MARY OF AGREDA

艾吉达的玛利亚

2April 1602 – 24 May 1665

She was the daughter of Francis Coroneland Catherine of Arana, born April 2, 1602, in the small town of Agreda nearTarazona in Spain.

她是方济．科罗内尔和阿拉娜的加大利的女儿，在1602年4月2日，生于西班牙塔拉索纳附近的小镇艾吉达（西班亚北部靠近法国）。

In 1617 she entered the convent of thediscalced Franciscan Nuns in the Convent of the Immaculate Conception in Agredaand took her vows one year later.

1617年，她进入了格里达圣母无玷原罪修会的圣方济女修会，并在一年后宣誓。

In 1625 she was chosen abbess, muchagainst her wishes, and, except during a short intermission, was re-electedevery three years until she died, in 1665.

1625年，她被选为女修会会长，这是违背她的意愿的，除了短暂的间歇，她每三年连任一次，直到1665年去世。

The fame of her prudence and foresight,not only in the government of her convent but in other matters, soon spreadoutside the convent walls and persons of the highest rank in state and Churchwere eager to obtain her counsel in important affairs.

她的智德和远见的名声，不仅在她的修会的治理上，而且在其他事情上，很快就传遍了修院的墙外，在国家和教会里地位最高的人都渴望在重要的事情上得到她的建议。

King Philip IV visited her several timesin her convent and corresponded with her about national affairs for many years.

国王斐理伯四世在她的修道院里拜访过她几次，多年来一直与她通信，讨论国家大事。

But she was no less famous for herexalted virtues. In many respects her life was a faithful copy of that of St.Francis.

但她同样以高尚的美德而闻名。在许多方面，她的生活完全是圣方济的翻版。

The miracle of bilocation related of heris in fact more remarkable and lasted a longer time than that recorded anywherein the lives of the saints.

事实上，与她有关的分身奇迹比记录中圣人们生活的任何地方都更加引人注目，持续也更长久。（评注：圣五伤比约神父也有此神迹）

Her good sense, her truthfulness, hersincerity, her humility, her unselfish love of God and man eminently adaptedher for the communication of messages from God to men.

她的善智，坦率，真诚，谦卑，她对天主和人的无私的爱，使她非常适合于神人之间传达信息。

WHAT INDUCED HER TO WRITE

是什么促使她写作

In all writing that lays claim toprivate revelation, the motives of the writer must be closely scrutinized.

在所有声称是私人启示的作品中，作者的动机必须被仔细查验。

If it appears to be a self-imposed task,for selfish ends, pecuniary or otherwise, tending to particularity in religiousteachings or practice not approved by the established faith or written withoutknowledge or consultation of the rightful superiors, it ought to be rejected asspurious.

如果写作动机看起来是出于自私、金钱或其他目的而强加给自己的任务，倾向于独特的宗教教导或实践，而沒有被公认的信仰所认可，或没有得到合法長上知晓、咨询的情况下写成的文章，那么它应该被视为虚假而该被拒绝。

God will reveal nothing for such purposeor under such circumstances, and He will permit human error and deceit and thesinister influence of hell to run their natural course.

天主不会为了这样的目的或在这样的情况下启示任何事情，祂会允许人类的错误、欺骗和地狱的邪恶影响，而自然发展下去。

Nothing of all this appears in thewritings of Mary of Agreda. Though she was urged interiorly and exteriorly torecord the facts of history revealed to her concerning the Mother of God, sheresisted for twelve years and was finally induced to write only through the positivecommands of her superiors.

所有这些都没有出现在艾吉达的玛利亚的著作中。尽管内心和外在都敦促她，记录下关于天主之母的历史事实，但她拒绝了十二年，最后只能通过长上的积极命令才得以写作。

Reluctantly she began her history in theyear 1637 and finished it in the year 1645, continually asking to be relievedfrom the task because she thought herself unworthy.

她不情愿地在1637年开始了天主之母的的历史，并在1645年完成，她不断地要求从这个任务中解脱出来，因为她认为自己不配。

As soon as the insistence of hersuperiors relaxed and an error of judgment on the part of an outside confessorgave her a plausible excuse, she burned all her writings, thus destroying thelabor of many years.

一旦长上的坚持放松了，外來听告解神父的一个误判，就给了她一个合理的借口，她就烧掉了自己所有的作品，从而毁掉了多年的劳动。

When this came to the knowledge of thehigher authorities and when they insisted on her rewriting the history whichcontinued to be supernaturally made known to her, she again succeeded indelaying the task for ten years.

当更高的长上知道了这件事，并坚持要她重写，这段一直以超自然的方式让她知道的历史时，她又成功地把这件事推迟了十年。

Only the strictest command underobedience and the threat of censures finally induced her to write themanuscript which she began in 1655 and finished in 1665, and which is stillpreserved in the convent of Agreda.

