多俾亚传第10章——父母的焦虑与多俾亚的归家之旅
婚宴结束时,托彼特在恐惧中数算日子,安娜则哀悼儿子如同已死;多俾亚催促辣古耳让他与撒辣一同回家。
多俾亚传
第10章
- 1.父母的忧虑 现在他的父亲托比每天都在数着日子,当出行的日子已经过去而他们还没有回来,Anxiety of the Parents Now his father Tobit was counting each day, and when the days for the journey had expired and they did not arrive,
- 2.他说:“难道他被拘留了吗?或者加布列已经死了,没有人给他钱吗?”he said, “Is it possible that he has been detained? Or is it possible that Gab′ael has died and there is no one to give him the money?”
- 3.他极其烦恼。And he was greatly distressed.
- 4.他妻子对他说:“那小子必死无疑,他迟迟不回足以证明。”于是她为他举哀,且说,And his wife said to him, “The lad has perished; his long delay proves it.” Then she began to mourn for him, and said,
- 5.“我的孩子,我难道不痛苦吗,我竟然让你离开我,你是我眼中的光”“Am I not distressed, my child, that I let you go, you who are the light of my eyes?”
- 6.但托比对她说:“不要出声,停止担心,他很好。”But Tobit said to her, “Be still and stop worrying; he is well.”
- 7.她回答说:“不要再欺骗我,我儿子已经死了。”她每天都去到他们离开的路上,白天不吃东西,整夜不停地为她的儿子托比亚哀悼,直到拉格尔许誓要在那里度过的十四天婚宴期满。托比亚和撒拉回家的时候到了,托比亚对拉格尔说:“让我回去吧,因为我的父母已经放弃了再见到我的希望。”And she answered him, “Be still and stop deceiving me; my child has perished.” And she went out every day to the road by which they had left; she ate nothing in the daytime, and throughout the nights she never stopped mourning for her son Tobi′as, until the fourteen days of the wedding feast had expired which Rag′uel had sworn that he should spend there. Tobias and Sarah Start for Home At that time Tobi′as said to Rag′uel, “Send me back, for my father and mother have given up hope of ever seeing me again.”
- 8.但是他的岳父对他说:“你留在我这里吧,我会派人去见你的父亲,并且会告诉他你一切都好。”But his father-in-law said to him, “Stay with me, and I will send messengers to your father, and they will inform him how things are with you.”
- 9.托比亚回答说:“不,请打发我回父亲那里。”Tobi′as replied, “No, send me back to my father.”
- 10.拉格未起来,将他的女儿撒拉和一半的财产、奴仆、牛群和银钱都给了他。So Rag′uel arose and gave him his wife Sarah and half of his property in slaves, cattle, and money.
- 11.他为他们祝福后,就打发他们走了,说:“天上的神必在我死之前使你们繁荣,我的孩子们。”And when he had blessed them he sent them away, saying, “The God of heaven will prosper you, my children, before I die.”
- 12.他也对他的女儿说,尊敬你的公公和婆婆,他们现在就是你的父母,让我听到你好的消息。他亲吻了她。埃德娜对托比亚斯说,天主让你平平安安地回来,亲爱的兄弟,也让我能看到你和我的女儿撒拉生的孩子,这样我就可以在主面前欢喜。看哪,我把我的女儿托付给你,不要做让她伤心的事。He said also to his daughter, “Honor your father-in-law and your mother-in-law; they are now your parents. Let me hear a good report of you.” And he kissed her. And Edna said to Tobi′as, “The Lord of heaven bring you back safely, dear brother, and grant me to see your children by my daughter Sarah, that I may rejoice before the Lord. See, I am entrusting my daughter to you; do nothing to grieve her.”
这段经文的意思
本章建立在两个因距离而分隔的家庭之间的对比之上。一方面,托彼特数算着旅程的每一天,并越来越焦虑他所托付的钱是否已经失落;另一方面,在厄克巴塔纳,辣古耳曾以誓言要托彼亚参加的婚宴终于到了十四天的期限。叙事的张力完全落在等待之上,也落在托彼特和安娜所相信的情况与他们儿子实际遭遇之间的落差上。
安娜的悲痛以惊人的具体细节被描绘出来:她每天走到年轻人离去的路上,白天什么都不吃,夜里持续哀悼。叙事者将她反复声称孩子已死,视为对托彼特安慰的拒绝。托彼特回答:“安静吧,不要忧虑;他很好。”却换来她反驳说他是在欺骗她;因此本章凸显出,父母的焦虑如何固化为对事件的一种既定解读。
婚宴一结束,焦点便转向辣古耳的家。多俾亚坚持立刻返回,而不是等候信使;辣古耳祝福他和撒辣,并将自己一半的家产,包括奴仆、牲畜和钱财,交给他。本章最后的话留给辣古耳和厄德纳:他们把撒辣托付给多俾亚,并祈求天上的主使他们平安归家,赐给他们子女。
背景
多俾亚传第10章起到枢纽作用,连接在厄克巴塔纳举行的婚礼(多俾亚传第7—8章)与其后的归途。先前的场景确立了辣古耳以誓言约束多俾亚遵守的十四天婚期,而本章显示这期限届满,好让启程得以开始。读者已从本书前文知道,多俾亚与辣法耳同行,且撒辣在婚礼之夜从恶魔阿斯摩太手中获救。
本章没有引入新的地点;它只在叙事中已经确立的两个家庭之间转换。辣古耳最后关于孝敬岳父岳母的话,以及厄德纳叮嘱多俾亚不可让撒辣伤心,预示了旅程,并为撒辣转入新家庭定下框架。除了那条简短的整理注释指出本章是由主要 P0/P1 范围之外的资料回填而成外,没有提供更多注释。
常见问题
多俾亚外出期间,托彼特为什么数算每一天?
数算日子反映出多俾亚预计旅程所需的固定时长。当日子过去而他没有归来,托彼特的焦虑便从耽延转为怀疑某件具体的事出了差错;因此他先猜想多俾亚是否被耽搁,继而猜想加贝耳本人是否已死、那笔寄存的钱是否失落。
安娜为什么坚持说她的儿子已经死了?
叙事将安娜的悲痛呈现为压倒一切且抗拒纠正。尽管托彼特试图安慰她,说多俾亚安然无恙,经文却指出她白天什么都不吃,夜里继续哀悼;而托彼特的安慰也被她斥为欺骗。本章表明,悲痛如何固化为一种对事件的固定解读,甚至压过相反的证据。
在本章结尾,关于多俾亚和撒辣的旅程发生了什么?
婚宴的十四天期满后,多俾亚请求辣古耳让他立刻返回,而不是等候信使。辣古耳应允了,祝福他们,把自己一半的家产,包括奴仆、牲畜和钱财,转交给多俾亚,并把撒辣托付给他,叮嘱他要孝敬她的新父母。厄德纳也加上自己的祈祷,求天上的主使他们平安归家,并赐给他们子女;于是这对夫妇在父母的祝福下启程。
