CHAPTER VII.
HOW THE MOST HIGH GAVE A BEGINNING TO HIS WORKS AND CREATED ALL MATERIAL THINGS FOR THE USE OF MAN, WHILE ANGELS AND MEN WERE CREATED TO BE HIS PEOPLE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE INCARNATE WORD
第七章
至高者如何开始祂的工作,提供一切物质供人使用,而天使和人是如何在充满权能、满有爱心、井然有序的道成肉身的天主子的领导下被创造成祂的子民。
80. The Cause of all causes is God, who created all things that have being. His powerful arm gave existence to all his wonderful works ad extra when and how He chose.
80. 万事万物的起因都是天主,从无到有,祂创造了万物,祂大能的膀臂使祂所有绝妙的创造井然有序,祂是一位超越时空的造物主。
The beginning and succession of the work of Creation is described by Moses in the opening chapter of Genesis. Since the Lord has given me an understanding thereof, I will mention what I think useful for elucidating the mysterious origin of the Incarnation of the Word and of our Redemption.
梅瑟在创世纪的开篇中描述了创造工作的开始和延续。 由于主已经使我理解了这一点,因此我将提及我认为对阐明道成肉身的奥秘起源和我们的救赎有用的东西。
81. The words of the first chapter of Genesis are as follows :
1.“In the beginning God created heaven and earth.
2.“And the earth was void and empty, and dark ness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved over the waters.
3.“And God said : Be light made. And light was made.
4.“And God saw the light that it was good; and he divided the light from the darkness.
5.“And he called the light day, and the darkness night ;and there was evening and morning one day,“ etc.
81. 《创世纪》第一章文字如下:
第1节:「在起初天主创造了天地。
第2节:大地还是混沌空虚,深渊上还是一团黑暗,天主的神在水面上运行。
第3节:天主说:『有光!』就有了光。
第4节:天主见光好,就将光和黑暗分开。
第5节:天主称光为『昼』,称黑暗为『夜』。过了晚上,过了早晨,这是第一天。」等等。
Of the first day Moses says that “In the beginning God created heaven and earth.” Though He himself is immutable in being, the almighty God, in calling creatures into existence, issued, so to say, forth from his own Self and gave to creatures a being of their own, in order that He might, as it were, rejoice in the works of his own hands, as being the perfect and adequate results of his operations.
梅瑟在创世纪说的第一天:「起初,天主创造了天地。」天主自己是永恒不变的存有,天主创造了万物,不是为增加自己的光荣,祂赋予众生他们自身的存在,以便祂能把这光荣显示和通传出来,并因祂自己手中的作品而喜悦,因为天主除了祂的慈爱、智慧和良善外,并无其它创造的理由。
And before creating intellectual and rational creatures, desiring also the order of executing these works to be most perfect, He created heaven for angels and men; and the earth as a place of pilgrimage for mortals.
在创造有智慧和理性的受造物之前,祂还渴望执行这些工作的顺序是最完美的。祂为天使和人类创造了天堂;地球是天主的子民通往应许的救恩之地的朝圣之旅。
These places are so adapted to their end and so perfect, that as David says of them, the heavens publish the glory of the Lord, the firmament and the earth announce the glory of the works of his hands (Ps. 18, 2).
天主创造的这些地方是如此适合他们的目的,如此地完美,那就像达味所说的,高天陈述天主的光荣,穹苍和大地宣扬祂手的化工(圣咏 19: 2)。
[经文〈圣咏 19: 2〉:高天陈述天主的光荣,穹苍宣扬祂手的化工;]
The heavens in their beauty manifest his magnificence and glory, because in them is deposited the predestined reward of the just. And the earthly firmament announced that there would be creatures and men to inhabit the earth and that men should journey upon it to their Creator.
高天在它们的美丽中彰显着天主的辉煌和光荣,因为在高天中安放着义人预定的赏报。受造物和人类居住在地球上,穹苍之下处处都在宣扬述说天主的荣美,人类将会用一生的时间去认识造物主。
Before He created them the Most High wished to provide for them and create that which is necessary for the attainment of their end, and for living in the manner ordained for them.