只有在最严厉的命令和训责的威胁下，她才最终写了这部手稿，这部手稿她从1655年开始，到1665年完成，至今仍保存在艾吉达的修会。

WHY REVEALED TO A WOMAN

为何向一个女人显现

It is to be remembered that God’s almighty power is restricted to no particular instrument; Hecreates out of nothing. In the case of Balaam, he used not only that wicked manbut even his beast for special revelation.

我们应该记住，天主全能的力量并不局限于任何特定的器皿；祂从无中创造出有。在巴郎的例子中，祂不仅使用了那个恶人，甚至他的牲口也得到了特别的启示。［注，巴郎，在和合本圣经译成巴兰］

It does seem that He prefers women forprivate revelation.

天主祂似乎更喜欢对女人进行私人启示。

He chose men to reveal the great publictruths of the Bible and to attend to the public teaching, but to women in thenew law He seems to have consigned the task of private revelations.

祂选择男人来揭示《圣经》中伟大的公共真理，并关注公共教导，但在新法律中，祂似乎把私人启示的任务交给了女人。

At least most of the known privaterevelations have been furnished us by women and not men. We must infer fromthis that they are better adapted for this work.

至少大多数为人所知的私人启示，是由女人而不是男人供应给我们的。我们必须由此推断她们更适合做这项工作。

In fact, no special learning or greatnatural insight is required of a messenger; such qualities might tend tocorrupt or narrow down the inspired message to mere human proportions, whereasprivate revelation is given precisely for the purpose of communicating highertruths than can be known or understood naturally.

事实上，信息传达者不需要特殊的学识或高超天然洞察力；因为这样的品质可能会使受感的信息破坏，或缩小到仅仅是人的范围，而私人启示恰恰是为了传达比天然所能知道或理解的更高的真理。

Humility, great piety and love, deepfaith are the requisites of God’s special messengers.

谦卑、至孝、大爱、忠信，是天主特殊使者的必要条件。

Women as a rule are more inclined tothese virtues than men, and therefore are not so apt to trim the message of Goddown to their own natural powers of understanding.

一般来说，女人比男人更倾向于拥有这些德性，因此不至于把天主的信息，因自己天然的理解能力而删减。

In choosing women for his specialrevelations He gives us to understand from the outset, that what He wishes toreveal is above the natural faculties of perception and insight of either manor woman.

在选择女性作为天主祂的特殊启示时，祂从一开始就让我们理解，祂想要启示给我们的（事情），是超越了男人或女人的自然感知能力和洞察力。

how was “ciudad” received?

那么《天主之城》是如何被（世人）接受的？

As soon as the “City of God” appeared in print it was welcomed and extolled as a most wonderfulwork.

《天主之城》一出版问世就受到欢迎，并被誉为最奇妙的作品。

The different translations found no lessenthusiastic welcome in nearly all the European countries.

不同的译本在几乎所有的欧洲国家，都受到同样热烈的欢迎。

It secured the immediate approbation andencomium of the ordinaries, the universities, the learned and eminent men ofchristendom.

它立即得到了普通民众、大学、基督宗教界有学问的，和杰出人士的认可和赞扬。

There is probably no other book whichwas so closely scrutinized by those in authority, both civil and religious,andafterwards so signally approved as the “City of God.”

可能没有其他书像《天主之城》那样受到权威如此仔细的审查，无论是民间还是宗教人士，后来又如此明确地批准了这本书。

By order of Innocent XI., AlexanderVIII., Clement IX., Benedict XIII., and Benedict XIV. it was repeatedlysubjected to the closest scrutiny and declared authentic, worthy of devoutperusal and free from error.

根据依诺森十一世、亚历山大八世、克莱孟九世、本笃十三世以及本笃十六世之命，它反复受到最密切的审查，并被宣布是真实可信的，毫无错误而值得虔诚细读。

The title “Venerabilis” was conferred upon the author. A large sized volume would berequired to record the praises and commendations written in favor of the great “City of God.”

 “尊崇”这个头衔被授予了作者。需要以‘巨著’来记录赞美和推崇之词，赞美伟大的《天主之城》。

OPPOSITION

反对

As the “City of God” so strenuously maintains the prerogatives of the Mother of God andthe authority of the Popes, it was not to be expected that it should escape themalicious slander and intrigues of those tainted with Jansenism andGallicanism.

《天主之城》竭力维护着‘天主之母’的独特地位和教宗的权柄，因此，它不可能逃脱那些被杨森主义和加利刚主义玷污者的恶意诽谤和阴谋诡计。

Many members of the Sorbonne in Pariswere secret or open adherers of these sects at the time when the “Ciudad” was first published in French about the year 1678.

1678年《天主之城》第一次以法语出版时，巴黎（人文荟萃最负盛名的）索邦（大学）的许多成员，都是这些教派的秘密或公开信徒。

The first translation in French was veryinexact and contained many interpolations and false versions of the original.

第一个法语版本的译文非常不准确，包含了许多篡改和错误的翻译。

Dr. Louis Elias Du Pin and Dr. Hideux ofthe Sorbonne made this translation the foundation of virulent attacks. Du Pinwas called by Pope Clement XI. “Nequioris doctrinae homi-nem,”“A man of pernicious doctrines.”

