Sirach 1 1 From him was to spring the man who won the favor of all: Dear to God and men, MOSES, whose memory is held in benediction. 上主使雅各伯的后裔中,出现了一位慈善的人,他就是天主和人所钟爱的梅瑟,人一提念他,人就都赞扬。 2 2 God's honor devolved upon him, and the Lord strengthened him with fearful powers; 3 God wrought swift miracles at his words and sustained him in the king's presence. He gave him the commandments for his people, and revealed to him his glory. 藉梅瑟的言语,破除邪术, 在众王前光荣了他,命他指挥自己的百姓,使他看见自己的一些光荣; 4 For his trustworthiness and meekness God selected him from all mankind; 因为他忠信谦和,天主就从众人中拣选了他,祝圣了他; 5 3 He permitted him to hear his voice, and led him into the cloud, Where, face to face, he gave him the commandments, the law of life and understanding, That he might teach his precepts to Jacob, his judgments and decrees to Israel. 6 4 He raised up also, like Moses in holiness, his brother AARON, of the tribe of Levi. 7 5 He made him perpetual in his office when he bestowed on him the priesthood of his people; He established him in honor and crowned him with lofty majesty; 与他立定了永久的盟约,将自己百姓的司祭之职赐给他;使他服装灿然。 8 He clothed him with splendid apparel, and adorned him with the glorious vestments: Breeches and tunic and robe with pomegranates around the hem, 给他束上光荣的腰带,给他穿上华丽的长衣,戴上庄严的徽章, 穿上裤子、长袍和披肩,给他佩带上许多金制的石榴和金铃铛; 9 And a rustle of bells round about, through whose pleasing sound at each step He would be heard within the sanctuary, and the children of his race would be remembered; 当他走动时,铛铛作响,殿内都可听到,提醒自己的国民。 10 The sacred vestments of gold, of violet, and of crimson, wrought with embroidery; The breastpiece for decision, the ephod and cincture 他穿的圣衣,是用金色、蓝色、紫色的线绣成的,是绣匠的手工;他又带着一块胸牌,即乌陵和突明; 11 with scarlet yarn, the work of the weaver; Precious stones with seal engravings in golden settings, the work of the jeweler, To commemorate in incised letters each of the tribes of 这胸牌是工人用捻的朱红色线作成的;这胸牌如玉玺一样,镶有宝石;宝石上由玉工按刻印法,刻有以色列支派的名次,作为纪念; 12 On his turban the diadem of gold, its plate wrought with the insignia of holiness, Majestic, glorious, renowned for splendor, a delight to the eyes, beauty supreme. 在他的头巾上有一金冠,上面刻有“祝圣于上主”的文字,是光荣的饰物,是杰出的作品,装饰得雅致悦目。 13 Before him, no one was adorned with these, nor may they ever be worn by any Except his sons and them alone, generation after generation, for all time. 14 His cereal offering is wholly burnt with the established sacrifice twice each day; 亚郎奉献的祭祀,都被焚烧净尽,每天两次,从不间断。 15 For Moses ordained him and anointed him with the holy oil, In a lasting covenant with him and with his family, as permanent as the heavens, That he should serve God in his priesthood and bless his people in his name. 梅瑟祝圣了他,给他傅了圣油。 这为他和他与日俱存的子孙,算是永远的盟约,使他充任司祭,主持敬礼天主的事,并以天主的名祝福民众。 16 He chose him from all mankind to offer holocausts and choice offerings, To burn sacrifices of sweet odor for a memorial, and to atone for the people of Israel. 上主从众生中拣选了他,为向自己奉献祭品、焚香和悦纳的馨香,为获得纪念;并为自己的百姓,献赎罪的牺牲。 17 He gave to him his laws, and authority to prescribe and to judge: To teach the precepts to his people, and the ritual to the descendants of Israel. 赏他有颁发自己的诫命,和审核法规的权柄;将天主的证言教给雅各伯,借法律光照以色列。 18 Men of other families were inflamed against him, were jealous of him in the desert, The followers of Dathan and Abiram, and the band of Korah in their defiance. 