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Baruch 这是耶肋米亚给那些被巴比伦王要掳到巴比伦去作俘虏的人，寄发的书信副本，给他们报告天主吩咐他的事。 For the sins you committed before God, you are being led captive to 为了你们在天主面前犯的罪过，你们才被巴比伦人的君王拿步高掳到巴比伦去作俘虏。 2 When you reach 你们到了巴比伦，要在那里寄居多年和一长久的时间，直到第七代，然后我才领你们从那里平安出来。 3 And now in 4 Take care that you yourselves do not imitate their alien example and stand in fear of them, 你们务要小心，切不要连你们也像外邦人一样，对这些神像，起敬起畏。 5 when you see the crowd before them and behind worshiping them. Rather, say in your hearts, ＂You, O LORD, are to be worshiped!＂; 几时你们一见群众在神像前敬拜，就该在心中说：上主，只有你应受钦崇。 6 for my angel is with you, and he is the custodian of your lives. 因为有我的天使与你们在一起，他必照顾你们的性命。 7 Their tongues are smoothed by woodworkers; they are covered with gold and silver-but they are a fraud, and cannot speak. 神像的舌头是匠人琢磨的，再包上金银；都是假造的，不能说话。 8 People bring gold, as to a maiden in love with ornament, 人们又拿金子，像是一个爱装饰的女郎。 9 and furnish crowns for the heads of their gods. Then sometimes the priests take the silver and gold from their gods and spend it on themselves, 打造金冠，戴在他们神像的头上，有时司祭竟窃取神像身上的金银，私自使用， 10 or give part of it to the harlots on the terrace. They trick them out in garments like men, these gods of silver and gold and wood; 甚或用以酬谢院中的庙妓。这些金、银、木制的神像， 11 but though they are wrapped in purple clothing, they are not safe from corrosion or insects. 它们虽身披紫锦红袍，穿上衣裳虽像人一样，仍不免要生锈生虫。 12 They wipe their faces clean of the house dust which is thick upon them. 脸上却不断落满庙内的尘土，需人拂拭。 13 Each has a scepter, like the human ruler of a district; but none does away with those that offend against it. 有些手执权杖，像是一个作地方判官的人，却不能处死得罪自己的人； 14 Each has in its right hand an axe or dagger, but it cannot save itself from war or pillage. Thus it is known they are not gods; do not fear them. 有些右手执剑持斧，却不能拯救自己脱免战争和强盗。 由此可知它们并不是神，不应害怕！ 15 As useless as one's broken tools 正如人做的器皿，一经破烂，就失去了用途； 16 are their gods, set up in their houses; their eyes are full of dust from the feet of those who enter. 安置在庙里的神像，也是这样。 它们的眼睛盖满了进庙的人双脚扬起的灰尘； 17 Their courtyards are walled in like those of a man brought to execution for a crime against the king; the priests reinforce their houses with gates and bars and bolts, lest they be carried off by robbers. 如同对得罪皇上，快要处死的囚犯，四面门窗紧闭；同样司祭设门安锁加闩，关闭它们的庙宇，以免强盗来洗劫。 18 They light more lamps for them than for themselves, yet not one of these can they see. 庙宇里的灯，点得比神像还多；可是它们连一盏也看不见。 19 They are like any beam in the house; it is said their hearts are eaten away. Though the insects out of the ground consume them and their garments, they do not feel it. 20 Their faces are blackened by the smoke of the house. 它们的脸面已让庙里的火烟熏得乌黑； 21 Bats and swallows alight on their bodies and on their heads; and cats as well as birds. 蝙蝠、燕子和雀鸟，都在它们身上头上飞舞；同样，猫儿也任情跳跃： 22 Know, therefore, that they are not gods, and do not fear them. 由此你们该知，它们并不是神，不应害怕！ 23 Despite the gold that covers them for adornment, unless someone wipes away the corrosion, they do not shine; nor did they feel anything when they were molded. 人给神像包上金银，为光华美丽，但若没有人擦去锈污，它们不会光亮；因为即在被铸造时，它们已毫无知觉。 24 They are bought at any price, and there is no spirit in them. 