What is this?” asks the Lord.“ Why are my people enslaved again? Those who rule them shout in exultation. My name is blasphemed all day long.

耶和华说：我的百姓既是无价被掳去，如今我在这里做什么呢？耶和华说：辖制他们的人呼叫，我的名整天受亵渎。

我的百姓既是白白地被掳，如今我在这里做什么呢？这是耶和华说的。辖制他们的人欢呼，我的名终日不断受亵渎，这是耶和华说的。

我的百姓既是白白地被掳，如今我在这里做什么呢？这是耶和华说的。辖制他们的人欢呼，我的名终日不断受亵渎，这是耶和华说的。

耶和华说：“我这里还有什么呢？我的子民白白地被掳去，辖制他们的人咆哮大叫，我的名整天被亵渎。

现在我在这里作什么呢？”耶和华说：“我的子民毫无代价被取去；统治他们的人大肆咆哮。”耶和华说：“我的名终日不住被藐视。

现在这情形对我有什么意义！”这是耶和华的宣告。“我的子民被人无偿地带走；管辖他们的人在号叫；我的名终日不断地被藐视。”这是耶和华的宣告。

耶和華說：我的百姓既是無價被擄去，如今我在這裏做甚麼呢？耶和華說：轄制他們的人呼叫，我的名整天受褻瀆。

我的百姓既是白白地被擄，如今我在這裏做甚麼呢？這是耶和華說的。轄制他們的人歡呼，我的名終日不斷受褻瀆，這是耶和華說的。

我的百姓既是白白地被擄，如今我在這裏做甚麼呢？這是耶和華說的。轄制他們的人歡呼，我的名終日不斷受褻瀆，這是耶和華說的。

耶和華說：「我這裡還有什麼呢？我的子民白白地被擄去，轄制他們的人咆哮大叫，我的名整天被褻瀆。

現在我在這裡作甚麼呢？”耶和華說：“我的子民毫無代價被取去；統治他們的人大肆咆哮。”耶和華說：“我的名終日不住被藐視。

現在呢、我在這裏作甚麼？永恆主說：我的人民無緣無故地被擄，轄制他們的大肆咆哮，我的名終日不斷被藐視！

現在這情形對我有什麼意義！」這是耶和華的宣告。「我的子民被人無償地帶走；管轄他們的人在號叫；我的名終日不斷地被藐視。」這是耶和華的宣告。

耶和華曰、我民既無因而被虜、轄之者譁然而呼、終日恆瀆我名、我將何為乎、

今我民無因見虜、強暴之人、恆凟我名、譁然不靖、我將何以處之。

主曰、今我民無故被擄、轄之者、喜樂陶陶、我名終日恆被褻瀆、我在此徒處何為、

“ And now what do I have here?” declares the Lord.“ For my people have been taken away for nothing, and those who rule them mock,” declares the Lord.“ And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed.

“ Now look at what has happened to them,” announces the Lord.“ Once again my people have been taken away. And no one paid anything for them. Those who rule over them brag about it,” announces the Lord.“ All day long without stopping, people speak evil things against my name.

Now therefore what have I here,” declares the Lord,“ seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers wail,” declares the Lord,“ and continually all the day my name is despised.

So now what have I here”— this is the LORD’s declaration—“ that my people are taken away for nothing? Its rulers wail”— this is the LORD’s declaration—“ and my name is continually blasphemed all day long.

And now, what do I have here,” declares the Lord,“ seeing that My people have been taken away without reason?” Again the Lord declares,“ Those who rule over them howl, and My name is continually reviled all day long.

Now therefore, what have I here,” says the Lord,“ That My people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them Make them wail,” says the Lord,“ And My name is blasphemed continually every day.

Now therefore, what do I here, saith Jehovah, seeing that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them do howl, saith Jehovah, and my name continually all the day is blasphemed.

So now what have I here”— this is the Lord’s declaration—“ that My people are taken away for nothing? Its rulers wail”— this is the Lord’s declaration—“ and My name is continually blasphemed all day long.

Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day[ is] blasphemed.

And now, what do we have here?” says the LORD.“ Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing, those who rule over them taunt,” says the LORD,“ and my name is constantly slandered all day long.

“ Now therefore, what do I do here,” says Yahweh,“ seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them mock,” says Yahweh,“ and my name is blasphemed continually all day long.

No wonder the Scriptures say,“ The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”

But I didn’t do it, for I acted to protect the honor of my name. I would not allow shame to be brought on my name among the surrounding nations who saw me reveal myself by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt.

But when they were scattered among the nations, they brought shame on my holy name. For the nations said,‘ These are the people of the Lord, but he couldn’t keep them safe in his own land!’Then I was concerned for my holy name, on which my people brought shame among the nations.“ Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations.I will show how holy my great name is— the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord.

But again I held back in order to protect the honor of my name before the nations who had seen my power in bringing Israel out of Egypt.

All we hear are the taunts of our mockers. All we see are our vengeful enemies.

Instead, I will hand that cup to your tormentors, those who said,‘ We will trample you into the dust and walk on your backs.’”

Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God.God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

For I was angry with my chosen people and punished them by letting them fall into your hands. But you, Babylon, showed them no mercy. You oppressed even the elderly.

Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem.We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees.

“ Others heard my groans, but no one turned to comfort me. When my enemies heard about my troubles, they were happy to see what you had done. Oh, bring the day you promised, when they will suffer as I have suffered.

How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you? Will you let them dishonor your name forever?

All the strength of Israel vanishes beneath his fierce anger. The Lord has withdrawn his protection as the enemy attacks. He consumes the whole land of Israel like a raging fire.

“ The Israelites are like sheep that have been scattered by lions. First the king of Assyria ate them up. Then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon cracked their bones.”

“ On that day,” says the Lord,“ a cry of alarm will come from the Fish Gate and echo throughout the New Quarter of the city. And a great crash will sound from the hills.

Young men are led away to work at millstones, and boys stagger under heavy loads of wood.The elders no longer sit in the city gates; the young men no longer dance and sing.Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning.

For this is what the Lord says:“ When I sold you into exile, I received no payment. Now I can redeem you without having to pay for you.”

“ But I know you well— where you stay and when you come and go. I know the way you have raged against me.

See how these enemies insult you, Lord. A foolish nation has dishonored your name.

You sold your precious people for a pittance, making nothing on the sale.

So the Egyptians worked the people of Israel without mercy.They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands.Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah:“ When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”

While at Micah’s house, they recognized the young Levite’s accent, so they went over and asked him,“ Who brought you here, and what are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”

“ Who do you think you are, and what are you doing here, building a beautiful tomb for yourself— a monument high up in the rock?

the prophet replied,“ Say to your master,‘ This is what the Lord says: Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against me from the Assyrian king’s messengers.

Arise, O God, and defend your cause. Remember how these fools insult you all day long.Don’t overlook what your enemies have said or their growing uproar.

For your children have fainted and lie in the streets, helpless as antelopes caught in a net. The Lord has poured out his fury; God has rebuked them.

Then the Lord told him,“ I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.