《便西拉智训》7章——实用智慧汇编

一系列简短而带有命令语气的格言,论及道德自律、在神与权贵面前的谦卑、家庭与仆婢关系,以及对穷人与亡者的本分。

德训篇

第7章

  1. 1.杂记 务必不要作恶,邪恶就永远不会降临到你身上。Miscellaneous Advice Do no evil, and evil will never befall you.
  2. 2.远离邪恶,邪恶也会远离你。Stay away from wrong, and it will turn away from you.
  3. 3.我的儿子,不要种下不公的田地,否则你将收获七倍的后果。My son, do not sow the furrows of injustice, and you will not reap a sevenfold crop.
  4. 4.不要向上帝求最高的职位,也不要向君王求有荣耀的座位。Do not seek from the Lord the highest office, nor the seat of honor from the king.
  5. 5.在主面前不要自夸你的义行,在王面前不要显露你的智慧。Do not assert your righteousness before the Lord, nor display your wisdom before the king.
  6. 6.不要寻求做官判事,免得你无法除掉不公,免得你偏向有权势的人,从而玷污你的清廉。Do not seek to become a judge, lest you be unable to remove iniquity, lest you be partial to a powerful man, and thus put a blot on your integrity.
  7. 7.不要在众人面前犯错,也不要在人民中失去自己的荣誉。Do not offend against the public, and do not disgrace yourself among the people.
  8. 8.不要重犯同样的罪过,即使只犯一次也不会不受惩罚。Do not commit a sin twice; even for one you will not go unpunished.
  9. 9.不要说:“他会因为我的礼物很多,就在我向至高的神献祭的时候接受我。”Do not say, “He will consider the multitude of my gifts, and when I make an offering to the Most High God he will accept it.”
  10. 10.不要在祷告中失去勇气,也不要忽略施舍。Do not be fainthearted in your prayer, nor neglect to give alms.
  11. 11.不要轻视一个心灵苦恼的人,因为有一个使人卑微和升高的主。Do not ridicule a man who is bitter in soul, for there is One who abases and exalts.
  12. 12.不要对你的兄弟编造谎言,也不要对你的朋友那样做。Do not devise a lie against your brother, nor do the like to a friend.
  13. 13.绝不说谎,因为撒谎的习惯毫无益处。Refuse to utter any lie, for the habit of lying serves no good.
  14. 14.不要在长辈聚会中唠叨,不要在祷告中重复自己。Do not prattle in the assembly of the elders, nor repeat yourself in your prayer.
  15. 15.不要憎恨劳苦的工作或农场的劳动,因为它们都是全能的上帝所创造的。Do not hate toilsome labor, or farm work, which were created by the Most High.
  16. 16.不要把自己算在罪人之中,记住愤怒不会延迟。Do not count yourself among the crowd of sinners; remember that wrath does not delay.
  17. 17.深深地卑微自己,因为不敬虔的人的刑罚是火和虫子。Humble yourself greatly, for the punishment of the ungodly is fire and worms.
  18. 18.与人相处 不要用金钱换朋友,也不要用俄斐金换真正的兄弟。Relations with Others Do not exchange a friend for money, or a real brother for the gold of Ophir.
  19. 19.不要剥夺自己拥有一个聪明和好的妻子,因为她的魅力比黄金更有价值。Do not deprive yourself of a wise and good wife, for her charm is worth more than gold.
  20. 20.不要欺负忠诚地做工的仆人,或是专心为你劳动的雇工。Do not abuse a servant who performs his work faithfully, or a hired laborer who devotes himself to you.
  21. 21.让你的灵魂爱上一个聪明的仆人,不要剥夺他获得自由。Let your soul love an intelligent servant; do not withhold from him his freedom.
  22. 22.你有牛吗?照顾它们,如果它们对你有益,就留下它们。Do you have cattle? Look after them; if they are profitable to you, keep them.
  23. 23.你们有孩子吗?要管教他们,并从他们年幼时就使他们听从命令。Do you have children? Discipline them, and make them obedient from their youth.
  24. 24.你们有女儿吗?要关心她们的贞节,不要对她们过于纵容。Do you have daughters? Be concerned for their chastity, and do not show yourself too indulgent with them.
  25. 25.把女儿嫁出去,你就完成了一件大事。但是要把她嫁给一个明白事理的人。Give a daughter in marriage; you will have finished a great task. But give her to a man of understanding.
  26. 26.如果你有一个讨你喜欢的妻子,不要赶她走;但不要相信你所憎恶的。If you have a wife who pleases you, do not cast her out; but do not trust yourself to one whom you detest.
  27. 27.用你的一切心尊敬你的父亲,不要忘记你母亲怀你的辛劳。With all your heart honor your father, and do not forget the birth pangs of your mother.
  28. 28.要记住,你是通过父母而来到这个世界的,你能给予他们什么来报答他们给你的恩惠呢?Remember that through your parents you were born; and what can you give back to them that equals their gift to you?
  29. 29.用你全部的灵魂敬畏上帝,并尊敬他的祭司。With all your soul fear the Lord, and honor his priests.
  30. 30.用你全部的力量爱你的创造主,不要离弃他的仆人。With all your might love your Maker, and do not forsake his ministers.
  31. 31.敬畏上主,尊敬祭司,按命令给他应得的:初熟之物,赎罪祭,肩肉,圣献祭和圣物的初熟之物。Fear the Lord and honor the priest, and give him his portion, as is commanded you: the first fruits, the guilt offering, the gift of the shoulders, the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first fruits of the holy things.
  32. 32.向贫穷的人伸出你的手,这样你的祝福才会完全。Stretch forth your hand to the poor, so that your blessing may be complete.
  33. 33.宽容地施舍给所有活着的人,不要向死者吝惜仁慈。Give graciously to all the living, and withhold not kindness from the dead.
  34. 34.不要丢下那些哭泣的人,要与那些哀恸的人一同哀恸。Do not fail those who weep, but mourn with those who mourn.
  35. 35.不要因为害怕而不去看望病人,因为这样做你会得到爱戴。Do not shrink from visiting a sick man, because for such deeds you will be loved.
  36. 36.在你所做的一切事上,记得你生命的结局,你就永远不会犯罪。In all you do, remember the end of your life, and then you will never sin.