在天主创造受造物和人类之前,一切需要,天父都已知道,祂为他们提供生活的基础,并为世人预备永生的路。
Thus all parts of the creation would be compelled as it were to obey and love their Maker and Benefactor and by his works to learn of his holy name and of his perfections (Rom. 1, 20).
因此,受造物的所有部分将被迫以他们存在的方式来服从和爱他们的创造者和施恩者,由造物主的工作认识祂的圣名和完美。(罗马书:1,20)
[经文〈罗马书 1:20〉:其实,自从天主创世以来,祂那看不见的美善,即他永远的大能和祂为神的本性,都可凭祂所造的万物,辨认洞察出来,以致人无可推诿。]
82. Of the earth Moses says, that it was void, which he does not say of the heavens ; for God had created the angels at the instant indicated by the word of Moses: “God said : Let there be light, and light was made.” He speaks here not only of material light, but also of the intellectual or angelic lights.
82.梅瑟在创世纪记载: 起初。大地还是混沌空虚,深渊上还是一团黑暗,天主还没有论到光。
「天主说:『有光!』就有了光。那一刻创造了天使。天主在这里不仅谈论物质的光,也谈到智慧之光或天使之光。
He does not make express mention of them, but merely includes them in this word, on account of the proclivity of the Hebrews to attribute Divinity to new things, even of much greater inferiority than the angels.
天主没有明确提及他们(天使),只是在这个词(有光)当中包括了他们,由于希伯来人倾向于将神的属性赋于新的智慧之光,这智慧之光甚至比天使更加谦虚自抑。
(评注:怎么理解‘甚至比天使更加自抑’?十字架告诉我们,天主异乎寻常地谦虚:“耶稣具有天主的形体,却使自己空虚,取了奴仆的形体;他更且贬抑自己,且死在十字架上。”基督为了我们的罪而贬抑自己且选择死得如此羞辱,那么基督信徒的我们怎能举止傲慢,怎能自以为比别人优越,又怎能批判别人不如我呢?)
But the metaphor of light was very appropriate to signify the angelic nature and mystically, the light of their science and grace, with which they were endowed at their creation.
但是,光的比喻非常适合用来显示天使的本质,而在天使的受造中被神秘地赋予科学和恩宠之光。
God created the earth conjointly with the heavens, in order to call into existence hell in its centre; for, at the instant of its creation, there were left in the interior of that globe spacious and wide cavities, suitable for hell, purgatory and limbo.
天主创造了与天堂连结的地球,为在地球的核心,天主说出地狱的存在;因为在创造的瞬间,在地球内部留有宽敞而宽大的空腔,适合地狱、炼狱及边缘地带。
(评注:limbo 古圣所,冥府,阴间,灵薄狱 此词源自拉丁文“limbus” 边,指衣边或物品的边。在基督信仰中,指亡者所在的一个境界,它不是天堂、地狱或炼狱(路廿三43)。基督信仰所谓的古圣所有二种,一为亡者所在之地;另一为未受洗礼的孩子们所居住之处。)
And in hell was created at the same time material fire and other requisites, which now serve for the punishment of the damned. The Lord was presently to divide the light from the darkness and to call the light day and the dark ness night.
同时在地狱中创造了物质之火和其它必要的事物,这些东西现在用于惩罚下地狱的灵魂。上主目前正在将光与黑暗分开,并称光为日昼,黑暗为夜。
And this did happen not only in regard to the natural night and day, but in regard to the good and bad angels ; for to the good, He gave the eternal light of his vision and called it day, the eternal day; and to the bad, the night of sin, casting them into the eternal darkness of hell.
这不仅仅关乎自然的黑夜和白天,而且也关乎好天使和坏天使,对好的(天使),祂赐予他直观的永恒之光,并称其为昼,对坏的(天使),罪的黑夜,把牠们抛入永恒的地狱黑暗中。
Thus we were to be taught the intimate relation between the merciful liberality of the Creator and Vivifier and the justice of the most just Judge in punishment.
Thus we were to be taught the intimate relation between the merciful liberality of the Creator and Vivifier and the justice of the most just Judge in punishment.