那时,外方人集合起来反对他,达堂阿彼兰一党的人,科辣黑的同僚,在旷野嫉妒他,恼恨他,围攻他。 19 But the LORD saw this and became angry, he destroyed them in his burning wrath. He brought down upon them a miracle, and consumed them with his flaming fire. 20 Then he increased the glory of Aaron and bestowed upon him his inheritance: The sacred offerings he allotted to him, with the showbread as his portion; 却增加了亚郎的光荣,赐给他产业,分给他初熟的鲜果; 21 The oblations of the LORD are his food, a gift to him and his descendants. 首先给他们预备了充足的食粮:因为他们要吃上主的祭品,这是上主赏给他和他子孙的。 22 But he holds no land among the people nor shares with them their heritage; For the LORD himself is his portion, his inheritance in the midst of Israel. 但他没有分得土地为产业,在众支派中,他没有分子,因为天主自己就是他的分子和产业。 23 PHINEHAS too, the son of Eleazar, was the courageous third of his line When, zealous for the God of all, he met the crisis of his people And, at the prompting of his noble heart, atoned for the children of Israel. 24 Therefore on him again God conferred the right, in a covenant of friendship, to provide for the sanctuary, So that he and his descendants should possess the high priesthood forever. 因此,天主和他订立了和平的盟约,派他管理圣所和自己的百姓,并将大司祭的尊位,永远归于他和他的子孙。 25 For even his covenant with David, the son of Jesse of the tribe of Judah, Was an individual heritage through one son alone; but the heritage of Aaron is for all his descendants. 天主与犹大支派的人叶瑟的儿子达味王,也订立了盟约,根据这盟约,王位应由他的一个儿子继承;而亚郎的职分,却由他的后裔继承。 26 And now bless the LORD who has crowned you with glory! May he grant you wisdom of heart to govern his people in justice, Lest their welfare should ever be forgotten, or your authority, throughout all time. 现在,你们要赞美赐给你们荣冠的慈善上主。愿他赐给你们内心的智慧,好能秉公审判他的百姓,为使祖先的美德不至于消逝无存,并使他们的光荣,传于他们的一切后代。 Footnotes(注解) 1 [1-5] Moses manifested God's power through miracles (Sirach 45:1-3), God's authority through the promulgation of the commandments and the law (Sirach 45:5), and God's mercy through the intimacy granted him by the Lord for his own faithfulness and meekness (Sirach 45:4-5). The very personification of the old covenant, Moses was also a type of Christ, the Prophet and Legislator of the new; cf Deut 18:15. 2 [2] God's honor devolved upon him: Moses was actually God's substitute in dealing with Pharaoh, hence God entrusted his own honor to Moses. 3 [5] Face to face: on God's intimacy with Moses, see Exodus 33:11; Numbers 12:8. St. Paul alluded to this in 1 Cor 13:12. 4 [6-21] The author here expresses his reverence and esteem for the priesthood of the old covenant. He recalls God's choice of Aaron and his sons for this sublime office (Sirach 45:6, 7), and describes in detail the beauty of the high priest's vestments (Sirach 45:8-13). He relates the ordination of Aaron at the hands of Moses, his brother (Sirach 45:15), and describes the priestly functions, of offering sacrifice to God (Sirach 45:16), and of blessing (Sirach 45:15), teaching, governing and judging the people (Sirach 45:17); the inheritance of the high priest (Sirach 45:20-22); the punishment of those families who were jealous of Aaron (Sirach 45:18, 19); and the confirmation of the covenant of the priesthood with Aaron's descendants through Phinehas (Sirach 45:23-25). 5 [7] The priesthood of Aaron was superseded by the priesthood of Christ; cf Hebrews 7:18-28. |