Ba-rúc

1This is the book of God’s commandments and the law that endures forever. All those who hold it fast will live, but those who leave it will die.

2Turn, O Jacob, and take hold of it. Walk towards the shining of its light.

3Don’t give your glory to another, nor the things that are to your advantage to a foreign nation.

4O Israel, we are happy; for the things that are pleasing to God are made known to us.

5Be of good cheer, my people, the memorial of Israel.

6You were not sold to the nations for destruction, but because you moved God to wrath, you were delivered to your adversaries.

7For you provoked him who made you by sacrificing to demons and not to God.

8You forgot the everlasting God who brought you up. You also grieved Jerusalem, who nursed you.

9For she saw the wrath that came upon you from God, and said, “Listen, you who dwell near Zion; for God has brought upon me great mourning.

10For I have seen the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting has brought upon them.

11For with joy I nourished them, but sent them away with weeping and mourning.

12Let no man rejoice over me, a widow and forsaken by many. For the sins of my children, I am left desolate, because they turned away from the law of God

13and had no regard for his statutes. They didn’t walk in the ways of God’s commandments or tread in the paths of discipline in his righteousness.

14Let those who dwell near Zion come and remember the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting has brought upon them.

15For he has brought a nation upon them from afar, a shameless nation with a strange language, who didn’t respect old men or pity children.

16They have carried away the dear beloved sons of the widow, and left her who was alone desolate of her daughters.”

17But I—how can I help you?

18For he who brought these calamities upon you will deliver you from the hand of your enemies.

19Go your way, O my children. Go your way, for I am left desolate.

20I have put off the garment of peace, and put on the sackcloth of my petition. I will cry to the Everlasting as long as I live.

21Take courage, my children. Cry to God, and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemies.

22For I have trusted in the Everlasting, that he will save you; and joy has come to me from the Holy One, because of the mercy that will soon come to you from your Everlasting Saviour.

23For I sent you out with mourning and weeping, but God will give you to me again with joy and gladness forever.

24For as now those who dwell near Zion have seen your captivity, so they will shortly see your salvation from our God which will come upon you with great glory and brightness of the Everlasting.

25My children, suffer patiently the wrath that has come upon you from God, for your enemy has persecuted you; but shortly you will see his destruction and will tread upon their necks.

26My delicate ones have travelled rough roads. They were taken away like a flock carried off by enemies.

27Take courage, my children, and cry to God; for you will be remembered by him who has brought this upon you.

28For as it was your decision to go astray from God, return and seek him ten times more.

29For he who brought these calamities upon you will bring you everlasting joy again with your salvation.

30Take courage, O Jerusalem, for he who called you by name will comfort you.

31Miserable are those who afflicted you and rejoiced at your fall.

32Miserable are the cities which your children served. Miserable is she who received your sons.

33For as she rejoiced at your fall and was glad of your ruin, so she will be grieved at her own desolation.

34And I will take away her pride in her great multitude and her boasting will be turned into mourning.

35For fire will come upon her from the Everlasting for many days; and she will be inhabited by demons for a long time.

36O Jerusalem, look around you towards the east, and behold the joy that comes to you from God.

37Behold, your sons come, whom you sent away. They come gathered together from the east to the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God.

1còn ai lìa bỏ ắt sẽ phải chết.

2mà tiến bước về chốn huy hoàng !

3đặc ân của ngươi, đừng trao cho dân ngoại.

4vì được biết những gì làm đẹp lòng Thiên Chúa !

5Hỡi những kẻ mang danh Ít-ra-en !

6âu cũng vì đã chọc giận Thiên Chúa.

7các ngươi đã khiêu khích Đấng tạo dựng nên mình.

8các ngươi làm cho mẹ phải buồn sầu ;

9Thiên Chúa đã giáng xuống trên tôi một nỗi buồn thê thảm.

10Đấng Vĩnh Hằng giáng xuống trên con trai con gái của tôi.

11nay đành phải buồn sầu ứa lệ để cho chúng ra đi.

12chỉ vì con cái tôi phạm tội, lìa bỏ Lề Luật của Thiên Chúa :

13phù hợp với sự công chính của Thiên Chúa.

14Đấng Vĩnh Hằng giáng xuống trên con trai, con gái của tôi.

15già không nể, trẻ không thương.

16bà chỉ còn trơ trọi một mình, mất luôn cả con gái.

17Các con ơi, làm sao mẹ giúp các con bây giờ ?

18chính Người sẽ cứu các con khỏi tay thù địch.

19Đi đi các con, đi đi thôi, mẹ đành phải ở lại một mình !

20mẹ sẽ gào lên Đấng Vĩnh Hằng.

21khỏi quân bạo tàn, khỏi tay thù địch.

22sắp đem đến cho chúng con.

23mẹ con mình sẽ mãi mãi vui sướng hân hoan.

24Đấng Vĩnh Hằng sẽ ban ơn cứu độ cho chúng con.

25nó sẽ bị ngươi đạp đầu đạp cổ–.

26bị quân thù đánh cướp, bắt đem đi.

27vì Đấng đã giáng hoạ sẽ lại nhớ đến các con.

28các con phải nỗ lực gấp mười mà tìm kiếm Chúa.

29chính Người sẽ giải thoát mà ban cho các con niềm vui vĩnh cửu.

30Đấng đã đặt tên cho ngươi sẽ mang lại cho ngươi niềm an ủi.

31và vui sướng vì ngươi sụp đổ !

32Khốn cho thành cướp đoạt con cái ngươi !

33khi chính nó trở nên đống hoang tàn.

34thì rồi ra phải ủ dột buồn sầu.

35nó sẽ thành sào huyệt của quỷ ma.

36niềm vui Thiên Chúa gửi cho ngươi.

37hân hoan vì được vinh quang Thiên Chúa ở cùng.