今日讀經

在窯匠的家裡

¹耶和華的話臨到耶利米說：This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

²「你起來，下到窯匠的家裡去，我在那裡要使你聽我的話。」“Go down at once to the potter’s house, and there I will give you My message.”

³我就下到窯匠的家裡去，正遇他轉輪做器皿。So I went down to the potter’s house and saw him working at the wheel.

⁴窯匠用泥做的器皿，在他手中做壞了，他又用這泥另做別的器皿；窯匠看怎樣好，就怎樣做。But the vessel that he was shaping from the clay became flawed in his hand; so he formed it into another vessel, as it seemed best for him to do.

⁵耶和華的話就臨到我說：Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

⁶耶和華說：「以色列家啊，我待你們，豈不能照這窯匠弄泥嗎？以色列家啊，泥在窯匠的手中怎樣，你們在我的手中也怎樣。“O house of Israel, declares the LORD, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay? Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.

國若回頭，神就後悔

⁷我何時論到一邦或一國說，要拔出、拆毀、毀壞；At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.

⁸我所說的那一邦，若是轉意離開他們的惡，我就必後悔，不將我想要施行的災禍降與他們。But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring.

⁹我何時論到一邦或一國說，要建立、栽植；And if at another time I announce that I will build up and establish a nation or kingdom,

¹⁰他們若行我眼中看為惡的事，不聽從我的話，我就必後悔，不將我所說的福氣賜給他們。and if it does evil in My sight and does not listen to My voice, then I will relent of the good I had intended for it.

百姓說：這是枉然

¹¹現在你要對猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民說：『耶和華如此說：我造出災禍攻擊你們，定意刑罰你們。你們各人當回頭離開所行的惡道，改正你們的行動作為。』Now therefore, tell the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I am planning a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways, and correct your ways and deeds.’

¹²「他們卻說：『這是枉然。我們要照自己的計謀去行。』各人隨自己頑梗的惡心做事。」But they will reply, ‘It is hopeless. We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

百姓竟忘記神

¹³所以，耶和華如此說：你們且往各國訪問，有誰聽見這樣的事？以色列民（原文是處女）行了一件極可憎惡的事。Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Inquire among the nations: Who has ever heard things like these? Virgin Israel has done a most terrible thing.

¹⁴黎巴嫩的雪從田野的磐石上豈能斷絕呢？從遠處流下的涼水豈能乾涸呢？Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave its rocky slopes? Or do its cool waters flowing from a distance ever run dry?

¹⁵我的百姓竟忘記我，向假神燒香，使他們在所行的路上，在古道上絆跌，使他們行沒有修築的斜路，Yet My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their ways, leaving the ancient roads to walk on rutted bypaths instead of on the highway.

¹⁶以致他們的地令人驚駭，常常嗤笑；凡經過這地的必驚駭搖頭。They have made their land a desolation, a perpetual object of scorn; all who pass by will be appalled and shake their heads.

¹⁷我必在仇敵面前分散他們，好像用東風吹散一樣。遭難的日子，我必以背向他們，不以面向他們。I will scatter them before the enemy like the east wind. I will show them My back and not My face in the day of their calamity.”

設計謀害耶利米

¹⁸他們就說：「來吧！我們可以設計謀害耶利米；因為我們有祭司講律法，智慧人設謀略，先知說預言，都不能斷絕。來吧！我們可以用舌頭擊打他，不要理會他的一切話。」Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”

耶利米求神伸冤

¹⁹耶和華啊，求你理會我，且聽那些與我爭競之人的話。Attend to me, O LORD. Hear what my accusers are saying!

²⁰豈可以惡報善呢？他們竟挖坑要害我的性命！求你記念我怎樣站在你面前為他們代求，要使你的忿怒向他們轉消。Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before You to speak good on their behalf, to turn Your wrath from them.

²¹故此，願你將他們的兒女交與饑荒和刀劍；願他們的妻無子，且作寡婦；又願他們的男人被死亡所滅，他們的少年人在陣上被刀擊殺。Therefore, hand their children over to famine; pour out the power of the sword upon them. Let their wives become childless and widowed; let their husbands be slain by disease, their young men struck down by the sword in battle.

