Isaiah 38

1 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”

1 那時希西家病得要死，亞摩斯的兒子先知以賽亞去見他，對他說：「耶和華如此說：你當留遺命與你的家，因為你必死不能活了。」

2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,

2 希西家就轉臉朝牆，禱告耶和華說：

3 saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

3 「耶和華啊，求你記念我在你面前怎樣存完全的心，按誠實行事，又做你眼中所看為善的。」希西家就痛哭了。

4 And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying,

4 耶和華的話臨到以賽亞說：

5 “Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

5 「你去告訴希西家說，耶和華－你祖大衛的上帝如此說：我聽見了你的禱告，看見了你的眼淚。我必加增你十五年的壽數；

6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.

6 並且我要救你和這城脫離亞述王的手，也要保護這城。

7 This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised:

7 「我－耶和華必成就我所說的。我先給你一個兆頭，

8 I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended.

8 就是叫亞哈斯的日晷，向前進的日影往後退十度。」於是，前進的日影果然在日晷上往後退了十度。

9 This is a writing by Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

9 猶大王希西家患病已經痊癒，就作詩說：

10 I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.”

10 我說：正在我中年 之日 必進入陰間的門； 我餘剩的年歲不得享受。

11 I said, “I will never again see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind with those who dwell in this world.

11 我說：我必不得見耶和華， 就是在活人之地不見耶和華； 我與世上的居民不再見面。

12 My dwelling has been picked up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver; He cuts me off from the loom; from day until night You make an end of me.

12 我的住處被遷去離開我， 好像牧人的帳棚一樣； 我將性命捲起， 像織布的捲布一樣。 耶和華必將我從機頭剪斷， 從早到晚，他要使我完結。

13 I composed myself until the morning. Like a lion He breaks all my bones; from day until night You make an end of me.

13 我使自己安靜直到天亮； 他像獅子折斷我一切的骨頭， 從早到晚，他要使我完結。

14 I chirp like a swallow or crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak as I look upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security.”

14 我像燕子呢喃， 像白鶴鳴叫， 又像鴿子哀鳴； 我因仰觀，眼睛困倦。 耶和華啊，我受欺壓， 求你為我作保。

15 What can I say? He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done this. I will walk slowly all my years because of the anguish of my soul.

15 我可說甚麼呢？ 他應許我的，也給我成就了。 我因心裏的苦楚， 在一生的年日必悄悄而行。

16 O Lord, by such things men live, and in all of them my spirit finds life. You have restored me to health and have let me live.

16 主啊，人得存活乃在乎此。 我靈存活也全在此。 所以求你使我痊癒，仍然存活。

17 Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

17 看哪，我受大苦，本為使我得平安； 你因愛我的靈魂 便救我脫離敗壞的坑， 因為你將我一切的罪扔在你的背後。

18 For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness.

18 原來，陰間不能稱謝你， 死亡不能頌揚你； 下坑的人不能盼望你的誠實。

19 The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness.

19 只有活人，活人必稱謝你， 像我今日稱謝你一樣。 為父的，必使兒女知道你的誠實。

20 The LORD will save me; we will play songs on stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD.

20 耶和華肯救我， 所以，我們要一生一世 在耶和華殿中 用絲弦的樂器唱我的詩歌。

21 Now Isaiah had said, “Prepare a lump of pressed figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”

21 以賽亞說：「當取一塊無花果餅來，貼在瘡上，王必痊癒。」

22 And Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?”

22 希西家問說：「我能上耶和華的殿，有甚麼兆頭呢？」