多比传 14 —— 多比的临终遗训与尼尼微的命运
多比的遗言指引他的儿子们前往玛代,预言尼尼微的败亡和耶路撒冷未来的荣耀,并在以一百五十八岁辞世之前,称颂施舍与公义。
多俾亚传
第14章
- 1.托比特的最后劝诫 在这里,托比特结束了他的赞美之词。Tobit’s Final Counsel Here Tobit ended his words of praise.
- 2.他五十八岁时失明,八年后恢复视力。他施舍财物,并继续敬畏上帝,赞美他。He was fifty-eight years old when he lost his sight, and after eight years he regained it. He gave alms, and he continued to fear the Lord God and to praise him.
- 3.他年纪很大时,叫了他的儿子和孙子来,对他说,我的儿子,你带着你的儿子们来看我,我已经年纪很大了,快要离开这世界了。When he had grown very old he called his son and grandsons, and said to him, “My son, take your sons; behold, I have grown old and am about to depart this life.
- 4.去到米底亚,我的儿子,因为我完全相信约拿先知关于尼尼微所说的话,它将要被倾覆。但在米底亚有一段时间将会有平安。我们的弟兄将会从美好之地散布于全地,耶路撒冷将会变为荒凉。耶路撒冷中的神殿将会被烧毁,并且有一段时间将会成为废墟。Go to Media, my son, for I fully believe what Jonah the prophet said about Nin′eveh, that it will be overthrown. But in Media there will be peace for a time. Our brethren will be scattered over the earth from the good land, and Jerusalem will be desolate. The house of God in it will be burned down and will be in ruins for a time.
- 5.但上帝将再次怜悯他们,并使他们回到自己的土地上,他们将重建上帝的殿,虽然它不会像以前一样,直到世代的时期完成。之后,他们将从被掳的地方返回,并以荣耀重建耶路撒冷。在那里,上帝的殿将被重建,成为所有世代永远荣耀的建筑,正如先知们所说的那样。But God will again have mercy on them, and bring them back into their land; and they will rebuild the house of God, though it will not be like the former one until the times of the age are completed. After this they will return from the places of their captivity, and will rebuild Jerusalem in splendor. And the house of God will be rebuilt there with a glorious building for all generations for ever, just as the prophets said of it.
- 6.那时,所有的外邦人都会真心敬畏主神,并将他们的偶像埋葬。Then all the Gentiles will turn to fear the Lord God in truth, and will bury their idols.
- 7.万邦都要称赞主,主的子民要感谢神,主也必使他的子民得高升。凡爱主神、按真理和公义爱主的,都必欢喜,并要怜悯我们的兄弟。All the Gentiles will praise the Lord, and his people will give thanks to God, and the Lord will exalt his people. And all who love the Lord God in truth and righteousness will rejoice, showing mercy to our brethren.
- 8.现在,我的儿子,离开尼尼微, 因为约拿先知所说的话必定会实现。“So now, my son, leave Nin′eveh, because what the prophet Jonah said will surely happen.
- 9.只要遵守律法和诫命,存着慈悲和公义的心,事情就必顺利。But keep the law and the commandments, and be merciful and just, so that it may be well with you.
- 10.请你们把我和你们的母亲妥善地埋葬,然后不要再住在尼尼微了。看啊,我的儿子,拿答对待阿希卡尔的下场,阿希卡尔曾经养育他,拿答却把他从光明中带入黑暗,并以此来报答他。但阿希卡尔得救了,而拿道却自食其果,落入了黑暗中。阿希卡尔施舍济贫,于是逃脱了拿道为他设下的死局,而拿道却落入自己设下的陷阱并死去。Bury me properly, and your mother with me. And do not live in Nin′eveh any longer. See, my son, what Nadab did to Ahi′kar who had reared him, how he brought him from light into darkness, and with what he repaid him. But Ahi′kar was saved, and the other received repayment as he himself went down into the darkness. Ahi′kar gave alms and escaped the deathtrap which Nadab had set for him; but Nadab fell into the trap and perished.
- 11.现在,我的孩子们,想想施舍的功效和义行的益处。托比特说完这话,就死在他的床上。他一百五十八岁,托比亚斯为他举行了盛大的葬礼。So now, my children, consider what almsgiving accomplishes and how righteousness delivers.” As he said this he died in his bed. He was a hundred and fifty-eight years old; and Tobi′as gave him a magnificent funeral.
