍之耶和華在迦勒底人之地有當做的事。
26Come to her from the farthest border; Open up her barns, Pile her up like heaps And utterly destroy her, Let nothing be left to her.
26你們要從極遠的邊界來攻擊他，開他的倉廩，將他堆如高堆，毀滅淨盡，絲毫不留。
27Put all her young bulls to the sword; Let them go down to the slaughter! Woe be upon them, for their day has come, The time of their punishment.
27要殺他的一切牛犢，使他們下去遭遇殺戮。他們有禍了，因為追討他們的日子已經來到。
28There is a sound of fugitives and refugees from the land of Babylon, To declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, Vengeance for His temple.
28（有從巴比倫之地逃避出來的人，在錫安揚聲報告耶和華─我們的神報仇，就是為他的殿報仇。）
29'Summon many against Babylon, All those who bend the bow: Encamp against her on every side, Let there be no escape. Repay her according to her work; According to all that she has done, [so] do to her; For she has become arrogant against the LORD, Against the Holy One of Israel.
29招集一切弓箭手來攻擊巴比倫。要在巴比倫四圍安營，不要容一人逃脫，照著他所做的報應他；他怎樣待人，也要怎樣待他，因為他向耶和華─以色列的聖者發了狂傲。
30'Therefore her young men will fall in her streets, And all her men of war will be silenced in that day,' declares the LORD.
30所以他的少年人必仆倒在街上。當那日，一切兵丁必默默無聲。這是耶和華說的。
31'Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,' Declares the Lord GOD of hosts, 'For your day has come, The time when I will punish you.
31主─萬軍之耶和華說：你這狂傲的啊，我與你反對，因為我追討你的日子已經來到。
32'The arrogant one will stumble and fall With no one to raise him up; And I will set fire to his cities And it will devour all his environs.'
32狂傲的必絆跌仆倒，無人扶起。我也必使火在他的城邑中裡起來，將他四圍所有的盡行燒滅。
33Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'The sons of Israel are oppressed, And the sons of Judah as well; And all who took them captive have held them fast, They have refused to let them go.
33萬軍之耶和華如此說：以色列人和猶大人一同受欺壓；凡擄掠他們的都緊緊抓住他們，不肯釋放。
34'Their Redeemer is strong, the LORD of hosts is His name; He will vigorously plead their case So that He may bring rest to the earth, But turmoil to the inhabitants of Babylon.
34他們的救贖主大有能力，萬軍之耶和華是他的名。他必伸清他們的冤，好使全地得平安，並攪擾巴比倫的居民。
35'A sword against the Chaldeans,' declares the LORD, 'And against the inhabitants of Babylon And against her officials and her wise men!
35耶和華說：有刀劍臨到迦勒底人和巴比倫的居民，並他的首領與智慧人。
36'A sword against the oracle priests, and they will become fools! A sword against her mighty men, and they will be shattered!
36有刀劍臨到矜誇的人，他們就成為愚昧；有刀劍臨到他的勇士，他們就驚惶。
37'A sword against their horses and against their chariots And against all the foreigners who are in the midst of her, And they will become women! A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered!
37有刀劍臨到他的馬匹、車輛，和其中雜族的人民；他們必像婦女一樣。有刀劍臨到他的寶物，就被搶奪。
38'A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up! For it is a land of idols, And they are mad over fearsome idols.
38有乾旱臨到他的眾水，就必乾涸；因為這是有雕刻偶像之地，人因偶像而顛狂。
39'Therefore the desert creatures will live [there] along with the jackals; The ostriches also will live in it, And it will never again be inhabited Or dwelt in from generation to generation.
39所以曠野的走獸和豺狼必住在那裡，鴕鳥也住在其中，永無人煙，世世代代無人居住。
40'As when God overthrew Sodom And Gomorrah with its neighbors,' declares the LORD, 'No man will live there, Nor will [any] son of man reside in it.
40耶和華說：必無人住在那裡，也無人在其中寄居，要像我傾覆所多瑪、蛾摩拉，和鄰近的城邑一樣。
41'Behold, a people is coming from the north, And a great nation and many kings Will be aroused from the remote parts of the earth.
41看哪，有一種民從北方而來，並有一大國和許多君王被激動，從地極來到。
42'They seize [their] bow and javelin; They are cruel and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea; And they ride on horses, Marshalled like a man for the battle Against you, O daughter of Babylon.
42他們拿弓和槍，性情殘忍，不施憐憫；他們的聲音像海浪匉訇。巴比倫城（原文是女子）啊，他們騎馬，都擺隊伍如上戰場的人，要攻擊你。
43'The king of Babylon has heard the report about them, And his hands hang limp; Distress has gripped him, Agony like a woman in childbirth.
43巴比倫王聽見他們的風聲，手就發軟，痛苦將他抓住，疼痛彷彿產難的婦人。
44'Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan to a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will make them run away from it, and whoever is chosen I will appoint over it. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me [into court]? And who then is the shepherd who can stand before Me?'
44仇敵必像獅子從約但河邊的叢林上來，攻擊堅固的居所。轉眼之間，我要使他們逃跑，離開這地。誰蒙揀選，我就派誰治理這地。誰能比我呢？誰能給我定規日期呢？有何牧人能在我面前站立得住呢？
45Therefore hear the plan of the LORD which He has planned against Babylon, and His purposes which He has purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: surely they will drag them off, [even] the little ones of the flock; surely He will make their pasture desolate because of them.
45你們要聽耶和華攻擊巴比倫所說的謀略和他攻擊迦勒底人之地所定的旨意。仇敵定要將他們群眾微弱的拉去，定要使他們的居所荒涼。
46At the shout, 'Babylon has been seized!' the earth is shaken, and an outcry is heard among the nations.
46因巴比倫被取的聲音，地就震動，人在列邦都聽見呼喊的聲音。