今日讀經

乾旱之災

¹耶和華論到乾旱之災的話臨到耶利米：This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:

²猶大悲哀，城門衰敗。眾人披上黑衣坐在地上；耶路撒冷的哀聲上達。“Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.

³他們的貴冑打發家僮打水；他們來到水池，見沒有水，就拿著空器皿，蒙羞慚愧，抱頭而回。The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads.

⁴耕地的也蒙羞抱頭；因為無雨降在地上，地都乾裂。The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.

⁵田野的母鹿生下小鹿，就撇棄，因為無草。Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.

⁶野驢站在淨光的高處，喘氣好像野狗；因為無草，眼目失明。Wild donkeys stand on barren heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of pasture.”

求你為你名的緣故行事

⁷耶和華啊，我們的罪孽雖然作見證告我們，還求你為你名的緣故行事。我們本是多次背道，得罪了你。Although our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, act for the sake of Your name. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against You.

⁸以色列所盼望、在患難時作他救主的啊，你為何在這地像寄居的，又像行路的只住一宵呢？O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are You like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays but a night?

⁹你為何像受驚的人，像不能救人的勇士呢？耶和華啊，你仍在我們中間；我們也稱為你名下的人，求你不要離開我們。Why are You like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? Yet You are among us, O LORD, and we are called by Your name. Do not forsake us!

神不悅納這百姓

¹⁰耶和華對這百姓如此說：這百姓喜愛妄行（原文是飄流），不禁止腳步，所以耶和華不悅納他們。現今要記念他們的罪孽，追討他們的罪惡。This is what the LORD says about this people: “Truly they love to wander; they have not restrained their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; He will now remember their iniquity and punish them for their sins.”

¹¹耶和華又對我說：「不要為這百姓祈禱求好處。Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people.

¹²他們禁食的時候，我不聽他們的呼求；他們獻燔祭和素祭，我也不悅納；我卻要用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫滅絕他們。」Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”

揭穿假先知

¹³我就說：「唉！主耶和華啊，那些先知常對他們說：『你們必不看見刀劍，也不遭遇饑荒；耶和華要在這地方賜你們長久的平安。』」“Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”

¹⁴耶和華對我說：「那些先知託我的名說假預言，我並沒有打發他們，沒有吩咐他們，也沒有對他們說話；他們向你們預言的，乃是虛假的異象和占卜，並虛無的事，以及本心的詭詐。“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.

¹⁵所以耶和華如此說：論到託我名說預言的那些先知，我並沒有打發他們；他們還說這地不能有刀劍饑荒，其實那些先知必被刀劍饑荒滅絕。Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end!

¹⁶聽他們說預言的百姓必因饑荒刀劍拋在耶路撒冷的街道上，無人葬埋。他們連妻子帶兒女，都是如此。我必將他們的惡倒在他們身上（或譯：我必使他們罪惡的報應臨到他們身上）。」And the people to whom they prophesy will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil upon them.

願我眼淚汪汪

¹⁷你要將這話對他們說：願我眼淚汪汪，晝夜不息，因為我百姓（原文是民的處女）受了裂口破壞的大傷。You are to speak this word to them: ‘My eyes overflow with tears; day and night they do not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow, a severely grievous wound.

¹⁸我若出往田間，就見有被刀殺的；我若進入城內，就見有因饑荒患病的；連先知帶祭司在國中往來，也是毫無知識（或譯：不知怎樣才好）。If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’”

你全然棄掉猶大嗎

¹⁹你全然棄掉猶大嗎？你心厭惡錫安嗎？為何擊打我們，以致無法醫治呢？我們指望平安，卻得不著好處；指望痊癒，不料，受了驚惶。Have You rejected Judah completely? Do You despise Zion? Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We hoped for peace, but no good has come, and for the time of healing, but there was only terror.

相關經文 ›

²⁰耶和華啊，我們承認自己的罪惡，和我們列祖的罪孽，因我們得罪了你。We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.

²¹求你為你名的緣故，不厭惡我們，不辱沒你榮耀的寶座。求你追念，不要背了與我們所立的約。For the sake of Your name do not despise us; do not disgrace Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us; do not break it.

²²外邦人虛無的神中有能降雨的嗎？天能自降甘霖嗎？耶和華─我們的　神啊，能如此的不是你嗎？所以，我們仍要等候你，因為這一切都是你所造的。Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.

就是摩西和撒母耳代求

¹耶和華對我說：「雖有摩西和撒母耳站在我面前代求，我的心也不顧惜這百姓。你將他們從我眼前趕出，叫他們去吧！Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go!

²他們問你說：『我們往哪裡去呢？』你便告訴他們，耶和華如此說：定為死亡的，必致死亡；定為刀殺的，必交刀殺；定為饑荒的，必遭饑荒；定為擄掠的，必被擄掠。」If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’

³耶和華說：「我命定四樣害他們，就是刀劍殺戮、狗類撕裂、空中的飛鳥，和地上的野獸吞吃毀滅；I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

⁴又必使他們在天下萬國中拋來拋去，都因猶大王希西家的兒子瑪拿西在耶路撒冷所行的事。」I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.

誰可憐耶路撒冷

⁵耶路撒冷啊，誰可憐你呢？誰為你悲傷呢？誰轉身問你的安呢？Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

⁶耶和華說：你棄絕了我，轉身退後；因此我伸手攻擊你，毀壞你。我後悔甚不耐煩。You have forsaken Me, declares the LORD. You have turned your back. So I will stretch out My hand against you and I will destroy you; I am weary of showing compassion.