因此,我们的造物主,赋予生气者,一方面是仁慈的,另一方面又是公义的,在审判惩罚中,万不以有罪的为无罪,慈爱经常与恩典并用,天主的属性两方面的平衡,是天主处事之原则。(注「雅威,雅威是慈悲宽仁的天主,缓于发怒,富于慈爱忠诚,对万代的人保持仁爱,宽赦过犯、罪行和罪过,但是决不豁免惩罚,父亲的过犯向子孙追讨,直到三代四代。」(出34 6~7)
83. The angels were created in the empyrean heavens and in the state of grace by which they might be first to merit the reward of glory. For although they were in the midst of glory, the Divinity itself was not to be made manifest to them face to face and unveiled, until they should have merited such a favor by obeying the divine will.
83. 天使是在高天的至高处和在恩典状态下被创造出来的,使他们可能是首先应得光荣的赏报。因为尽管他们处于光荣之中,但天主本身并没有在他们面前揭示和面对面的彰显出来,直到他们将通过顺服上主的旨意而得到这样的恩宠。
The holy angels, as well as the bad ones, remained only a very short time in the state of probation; for their creation and probation with its result were three distinct instants or moments, separated by short intermissions. In the first instant they were all created and endowed with graces and gifts, coming into existence as most beautiful and perfect creatures.
圣洁天使和恶天使一样只处于很短的试用期。因为他们的被造和试用期及其结果是三个截然不同的瞬间或时刻,由短暂的间歇分开。在第一瞬间,他们都被创造出来并被赋予了恩宠和恩赐,成为最美丽,最完美的受造物的存在。
Then followed a short pause, during which the will of the Creator was propounded and intimated, and the law and command was given them, to acknowledge Him as their Maker and supreme Lord, and to fulfill the end for which they had been created. During this pause, instant or interval, Saint Michael and his angels fought that great battle with the dragon and his followers, which is described by the apostle Saint John in the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse.
然后接下来是短暂的停顿,在此期间,创造者的旨意被提出和宣布,法律和命令赐给了他们(众天使),使他们承认天主是他们的创造者和至高的上主,并实现他们被创造出来的目的。在这段停顿,瞬间或间隔中,圣弥额尔和他的天使与那龙和牠的爪牙进行了那场伟大的战斗,圣若望宗徒在《默示录》第十二章(第七节)中对此进行了描述。
The good angels, persevering in grace, merited eternal happiness and the disobedient ones, rebelling against God, merited the punishment, which they now suffer.
善良的天使,在恩宠中坚持,堪当永恒的幸福,而那些不顺服的天使则因背叛天主,当受惩罚,目前他们正在受苦中。
84. Although all this of the second instant could have happened in a very brief time on account of the subtle nature of the angels and the power of God, nevertheless I understood, that the kind consideration of the Most High permitted a certain delay.
84. 尽管由于天使的精微性质和上主的大能,第二瞬间的所有事情本来可以在很短的时间内发生,然而我明白,至高者的善意考虑允许一定的延迟。
With the inter position of some intervals of time, He proposed to them the good and the bad, truth and falsehood, justice and injustice, divine grace and friendship as opposed to sin and enmity of God.
随着时间间隔的推移,天主向众天使提出了善与恶,真理与与谬误、正义与不公、神的恩典与友谊,而不是罪恶和反抗天主。。
They were enabled to see eternal reward and eternal punishment, the perdition of Lucifer and of those that would follow him. His Majesty showed them hell and its pains.
众天使得以看到永恒的赏报和永恒的惩罚,以及路济弗尔和跟随者的灭亡。荣耀尊威的天主向他们展示了地狱及其痛苦。
They saw it all; for, by virtue of their superior and excellent nature, they understood the essence of other more qualified and limited creatures; so that, before falling from grace, they were clearly aware of the place of their chastisement.
众天使看到了一切;因为凭借其优秀和卓越的本质,他们了解其他受造物更局限更有限的实质;因此从恩宠上堕落之前,他们就清楚地知道他们将受到惩罚的地方。
Although they did not know in the same manner the reward of glory, they had of it other knowledge and besides they had the manifest and express promise of the Lord The Most High had therefore justified his cause and proceeded with the greatest equity and justice.