这段经文的意思

《便西拉智训》第7章以一连串否定式命令——即“不可……”式格言——构成,跨越人生多个领域。章首提出避免作恶本身就是一种保护的原理(第1–2节),随后警戒人勿在神与君王面前狂妄自大(第4–6节),又警告不可借宗教献祭遮掩罪愆(第8–9节)。这些格言有意不作系统编排,从祷告与施舍(第10–11节)转入言语(第12–14节),再论及劳作(第15节)与自我省察(第16节),使全章呈现为一部智慧语录,而非严密推演的论述。

本章后半转向人伦关系。先依次论及家中各人——妻子、仆婢、儿女、女儿(第18–26节),再论孝敬父母之责(第27–28节),以及经由祭司与圣殿献祭而向神尽之本分(第29–31节)。末段(第32–36节)则向外延伸至穷人、亡者、哀伤者与病人,并以一句总结性的箴言作结——记念死亡可约束罪行(第36节)。由己及家、由家而至社群、由社群而至死亡,这种推进使看似松散的汇编隐然具备一种内在结构。

本章的神学具体而带有交易意味,正是本西拉一书典型之风格:顺服带来恩宠,罪过招致惩罚,慷慨必得回报,神的公义虽或迟延(第16节),却必然临到。谦卑作为统摄全章的德行一再被强调(第15、17节),而敬畏上主则框定了对祭司与穷人的义务(第29、31节)。每句格言皆未以判例或故事加以阐发,而是作为独立、可存记于心、随时取用的法则呈现。

背景

所附编纂注记仅说明《便西拉智训》第7章系从此前所编 P0/P1 范围以外的章节中补录而来,对本章内容未置一词。由于未提供本章全文及前后章节,本页无从将第7章置于全书更大的结构之中,与书中那些单独箴言及较长论说——诸如论智慧、论律法、论神圣智者(例如《便西拉智训》第24章)——相互对照。又因未提供任何交叉引证,故不能据现有材料建立与其他圣经经文的链接。

就本章内部而言,所列经文由一般性的道德格言(第1–17节)推进至家庭与社会责任(第18–36节),其间并无叙事或情境设定,正与本西拉惯常采用的、在松散标题下汇编简短训诲之教导风格相符。所提供的节号对应于众多英文版《便西拉智训》通行的 NRSV 式编号方式。

常见问题

为何《便西拉智训》第7章读来像一份清单,而非一个故事?

本章由约三十条简短命令式格言组成,仅大致按主题(个人、家庭、社群)归类。这种语录体裁乃本西拉所辑箴言集的典型特征,所提供的经文亦未呈现任何叙事框架或连贯论证。

《便西拉智训》第7章如何论及罪与罚?

第1–2节教导人远避邪恶本身就是保护;第8节言一罪必不得免罚;第9节警戒人不可自以为神必悦纳那不肯悔改者所献之祭。第16节补充说忿怒并不迟延,第17节则将恶人的惩罚与火与虫相系。

《便西拉智训》第7章如何论及穷人、亡者与病人?

末段命令人慷慨施予穷人(第32节)以及一切在世之人,包括亡者(第33节),与哀哭的人同哭(第34节),不可疏忽病人,因为这些行为必赢得爱戴(第35节)。本章随后以一句总结收束:记念你的终局,就必不犯罪(第36节)。

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