Wisdom:Chapter 15

Index

Wisdom:Chapter 15

智慧篇	Wisdom
¹至於你，我們的天主，你是良善的，忠實的，寬容的，以慈愛治理萬有。	¹But thou, our God, art gracious and true, patient, and ordering all things in mercy.
²我們即使犯了罪，仍是你的，因為我們承認你的主權；我們既承認我們原屬於你，我們就不再犯罪了。	²For if we sin, we are thine, knowing thy greatness: and if we sin not, we know that we are counted with thee.
³實在，認識你就是完美的正義；承認你的主權，就是不死不滅的根源。	³For to know thee is perfect justice: and to know thy justice, and thy power, is the root of immortality.
⁴為此，人邪惡的創作，畫家無益的作品，各式各色的畫圖，都沒有使我們誤入迷途；	⁴For the invention of mischievous men hath not deceived us, nor the shadow of a picture, a fruitless labour, a graven figure with divers colours,
⁵不過，愚人一見這些畫像，就大動情慾，貪戀這些無靈的死像。	⁵The sight whereof enticeth the fool to lust after it, and he loveth the lifeless figure of a dead image.
⁶凡製造、愛慕、恭敬偶像的，實是邪惡的情人，只堪將希望寄於無靈之物。	⁶The lovers of evil things deserve to have no better things to trust in, both they that make them, and they that love them, and they that worship them.
⁷有個陶人用力摶軟泥，製成各種器皿，以供我們使用；但是，他可用同樣的泥土，做成為潔淨事用的器皿，同樣，也可做成為卑污事用的器皿；至於，每件作何用途，皆由陶人斷定。	⁷The potter also tempering soft earth, with labour fashioneth every vessel for our service, and of the same clay he maketh both vessels that are for clean uses, and likewise such as serve to the contrary: but what is the use of these vessels, the potter is the judge.
⁸後來，他竟枉費心機，將同樣的泥土，揑成一個虛無的神像，不想自己不久以前，原是由土造成的；不久以後，天主向他索還靈魂時，還要歸於土。	⁸And of the same clay by a vain labour he maketh a god: he who a little before was made of earth himself, and a little after returneth to the same out of which he was taken, when his life which was lent him shall be called for again.
⁹他並不想死亡將至，生命短促，只圖與金匠銀匠競爭，仿效銅匠，以製造虛偽之物為榮。	⁹But his care is, not that he shall labour, nor that his life is short, but he striveth with the goldsmiths and silversmiths: and he endeavoureth to do like the workers in brass, and counteth it a glory to make vain things.
¹⁰他的心已如死灰，他的希望比塵埃還卑微，他的生命比泥土更卑賤。	¹⁰For his heart is ashes, and his hope vain earth, and his life more base than clay:
¹¹因為，他竟不知是誰創造了他，是誰賦給了他一個行動的靈魂，是誰向他吹了生命的氣息。	¹¹Forasmuch as he knew not his maker and him that inspired into him the soul that worketh, and that breathed into him a living spirit.
¹²他反將我們的生命視為兒戲，將此生看作惟利是圖的市場，說：「人必須用各樣的方法，甚至利用不義的手段，獲得利潤。」	¹²Yea and they have counted our life a pastime, and the business of life to be gain, and that we must be getting every way, even out of evil.
¹³凡用泥料製造易破的器皿和偶像的，應比其他一切人更清楚知道自己犯了罪。	¹³For that man knoweth that he offendeth above all others, who of earthly matter maketh brittle vessels, and graven gods.
¹⁴但是，最愚蠢，比嬰兒還可憐的，還是那些仇視並虐待你百姓的人。	¹⁴But all the enemies of thy people that hold them in subjection, are foolish, and unhappy, and proud beyond measure:
¹⁵他們將異邦人所有的偶像都看作神明；這些神明有眼不能看，有鼻不能喘氣，有耳不能聽，有手不能摸，有腳不能行，	¹⁵For they have esteemed all the idols of the heathens for gods, which neither have the use of eyes to see, nor noses to draw breath, nor ears to hear, nor fingers of hands to handle, and as for their feet, they are slow to walk.
¹⁶因為都是人的作品，是那由天主借得氣息的人所捏造的，實在沒有一人能造出一個與自己相似的神；	¹⁶For man made them: and he that borroweth his own breath, fashioned them. For no man can make a god like to himself.
¹⁷有死的人，只能用邪惡的手造出死像，他本人原勝過他所崇拜的東西，因為他尚有生命，這些東西卻從來沒有。	¹⁷For being mortal himself, he formeth a dead thing with his wicked hands. For he is better than they whom he worshippeth, because he indeed hath lived, though he were mortal, but they never.
¹⁸此外，他們竟然還敬拜那些最可憎惡的動物，因為，這些動物與其他動物相比，更為愚笨。	¹⁸Moreover they worship also the vilest creatures: but things without sense compared to these, are worse than they.
¹⁹再就其為動物而言，也並不美麗，或值得人愛，只是些不得天主讚賞和祝福的東西。	¹⁹Yea, neither by sight can any man see good of these beasts. But they have fled from the praise of God, and from his blessing.

Produced by www.ccreadbible.org