尽管众天使并没有以同样的方式知道荣耀的赏报,但他们有其它的知识,而且他们还知道至高者上主要显明的预许。因此,他们能以最大的公平和公义来为自己的行为辩护说明。
But as all this goodness and equity did not suffice to restrain Lucifer and his followers, they were chastised in their stubbornness and hurled into the depths of the hellish caverns, while the good angels were confirmed in eternal grace and glory.
但所有这些善良和公正都不足以约束路西法和牠的追随者,牠们因固执受到惩罚,被扔进地狱的洞穴深处,而好天使则在永恒的恩宠和光荣中被坚定。
All this was consummated in the third instant, and thus it became truly manifest that no being outside of God himself is impeccable by nature, since the angel, who held such an exalted position and was adorned with so many great gifts of knowledge and grace, nevertheless sinned and was lost.
这一切都是在第三瞬间完成的,因此,它(上述现象)真实地表明,除了天主以外,没有一个存在的生灵,其本性是无可挑剔的,因为天使,持有如此崇高的地位,并装饰了如此多的知识和恩宠的伟大恩赐,但仍有犯罪和迷失。
What will become of human frailty, if the divine power does not defend it and if it forces God to forsake it ?
如果上主的大能不改变人的眼光,如果人只看自已的软弱,而不是仰望上主,那人将变成什么呢?
85. It remains to investigate the motive, which urged Lucifer and his confederates to sin and what was the occasion of their disobedience and fall, for this is the point to which I wanted to come. In regard to this, it was made known to me that they could commit many sins as far as the guilt of sin (secundum reatum) is concerned, although they did not consummate them in acts.
85. 促使路济弗尔和牠同党犯罪的动机,促使他们不服从和堕落的原因是什么,这都还有待追查,因为这就是我要谈到的重点。关于这一点,据我所知,从恶天使的堕落来看,他们很有可能犯下许多的罪,尽管他们起初并没有在行动上表现出来。
However, on account of those which they did actually commit freely and of their own depraved will, they acquired the disposition to all bad acts, inducing others to commit and approving in others those sins, which they could not commit themselves.
但是,由于他们实际上是自由地,出于自己的堕落意志,得着所有恶行的性情,并诱使、认可别人犯下那些他们自己不能犯的罪行。
Following the bad inclinations which from that time on filled Lucifer, he fell into a most disorderly selflove, which arose from the consciousness of being endowed with greater gifts and greater beauty of nature and grace, than the other inferior angels.
从那时起,路济弗尔充满了恶的倾向,牠陷入了最脱序的自恋中,这种自恋是源于牠意识到被赋予更多恩赐和更美的本质和恩宠,牠优于其他天使。
He tarried with inordinate pleasure in this consciousness; and thus self-satisfied he became lax and remiss in the gratitude, which was due to God as the sole cause of all that he had received.
牠过分高兴地留在这种自傲自负,孤芳自赏,在己身寻找“至美”的意识中;于是自满使牠变得放纵和叛逆,懒于感恩,(忘了)上主是牠领受一切(美好恩赐)的唯一原因。
Turning again and again in admiration toward himself, he took pleasure in his own beauty and grace, attributing them to himself and loving them as his own.
牠一再地自我崇拜,对自己的美丽和恩宠感到沾沾自喜,归这一切于自己,并当作属于牠自己的那样爱它们。
This disorderly selflove not only caused him to exalt himself on account of the superior virtues, which he had received, but also induced him to harbor envy and covetousness for other gifts and for excellences not his own.
这种脱序的自恋,不仅使牠因领受的优越而自高自大,还使牠对其他天使的恩赐,以及不属于牠自己的成就,怀有嫉妒和贪婪。
Then, because he could not attain them, he conceived a mortal hatred and indignation against God, who created him out of nothing, and against all his creatures.
然后,由于牠无法达到这些目标,牠生发出了一种对抗天主,并对天主怀有致命的仇恨和愤怒,也反对天主的所有受造物,然而(牠忘了)是天主从无中创造了牠。
86. Hence arose his disobedience, presumption, injustice, infidelity, blasphemy, and perhaps also a certain kind of idolatry, for he coveted for himself the adoration and reverence due to God.
