智慧篇第四章——真正的荣耀：德行、早逝与义人被提
第四章教导我们：真正的荣耀在于德行，而非后嗣或寿数；义人的早逝本身即是神恩宠的标记。
智慧篇
第4章
- 1.宁可没有孩子但有美德，因为美德的记念是永生，它为上帝和人所知。Better than this is childlessness with virtue, for in the memory of virtue is immortality, because it is known both by God and by men.
- 2.当它存在时，人们会效仿它，一旦它消失，人们就会渴望它；在整个历史长河中，它以凯旋的姿态行进，赢得了无瑕的奖赏，成为争夺纯洁荣誉的胜利者。When it is present, men imitate it, and they long for it when it has gone; and throughout all time it marches crowned in triumph, victor in the contest for prizes that are undefiled.
- 3.但不虔之人的众多后代却无益处，他们的私生子也不能深根固蒂。But the prolific brood of the ungodly will be of no use, and none of their illegitimate seedlings will strike a deep root or take a firm hold.
- 4.即使他们暂时长出枝条，站立不稳，风一吹就会摇动，风一猛烈就会被连根拔起。For even if they put forth boughs for a while, standing insecurely they will be shaken by the wind, and by the violence of the winds they will be uprooted.
- 5.树枝在成熟之前就会被折断，它们的果实毫无用处，尚未成熟，不能吃，也没有任何价值。The branches will be broken off before they come to maturity, and their fruit will be useless, not ripe enough to eat, and good for nothing.
- 6.非法结合所生的孩子，在上帝审判他们的时候，是他们父母不法行为的证人。For children born of unlawful unions are witnesses of evil against their parents when God examines them.
- 7.但义人虽然死于早年，却得安息But the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest.
- 8.因为年老并不因时间的长短而受到尊敬，也不以年岁的多少来衡量；For old age is not honored for length of time, nor measured by number of years;
- 9.但明白是人的白发，清洁的生活就是年老力衰。but understanding is gray hair for men, and a blameless life is ripe old age.
- 10.有一个人得到了上帝的喜悦，并被他所爱，在与罪人同住的时候被提起来了。There was one who pleased God and was loved by him, and while living among sinners he was taken up.
- 11.他被提起来，免得恶毒改变他的心思，或诡计欺骗他的灵魂。He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or guile deceive his soul.
- 12.邪恶的迷恋遮蔽了良善的事物，流荡的欲望也使纯洁的心灵变得歪曲。For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and roving desire perverts the innocent mind.
- 13.虽短暂却圆满，成就了长久的岁月；Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years;
- 14.因为他的灵魂在主眼中是悦纳的，所以主就迅速将他从邪恶中取去。for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore he took him quickly from the midst of wickedness.
- 15.然而众人看见却不明白，也没有将这样的事放在心上，就是神的恩典和慈悲与他的选民同在，他也看顾他的圣徒。Yet the peoples saw and did not understand, nor take such a thing to heart, that God’s grace and mercy are with his elect, and he watches over his holy ones.
- 16.义人的胜利 死了的义人要定住活着的不义之人，迅速成熟的青年要定住不义之人的长寿。The Triumph of the Righteous The righteous man who has died will condemn the ungodly who are living, and youth that is quickly perfected will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous man.
- 17.因为他们将要看到智慧人的结局，却不能明白上帝为他所定的目的和他所保守他是为了什么。For they will see the end of the wise man, and will not understand what the Lord purposed for him, and for what he kept him safe.
- 18.他们将会看见，并且会藐视他，但耶和华要藐视他们。之后他们将成为被羞辱的尸体，在死人中永远成为可憎之物；They will see, and will have contempt for him, but the Lord will laugh them to scorn. After this they will become dishonored corpses, and an outrage among the dead for ever;
- 19.因为他要使他们哑口无言，击倒在地，并使他们从根基上震动；他们将变得完全干枯荒芜，并将遭受痛苦，他们的记忆将消失。because he will dash them speechless to the ground, and shake them from the foundations; they will be left utterly dry and barren, and they will suffer anguish, and the memory of them will perish.
- 20.最后的审判 他们将带着恐惧来到，因为他们的罪孽将被计算清楚，他们的违法行为也将当面指证他们。The Final Judgment They will come with dread when their sins are reckoned up, and their lawless deeds will convict them to their face.
这段经文的意思
本章开篇便刻意颠覆世俗的荣耀观念。智慧宣告，无嗣而具德行者胜过多子的家系，因为德行的记忆赋予一种不朽——德行为神与人所认可，在世时被效法，离世后被追怀（第1–2节）。这一对照随即针对不敬虔之人的后嗣而进一步深化：他们不合法的繁衍以植物的意象描述，根不深入、枝不坚稳，被风吹动，未成熟便折断，所结之果无用且不可食（第3–6节）。此处所论并非生理之事，而是道德的合法性：子女将在神的审判中作为父母的见证。
中间部分由后嗣转向寿数。经文强调，年老并不因时间长久而受尊，真正的白发乃在于明哲，纯全无瑕的生活才是真正的暮年（第8–9节）。由此引出那位早逝之义人的著名片段：他蒙神喜悦，为神所爱，曾生活于罪人之间，但在邪恶能改变其理解、诡诈能迷惑其灵魂之前，便被接去（第10–12节）。因此他的短促一生并非悲剧，而是成全——因他的灵魂蒙主喜悦，便在短暂的时光中成就了漫长的岁月（第13–14节）。然而旁观者全然未察此理（第15节）。
末段转向审判。死去的义人将定罪活着的恶人；智慧人的结局虽将显明，却为人所误解；主必嗤笑那些藐视他的人，他们将成为蒙羞的尸首（第16–18节）。他们被摔落于地，从根基上被摇动，归于荒凉，其记忆终将泯灭（第19节）。本章以一项前瞻的清算作结：他们必战兢而来，因其罪过被一一清算，其不法之行当面对质（第20节）。本章坚持：荣耀不由寿数或后嗣决定，而由人在神面前如何站立而定。
背景
除本章本身外，并无相关的章节文本供给，故释义乃依据其内部结构推求。智慧篇第四章上承第三章（默想苦难、无嗣与早逝看似为美事），下启第五章（恶人直面他们曾压迫之义人的昭雪）。在本章内部，前后两半彼此呼应：第1–6节论及后嗣，第7–20节论及寿数，其中义人之早逝为枢纽。第16节出现类标题之语——“义人的凯旋”，标志着向公开审判的转折。现有注释指明此章系后补章节，不在任何优先经文之列；此段经文未提供交叉参照或原文语言之注记。
常见问题
为何智慧篇第四章赞美有德之无嗣甚于多子之福？
因为本章以道德的合法性而非后嗣的多寡衡量价值。德行被铭记、被效法、被神尊崇，而不敬虔之人的后嗣则被描述为动摇不定且终归无用，甚至在神的审判中作为父母的见证（第1–6节）。
第10–14节中早逝的义人究竟是谁？
经文并未指明其名。他以类型学的方式呈现：蒙神喜悦、为神所爱、生活于罪人之间、在邪恶尚未腐蚀他之前便已被取去。本章仅以这些特质来标识他；所提供的资料中并无超出经文所述的姓名或身份。
本章如何将早逝与荣耀相联？
本章将荣耀由所历之年数重新定义为所具之品格。白发即明哲，暮年即无瑕的一生；那位早逝之人被说成在短暂之时日里成就了悠长的岁月，因他的灵魂蒙主喜悦（第8–14节）。故无德之长年，并非真正的荣耀。