- 12.安娜死后,他将她与父亲一起埋葬。托比和安娜之死 随后,托比亚斯带着妻子和儿子回到埃克巴塔那,回到他的岳父拉古埃尔那里。And when Anna died he buried her with his father. Death of Tobit and Anna Then Tobi′as returned with his wife and his sons to Ecbat′ana, to Rag′uel his father-in-law.
- 13.他荣耀地老去,并为他的岳父和岳母举行了盛大的葬礼。他继承了他们的财产和他父亲托比特的财产。He grew old with honor, and he gave his father-in-law and mother-in-law magnificent funerals. He inherited their property and that of his father Tobit.
- 14.他在米底的埃克巴塔那死去,享年一百二十七岁。He died in Ecbat′ana of Media at the age of a hundred and twenty-seven years.
- 15.但在他死之前,他听说尼尼微被毁灭,尼布甲尼撒和亚哈随鲁已经攻占了尼尼微。在他死之前,他为尼尼微的毁灭感到高兴。But before he died he heard of the destruction of Nin′eveh, which Nebuchadnez′zar and Ahasu-e′rus had captured. Before his death he rejoiced over Nin′eveh.
这段经文的意思
本章作为多比的临终遗言,将全书的主题——施舍、公义、敬畏上帝与恪守律法——汇聚为对后代的最后叮嘱(3、9、11节)。关于他五十八岁失明、八年后重获光明的概括性陈述(2节),将其人生框定为试炼之后蒙复原的过程,呼应了全书从苦难到医治的宏观脉络。施舍再次被特别标举为那能救人脱离死亡的实践(11节),与早前拉斐尔和多比本人所教导的道理相呼应。
本章的第二部分是预言性的。多比嘱咐儿子离开尼尼微,前往玛代,因为约拿针对那城所说的话必定应验(4、8节)。随后,他的视野扩展到圣城耶路撒冷:圣城及其圣殿将被焚毁,暂时荒凉,但上帝会施怜悯,被掳者将归回,上帝的殿必以荣美重建,延及万代(4–5节)。预言部分以万邦转向敬畏主、弃绝偶像、凡真心爱上帝者欢欣作收束(6–7节)。
本章以叙事性的尾声作结。亚希卡尔的忠信与拿答布的背叛相对照的故事,被援引为证明公义能施拯救的例证(10节)。多比在床上辞世,享年一百五十八岁,葬礼极尽荣哀,其妻亚拿日后亦与他合葬(11–12节)。托比亚斯回到埃克巴塔那,受人尊崇,为拉鸠耳与艾德纳举办了隆重的葬礼,继承了他们的产业与其父的家业,在那里以一百二十七岁辞世;据载他在离世前曾听闻尼尼微陷落,并为此欢喜(12–15节)。结句由此确认,多比所引述的约拿预言确已应验。
背景
本章位于一部简短的次正经叙事之末,全书的主要关切在于多比在被掳中的忠信、其子托比亚斯所成就的家庭修复,以及天使拉斐尔隐秘的护佑。多比一生的叙事框架——自五十八岁失明至八年后复明,直至一百五十八岁离世——以先前各章已确立的数字对称,将故事前后环抱。
第10节引入了亚希卡尔这一在所提供的材料中未再出现的人物。多比借他的故事——忠信者蒙拯救,背叛者拿答布自陷罗网——作为施舍与公义能救人脱离死亡这一原则的具体例证(11节)。本章亦简要叙述了托比亚斯后来的生活、他返回埃克巴塔那的经过,以及尼尼微陷落的报导,从而将多比论及约拿的话语与其应验相联系。
常见问题
多比为何嘱咐儿子前往玛代?
多比预言他们所居的尼尼微必如约拿所预言的那样被倾覆,而玛代将暂时享有太平(4、8节)。故此,他劝勉儿子离开尼尼微,到玛代与岳家同住。
多比对耶路撒冷与圣殿有何论及?
他说耶路撒冷中上帝的殿必被焚毁,暂时荒芜,但上帝必再施怜悯,领百姓回归,上帝的殿必以荣耀重建,延及万代,只是其荣美不及先前,须待世代圆满方可恢复如初(4–5节)。
此处为何提及亚希卡尔与拿答布的故事?
多比以亚希卡尔的忠信与拿答布背叛后的败亡,作为其结语原则——施舍与公义能救人脱离死亡——的具体例证(10–11节)。