路易．埃利亚斯．杜平博士和索邦大学的希德克斯博士把这个翻译弄成恶毒攻击的基础。教宗克莱孟十一世称杜平为“Nequioris doctrinaehomi-nem”，“有害教义的人士”。

Hideux turned out to be a rabid andfanatical Jansenist, cut off from the Church as a heretic.

而希德克斯原来是一个狂热的杨森派信徒，作为异教徒（他已）被教会开除。

As they and other members of theSorbonne succeeded in enlisting the sympathy of influential Gallican courtiersand church dignitaries, both in Paris and at Rome, they secured a clandestineprohibition of the “City of God,” which appeared in the acts of the Congregation of the Office.

由于他们和索邦大学的其他成员，成功地赢得了巴黎和罗马有影响力的加利刚派朝臣和

教会要人的同情，他们获得了一项对《天主之城》的秘密禁令，这一禁令出现在（罗马教廷）信理部的法令中。

［The Congregation Of The Office信理部］–天主教于罗马梵蒂冈教廷内下设圣部　圣部内有九个部门　首要的就是信理部　简单说信理部就是天主教的法庭　为保卫天主教的教义而设立　为检视一切可能发生的异端学说］

When it was discovered, no one could befound who would dare stand sponsor for it, and immediately Pope Innocent XI.,on November 9, 1681, annulled the act, positively decreeing that the “City of God” be freely spread among the clergy and laity.

当禁令被发现的时候，没有人敢支持它，教宗依诺森十一世在1681年11月9日废除了该法令，明确规定《天主之城》应在神职人员和教友之间自由传播。

The very fact that this prohibition didnot issue from the Index Commission but from a department not concerned withthe examination of books, proves that it owes its insertion to Gallicanintrigue, secretly extending even to high circles in Rome, and to thefair-minded, this sectarian attempt will be a convincing argument for theexcellence and orthodoxy of the doctrines contained in the revelations of Maryof Agreda.

这项禁令不是由禁书目录委员会发布的，而是由一个与书籍审查无关的部门发布的，这一事实证明，这项禁令的出台是由于加利刚派的阴谋，甚至秘密地延伸到罗马的高层人士，公平的说，这种宗派主义的企图是一个令人信服的论据，证明艾吉达的玛利亚的启示中所包含的教义的卓越性和正统性。

MANY EDITIONS

许多版本

The popularity and excellence of thegreat history of the Mother of God is also evidenced by its widespreaddiffusion. It has appeared in over sixty editions in Spanish, Italian, French,Portuguese, German, Latin, Arabic, Greek, and Polish.

《天主之城》的广泛传播也证明了“天主之母”的受欢迎和卓越的伟大历史。它已经用西班牙语、意大利语、法语、葡萄牙语、德语、拉丁语、阿拉伯语、希腊语和波兰语，出版了60多个版本。

Does it not seem providential that thefirst English translation of this great work should have been reserved for ourown times?

这部伟大著作的第一个英译本是为我们这个时代而保留的，这难道不是天意吗？

No other language on the face of theearth is the medium of so many theories, sects and isms as the English languageand the “City of God” is a most timely and efficient antidote for the epidemic of falsedoctrines, which is sweeping over all the earth, and affects especially theEnglish-speaking portion of the human race.

因为地球上没有任何一种语言能像英语一样，成为众多理论、宗派和教义的媒

介，而（英文版的）《天主之城》是最及时、最有效的解药，来对付席卷全世界的虚假教义，尤其是影响到说英语的世人。

EXPECTATIONS OF THE TRANSLATOR

译者的期望

The translator and promoter of the “City of God” is confident that it will not be one of the books idly filling theshelves of libraries, but one which at the first cursory inspection will arousethe desire of further inquiry and lead to repeated and attentive perusal.

《天主之城》一书的译者和推广者相信，这本书不会成为图书馆书架上随意摆放的书籍之一，而是一本乍一看就会引起进一步探究的欲望，并导致反复仔细阅读的书籍。

The translation here with offered is asexact and as perfect a rendition of the original Spanish into English, as tenyears of assiduous labor and a considerable experience in literary productiongive a right to expect.

这里所提供的将原文西班牙语翻译成英语的译文是准确和完美的，十年的勤奋工作和丰富的文学创作经验使我们有权有所期待。

The subject-matter surely ought tosecure for it a proper place in the more elevated ranks of English Literature.

这本书的内容当然应该在更高层次的英国文学中占有一席之地。

May this first English translation,under the guidance of our holy faith, bring forth abundant fruits of the Spiritamong English-speaking people in all parts of the world.

希望这首个英文的译本，在我们神圣信仰的指引下，在世界各地说英语的人们中间，结出丰硕累累的圣神果实。

Feast of the Annunciation, 1912.

1912年圣母领报节

Fiscar Marison, South Chicago.

费斯卡．马里森，于南芝加哥