²²你使敵軍忽然臨到他們的時候，願人聽見哀聲從他們的屋內發出；因他們挖坑要捉拿我，暗設網羅要絆我的腳。Let a cry be heard from their houses when You suddenly bring raiders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet.

²³耶和華啊，他們要殺我的那一切計謀，你都知道。不要赦免他們的罪孽，也不要從你面前塗抹他們的罪惡，要叫他們在你面前跌倒；願你發怒的時候罰辦他們。But You, O LORD, know all their deadly plots against me. Do not wipe out their guilt or blot out their sin from Your sight. Let them be overthrown before You; deal with them in the time of Your anger.

帶著瓦瓶到欣嫩子谷

¹耶和華如此說：「你去買窯匠的瓦瓶，又帶百姓中的長老和祭司中的長老，This is what the LORD says: “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take some of the elders of the people and leaders of the priests,

²出去到欣嫩子谷、哈珥西（就是瓦片的意思）的門口那裡，宣告我所吩咐你的話，and go out to the Valley of Ben-hinnom near the entrance of the Potsherd Gate. Proclaim there the words I speak to you,

³說：『猶大君王和耶路撒冷的居民哪，當聽耶和華的話。萬軍之耶和華─以色列的　神如此說：我必使災禍臨到這地方，凡聽見的人都必耳鳴；saying, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and residents of Jerusalem. This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on this place that the ears of all who hear of it will ring,

⁴因為他們和他們列祖，並猶大君王離棄我，將這地方看為平常，在這裡向素不認識的別神燒香，又使這地方滿了無辜人的血，because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in this place to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

⁵又建築巴力的邱壇，好在火中焚燒自己的兒子，作為燔祭獻給巴力。這不是我所吩咐的，不是我所提說的，也不是我心所起的意。They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I never commanded or mentioned, nor did it even enter My mind.

⁶耶和華說：因此，日子將到，這地方不再稱為陀斐特和欣嫩子谷，反倒稱為殺戮谷。So behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when this place will no longer be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben-hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter.

⁷我必在這地方使猶大和耶路撒冷的計謀落空，也必使他們在仇敵面前倒於刀下，並尋索其命的人手下。他們的屍首，我必給空中的飛鳥和地上的野獸作食物。And in this place I will ruin the plans of Judah and Jerusalem. I will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, by the hands of those who seek their lives, and I will give their carcasses as food to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.

相關經文 ›

⁸我必使這城令人驚駭嗤笑；凡經過的人，必因這城所遭的災驚駭嗤笑。I will make this city a desolation and an object of scorn. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.

⁹我必使他們在圍困窘迫之中，就是仇敵和尋索其命的人窘迫他們的時候，各人吃自己兒女的肉和朋友的肉。』I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives.’

打碎瓦瓶

¹⁰「你要在同去的人眼前打碎那瓶，Then you are to shatter the jar in the presence of the men who accompany you,

¹¹對他們說：『萬軍之耶和華如此說：我要照樣打碎這民和這城，正如人打碎窯匠的瓦器，以致不能再囫圇。並且人要在陀斐特葬埋屍首，甚至無處可葬。and you are to proclaim to them that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I will shatter this nation and this city, like one shatters a potter’s jar that can never again be repaired. They will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no more room to bury them.

¹²耶和華說：我必向這地方和其中的居民如此行，使這城與陀斐特一樣。This is what I will do to this place and to its residents, declares the LORD. I will make this city like Topheth.

¹³耶路撒冷的房屋和猶大君王的宮殿是已經被玷污的，就是他們在其上向天上的萬象燒香、向別神澆奠祭的宮殿房屋，都必與陀斐特一樣。』」The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like that place, Topheth—all the houses on whose rooftops they burned incense to all the host of heaven and poured out drink offerings to other gods.”

在聖殿院中宣告

¹⁴耶利米從陀斐特─就是耶和華差他去說預言的地方─回來，站在耶和華殿的院中，對眾人說：Then Jeremiah returned from Topheth, where the LORD had sent him to prophesy, and he stood in the courtyard of the house of the LORD and proclaimed to all the people,

¹⁵「萬軍之耶和華─以色列的　神如此說：我必使我所說的一切災禍臨到這城和屬城的一切城邑，因為他們硬著頸項不聽我的話。」“This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I am about to bring on this city and on all the villages around it every disaster I have pronounced against them, because they have stiffened their necks so as not to heed My words.’”

