《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
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德训篇
第7章
- 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.远离邪恶,邪恶也会远离你。Stay away from wrong, and it will turn away from you.
- 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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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)。
