章节研读

Sirach 24 — Wisdom's Self-Praise and Dwelling in Israel

Personified Wisdom proclaims her divine origin, takes root in Israel as the inheritance of the Lord, flourishes like fragrant trees, invites seekers to eat and drink of her, and is finally identified with the Law of Moses.

经文

  1. 1.智慧将自我赞美，并在她的人民中间夸耀自己。Wisdom will praise herself, and will glory in the midst of her people.
  2. 2.在至高者的集会中，她将开口，在他的军队面前，她将夸耀：In the assembly of the Most High she will open her mouth, and in the presence of his host she will glory:
  3. 3.我从至高者的口中出来，像雾一样覆盖大地。“I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist.
  4. 4.我住在高处，我的宝座在云柱中。I dwelt in high places, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
  5. 5.独自我游历过天空的穹顶，也曾行走在深渊的深处。Alone I have made the circuit of the vault of heaven and have walked in the depths of the abyss.
  6. 6.在海的波浪中，在全地上，以及在各人和各国中，我都得了产业。In the waves of the sea, in the whole earth, and in every people and nation I have gotten a possession.
  7. 7.在这一切之中，我寻求一个安息之处，我寻求在谁的境界里我可以寄居。Among all these I sought a resting place; I sought in whose territory I might lodge.
  8. 8.“那时，万物的创造主吩咐我，造我的那位指定我帐幕的位置。他说，‘你要在雅各中居住，在以色列中承受你的产业。’”“Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment, and the one who created me assigned a place for my tent. And he said, ‘Make your dwelling in Jacob, and in Israel receive your inheritance.’
  9. 9.从永恒中，在开始时，他创造了我，直到永远，我都不会停止存在。From eternity, in the beginning, he created me, and for eternity I shall not cease to exist.
  10. 10.我在圣所中侍奉他，因此我在锡安得以坚立。In the holy tabernacle I ministered before him, and so I was established in Zion.
  11. 11.在所爱的城里，他也给我一个安息的地方，在耶路撒冷就是我的统治。In the beloved city likewise he gave me a resting place, and in Jerusalem was my dominion.
  12. 12.于是，我在受尊敬的民中扎根，在耶和华的份中，因为这是他们的产业。So I took root in an honored people, in the portion of the Lord, who is their inheritance.
  13. 13.我像黎巴嫩的香柏树一样长大，也像黑门山的柏树一样。“I grew tall like a cedar in Leb′anon, and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.
  14. 14.我在恩革迪像棕榈树一样长大，在耶利哥像玫瑰丛一样，在田野里像美丽的橄榄树一样长大，我像一棵白蜡树一样长大。I grew tall like a palm tree in En-ged′i, and like rose plants in Jericho; like a beautiful olive tree in the field, and like a plane tree I grew tall.
  15. 15.我像桂皮和骆驼荆一样发出香气，如同上等的没药，我散发着令人愉悦的香气，像乳香、没药和香膏，像在圣所中焚烧的乳香一样发出香气。Like cassia and camel’s thorn I gave forth the aroma of spices, and like choice myrrh I spread a pleasant odor, like gal′banum, on′ycha, and stacte, and like the fragrance of frankincense in the tabernacle.
  16. 16.我像松树一样伸展我的枝子，我的枝子荣美有德。Like a terebinth I spread out my branches, and my branches are glorious and graceful.
  17. 17.我像葡萄树一样，使可爱之物萌芽，我的花开得荣美，结果丰富。Like a vine I caused loveliness to bud, and my blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit.
  18. 19.“你们这些渴慕我的人，来到我这里，吃饱我的出产。“Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your fill of my produce.
  19. 20.记念我比蜜甜，我的遗产比蜂房更甜。For the remembrance of me is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance sweeter than the honeycomb.
  20. 21.吃我的人会更加饥饿，喝我的人会更加渴望。Those who eat me will hunger for more, and those who drink me will thirst for more.
  21. 22.凡听从我的，不会蒙羞；与我同工的，也不会有罪。Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame, and those who work with my help will not sin.”
  22. 23.智慧和律法 这一切都是至高上帝的盟约书，是摩西传给我们雅各会众作为遗产的律法。Wisdom and the Law All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law which Moses commanded us as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob.
  23. 25.它使人充满智慧，像比逊河一样，像收初熟果子的时节的底格里斯河一样。It fills men with wisdom, like the Pishon, and like the Tigris at the time of the first fruits.
  24. 26.使他们充满了悟性，像幼发拉底河一样，像收获季节的约旦河一样。It makes them full of understanding, like the Euphrates, and like the Jordan at harvest time.
  25. 27.使训诫发光如光，像割葡萄的时候的基训河。It makes instruction shine forth like light, like the Gihon at the time of vintage.
  26. 28.就像第一人尚未完全了解她，最后一个人也没有完全领悟她；Just as the first man did not know her perfectly, the last one has not fathomed her;
  27. 29.她的心思比海还广阔，她的谋略比大深渊还深。for her thought is more abundant than the sea, and her counsel deeper than the great abyss.
  28. 30.我像河流中的运河一样，像水渠进入园中。I went forth like a canal from a river and like a water channel into a garden.
  29. 31.我说：“我要浇灌我的葡萄园，浇透我的花园。”却不知不觉我的水渠变成河，我的河又变成海。I said, “I will water my orchard and drench my garden plot”; and lo, my canal became a river, and my river became a sea.
  30. 32.我又要使教训发如晨光，远远地使人明白；I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn, and I will make it shine afar;
  31. 33.我将再次倾倒教诲，如同预言，并将其留给所有后代。I will again pour out teaching like prophecy, and leave it to all future generations.
  32. 34.请注意，我所做的不仅是为自己，也是为所有寻求教诲的人。Observe that I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who seek instruction.