巴施戶珥把耶利米上枷

¹祭司音麥的兒子巴施戶珥作耶和華殿的總管，聽見耶利米預言這些事，When Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer and the chief official in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things,

²他就打先知耶利米，用耶和華殿裡便雅憫高門內的枷，將他枷在那裡。he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.

³次日，巴施戶珥將耶利米開枷釋放。於是耶利米對他說：「耶和華不是叫你的名為巴施戶珥，乃是叫你瑪歌珥‧米撒畢（就是四面驚嚇的意思），The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “The LORD does not call you Pashhur, but Magor-missabib.

⁴因耶和華如此說：『我必使你自覺驚嚇，你也必使眾朋友驚嚇；他們必倒在仇敵的刀下，你也必親眼看見；我必將猶大人全交在巴比倫王的手中，他要將他們擄到巴比倫去，也要用刀將他們殺戮。For this is what the LORD says: ‘I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They will fall by the sword of their enemies before your very eyes. And I will hand Judah over to the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away to Babylon and put them to the sword.

⁵並且我要將這城中的一切貨財和勞碌得來的，並一切珍寶，以及猶大君王所有的寶物，都交在他們仇敵的手中；仇敵要當作掠物帶到巴比倫去。I will give away all the wealth of this city—all its products and valuables, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah—to their enemies. They will plunder them, seize them, and carry them off to Babylon.

⁶你這巴施戶珥和一切住在你家中的人都必被擄去；你和你的眾朋友，就是你向他們說假預言的，都必到巴比倫去，要死在那裡，葬在那裡。』」And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, will go into captivity. You will go to Babylon, and there you will die and be buried—you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied these lies.’”

燒著的火閉塞在骨中

⁷耶和華啊，你曾勸導我，我也聽了你的勸導。你比我有力量，且勝了我。我終日成為笑話，人人都戲弄我。You have deceived me, O LORD, and I was deceived. You have overcome me and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me.

⁸我每逢講論的時候，就發出哀聲，我喊叫說：有強暴和毀滅！因為耶和華的話終日成了我的凌辱、譏刺。For whenever I speak, I cry out; I proclaim violence and destruction. For the word of the LORD has become to me a reproach and derision all day long.

⁹我若說：我不再提耶和華，也不再奉他的名講論，我便心裡覺得似乎有燒著的火閉塞在我骨中，我就含忍不住，不能自禁。If I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.

¹⁰我聽見了許多人的讒謗，四圍都是驚嚇；就是我知己的朋友也都窺探我，願我跌倒，說：告他吧，我們也要告他！或者他被引誘，我們就能勝他，在他身上報仇。For I have heard the whispering of many: “Terror is on every side! Report him; let us report him!” All my trusted friends watch for my fall: “Perhaps he will be deceived so that we may prevail against him and take our vengeance upon him.”

耶和華像甚可怕的勇士

¹¹然而，耶和華與我同在，好像甚可怕的勇士。因此，逼迫我的必都絆跌，不能得勝；他們必大大蒙羞，就是受永不忘記的羞辱，因為他們行事沒有智慧。But the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior. Therefore, my persecutors will stumble and will not prevail. Since they have not succeeded, they will be utterly put to shame, with an everlasting disgrace that will never be forgotten.

¹²試驗義人、察看人肺腑心腸的萬軍之耶和華啊，求你容我見你在他們身上報仇，因我將我的案件向你稟明了。O LORD of Hosts, who examines the righteous, who sees the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause.

¹³你們要向耶和華唱歌；讚美耶和華！因他救了窮人的性命脫離惡人的手。Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD! For He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of evildoers.

願我生的那日受咒詛

¹⁴願我生的那日受咒詛；願我母親產我的那日不蒙福！Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me never be blessed.

¹⁵給我父親報信說「你得了兒子」，使我父親甚歡喜的，願那人受咒詛。Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, saying, “A son is born to you,” bringing him great joy.

