| 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。 |
1 Therefore they were fittingly punished by similar creatures, and were tormented by a swarm of insects. |
| 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 this punishment, you benefited your people with a novel dish, the delight they craved, by providing quail for their food; |
| 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。 |
3That those others, when they desired food, since the creatures sent to plague them were so loathsome, should be turned from even the craving of necessities, While these, after a brief period of privation, partook of a novel dish. |
| 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 upon those oppressors, inexorable want had to come; but these needed only be shown how their enemies were being tormented. |
| 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 dire venom of beasts came upon them and they were dying from the bite of crooked serpents, your anger endured not to the end. |
| 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； |
6 But as a warning, for a short time they were terrorized, though they had a sign of salvation, to remind them of the precept of your law. |
| 7凡轉向這標記的，並不是因着所瞻望的記號得救，而是因着你，萬民的救主。 |
7For he who turned toward it was saved, not by what he saw, but by you, the savior 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 by this also you convinced our foes that you are he who delivers 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 bites of locusts and of flies slew them, and no remedy was found to save their lives because they deserved to be punished by such means; |
| 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 fangs of poisonous reptiles overcame your sons, for your mercy brought the antidote to heal 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 as a reminder of your injunctions, they were stung, and swiftly they were saved, Lest they should fall into deep forgetfulness and become unresponsive to your beneficence. |
| 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 indeed, neither herb nor application cured them, but your all-healing word, O LORD! |
| 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 you have dominion over life and death; you lead down to the gates of the nether world, and lead back. |
| 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。 |
14 Man, however, slays in his malice, but when the spirit has come away, it does not return, nor can he bring back the soul once it is confined. |
| 15逃出你的掌握，那是不可能的。 |
15But your hand none can escape. |
| 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 who refused to know you were punished by the might of your arm, Pursued by unwonted rains and hailstorms and unremitting downpours, 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： |
17For against all expectation, in water which quenches anything, the fire grew more active; For the universe fights on behalf of 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 now the flame was tempered so that the beasts might not be burnt up that were sent upon the wicked, but that these might see and know they were struck 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 again, even in the water, fire blazed beyond its strength so as to consume the produce of the 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 this, you nourished your people with food of angels and furnished them bread from heaven, ready to hand, untoiled-for, endowed with all delights and conforming to every taste. |
| 21你賜予的食糧，合乎取食者的嗜好，隨着人的願望而變化，這表明你對待兒女如何恩愛。 |
21For this substance of yours revealed your sweetness toward your children, and serving the desire of him who received it, was blended to whatever flavor each one wished. |
| 22雪和冰遇着火並不融化，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； |
22 Yet snow and ice withstood fire and were not melted, that they might know that their enemies' fruits Were consumed by a fire that blazed in the hail and flashed lightning in the rain. |
| 23但為養育義人，火卻忘記了自己的本能。 |
23But this fire, again, that the just might be nourished, forgot even its proper 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 your creation, serving you, its maker, grows tense for punishment against the wicked, but is relaxed in benefit for those who trust in you. |
| 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 at that very time, transformed in all sorts of ways, it was serving your all-nourishing bounty according to what they needed and desired; |
| 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 your sons whom you loved might learn, O LORD, that it is not the various kinds of fruits that nourish man, but it is your word that preserves those who believe you! |
| 27因為，火所不能燒毀的，因着溫和的一線陽光，立即融化， |
27For what was not destroyed by fire, when merely warmed by a momentary sunbeam, melted; |
| 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； |
28So that men might know that one must give you thanks before the sunrise, and turn to you at daybreak. |
| 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 ingrate melts like a wintry frost and runs off like useless water. |
