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Sirach 1 The LORD from the earth created man, and in his own image he made him. 上主用尘土造了人，依照自己的肖像，造成了他。 2 Limited days of life he gives him and makes him return to earth again. 给他限定了日数和时期，又使他归于尘土； 3 He endows man with a strength of his own, and with power over all things else on earth. 按照自己的本性，赋给他德能；赐给他治理世上事物的权力。 4 He puts the fear of him in all flesh, and gives him rule over beasts and birds. 使一切生物都畏惧他，使他能制服禽兽。 5 He forms men's tongues and eyes and ears, and imparts to them an understanding heart. 天主又从他，造了一个与他相似的伴侣，赐给他们理智、唇舌、眼目、耳朵和能思想的心， 6 With wisdom and knowledge he fills them; good and evil he shows them. 使他们充满知识与理解力，使他们的心富于辨别力，使他们能分别善恶。 7 He looks with favor upon their hearts, and shows them his glorious works, 天主又把自己的灵光放在他们的心中，为将自己伟大的工程，显示给他们， 8 That they may describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name. 好使他们能赞美他的圣名，光荣他奇妙的化工，并传述他伟大的工程。 9 He has set before them knowledge, a law of life as their inheritance; 他赐给他们理智，又赐给他们生命的法律，作为产业； 10 1 An everlasting covenant he has made with them, his commandments he has revealed to them. 和他们立了永久的盟约，使他们认识正义和自己的法令。 11 His majestic glory their eyes beheld, his glorious voice their ears heard. 他们的眼目看见了他伟大的光荣，他们的耳朵也听见了他庄严的声音。 12 He says to them, ＂Avoid all evil＂; each of them he gives precepts about his fellow men. 13 Their ways are ever known to him, they cannot be hidden from his eyes. 他们的道路，时常在他面前，丝毫隐瞒不了他的眼目。 14 2 Over every nation he places a ruler, but the LORD'S own portion is Israel. 15 All their actions are clear as the sun to him, his eyes are ever upon their ways. 他们所行的一切，像太阳一般，摆在他面前；他的眼目，时常注视他们的行径。 16 Their wickedness cannot be hidden from him; all of their sins are before the LORD. 他们的恶行，隐瞒不了他；他们一切的罪恶，都摆在上主的面前。 17 A man's goodness God cherishes like a signet ring, a man's virtue, like the apple of his eye. 人的慈爱，为天主有如印玺；他保存人的慈爱，有如保护瞳孔。 18 Later he will rise up and repay them, and requite each one of them as they deserve. 此后，他必起来，回报恶人，给他们施与每人应得的报应，使他们转入地的深处。 19 3 But to the penitent he provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope! 但是，给悔改的人，指出返回正义的归路；鼓舞那些失望的人，给他们指定真理的产业。 20 Return to the LORD and give up sin, pray to him and make your offenses few. 你应归向上主，离弃罪恶；你应在他面前祈祷，并减少你的过失。 21 Turn again to the Most High and away from sin, hate intensely what he loathes; 22 Who in the nether world can glorify the Most High in place of the living who offer their praise? 23 No more can the dead give praise than those who have never lived; they glorify the LORD who are alive and well. 24 How great the mercy of the LORD, his forgiveness of those who return to him! 25 The like cannot be found in men, for not immortal is any son of man. 因为人不是一切都能的，人子也不是不死不灭的，他们喜欢邪恶虚幻的事。 26 4 Is anything brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed. How obscure then the thoughts of flesh and blood! 什么比太阳更光明？但它也有晦暗的时候；血肉的人贪求的，不外邪恶，但是他们必因此而受责罚。 27 God watches over the hosts of highest heaven, while all men are dust and ashes. 天主视察高天的军旅，但众人却是尘埃灰土。 Footnotes（注解） 1 [10] An everlasting covenant . . . his commandments: the various covenants which God entered into with mankind, e.g., Genesis 2:15-17; 17:1-22 especially on Mount Sinai where the people saw God's glory and heard his voice (Exodus 19:16-24:18). 2 [14] Ruler: this may refer to civil authority or to angels placed over nations as guardians; see note on Deut 32:8 and the cross references above. 3 [19-27] Exhorting the sinner to return to God (Sirach 17:19-21, 24-26) the author implies that the Lord will postpone death for a repentant sinner so that he may fulfill his destiny of praising God on earth (Sirach 17:22-23). In the light of Christian teaching, the gift of final penitence extends this divine purpose into life everlasting. See note on Psalm 6:6; cf also Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11-16. 4 [26] Obscure: literally, evil; compare Genesis 6:5. Though moral fault is not excluded, the thought here is the inability to understand the merciful designs of God. Cf Wisdom 9:14-18. |
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