86.因此,生出了牠的不服从、傲慢、不公正、不忠、亵渎,甚至某种偶像崇拜,他想要与天主同等,觊觎得着天主的位置、天主的光荣 。
He blasphemed the divine magnificence and holiness, he failed in the trust and loyalty due to Him; he plotted to destroy all the creatures, and presumed to be able to do all this and much more by his own power.
牠亵渎了上主的尊威和圣洁,牠失去了对天主应有的信靠和忠诚;牠密谋毁灭所有受造物,并臆测凭自己的能力可以做到所有这些,甚至更多。
Thus his pride ascends continually (Ps. 73, 23) and perseveres, though his arrogance is greater than his strength, for in this he can not increase (Is. 16, 6) and in sin, one abyss calls the other (Ps. 14, 8). The first angel who sinned was Lucifer, as is described in the fourteenth chapter of Isaias.
因此,牠的骄傲不断升级(圣咏73:23)并固执己见,然而因为牠的傲慢大于牠的力量,因此在这种情况下牠(的能力)无法增长(依撒意亚16:6),在罪恶中,一个深渊呼唤另一个深渊(圣咏41:8)。第一个犯罪的天使是路济弗尔,就如依撒意亚先知书第十四章所描述的。
He induced others to follow him and therefore he is called the prince of the demons; not on account of his natural gifts, for these would not secure to him that title, but on account of his guilt.
牠诱使其他(天使)跟随牠,因此牠被称为魔王。这不是因为牠的天赋才能,因为这些天赋不会使他获得那头衔,而是因为牠的罪行。
Those that sinned were not all of one order or hierarchy, but among all hierarchies there were many who sinned.
那些犯了罪的天使并不仅限于一个阶层或某个等级,而是在所有等级中有许多天使犯了罪。
87. It is proper, that I also explain what was made known to me concerning the kind of honor and excellence, which Lucifer aspired to and envied.
87.我也应该解释我所知道的,路济弗尔所追求和羡慕的那种荣耀和卓越的东西。
As in the works of God there is measure, number and weight(Wis. 11, 21), his Providence decided to show to the angels, immediately after their creation and before they could incline to diverse ends, the purpose for which He had created them with such an exalted and perfect nature.
就像上主的工作中有尺度、数目和衡量一样(智慧篇11:21),天主的心意决定在创造天使之后,并且在他们可能趋向于多种多样的结果之前,立即向他们展示祂创造他们具有如此崇高和完美的性质的目的。
Of all this I obtained the following information: At first they received a more explicit intelligence of the being of God, one in substance, trine in person, and that they were commanded to adore and reverence Him as their Creator and highest Lord, infinite in his essence and attributes.
从这一切中,我得到了如下的信息:最初,天使们领受了更明确的关于天主存在的认知,天主只有一个,但祂却有三个位格(位格就是一个智慧生命的存在显现)。他们被命令崇拜和恭敬天主圣三为他们的创造者和至高的上主,天主的本质和属性是无限的。
All subjected themselves to this command and obeyed it, but with a certain difference; the
good angels obeyed through love and on account of the justice of it, offering their love and good will, freely admitting and believing what was above their intelligence, and obeying with joy.
所有(天使)都从属于这个命令并服从它,但(彼此)会有一定的区别。好天使通过爱并出于正义而服从,献上他们的爱和善意,自由地承认和相信超越他们智慧的那位,并喜乐的服从。
Lucifer, on the other hand, submitted himself, because the opposite seemed to him impossible. He did not do it with perfect charity, for he, as it were, was divided in his will between
himself and the infallible truth of the Lord.
在另一方面,路济弗尔自已也屈服于(天主),因为对立(天主)是不可能的(他是受造物),(但)牠没有以爱来服从天主,因为就牠而言,在牠的意志里,牠的骄傲和自恋和天主的绝对真理是互不相容的。
(备注:魔鬼究竟还是受造之物,他的威力毕竟是有限的,他无法阻止天国的建立。即使魔鬼因为嫉恨天主和人,在世界兴风作浪反对天主,给人类世界带来精神和物质上的极大灾祸,然而魔鬼的这一切行为还是天主的上智所允许的,因为是天主的上智以既坚强又温和的方式在引导人类和世界的历史。)
In consequence it happened that the precept appeared to him in a measure difficult and violent, and his fulfilling of it was wanting in love and in the desire to do justice.
