¹ 耶和华的使者从吉甲上到波金，对以色列人说：我使你们从埃及上来，领你们到我向你们列祖起誓应许之地。我又说：我永不废弃与你们所立的约。

² 你们也不可与这地的居民立约，要拆毁他们的祭坛。你们竟没有听从我的话！为何这样行呢？

³ 因此我又说：我必不将他们从你们面前赶出；他们必作你们肋下的荆棘。他们的神必作你们的网罗。

⁴ 耶和华的使者向以色列众人说这话的时候，百姓就放声而哭。

⁵ 於是给那地方起名叫波金（就是哭的意思）。众人在那里向耶和华献祭。

⁶ 从前约书亚打发以色列百姓去的时候，他们各归自己的地业，占据地土。

⁷ 约书亚在世和约书亚死後，那些见耶和华为以色列人所行大事的长老还在的时候，百姓都事奉耶和华。

⁸ 耶和华的仆人、嫩的儿子约书亚，正一百一十岁就死了。

⁹ 以色列人将他葬在他地业的境内，就是在以法莲山地的亭拿希烈，在迦实山的北边。

¹⁰ 那世代的人也都归了自己的列祖。後来有别的世代兴起，不知道耶和华，也不知道耶和华为以色列人所行的事。

¹¹ 以色列人行耶和华眼中看为恶的事，去事奉诸巴力，

¹² 离弃了领他们出埃及地的耶和华─他们列祖的神，去叩拜别神，就是四围列国的神，惹耶和华发怒；

¹³ 并离弃耶和华，去事奉巴力和亚斯他录。

¹⁴ 耶和华的怒气向以色列人发作，就把他们交在抢夺他们的人手中，又将他们付与四围仇敌的手中，甚至他们在仇敌面前再不能站立得住。

¹⁵ 他们无论往何处去，耶和华都以灾祸攻击他们，正如耶和华所说的话，又如耶和华向他们所起的誓；他们便极其困苦。

¹⁶ 耶和华兴起士师，士师就拯救他们脱离抢夺他们人的手。

¹⁷ 他们却不听从士师，竟随从叩拜别神，行了邪淫，速速地偏离他们列祖所行的道，不如他们列祖顺从耶和华的命令。

¹⁸ 耶和华为他们兴起士师，就与那士师同在。士师在世的一切日子，耶和华拯救他们脱离仇敌的手。他们因受欺压扰害，就哀声叹气，所以耶和华後悔了。

¹⁹ 及至士师死後，他们就转去行恶，比他们列祖更甚，去事奉叩拜别神，总不断绝顽梗的恶行。

²⁰ 於是耶和华的怒气向以色列人发作。他说：因这民违背我吩咐他们列祖所守的约，不听从我的话，

²¹ 所以约书亚死的时候所剩下的各族，我必不再从他们面前赶出，

²² 为要藉此试验以色列人，看他们肯照他们列祖谨守遵行我的道不肯。

²³ 这样耶和华留下各族，不将他们速速赶出，也没有交付约书亚的手。

¹ Praise Yah, for it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant and fitting to Praise him.

² Yahweh builds up Jerusalem. He gathers together the outcasts of Israel.

³ He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.

⁴ He counts the number of the stars. He calls them all by their names.

⁵ Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding is infinite.

⁶ Yahweh upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.

⁷ Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God,

⁸ who covers the sky with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass grow on the mountains.

⁹ He provides food for the livestock, and for the young ravens when they call.

¹⁰ He doesn't delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

¹¹ Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.

¹² Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!

¹³ For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.

¹⁴ He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.

¹⁵ He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.

¹⁶ He gives snow like wool, and scatters frost like ashes.

¹⁷ He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold?

¹⁸ He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

¹⁹ He shows his word to Jacob; his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

²⁰ He has not done this for just any nation. They don't know his ordinances. Praise Yah!