多俾亚传 Tobit Chapter 4
Tobit
Chapter 4

1 That same day Tobit remembered the money he had deposited with Gabael at Rages in Media, and he thought,

那日,托彼特想起了他在玛待辣杰斯,存放在加贝罗那里的银子来,

2 "Now that I have asked for death, why should I not call my son Tobiah and let him know about this money before I die?"

便自言自语说:"哎,我已求了死,为什么不把我的儿子多俾亚叫来,在我死前,给他说明这项银子的事呢?"

3 1 So he called his son Tobiah; and when he came, he said to him: "My son, when I die, give me a decent burial. Honor your mother, and do not abandon her as long as she lives. Do whatever pleases her, and do not grieve her spirit in any way.

他遂叫他儿子多俾亚来到他跟前,对他说:"孩子!我若死了,你要好好安葬我;要孝敬你母亲,在她一生的日子里不可离开她,要履行她喜欢的事,在一切事上不可使她伤心。

4 Remember, my son, that she went through many trials for your sake while you were in her womb. And when she dies, bury her in the same grave with me.

孩子!你要记住:你在母胎时,她为你经历过种种危险;她死后,你要把她葬在我旁边与我埋在一个坟墓里。

5 "Through all your days, my son, keep the Lord in mind, and suppress every desire to sin or to break his commandments. Perform good works all the days of your life, and do not tread the paths of wrongdoing.

孩子!你要一生想念上主,不可随意犯罪,违犯他的诫命你要一生行义,不可走邪僻的路,

6 2 For if you are steadfast in your service, your good works will bring success, not only to you, but also to all those who live uprightly.

因为你若作正直的事,你的事业必顺利成功。

7 "Give alms from your possessions. Do not turn your face away from any of the poor, and God's face will not be turned away from you.

你当用你的财产救济一切行义的人。施舍时你的眼不可鄙视;对一切穷人不要转面不顾,这样天主也总不会转面不顾你。

8 Son, give alms in proportion to what you own. If you have great wealth, give alms out of your abundance; if you have but little, distribute even some of that. But do not hesitate to give alms;

若你多有,就该多施舍;若你少有,也不要怕少施舍。

9 you will be storing up a goodly treasure for yourself against the day of adversity.

因为这样作,是为你自己积蓄困厄时日的宝藏,

10 Almsgiving frees one from death, and keeps one from going into the dark abode.

因为施舍能救人脱免死亡,防止人陷于黑暗,

11 Alms are a worthy offering in the sight of the Most High for all who give them.

因为,为一切施舍的人,施舍在至高者台前是一项悦意的礼品。

12 "Be on your guard, son, against every form of immorality, and above all, marry a woman of the lineage of your forefathers. Do not marry a stranger who is not of your father's tribe, because we are sons of the prophets. My boy, keep in mind Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our fathers from of old: all of them took wives from among their own kinsmen and were blessed in their children. Remember that their posterity shall inherit the land.

孩子!你应戒绝一切淫行,尤其应从你祖先的后裔中娶妻,不可娶那不是你宗祖支派的外邦女子为妻,因为我们是先知的后裔。孩子,记住!我们的祖先诺厄、亚巴郎、依撒格、雅各伯,开始都是从自己兄弟中娶妻,因此他们在自己的儿女身上得了祝福,他们的后裔也将继承福地。

13 Therefore, my son, love your kinsmen. Do not be so proudhearted toward your kinsmen, the sons and daughters of your people, as to refuse to take a wife for yourself from among them. For in such arrogance there is ruin and great disorder. Likewise, in worthlessness there is decay and dire poverty, for worthlessness is the mother of famine.

孩子!现在你要爱你的兄弟,内心不可轻视你的兄弟和你同族的儿女,而不从他们中娶妻,因为骄傲必使人败坏不睦,好闲必使人穷困破产,因为好闲是饥饿之母。

14 "Do not keep with you overnight the wages of any man who works for you, but pay him immediately. If you thus behave as God's servant, you will receive your reward. Keep a close watch on yourself, my son, in everything you do, and discipline yourself in all your conduct.

一切劳工者的工资,不可在你那里过夜,要立即付清。你若侍奉天主,他必报答你。孩子!在一切的事情上要谨慎,在一切的举止上,要表示你受过好教育。

15 Do to no one what you yourself dislike. Do not drink wine till you become drunk, nor let drunkenness accompany you on your way.

你厌恶的事不可对别人做;喝酒不要喝醉;醉酒不可在你的路上与你同行。

16 "Give to the hungry some of your bread and to the naked some of your clothing. Whatever you have left over, give away as alms; and do not begrudge the alms you give.

该把你的食物施与饥饿的人,把你的衣服分给裸体的人。凡是富余的,都要用来施行哀矜;在行哀矜的时候,你的眼不可鄙视。

17 3 Be lavish with your bread and wine at the burial of the virtuous, but do not share them with sinners.

把你的酒和食物倒在义人的坟墓上,也不可施与恶人。

18 "Seek counsel from every wise man, and do not think lightly of any advice that can be useful.

应向一切有智慧的人求教,不要轻视任何有益的忠告。

19 4 At all times bless the Lord God, and ask him to make all your paths straight and to grant success to all your endeavors and plans. For no pagan nation possesses good counsel, but the Lord himself gives all good things. If the Lord chooses, he raises a man up; but if he should decide otherwise, he casts him down to the deepest recesses of the nether world. So now, my son, keep in mind my commandments, and never let them be erased from your heart.

你该时时赞美上主天主,求他使你的道路正直,使你的前途与计划顺遂,因为一切的人都没有善意唯有上主能赏赐各种恩惠,他愿举扬的就举扬,他愿压伏的就把他压伏到阴府的底层。孩子!现今,你要牢记这些劝言,总不可在你心中消失。

20 "And now, son, I wish to inform you that I have deposited a great sum of money with Gabri's son Gabael at Rages in Media.

孩子!现在我还要告诉你:我曾把十塔冷通银子,寄存在住在玛待辣杰斯城的加彼黎的儿子加贝罗那里。

21 Do not be discouraged, my child, because of our poverty. You will be a rich man if you fear God, avoid all sin, and do what is right before the Lord your God."

孩子!不要害怕我们贫穷;如果你敬畏天主远避一切罪恶在你的上主天主前行善,你必能富有 "

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Footnotes(注解)

1 [3] (3-19) A collection of maxims which parallel those in the wisdom literature, especially Prov and Sirach (see Introduction): duties toward parents (Tobit 4:3-4); cf also Tobit 14:13; perseverance in virtue and avoidance of evil (Tobit 4:5, 6, 14b); necessity and value of almsgiving and charity (Tobit 4:7, 11, 16, 17); marriage to a kinsman (Tobit 4:12, 13a); industry (Tobit 4:13b); prompt payment of wages (Tobit 4:14a); the golden rule (Tobit 4:15a); temperance (Tobit 4:15b); docility (Tobit 4:18); prayer (Tobit 4:19).

2 [6] Before the revelation of retribution for all men in the afterlife-a doctrine taught in the Book of Wisdom-Old Testament man believed that virtue guaranteed earthly prosperity, and sin earthly disaster (cf Deut 28).

3 [17] Tobit counsels his son either to give alms in honor of the dead, or, more probably, to give the "bread of consolation" to the family of the deceased. Cf Jeremiah 16:7; Ezekiel 24:17.

4 [19] Prayer is the foundation of a moral life.