“ Not long after that, the younger son packed up all he had. Then he left for a country far away. There he wasted his money on wild living.

过了不多几日，小儿子就把他一切所有的都收拾起来，往远方去了。在那里任意放荡，浪费资财。

过了不多几天，小儿子把他一切所有的都收拾起来，往远方去了。在那里，他任意放荡，浪费钱财。

过了不多几天，小儿子把他一切所有的都收拾起来，往远方去了。在那里，他任意放荡，浪费钱财。

“没过几天，小儿子带着他所有的财物出门远游去了。他终日在外花天酒地，挥金如土，

过了不多几天，小儿子收拾一切，到远方去了，在那里生活放荡，浪费钱财。

没过几天，那小儿子就收拾了一切，往一个遥远的地方去旅行了。他在那里过着放荡的生活，挥霍他的钱财。

過了不多幾日，小兒子就把他一切所有的都收拾起來，往遠方去了。在那裏任意放蕩，浪費資財。

過了不多幾天，小兒子把他一切所有的都收拾起來，往遠方去了。在那裏，他任意放蕩，浪費錢財。

過了不多幾天，小兒子把他一切所有的都收拾起來，往遠方去了。在那裏，他任意放蕩，浪費錢財。

「沒過幾天，小兒子帶著他所有的財物出門遠遊去了。他終日在外花天酒地，揮金如土，

過了不多幾天，小兒子收拾一切，到遠方去了，在那裡生活放蕩，浪費錢財。

過了不多幾日，那小兒子就收集一切，出外往遼遠地區去了；在那裏揮霍資產，浪費地生活。

沒過幾天，那小兒子就收拾了一切，往一個遙遠的地方去旅行了。他在那裡過著放蕩的生活，揮霍他的錢財。

未幾、季子盡挾所有遠遊異地、在彼放恣、浪費其業、

未幾、季子挾貲遠遊異地、在彼無度、蕩費其業、

不多日、季子盡收所有、往遠地、在彼無度、浪費其業、

無何、季挾貲離家、遠遊異域、荒淫無度、

“ Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.

“ A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.

And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his estate in wild living.

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.

Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living.

And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a distant country, and there he squandered his wealth with a wild lifestyle.

Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.

The Lord says,“ What did your people of long ago find wrong with me? Why did they wander so far away from me? They worshiped worthless statues of gods. Then they themselves became worthless.

A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad. But a man who spends time with prostitutes wastes his father’s wealth.

My son, listen and be wise. Set your heart on the right path.Don’t join those who drink too much wine. Don’t join those who stuff themselves with meat.Those who drink or eat too much will become poor. If they sleep too much, they’ll have to wear rags.Listen to your father, who gave you life. Don’t hate your mother when she is old.

Anyone who loves pleasure will become poor. Anyone who loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

A child who understands what is right learns from instruction. But a child who likes to eat too much brings shame on his father.

“ Once there was a rich man. He was dressed in purple cloth and fine linen. He lived an easy life every day.

Jesus told his disciples another story. He said,“ There was a rich man who had a manager. Some said that the manager was wasting what the rich man owned.

You young people, be happy while you are still young. Let your heart be joyful while you are still strong. Do what your heart tells you to do. Go after what your eyes look at. But I want you to know that God will judge you for everything you do.So drive worry out of your heart. Get rid of all your troubles. Being young and strong doesn’t have any meaning.

You have spent enough time in the past doing what ungodly people choose to do. You lived a wild life. You longed for evil things. You got drunk. You went to wild parties. You worshiped statues of gods, which the Lord hates.Ungodly people are surprised that you no longer join them in what they do. They want you to join them in their wild and wasteful living. So they say bad things about you.

But this son of yours wasted your money with some prostitutes. Now he comes home. And for him you kill the fattest calf!’

Let us act as we should, like people living in the daytime. Have nothing to do with wild parties, and don’t get drunk. Don’t take part in sexual sins or evil conduct. Don’t fight with each other or be jealous of anyone.Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ as if he were your clothing. Don’t think about how to satisfy sinful desires.

Instead, you are enjoying yourselves at wild parties! You are killing cattle and sheep. You are eating their meat and drinking wine. You are saying,“ Let’s eat and drink, because tomorrow we’ll die.”

Get out of our way! Get off our path! Keep the Holy One of Israel away from us!’ ”

The Lord says,“ My people, what have I done to you? Have I made things too hard for you? Answer me.

Anyone who doesn’t want to work is like someone who destroys.

Those who don’t want anything to do with you will die. You destroy all those who aren’t faithful to you.

“ Come!” they shout.“ Let’s get some wine! Let’s drink all the beer we can! Tomorrow we’ll do the same thing. And that will be even better than today.”

