《便西拉智训》21章——罪恶、智慧与愚顽的对照

本章警戒罪恶,将贫穷人的祷告与骄横者的暴行相对照,并以智慧的言语和严谨的学识胜过愚人的喧嚣。

德训篇

第21章

  1. 1.各种罪恶 我的儿子,你有罪吗?不要再这样做了,而要为你以前的罪恶祷告。Various Sins Have you sinned, my son? Do so no more, but pray about your former sins.
  2. 2.逃避罪恶,如同逃避蛇一样;因为如果你靠近罪恶,它就会咬你。它的牙齿是狮子的牙齿,毁灭人的灵魂。Flee from sin as from a snake; for if you approach sin, it will bite you. Its teeth are lion’s teeth, and destroy the souls of men.
  3. 3.一切的法lessness都像一把双刃剑,没有什么办法可以治愈它所造成的伤害。All lawlessness is like a two-edged sword; there is no healing for its wound.
  4. 4.恐怖和暴力必使财富荒废,因此骄傲人的家必然荒废。Terror and violence will lay waste riches; thus the house of the proud will be laid waste.
  5. 5.穷人祷告从他的嘴唇到上帝的耳朵,他的审判很快就来了。The prayer of a poor man goes from his lips to the ears of God, and his judgment comes speedily.
  6. 6.凡恨惡責備的, 就是走在罪人的道路上; 只怕耶和華的, 必心裡回轉。Whoever hates reproof walks in the steps of the sinner, but he that fears the Lord will repent in his heart.
  7. 7.能言善辩的人远近皆知,但有见识的人即使失足也能意识到。He who is mighty in speech is known from afar; but the sensible man, when he slips, is aware of it.
  8. 8.一个用别人的钱盖房子的人,就像为自己堆积坟墓的石头一样。A man who builds his house with other people’s money is like one who gathers stones for his burial mound.
  9. 9.恶人的聚集,如同聚集的火花,结局是烈火的焰焰。An assembly of the wicked is like tow gathered together, and their end is a flame of fire.
  10. 10.罪人之路石头铺就平坦,但其末路是哈得斯的深坑。The way of sinners is smoothly paved with stones, but at its end is the pit of Hades.
  11. 11.智慧与愚昧 谁遵守律法,谁就控制了自己的思绪,智慧就是敬畏上帝的完成Wisdom and Foolishness Whoever keeps the law controls his thoughts, and wisdom is the fulfilment of the fear of the Lord.
  12. 12.不机智的人不能被教导,但有一种机智会增加苦涩。He who is not clever cannot be taught, but there is a cleverness which increases bitterness.
  13. 13.智慧人的知识必像洪水泛滥,他的建议必像涌流的泉源。The knowledge of a wise man will increase like a flood, and his counsel like a flowing spring.
  14. 14.愚人的心灵像一个破碎的罐子,它不能容纳任何知识。The mind of a fool is like a broken jar; it will hold no knowledge.
  15. 15.当有悟性的人听到智慧话语时,他会称赞它并增加它;当一个纵欲的人听到它时,他会讨厌它并把它抛在背后。When a man of understanding hears a wise saying, he will praise it and add to it; when a reveler hears it, he dislikes it and casts it behind his back.
  16. 16.愚人的叙述就像旅途中的重担,但聪明人说话却能带来快乐。A fool’s narration is like a burden on a journey, but delight will be found in the speech of the intelligent.
  17. 17.通达人生的智慧之人,在会众中发言必受重视,他们的言语必在人心中默默思考。The utterance of a sensible man will be sought in the assembly, and they will ponder his words in their minds.
  18. 18.像一座消失的房子,智慧对于愚人来说也是如此;无知者的知识是未经审视的谈论。Like a house that has vanished, so is wisdom to a fool; and the knowledge of the ignorant is unexamined talk.
  19. 19.对于一个愚昧的人来说,教育就像脚上的锁链和右手上的手铐。To a senseless man education is fetters on his feet, and like manacles on his right hand.
  20. 20.愚人笑时大声喧哗,聪明人却默默地微笑。A fool raises his voice when he laughs, but a clever man smiles quietly.
  21. 21.对一个明智的人来说,教育就像一件金色的装饰品,像右臂上的镯子。To a sensible man education is like a golden ornament, and like a bracelet on the right arm.
  22. 22.愚昧人冲动地闯入别人家,经验丰富的人却在门前谦恭地站立。The foot of a fool rushes into a house, but a man of experience stands respectfully before it.
  23. 23.一个粗鲁的人会从门口往屋里看,但一个有修养的人会呆在外面。A boor peers into the house from the door, but a cultivated man remains outside.
  24. 24.窃听门户是没有礼貌的,谨慎的人会因这种耻辱而感到痛苦。It is ill-mannered for a man to listen at a door, and a discreet man is grieved by the disgrace.
  25. 25.外人的嘴唇要述说这些事,谨慎人说话却要称量。The lips of strangers will speak of these things, but the words of the prudent will be weighed in the balance.
  26. 26.愚人的心在他的口中,智慧人的口在他的心中。The mind of fools is in their mouth, but the mouth of wise men is in their mind.
  27. 27.当不虔诚的人咒骂他的对手时,他实际上是在咒骂自己的灵魂。When an ungodly man curses his adversary, he curses his own soul.
  28. 28.传播谣言的人玷污自己的灵魂,并且在邻里中被人憎恨。A whisperer defiles his own soul and is hated in his neighborhood.