⁷我在境內各城門口（或譯：我在這地邊界的關口），用簸箕簸了我的百姓，使他們喪掉兒女。我毀滅他們，他們仍不轉離所行的道。I will scatter them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land. I will bereave and destroy My people who have not turned from their ways.

⁸他們的寡婦在我面前比海沙更多；我使滅命的午間來，攻擊少年人的母親，使痛苦驚嚇忽然臨到她身上。I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. I will bring a destroyer at noon against the mothers of young men. I will suddenly bring upon them anguish and dismay.

⁹生過七子的婦人力衰氣絕；尚在白晝，日頭忽落；她抱愧蒙羞。其餘的人，我必在他們敵人跟前，交與刀劍。這是耶和華說的。The mother of seven will grow faint; she will breathe her last breath. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. And the rest I will put to the sword in the presence of their enemies,” declares the LORD.

耶利米的哀嘆

¹⁰我的母親哪，我有禍了！因你生我作為遍地相爭相競的人。我素來沒有借貸與人，人也沒有借貸與我，人人卻都咒罵我。Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife and conflict in all the land. I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.

¹¹耶和華說：「我必要堅固你，使你得好處。災禍苦難臨到的時候，我必要使仇敵央求你。The LORD said: “Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will intercede with your enemy in your time of trouble, in your time of distress.

¹²（人豈能將銅與鐵，就是北方的鐵折斷呢？）Can anyone smash iron—iron from the north—or bronze?

¹³「我必因你在四境之內所犯的一切罪，把你的貨物財寶當掠物，白白地交給仇敵。Your wealth and your treasures I will give up as plunder, without charge for all your sins within all your borders.

¹⁴我也必使仇敵帶這掠物到你所不認識的地去，因我怒中起的火要將你們焚燒。」Then I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for My anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you.”

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得著你的言語就當食物吃

¹⁵耶和華啊，你是知道的；求你記念我，眷顧我，向逼迫我的人為我報仇；不要向他們忍怒取我的命，要知道我為你的緣故受了凌辱。You understand, O LORD; remember me and attend to me. Avenge me against my persecutors. In Your patience, do not take me away. Know that I endure reproach for Your honor.

¹⁶耶和華─萬軍之　神啊，我得著你的言語就當食物吃了；你的言語是我心中的歡喜快樂，因我是稱為你名下的人。Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.

¹⁷我沒有坐在宴樂人的會中，也沒有歡樂；我因你的感動（原文是手）獨自靜坐，因你使我滿心憤恨。I never sat with the band of revelers, nor did I celebrate with them. Because Your hand was on me, I sat alone, for You have filled me with indignation.

¹⁸我的痛苦為何長久不止呢？我的傷痕為何無法醫治、不能痊癒呢？難道你待我有詭詐，像流乾的河道嗎？Why is my pain unending, and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You have indeed become like a mirage to me—water that is not there.

你若歸回，可以當作我的口

¹⁹耶和華如此說：你若歸回，我就將你再帶來，使你站在我面前；你若將寶貴的和下賤的分別出來，你就可以當作我的口。他們必歸向你，你卻不可歸向他們。Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you return, I will restore you; you will stand in My presence. And if you speak words that are noble instead of worthless, you will be My spokesman. It is they who must turn to you, but you must not turn to them.

²⁰我必使你向這百姓成為堅固的銅牆；他們必攻擊你，卻不能勝你；因我與你同在，要拯救你，搭救你。這是耶和華說的。Then I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to save and deliver you, declares the LORD.

²¹我必搭救你脫離惡人的手，救贖你脫離強暴人的手。I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”

監督的資格

¹「人若想要得監督的職分，就是羨慕善工。」這話是可信的。This is a trustworthy saying: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble task.

²作監督的，必須無可指責，只作一個婦人的丈夫，有節制，自守，端正，樂意接待遠人，善於教導；An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

³不因酒滋事，不打人，只要溫和，不爭競，不貪財；not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money.

好好管理自己的家

⁴好好管理自己的家，使兒女凡事端莊順服（或譯：端端莊莊地使兒女順服）。An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.

⁵人若不知道管理自己的家，焉能照管　神的教會呢？For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?

⁶初入教的不可作監督，恐怕他自高自大，就落在魔鬼所受的刑罰裡。He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.

⁷監督也必須在教外有好名聲，恐怕被人毀謗，落在魔鬼的網羅裡。Furthermore, he must have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil.

執事的資格

⁸作執事的，也是如此：必須端莊，不一口兩舌，不好喝酒，不貪不義之財；Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.

⁹要存清潔的良心，固守真道的奧祕。They must hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

¹⁰這等人也要先受試驗，若沒有可責之處，然後叫他們作執事。Additionally, they must first be tested. Then, if they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons.

女執事也是如此

¹¹女執事（原文是女人）也是如此：必須端莊，不說讒言，有節制，凡事忠心。In the same way, the women must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things.

¹²執事只要作一個婦人的丈夫，好好管理兒女和自己的家。A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household.

¹³因為善作執事的，自己就得到美好的地步，並且在基督耶穌裡的真道上大有膽量。For those who have served well as deacons acquire for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

在神的家中當怎樣行

¹⁴我指望快到你那裡去，所以先將這些事寫給你。Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these things

¹⁵倘若我耽延日久，你也可以知道在　神的家中當怎樣行。這家就是永生　神的教會，真理的柱石和根基。in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

大哉，敬虔的奧祕

¹⁶大哉，敬虔的奧祕，無人不以為然！就是　神在肉身顯現，被聖靈稱義（或譯：在靈性稱義），被天使看見，被傳於外邦，被世人信服，被接在榮耀裡。By common confession, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, was taken up in glory.