Haven’t you brought this on yourselves? I am the Lord your God, but you deserted me. You left me even while I was leading you.Why do you go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile River? Why do you go to Assyria to drink from the Euphrates River?You will be punished because you have sinned. You will be corrected for turning away from me. I am the Lord your God. If you desert me, bad things will happen to you. If you do not respect me, you will suffer bitterly. I want you to understand that,” announces the Lord who rules over all.

You are trying to avoid the time when trouble will come. But you are only bringing closer the Assyrian rule of terror.You lie down on beds that are decorated with ivory. You rest on your couches. You eat the best lambs and the fattest calves.You pluck away on your harps as David did. You play new songs on musical instruments.You drink wine by the bowlful. You use the finest lotions. But Joseph’s people will soon be destroyed. And you aren’t even sad about it.So you will be among the first to be taken away as prisoners. You won’t be able to enjoy good food. You won’t lie around on couches anymore.

“ My people have sinned twice. They have deserted me, even though I am the spring of water that gives life. And they have dug their own wells. But those wells are broken. They can’t hold any water.

A prostitute can be bought for only a loaf of bread. But another man’s wife hunts your very life.

Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 55 years.Manasseh did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. He followed the practices of the nations. The Lord hated those practices. The Lord had driven out those nations to make room for the Israelites.Manasseh rebuilt the high places. His father Hezekiah had destroyed them. Manasseh also set up altars to the gods that were named Baal. He made poles used to worship the female god named Asherah. He even bowed down to all the stars and worshiped them.He built altars in the Lord’ s temple. The Lord had said about his temple,“ My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.”In the two courtyards of the Lord’ s temple Manasseh built altars to honor all the stars in the sky.He sacrificed his children in the fire to other gods. He did it in the Valley of Ben Hinnom. He practiced all kinds of evil magic. He took part in worshiping evil powers. He got messages from people who had died. He talked to the spirits of people who have died. He did many things that were evil in the eyes of the Lord. Manasseh made the Lord very angry.Manasseh had carved a statue of a god. He put it in God’s temple. God had spoken to David and his son Solomon about the temple. He had said,“ My Name will be in this temple and in Jerusalem forever. Out of all the cities in the tribes of Israel I have chosen Jerusalem.I gave this land to your people who lived long ago. I will not make the Israelites leave it again. But they must be careful to do everything I commanded them. They must follow all the laws, directions, and rules I gave them through Moses.”But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray. They did more evil things than the nations the Lord had destroyed to make room for the Israelites.The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people. But they didn’t pay any attention to him.

Because he is proud, that evil person doesn’t turn to the Lord. There is no room for God in any of his thoughts.Everything always goes well for him. So he is proud. He doesn’t want to have anything to do with God’s laws. He makes fun of all his enemies.He says to himself,“ I will always be secure.” He promises himself,“ No one will ever harm me.”

Those who are evil spend their years living well. They go down to their graves in peace.But they say to God,‘ Leave us alone! We don’t want to know how you want us to live.Who is the Mighty One? Why should we serve him? What would we get if we prayed to him?’

They said to God,‘ Leave us alone! What can you do to us, you Mighty One?’But he was the one who filled their houses with good things. So I don’t pay any attention to the plans of evil people.

“ You who are now living, consider my message. I am saying,“ Have I been like a desert to Israel? Have I been like a land of deep darkness? Why do my people say,‘ We are free to wander. We won’t come to you anymore’?

Wise people store up the best food and olive oil. But foolish people eat up everything they have.

Stay on a path far away from that evil woman. Don’t even go near the door of her house.If you do, you will lose your honor to other people. You will give your self- respect to someone who is mean.Strangers will use up all your wealth. Your hard work will make someone else rich.At the end of your life you will groan. Your skin and your body will be worn out.You will say,“ How I hated to take advice! How my heart refused to be corrected!I would not obey my teachers. I wouldn’t listen to those who taught me.I was soon in deep trouble. It happened right in front of the whole assembly of God’s people.”

How terrible it will be for this sinful nation! They are loaded down with guilt. They are people who do nothing but evil. They are children who are always sinning. They have deserted the Lord. They have turned against the Holy One of Israel. They have turned their backs on him.

Anyone who runs away from home is like a bird that flies away from its nest.

He came and preached peace to you who were far away. He also preached peace to those who were near.

At one time you were far away from God. But now you belong to Christ Jesus. He spilled his blood for you. This has brought you near to God.

They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to have wild parties in the middle of the day. They are like dirty spots and stains. They enjoy their sinful pleasures while they eat with you.