结果是,这诫命在路济弗尔看来是艰难和粗暴的,因为这条戒律是需要有爱和伸张正义的愿望才能实现的。
Thus he exposed himself beforehand to the danger of not persevering. Although grace did not leave him on account of this remissness and slowness in the accomplishment of these first acts, nevertheless his bad disposition began with them; for there remained with him a certain weakness and laxity of virtue and spirit, and the perfection of his nature did not shine forth as it should.
因此,路济弗尔事先就暴露出不能坚持下去的危险。在完成这第一个行动时滥用天主赐给他的自由意旨和自主选择权而导致不服从(自满及不知感恩),虽然恩宠并没有因此而离开牠,不过路济弗尔坏的倾向是从这些事开始的,虽然他是天主所造的最完美的天使,但他因为意志转离了天主而堕落。
It appears to me that the effect of this remissness in Lucifer, is similar to that which is caused in the soul by a deliberate venial sin.
在我看来,路济弗尔的这种怠慢的影响,类似于主观方面故意的犯罪或过失在灵魂中造成的影响。
I do not say that he sinned mortally, nor even venially at that time, since he fulfilled the precept of God; but this fulfillment was remiss and imperfect, springing more from a sense of overwhelming compulsion, than from a loving willingness to obey. Thus he put himself in danger of falling.
我不是说牠犯了致命的大罪,甚至在那时牠也没有犯可宽恕的小罪,因为牠履行了天主的诫命。但是这种完成是怠慢和不完善的,这源自于他意志的转向而感到压制性的强迫感, 而不是出于爱的意愿而去服从,因此导致了非常严重的后果,使自己处于分裂和堕落的危险中。
88. In the second place, the angels were informed that God was to create a human nature and reasoning creatures lower than themselves, in order that they too should love, fear and reverence God, as their Author and eternal Good.
88. 其次,天使们被告知天主要创造一种人性和理性略低于他们的受造物,好使他们(人类)也该孝爱、敬畏和敬礼天主,视天主为他们的“作者”和永恒的“善”。
They were informed that these were to stand in high favor, and that the second Person of the blessed Trinity was to become incarnate and assume their nature, raising it to the hypostatic union and to divine Personality ; that therefore they were to acknowledge Him as their Head, not only as God, but as God and man, adoring Him and reverencing Him as God man.
众天使被告知,这些人将受到高度宠爱,天主“圣三”的“第二位”将降生成人并具有人的本性,将被提升为神人合一和神圣的人格;因此,他们要承认“他”为他们的“元首”,不仅承认他是天主,也要承认他是神且人,而崇拜、钦崇他。
Moreover, these same angels were to be his inferiors in dignity and grace and were to be his servants. God gave them an intelligence of the propriety and equity, of the justice and reasonableness of such a position.
而且,在尊严和恩宠上这些同样的众天使都次于他,也是他的仆人。天主赐给他们智慧能知道这种地位的正当性和公平性,以及这种地位的正义性和合理性。
For the acceptation of the merits foreseen of this Mangod was exhibited to them as the source of the grace which they now possessed and of the glory which they were to obtain.
因为接受了这位“人而神”,天主向他们(众天使)展示了他们现在所拥有的恩宠和所获得的光荣的源头都来自于他(天主子)。
They understood also that they themselves had been, and all the rest of the creatures should be created for his glory, and that He was to be their Head.
他们还明白自己和其他所有的受造物都将为他(神而人)的荣耀而被造,并且“他”将做他们的“元首”。
All those that were capable of knowing and enjoying God, were to be the people of the Son of God, to know and reverence Him as their Chief. These commands were at once given to the angels.
所有能够认识和享受天主的人,都将成为“天主子”的子民,去认识并尊敬“他”(圣子)为他们的“首领”。这些命令立刻被赋予了天使。
89. To this command all the obedient and holy angel, submitted themselves and they gave their full assent and acknowledgment with an humble and loving subjection of the will.
