Wisdom:Chapter 13

Index

Wisdom:Chapter 13

智慧篇	Wisdom
¹凡不認識天主的人，都是真正的愚人，因為，他們未能從看得見的美物，去發現那自有者；注意了工程，卻不認識工程師；	¹But all men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God: and who by these good things that are seen, could not understand him that is, neither by attending to the works have acknowledged who was the workman:
²反而認火、風、流動的空氣、運轉的星辰、洪流的巨濤、天上的光體，為統治世界的神。	²But have imagined either the fire, or the wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the great water, or the sun and moon, to be the gods that rule the world.
³如果有人因這些東西的美麗而着迷，奉之為神；那麼，他們就應知道：這些美物的主宰更是美麗，因為，全是美麗的惟一根源所創造的。	³With whose beauty, if they, being delighted, took them to be gods: let them know how much the Lord of them is more beautiful than they: for the first author of beauty made all those things.
⁴如果有人驚奇這些東西的力量和效能，就應明白：創造這些東西的更有能力；	⁴Or if they admired their power and their effects, let them understand by them, that he that made them, is mightier than they:
⁵因為，從受造物的偉大和美麗，人可以推想到這些東西的創造者。	⁵For by the greatness of the beauty, and of the creature, the creator of them may be seen, so as to be known thereby.
⁶不過，這種人的罪尚較輕微，因為，他們尋找天主，也有意找到，卻一時誤入了迷途；	⁶But yet as to these they are less to be blamed. For they perhaps err, seeking God, and desirous to find him.
⁷這或許是由於他們所見的世物實在美麗，因此在專務研究他的工程時，只追求外表；	⁷For being conversant among his works, they search: and they are persuaded that the things are good which are seen.
⁸但他們仍然不能推辭無過；	⁸But then again they are not to be pardoned.
⁹因為他們既然能知道的如此淵博，甚至能探究宇宙，為什麼不能及早發現這些東西的主宰？	⁹For if they were able to know so much as to make a judgment of the world: how did they not more easily find out the Lord thereof?
¹⁰有些人真是可憐！他們竟將希望寄於死東西上，竟稱人的手工、金銀和藝術的創作、動物的肖像、或古人雕刻的無用石的為神。	¹⁰But unhappy are they, and their hope is among the dead, who have called gods the works of the hands of men, gold and silver, the inventions of art, and the resemblances of beasts, or an unprofitable stone the work of an ancient hand.
¹¹設想：有個木匠，鋸來一棵適用的樹木，精巧地剝淨樹皮，熟練地施展技巧，製成一件日常生活的用具；	¹¹Or if an artist, a carpenter, hath cut down a tree proper for his use in the wood, and skillfully taken off all the bark thereof, and with his art, diligently formeth a vessel profitable for the common uses of life,
¹²以後用工作剩餘的碎木，煮飯充飢；	¹²And useth the chips of his work to dress his meat:
¹³後來由那些剩下一無所用的廢木中，取出一塊彎曲多疤的木頭，在閒暇無事時，辛勤地加以雕刻，本着自己熟悉的手藝，按圖樣將它刻成一個人像，	¹³And taking what was left thereof, which is good for nothing, being a crooked piece of wood, and full of knots, carveth it diligently when he hath nothing else to do, and by the skill of his art fashioneth it and maketh it like the image of a man:
¹⁴或做成一個卑賤的獸像，塗上丹砂，將外皮漆成紅色，遮住一切疤痕；	¹⁴Or the resemblance of some beast, laying it over with vermilion, and painting it red, and covering every spot that is in it:
¹⁵隨後，為它做一個適宜的居所，把它嵌在牆上，用釘子釘住，	¹⁵And maketh a convenient dwelling place for it, and setting it in a wall, and fastening it with iron,
¹⁶預先加以照顧，免得它掉下來，因為他知道：這件東西是不能自助的，不過只是偶像，需要人來扶助。	¹⁶Providing for it, lest it should fall, knowing that it is unable to help itself: for it is an image, and hath need of help.
¹⁷但是，他反不感羞恥地向這無靈之物禱告，祈賜財富、妻室和子嗣；	¹⁷And then maketh prayer to it, inquiring concerning his substance, and his children, or his marriage. And he is not ashamed to speak to that which hath no life:
¹⁸向這虛弱的東西，要求健康；向這死物，要求生命；向這無能的東西，要求援助；	¹⁸And for health he maketh supplication to the weak, and for life prayeth to that which is dead, and for help calleth upon that which is unprofitable:
¹⁹向這有腳不能行的東西，要求旅行；向這有手而毫無動作的東西，要求發財、工作、事業成功的力量。	¹⁹And for a good journey he petitioneth him that cannot walk: and for getting, and for working, and for the event of all things he asketh him that is unable to do any thing.

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