不论人用什么价钱将它们买来，它们总不会生气； 25 Having no feet, they are carried on men's shoulders, displaying their shame to all; and those who worship them are put to confusion 26 because, if they fall to the ground, the worshipers must raise them up. They neither move of themselves if one sets them upright, nor come upright if they fall; but one puts gifts beside them as beside the dead. 27 Their priests resell their sacrifices for their own advantage. Even their wives cure parts of the meat, but do not share it with the poor and the weak; 人给它们献的牺牲，司祭却加以变卖，从中取利；司祭的妻室亦照样腌存一些祭品，也不施舍给贫苦和残疾的人； 28 the menstruous and women in childbed handle their sacrifices. Knowing from this that they are not gods, do not fear them. 甚至在经期和将分娩的妇女，都敢触摸献给它们的祭品： 由此可知它们并不是神，不应害怕。 29 How can they be called gods? For women bring the offerings to these gods of silver and gold and wood; 实在，它们怎么能称为神呢？连妇女也敢给这些金、银、木制神像献祭。 30 and in their temples the priests squat with torn tunic and with shaven hair and beard, and with their heads uncovered. 在庙里，司祭穿著破裂的袈裟，剃去了须发，光头坐着； 31 They shout and wail before their gods as others do at a funeral banquet. 或在神像前狂呼乱叫，好象参加丧宴的人一样； 32 The priests take some of their clothing and put it on their wives and children. 又脱掉神像的衣服，给自己的妻子儿女穿。 33 Whether they are treated well or ill by anyone, they cannot requite it; they can neither set up a king nor remove him. 人们待神像好坏，它们都不能回报；不能委任或废除君王， 34 Similarly, they cannot give anyone riches or coppers; if one fails to fulfill a vow to them, they cannot exact it of him. 也不能赐人财帛银钱；人若许愿而不实践，它们也不能追索； 35 They neither save a man from death, nor deliver the weak from the strong. 不能救人不死，也不能由强者手中抢救弱者； 36 To no blind man do they restore his sight, nor do they save any man in an emergency. 37 They neither pity the widow nor benefit the orphan. 不知怜恤寡妇，也不知加惠孤儿： 38 These gilded and silvered wooden statues are like stones from the mountains; and their worshipers will be put to shame. 39 How then can it be thought or claimed that they are gods? 既然这样，人又怎能相信，或称呼它们为神呢？ 40 Even the Chaldeans themselves have no respect for them; for when they see a deaf mute, incapable of speech, they bring forward Bel and ask the god to make noise, as though the man could understand; 连加色丁人也不尊敬它们；几时看见一个不能说话的哑吧，就领他到贝耳面前，求赐说话奇恩，好象它能垂听一样。 41 and they are themselves unable to reflect and abandon these gods, for they have no sense. 他们明知不能，却不能离弃这些神祇，因为他们都愚昧无知。 42 And their women, girt with cords, sit by the roads, burning chaff for incense; 妇女们身上系上绳索，坐在路旁，烧麦糠为香； 43 and whenever one of them is drawn aside by some passer-by who lies with her, she mocks her neighbor who has not been dignified as she has, and has not had her cord broken. 若其中一个被一过路男人带去，与她同睡，她就笑骂自己的同伴不如自己有身价，因为她的带子还没有扯断。 44 All that takes place around these gods is a fraud: how then can it be thought or claimed that they are gods? 对这些神像做的一切，无不荒唐，既然这样，人又怎能相信，或称呼它们为神呢？ 45 They are produced by woodworkers and goldsmiths, and they are nothing else than what these craftsmen wish them to be. 它们全是由木匠和金匠制成的，不能是别的，只能是这些匠人愿做成的物品。 46 Even those who produce them are not long-lived; 47 how then can what they have produced be gods? They have left frauds and opprobrium to their successors. 他们制造的作品，又怎能是神呢？ 只不过给自己的后代，留下欺骗和羞辱， 48 For when war or disaster comes upon them, the priests deliberate among themselves where they can hide with them. 因为几时民间有了战争或灾难，司祭们就彼此商议何处能同这些神像一起隐藏。 49 How then can one not know that these are no-gods, which do not save themselves either from war or from disaster? 50 They are wooden, gilded and silvered; they will later be known for frauds. To all peoples and kings it will be clear that they are not gods, but human handiwork; and that God's work is not in them. 