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The Book of Wisdom 1 1 Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily and governs all things well. 智慧施展威力，从地极直达地极，从容治理万物。 2 Her I loved and sought after from my youth; I sought to take her for my bride and was enamored of her beauty. 3 She adds to nobility the splendor of companionship with God; even the LORD of all loved her. 因她与天主共同生活，更彰显了她出身的尊贵；万有的主宰也喜爱她。 4 For she is instructress in the understanding of God, the selector of his works. 她实在透彻天主的奥秘，自行决择天主的工程。 5 And if riches be a desirable possession in life, what is more rich than Wisdom, who produces all things? 如果财富是今生所极贪求的对像，有什么比创造一切的智慧更为富足？ 6 And if prudence renders service, who in the world is a better craftsman than she? 如果理智指导工作，那么，在万有中有谁比智慧更配作技师？ 7 2 Or if one loves justice, the fruits of her works are virtues; For she teaches moderation and prudence, justice and fortitude, and nothing in life is more useful for men than these. 若有人爱慕正义，应知道：德行是智慧工作的效果，因为她教训人节制、明智、公义和勇敢：在此生没有比这些为人更有裨益。 8 Or again, if one yearns for copious learning, she knows the things of old, and infers those yet to come. She understands the turns of phrases and the solutions of riddles; signs and wonders she knows in advance and the outcome of times and ages. 若有人希望有丰富的经验，智慧知道往古，推测未来，通晓深言奥意，会解释谜语，预知异迹和奇事，年代和世纪的结局。 9 So I determined to take her to live with me, knowing that she would be my counselor while all was well, and my comfort in care and grief. 为此，我决意娶她与我一同生活，深知她是我顺境中的参谋，是我忧虑与困苦中的安慰。 10 For her sake I should have glory among the masses, and esteem from the elders, though I be but a youth. 我虽然年幼，借着她，我在民众中必获荣耀，必为长老所尊重； 11 I should become keen in judgment, and should be a marvel before rulers. 我在断案时，必断狱机敏，有权势的人见了，都对我表示钦佩。【长官见了，莫不对我惊奇。】 12 3 They would abide my silence and attend my utterance; and as I spoke on further, they would place their hands upon their mouths. 我沉默，他们就静候；我发言，他们就侧耳静听；我若讲论不绝，他们就用手掩住自己的口。 13 For her sake I should have immortality and leave to those after me an everlasting memory. 14 I should govern peoples, and nations would be my subjects- 我要统治万民，列邦都要归顺我。 15 terrible princes, hearing of me, would be afraid; in the assembly I should appear noble, and in war courageous. 16 Within my dwelling, I should take my repose beside her; For association with her involves no bitterness and living with her no grief, but rather joy and gladness. 回到家中，只有在她身傍，我才获得安息；因为只要与她为伴，便没有苦恼；与她共同生活，便没有悲哀，只有喜乐和愉快。 17 Thinking thus within myself, and reflecting in my heart That there is immortality in kinship with Wisdom, 我每一念及这些思想，心里反复思量：不死不灭是在于与智慧亲近， 18 and good pleasure in her friendship, and unfailing riches in the works of her hands, And that in frequenting her society there is prudence, and fair renown in sharing her discourses, I went about seeking to take her for my own. 纯洁的喜乐是在于与智慧为友，无尽的财富是在于智慧手中的工作；明哲是在于与智慧结交，声誉是在于与智慧交谈；因此，我寻遍方法，好能将她娶到手中。 19 4 Now, I was a well-favored child, and I came by a noble nature; 我原是个性善的孩子，获得了个善良的灵魂； 20 or rather, being noble, I attained an unsullied body. 或更好说，因为我善良，我进入了一个无玷的身体内； 21 5 And knowing that I could not otherwise possess her except God gave it-- and this, too, was prudence, to know whose is the gift-- I went to the LORD and besought him, and said with all my heart: 但我知道，天主若不将她赐给我，我不会获得她──连知道这是谁的恩赐，已经是由于智慧──我于是转向上主全心祈求他说： Footnotes（注解） 1 [1] End to end: from one end of the heavens to the other. 2 [7] Moderation . . . fortitude: what are now known as the cardinal virtues. 3 [12] Hands upon their mouths: an oft-mentioned sign of respect among the ancients for unanswerable wisdom; cf Job 40:4. 4 [19-20] Here the sacred writer mentions first bodily, then spiritual, excellence. To make it plain that the latter is the governing factor in the harmonious development of the human person, he then reverses the order. 5 [21] Possess her: in the Latin, "be continent." Though this verse has often been cited in connection with the virtue of chastity, the original must certainly mean "be possessed of Wisdom." |
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