Wisdom:Chapter 16

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Wisdom:Chapter 16

智慧篇	Wisdom
¹因此，天主用同樣的動物來懲罰他們，使他們受許多動物的殘害，很為適當。	¹For these things, and by the like things to these, they were worthily punished, and were destroyed by a multitude of beasts.
²正與此懲罰相反，你卻恩待了你的百姓，為滿足他們的食慾；給他們預備了珍奇的美味──鵪鶉，當作食物。	²Instead of which punishment, dealing well with thy people, thou gavest them their desire of delicious food, of a new taste, preparing for them quails for their meat:
³那些想進食的埃及人，一看見上主遣來的醜陋的動物，連原有的食慾都失去了；至於你的百姓，雖遭受了片時的飢餓，卻分享了奇異的美味。	³To the end that they indeed desiring food, by means of those things that were shewn and sent among them, might loathe even that which was necessary to satisfy their desire. But these, after suffering want for a short time, tasted a new meat.
⁴因為，埃及人殘忍無道，理應遭受難挨的飢餓；至於你的百姓受餓，只是為叫他們明白，他們的仇敵受了如何的痛苦。	⁴For it was requisite that inevitable destruction should come upon them that exercised tyranny: but to these it should only be shewn how their enemies were destroyed.
⁵以色列人固然也受到了猛獸的殘害，和毒蛇的咬傷；	⁵For when the fierce rage of beasts came upon these, they were destroyed with the bitings of crooked serpents.
⁶但你的憤怒並沒有堅持到底，只不過是為警戒他們，使他們暫時驚惶，獲得救援的標記，好想起你的法令；	⁶But thy wrath endured not for ever, but they were troubled for a short time for their correction, having a sign of salvation to put them in remembrance of the commandment of thy law.
⁷凡轉向這標記的，並不是因著所瞻望的記號得救，而是因著你，萬民的救主。	⁷For he that turned to it, was not healed by that which he saw, but by thee the Saviour of all.
⁸藉此，你向我們的仇敵證明：是你救人脫免一切災禍；	⁸And in this thou didst shew to our enemies, that thou art he who deliverest from all evil.
⁹因為蝗蟲和蒼蠅咬死了他們，卻沒有醫治他們生命的方法，因為他們理應遭受這樣的刑罰。	⁹For the bitings of locusts, and of flies killed them, and there was found no remedy for their life: because they were worthy to be destroyed by such things.
¹⁰但是你的子民，卻沒有為毒蛇的牙所制勝：這是因為你的仁慈前來救助，治好了他們。	¹⁰But not even the teeth of venomous serpents overcame thy children: for thy mercy came and healed them.
¹¹他們被咬後，即刻獲治，是要他們記念你的話，免得他們深深遺忘，而不注意你的仁慈。	¹¹For they were examined for the remembrance of thy words, and were quickly healed, lest falling into deep forgetfulness, they might not be able to use thy help.
¹²醫好他們的，並不是草樂，也不是膏藥，上主，而是你那治好一切的話。	¹²For it was neither herb, nor mollifying plaster that healed them, but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things.
¹³因為，是你掌握生死的大權，引人下入陰府的門，而又領回。	¹³For it is thou, O Lord, that hast power of life and death, and leadest down to the gates of death, and bringest back again:
¹⁴人固然可以因邪惡而殺人，卻不能使已離去的神魂再回來，也不能解救一個被囚在陰府中的靈魂。	¹⁴A man indeed killeth through malice, and when the spirit is gone forth, it shall not return, neither shall he call back the soul that is received:
¹⁵逃出你的掌握，那是不可能的。	¹⁵But it is impossible to escape thy hand.
¹⁶為此，那不肯承認你的敗類，遭受了你大力手臂的打擊，受那罕有的大雨、冰雹與無情暴雨的襲擊，並為火所毀滅。	¹⁶For the wicked that denied to know thee, were scourged by the strength of thy arm, being persecuted by strange waters, and hail, and rain, and consumed by fire.
¹⁷最堪驚奇的，是在能熄滅一切的水中，火燄反而更為熾烈，因為世界都為義人而戰：	¹⁷And which was wonderful, in water, which extinguisheth all things, the fire had more force: for the world fighteth for the just.
¹⁸有時火勢緩和，免得燒掉那些為對付不虔敬的人所派來的野獸，令他們見了，自知難逃天主正義的追擊；	¹⁸For at one time, the fire was mitigated, that the beasts which were sent against the wicked might not be burned, but that they might see and perceive that they were persecuted by the judgment of God.
¹⁹有時火在水中反燒得異常熾烈，為燒盡毀滅不義之田的出產。	¹⁹And at another time the fire, above its own power, burned in the midst of water, to destroy the fruits of a wicked land.
²⁰相反地，你用天神之糧，養育了你的子民；他們不必操勞，你從天上給他們降下了現成的食糧，具有各種美味，適合各人的口味。	²⁰Instead of which things thou didst feed thy people with the food of angels, and gavest them bread from heaven prepared without labour; having in it all that is delicious, and the sweetness of every taste.
²¹你賜予的食糧，合乎取食者的嗜好，隨著人的願望而變化，這表明你對待兒女如何恩愛。	²¹For thy sustenance shewed thy sweetness to thy children, and serving every man's will, it was turned to what every man liked.
²²雪和冰遇著火並不融化，這是使他們知道：為毀滅仇敵的收穫，火曾在冰雹中熾燃，在雨水中閃爍；	²²But snow and ice endured the force of fire, and melted not: that they might know that fire burning in the hail and flashing in the rain destroyed the fruits of the enemies.
²³但為養育義人，火卻忘記了自己的本能。	²³But this same again, that the just might be nourished, did even forget its own strength.
²⁴實在，在受造物都服從你，自己的造主，致力懲罰不義的人，恩待信賴你的人。	²⁴For the creature serving thee the Creator, is made fierce against the unjust for their punishment; and abateth its strength for the benefit of them that trust in thee.
²⁵因此，「瑪納」就依照你那養育眾人的恩寵，起種種變化，來適應需求者的願望，	²⁵Therefore even then it was transformed into all things, and was obedient to thy grace that nourisheth all, according to the will of them that desired it of thee.
²⁶為使你所愛的子女們知道：上主，養育世人的，不是各種果食，而是你的言語，保全了信賴你的人。	²⁶That thy children, O Lord, whom thou lovedst, might know that it is not the growing of fruits that nourisheth men, but thy word preserveth them that believe in thee:
²⁷因為，火所不能燒毀的，因著溫和的一線陽光，立即融化，	²⁷For that which could not be destroyed by fire, being warmed with a little sunbeam presently melted away:
²⁸使人知道：在太陽沒有升起以前，就應讚頌你；在曙光破曉時分，就該祈求你；	²⁸That it might be known to all, that we ought to prevent the sun to bless thee, and adore thee at the dawning of the light.
²⁹因為，不知恩者的希望，就如冬天的霜，勢必消溶，逝去有如無用的流水。	²⁹For the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter's ice, and shall run off as unprofitable water.

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