旧约 - 耶利米哀歌(Lamentations)第1章

How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!
She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.
Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.
Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.
The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation.
All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and consider; for I am become vile.
Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.
From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.
The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall, the LORD hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.
The LORD hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the LORD hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress.
For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.
Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.
I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.
They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall be like unto me.
Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.
耶利米哀歌第一章   第 1 章 

  哀 1:1> 昔日繁华兴盛,今日满目疮痍,此情此景,怎不令人哀泣…… 

  1:1 这卷书是耶利米为耶路撒冷的灭亡所写的哀歌。整个犹大被彻底地打败,圣殿被摧毁,人民也被巴比伦人俘掳。耶利米为受苦难和被凌辱的人民哭泣,泪水渗透到他的心里。他痛哭是因为神抛弃了那些背弃祂的人民。这哀歌每年都要大声地朗诵给所有的犹太人听,提醒他们,当年耶路撒冷的毁灭就是因为人们固执地犯罪所导致的。 

  哀 1:2> 在你有难时朋友却落井下石,是怪人心诡诈,还是怪自己交友不慎? 

  1:2 句中“亲爱的”是指埃及等一些国家,因为犹大一直盼望他们能施以援手。当巴比伦军队靠近耶路撒冷时,犹大不但不祈求神保护,反而背弃主去求他国的援助。 

  哀 1:9> “不思想自己的结局”,我有没有好好想过呢? 

  1:9 这个警告不仅响亮而且清楚。如果犹大玩火必然自焚,但犹大真的愚蠢地冒险并且输了。他们拒绝相信不道德的生活会导致神的惩罚,但犯罪的最终代价就是受惩罚(参罗 6:23 )。我们可以选择不顾神,但正如审判一定会降临耶路撒冷一样,它也会临到我们身上。你听从神的话吗?服从神就是爱神的表现。 

  哀 1:14> 人到底有没有自由,有?没有?好像…… 

  1:14 起初,罪恶似乎提供了许多自由,但当我们自由地做我们想做的事,并逐渐形成一种非做不可的欲望时,我们就成为罪的俘虏,受它的牵制。自由是从神而来,所以祂不会让我们为所欲为,而是让我们做对我们有益的事。事实上,真正的自由是从顺服神而来的,也许从字面上我们不甚理解,但如果我们按照祂的指示而行,必有好的结果。 

  哀 1:16> 连神都不来安慰,我千万不要落在这步田地…… 

  1:16 神本是个安慰者,但是由于人的罪行,祂必须转脸成为审判官审判他们。 

  哀 1:19> 有困难时向谁求救?真正能帮助我的是谁? 

  1:19 耶路撒冷的盟国无法帮忙。因为他们跟耶路撒冷一样,都没有寻求神的救援。这些盟国外表上看似很强大,但其实他们因没有神的同在而软弱不堪。可靠的援助只能从那些寻求神的伙伴那里而来。当你需要他人给予忠告时,应去找那些充满神智慧的基督徒。 

  哀 1:22> 对我的仇敌,我可以求神惩罚吗? 

  1:22 巴比伦虽然恶贯满盈,但它却是神惩罚犹大及耶路撒冷的工具。所以耶路撒冷的人民恳求神像惩罚他们一样将巴比伦治罪(“你……怎样待我,求你照样待他们”)。神会那样做的,因为祂已经审判巴比伦了(参耶 50:1-27 )。──《灵修版圣经注释》