89、对这个命令,所有顺服和圣洁的天使,都交付了他们自己,以谦卑和爱的服从的心愿完全赞同和承认。
But Lucifer, full of envy and pride, resisted and induced his followers to resist likewise, as they in reality did, preferring to follow him and disobey the divine command.
但是,充满嫉妒和骄傲的路济弗尔,抵抗并诱使追随者同样反抗,正如他们实际所做的,宁愿跟随路济弗尔,不服从上主的命令。
This wicked prince persuaded them, that he would be their chief and that he would set up a government independent and separate from Christ. So great was the blindness which envy and pride could cause in an angel, and so pernicious was the infection that the contagion of sin spread among innumerable other angels.
这位邪恶的王子说服了追随者,牠将作为他们的首领,并且牠将建立一个独立的统治,与基督分离。嫉妒和骄傲会导致一个天使如此巨大的盲目,同样地邪恶的影响也会如此之大,以致罪恶蔓延到无数其他天使中。
90. Then happened that great battle in heaven, which St. John describes (Apoc. 12). For the obedient and holy angels, filled with an ardent desire of hastening the glory of the Most High and the honor of the incarnate Word, asked permission and, as it were, the consent of God, to resist and contradict the dragon, and the permission was granted.
90. 然后,天堂发生了若望宗徒所描述的那场大战(默示录12)。由于顺服圣洁的天使们,充满热望要促进至高者的荣耀和道成肉身的光荣,遂请求天主的许可,去抵抗和驳斥那龙,而他们的请求获得了许可。
But also another mystery was concealed in all this: When it was revealed to the angels that they would have to obey the incarnate Word, another, a third precept was given them, namely, that they were to admit as a superior conjointly with Him, a Woman, in whose womb the Only begotten of the Father was to assume flesh and that this Woman was to be the Queen and Mistress of all the creatures.
但是,这一切还隐藏了另一个奥秘:当天主向天使启示说,他们必须服从降生成人的圣言时,又给了他们第三条诫命,那就是,他们要承认与“他”联合的一个“女人”是长上,圣父唯一的独生子将在她的子宫里取得肉身,这个女人将成为所有受造物的元后和主母。
The good angels by obeying this command of the Lord, with still increasing and more alert humility, freely subjected themselves, praising the power and the mysteries of the Most High.
好天使们服从了上主的这条命令,带着日益增长和更加谨慎的谦卑,自愿地使己顺服,赞美至高者的德能和奥秘。
Lucifer, however, and his confederates, rose to a higher pitch of pride and boastful insolence. In disorderly fury he aspired to be himself the head of all the human race and of the angelic orders, and if there was to be a hypostatic union, he demanded that it be consummated in him.
然而,路济弗尔和牠的同党们却变得更加傲慢自大。在逆天背道的愤怒中,牠妄想自己成为全人类和天使秩序的首领,如果有两性一位的结合,牠妄求由牠来完成。
(两性一位:同一基督主——独生子,具有两个性体,彼此毫不相混地,毫不变更地,毫不分开的,毫不离开地结合着,且这两个性体,在无损于各自不同的本性,不同的特性的情况下,合成一个位格,一个主格;这不是合成两个分段的,或分离的两位,而是合成同一位独生子——天主圣言——主耶稣基督(DS302))。
91. The decree constituting him inferior to the Mother of the Incarnate Word, our Mistress, he opposed with horrible blasphemies.
91.圣意指定路济弗尔的等级低于道成肉身之母,我们的主母,牠以可怕的亵渎来反对天主的旨意。
Turning against the Author of these great wonders in unbridled indignation and calling upon the other angels, he exhorted them, saying: “Unjust are these commands and injury is done to my greatness; this human nature which Thou, Lord, lookest upon with so much love and which thou favorest so highly, I will persecute and destroy.