由此可知：这些包金包银和木制的神像，只不过是伪造，万民和君王都清楚知道它们不是神明，只不过是人手的作品，没有一点神明的作为？ 51 Who does not know that they are not gods? 如此还有谁不知道它们不是神明呢？ 52 They set no king over the land, nor do they give men rain. 它们不能给一地方建立君王，不能给人兴云降雨； 53 They neither vindicate their own rights, nor do they recover what is unjustly taken, for they are unable; 不能为人决狱断案，不能救护受迫害的人，因为它们毫无能力， 54 they are like crows between heaven and earth. For when fire breaks out in the temple of these wooden or gilded or silvered gods, though the priests flee and are safe, they themselves are burnt up in the fire like beams. 犹如飞翔天地间的乌鸦。 几时这些包金包银和木制的神像的庙里起了火，司祭们都各自逃命，它们只有像栋梁一样，被火烧毁。 55 They cannot resist a king, or enemy forces. 他们既不能抵抗君王和仇敌， 56 How then can it be admitted or thought that they are gods? are safe from neither thieves nor bandits, these wooden and silvered and gilded gods; 人怎么还能承认，或相信它们是神呢？这些包金包银和木制的神像，不能救自己脱免强盗和匪徒； 57 those who seize them strip off the gold and the silver, and go away with the clothing that was on them, and they cannot help themselves. 比它们更有力的人夺去了它们的金银，和它们穿的衣服以后，安然离去，它们竟不能自助自救。 58 How much better to be a king displaying his valor, or a handy tool in a house, the joy of its owner, than these false gods; or the door of a house, that keeps safe those who are within, rather than these false gods; or a wooden post in a palace, rather than these false gods! 59 The sun and moon and stars are bright, and obedient in the service for which they are sent. 太阳、月亮和星辰放出光明，执行自己的职务，无不从命； 60 Likewise the lightning, when it flashes, is a goodly sight; and the same wind blows over all the land. 61 The clouds, too, when commanded by God to proceed across the whole world, fulfill the order; 云彩一奉天主的命，即飞游全球，执行使命； 62 and fire, sent from on high to burn up the mountains and the forests, does what has been commanded. But these false gods are not their equal, whether in beauty or in power; 63 so that it is unthinkable, and cannot be claimed, that they are gods. They can neither execute judgment, nor benefit man. 为此，人不应相信或称呼它们为神，因为它们不能施行审判，也不能施惠于人。 64 Know, therefore, that they are not gods, and do not fear them. 因此，该知道它们并不是神，不应害怕。 65 Kings they neither curse nor bless. 66 They show the nations no signs in the heavens, nor are they brilliant like the sun, nor shining like the moon. 不能给万民显示天上的奇迹，也不能像太阳一般辉耀像月亮一般光明。 67 The beasts which can help themselves by fleeing to shelter are better than they are. 它们竟连走兽也不如，因为走兽还能逃到安身的地区，营救自己。 68 Thus in no way is it clear to us that they are gods; so do not fear them. 不论在任何情形下，我们都清楚看出：它们不是神，所以你们不应害怕！ 69 For like a scarecrow in a cucumber patch, that is no protection, are their wooden, gilded, silvered gods. 就如一个稻草人在瓜果园内，不能看守什么；这些包金包银和木制的神也是如此。 70 Just like a thornbush in a garden on which perches every kind of bird, or like a corpse hurled into darkness, are their silvered and gilded wooden gods. 此外，这些包金包银和木制的神，彷佛园中任各种飞鸟栖息的荆棘丛，又彷佛被人拋弃在暗处的死尸； 71 From the rotting of the purple and the linen upon them, it can be known that they are not gods; they themselves will in the end be comsumed, and be a disgrace in the land. 从它们身上那腐烂了的紫锦和麻衣，你们便可以知道它们并不是神；最后连它们自己也要被虫吃尽，成为地上的耻辱。 72 The better for the just man who has no idols: he shall be far from disgrace! 故此还是没有偶像的义人好，耻辱决来不到他身上！ |
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