¹⁶願那人像耶和華所傾覆而不後悔的城邑；願他早晨聽見哀聲，晌午聽見吶喊；May that man be like the cities that the LORD overthrew without compassion. May he hear an outcry in the morning and a battle cry at noon,

¹⁷因他在我未出胎的時候不殺我，使我母親成了我的墳墓，胎就時常重大。because he did not kill me in the womb so that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb forever enlarged.

¹⁸我為何出胎見勞碌愁苦，使我的年日因羞愧消滅呢？Why did I come out of the womb to see only trouble and sorrow, and to end my days in shame?

待人如待家人

¹不可嚴責老年人，只要勸他如同父親；勸少年人如同弟兄；Do not rebuke an older man, but appeal to him as to a father. Treat younger men as brothers,

²勸老年婦女如同母親；勸少年婦女如同姊妹；總要清清潔潔的。older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

尊敬真為寡婦的

³要尊敬那真為寡婦的。Honor the widows who are truly widows.

⁴若寡婦有兒女，或有孫子孫女，便叫他們先在自己家中學著行孝，報答親恩，因為這在　神面前是可悅納的。But if a widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to show godliness to their own family and repay their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.

⁵那獨居無靠、真為寡婦的，是仰賴　神，晝夜不住地祈求禱告。The widow who is truly in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers.

⁶但那好宴樂的寡婦正活著的時候也是死的。But she who lives for pleasure is dead even while she is still alive.

⁷這些事你要囑咐她們，叫她們無可指責。Give these instructions to the believers, so that they will be above reproach.

⁸人若不看顧親屬，就是背了真道，比不信的人還不好，不看顧自己家裡的人，更是如此。If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

記在冊子上的寡婦

⁹寡婦記在冊子上，必須年紀到六十歲，從來只作一個丈夫的妻子，A widow should be enrolled if she is at least sixty years old, faithful to her husband,

¹⁰又有行善的名聲，就如養育兒女，接待遠人，洗聖徒的腳，救濟遭難的人，竭力行各樣善事。and well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work.

年輕的寡婦

¹¹至於年輕的寡婦，就可以辭她；因為她們的情慾發動，違背基督的時候就想要嫁人。But refuse to enroll younger widows. For when their passions draw them away from Christ, they will want to marry,

¹²她們被定罪，是因廢棄了當初所許的願；and thus will incur judgment because they are setting aside their first faith.

¹³並且她們又習慣懶惰，挨家閒遊；不但是懶惰，又說長道短，好管閒事，說些不當說的話。At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.

¹⁴所以我願意年輕的寡婦嫁人，生養兒女，治理家務，不給敵人辱罵的把柄。So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander.

¹⁵因為已經有轉去隨從撒但的。For some have already turned aside to follow Satan.

¹⁶信主的婦女，若家中有寡婦，自己就當救濟她們，不可累著教會，好使教會能救濟那真無倚靠的寡婦。If any believing woman has dependent widows, she must assist them and not allow the church to be burdened, so that it can help the widows who are truly in need.

敬重善於管理的長老

¹⁷那善於管理教會的長老，當以為配受加倍的敬奉；那勞苦傳道教導人的，更當如此。Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

¹⁸因為經上說：「牛在場上踹穀的時候，不可籠住牠的嘴」；又說：「工人得工價是應當的。」For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”

相關經文 ›

控告長老要有見證

¹⁹控告長老的呈子，非有兩三個見證就不要收。Do not entertain an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

²⁰犯罪的人，當在眾人面前責備他，叫其餘的人也可以懼怕。But those who persist in sin should be rebuked in front of everyone, so that the others will stand in fear of sin.

不可存成見

²¹我在　神和基督耶穌並蒙揀選的天使面前囑咐你：要遵守這些話，不可存成見，行事也不可有偏心。I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality.

²²給人行按手的禮，不可急促；不要在別人的罪上有分，要保守自己清潔。Do not be too quick in the laying on of hands and thereby share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

稍微用點酒

²³因你胃口不清，屢次患病，再不要照常喝水，可以稍微用點酒。Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

罪與善行終必顯明

²⁴有些人的罪是明顯的，如同先到審判案前；有些人的罪是隨後跟了去的。The sins of some men are obvious, going ahead of them to judgment; but the sins of others do not surface until later.

²⁵這樣，善行也有明顯的，那不明顯的也不能隱藏。In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even the ones that are inconspicuous cannot remain hidden.