牠怒不可遏,转而反对创造此伟大奇迹的“作者”(天主),并呼吁其他天使来反对,牠怂恿牠们说:「这些命令不公平,伤害了我的伟大;祢,上主,以如此多的爱给予祢所偏爱的人,我将迫害并摧毁他们。」
To this end I will direct all my power and all my aspirations. And this Woman, Mother of the Word, I will hurl from the position in which Thou hast proposed to place Her, and at my hands, the plan, which Thou set test up, shall come to naught.“
为此目的,我将全力以赴。而这位女人,圣言之母,我将把她从祢所安置的高位上摔下来,而祢给她设定的卓越地位必归于虚空。
92. This proud boast so aroused the indignation of the Lord that in order to humble it, He spoke to Lucifer: “This Woman, whom thou refusest to honor, shall crush thy head and by Her shalt thou be vanquished and annihilated (Gen. 3, 15).
92. 这个骄傲的夸口激起了上主的义怒,为了使其谦卑,天主对路济弗尔说:「这个你不愿尊敬的女人,将踏碎你的头颅,她必要征服并消灭你(创世记3:15)。
And if, through thy pride, death enters into the world (Wis. 2, 24), life and salvation of mortals shall enter through the humility of this Woman. Those that are of the nature and likeness of that Man and Woman, shall enjoy the gifts and the crowns, which thou and thy followers have lost.“
如果死亡通过你的骄傲进入世界(智慧书2:24),人的生命和救赎将通过这个“女人”的谦卑而进入世界。那些具有这本性和有这样式的“男人”和“女人”将享有恩赐和冠冕,那是你路济弗尔和你的追随者所失落的。」
To all this the dragon, filled with indignation against what ever he understood of the divine will and decrees, answered only with pride and by threatening destruction to the whole human race.
对于这一切,那条龙充满了对牠所听到的上主的旨意和栽定的愤怒,以骄傲和威胁要破坏整个人类来回应天主的圣意。
The good angels saw the just indignation of the Most High against Lucifer and his apostates and they combated them with the arms of the understanding, reason and truth.
好天使们看到了至高者对路济弗尔和背道者的义怒,他们用聪明悟性、理性和真理的武器与牠们战斗。
93. The Almighty at this conjuncture worked an other wonderful mystery. Having given to all the angels a sufficiently clear intelligence of the great mystery of the hypostatic Union, He showed them the image of the most holy Virgin by means of an imaginary vision (I speak here according to our way of understanding such things).
在这个关键时刻,全能者行了另一个奇妙的奥迹。在给所有天使对道成肉成的天人合一的伟大奥迹有足够清晰的认知之后,全能者通过异像向天使们展示了至圣童贞女的形象(我在这里所说的是根据我们对这种事的理解方式而讲)。
They were shown the perfection of the human nature in the revelation of an image representing a most perfect Woman, in whom the almighty arm of the Most High would work more wonderfully than in all the rest of the creatures.
在启示一位最完美的女人形象中,天使们看到了人性的完美;至高者在她向上行了奇妙的事,要比在所有一切受造物上所做的更奇妙。
For therein He was to deposit the graces and gifts of his right hand in a higher and more eminent manner. This sign or vision of the Queen of heaven and of the Mother of the incarnate Word was made known and manifest to all the angels, good and bad.
因为全能者要在圣母身上行更高更卓越的大事,祂伸出手臂施展了大能,施恩于圣母,所有天使,无论是好的还是坏的,都被告知并显明了天堂元后和道成肉身之母的这一征兆或异象。
The good ones at the sign of it broke forth in admiration and in canticles of praise and from that time on began to defend the honor of the God incarnate and of his holy Mother, being armed with ardent zeal and with the invincible shield of that vision.
好天使在这征兆中迸发出钦崇和赞美的颂歌,并从那时起开始捍卫降生成人的天主子和祂至圣母亲的荣耀,并为这神视异象,装备了热忱和坚固的信德盾牌。
The dragon and his allies on the contrary conceived implacable hatred and fury against Christ and his most holy Mother. Then happened all that which is described in the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse, which I will explain, as far as it has been given me, in the following chapter.
相反的,那龙和牠的同党对基督和祂的至圣母亲怀有无法平息的仇恨和愤怒。然后发生了《默示录》第十二章中描述的所有事情,在下一章中,我将根据所给予我的进行解释。