这段经文的意思

开篇部分(第1–10节)将罪描绘为一只凶残的猛兽:毒蛇之噬足以致命、双刃之剑无药可医、平坦之路通向阴间之坑。救治之法切实可行——停止犯罪、为过往的过犯祷告,并摒弃骄横的暴力追逐。即便贫穷人也被垂听,因为他们的祷告达到上主耳中,并带来迅速的审判,而骄横者的家室终被倾覆。

第二部分(第11–17节)将智慧定义为敬畏上主、遵行律法的全然成就,而非单纯的天资聪敏。智慧人的知识如洪水涌涨,为众人所求;愚人的心思如同破碎之罐,一无所有。言语成为分野:通达的人深思而后言,愚人却将智慧的箴言视为可弃之重担。

末段(第18–28节)将对照延伸至举止与自律。教育于智慧人是金色的装饰,于愚人却是桎梏;愚人鲁莽闯入,探头探脑于门内,而有教养的人则恭敬等候。本章以内心的对照作结——愚人的心思在其口中,智慧人的口在其心中——并警告咒诅者与暗中诽谤者必自取污秽。

背景

所选注释将第21章列为便西拉智训在P0/P1优先范围之外的补录材料。由于未提供相邻章节,对比仅限于本章内部从罪恶(第1–10节)到智慧与愚顽(第11–28节)的推进。本章未提供交叉参考文献,因此不援引外部平行经文。

常见问题

为何本章以蛇与剑的意象开篇?

本章运用生动、具体的比喻——咬人的毒蛇、狮子的牙齿、双刃的剑、堆石而成的坟茔、燃起的麻絮——以表明罪恶具有自毁性与传染性。此处用意并非文学修饰,而是警诫:罪如猛兽或兵器一般作用于犯罪之人,唯有停止犯罪并祷告方可得解脱(第1–9节)。

此处“智慧是敬畏上主的完满”作何解释?

便西拉将智慧直接系于敬畏上主与遵行律法,而非天赋的聪敏(第11节)。本章其余部分即阐明此理:智慧的言语审慎而为人所重,愚拙的言语则急躁、喧闹、自招败局(第15–17、20、26节)。简而言之,智慧乃是在言语与行为中彰显的顺服之塑造。

本章对穷人(第5节)的看法与对骄横者(第4节)的看法是否一致?

是一致的。第4节论惊惧与暴力倾覆骄横者的家室,第5节则言贫穷人的祷告达于上主耳中而带来迅速审判。两节经文共同构成刻意的反转:人的权势与威吓终将崩塌,无力者的呼求却必蒙垂听。这一对照是修辞性的与主题性的,并非完整的社会方案,故本章应作为道德训诲而非政策蓝图来读。

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