这段经文的意思

Sirach 24 frames Wisdom as a self-speaking figure who opens her mouth in the assembly of the Most High and proclaims a divine origin, saying, "I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist." Wisdom speaks before the heavenly host, claims the throne of cloud, and describes moving across heaven, the abyss, the seas, and every nation, before being assigned a dwelling in Jacob and an inheritance in Israel.

The middle section pictures Wisdom taking root in an honored people — the portion of the Lord — and growing tall through a striking catalogue of trees and plants from the land: cedar in Lebanon, cypress on Hermon, palm in En-gedi, rose plants in Jericho, olive and plane trees, and aromatic spices. Wisdom then invites the listener: "Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your fill of my produce," promising that the remembrance of her is sweeter than honey and that obedience to her brings no shame.

The chapter closes by identifying all that has been said with the book of the covenant and the law which Moses commanded as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob. Wisdom is compared to the great rivers — the Pishon, Tigris, Euphrates, Jordan, and Gihon — and declares that her teaching will shine forth like the dawn and be left to all future generations.

背景

Sirach 24 stands within the wisdom tradition of the Septuagint and is presented by the chapter heading as the "Praise of Wisdom." The chapter itself places Wisdom's speech in the setting of the heavenly assembly and then in the land of Israel, moving from cosmic scope — heaven, abyss, sea, nations — to a specific location: the holy tabernacle, Zion, and the beloved city of Jerusalem. The chapter ends by naming its own content as the book of the covenant and the law of Moses given to the congregations of Jacob.

常见问题

Who is speaking in Sirach 24:1-22?

Wisdom speaks in her own person. She opens her mouth in the assembly of the Most High, declares her origin "from the mouth of the Most High," and is later described as taking root in Israel and inviting seekers to eat of her produce.

Why does Wisdom compare herself to trees and spices?

The catalogue of trees — cedar, cypress, palm, olive, plane — and aromatic spices locates Wisdom concretely in the land of Israel (Lebanon, Hermon, En-gedi, Jericho). The imagery pictures Wisdom flourishing as something planted and growing, while also giving forth a pleasant fragrance.

How does the chapter end, and what does it identify Wisdom with?

The chapter ends by naming all that Wisdom has said as "the book of the covenant of the Most High God, the law which Moses commanded us as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob," and compares Wisdom to great rivers and to the dawn, promising that her teaching will shine forth to all future generations.

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