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Tobit 1 1 When the wedding celebration came to an end, Tobit called his son Tobiah and said to him, ＂Son, see to it that you give what is due to the man who made the journey with you; give him a bonus too.＂ 婚筵完毕，托彼特叫了他的儿子多俾亚来对他说：＂孩子，你去把工资交给与你同行的人罢！并且要多给他些作酬报。 2 Tobiah said: ＂Father, how much shall I pay him? It would not hurt me at all to give him half of all the wealth he brought back with me. 3 He led me back safe and sound; he cured my wife; he brought the money back with me; and he cured you. How much of a bonus should I give him?＂ 他领我平安回来，治好了我的妻子，给我索回了银子来，又医好了你。我应该给他多少工资呢？＂ 4 Tobit answered, ＂It is only fair, son, that he should receive half of all that he brought back.＂ 托彼特对他说：＂孩子，他实在堪当收下他回来时，所带来的一切的一半。＂ 5 So Tobiah called Raphael and said, ＂Take as your wages half of all that you have brought back, and go in peace.＂ 6 2 3 Raphael called the two men aside privately and said to them: ＂Thank God! Give him the praise and the glory. Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Before all men, honor and proclaim God's deeds, and do not be slack in praising him. 那时，他暗地里叫了他们二人来对他们说：＂你们该赞美天主，感谢他，显扬他！该在众人前把他为你们所做的一切好事归功于他，为赞美歌颂他的圣名；该向众人隆重地宣示天主的工程，不要迟缓感谢他！ 隐藏君王的秘密固然是好，但对天主的工程应该隆重地宣示和公认。你们行善凶祸便不会临于你们。 8 4 Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than abundance with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold; 祈祷与斋戒固然是善功但秉义施舍却超过前二者；秉义而少有，胜于不义而多有；施舍救济，胜于储蓄黄金， 9 for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life; 因为施舍救人脱免死亡，且涤除一切罪恶。施舍行义的人必享高寿； 10 but those habitually guilty of sin are their own worst enemies. 11 ＂I will now tell you the whole truth; I will conceal nothing at all from you. I have already said to you, 'A king's secret it is prudent to keep, but the works of God are to be made known with due honor.' 我要向你们说出全部真情，决不向你们隐藏什么。我已经向你们说过：隐藏君王的秘密固然是好，但传扬天主的工程却是应当的。 12 5 I can now tell you that when you, Tobit, and Sarah prayed, it was I who presented and read the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord; and I did the same thing when you used to bury the dead. 当你和撒辣祈祷时我，便把你们的恳求呈到上主的荣耀前；当你埋葬死者时，我也同样地在你左右。 13 When you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner in order to go and bury the dead, 当你毫不踌躇地起来，放下你的饮食，去埋葬那死者的时候，我便被差遣来试探你， 14 6 I was sent to put you to the test. At the same time, however, God commissioned me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. 同时天主也派遣我来医治你和你的儿媳撒辣。 15 I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord.＂ 我是辣法耳，是在上主的荣耀前，侍立往来的七位天使之一。＂ 16 Stricken with fear, the two men fell to the ground. 二人便惊慌起来，匍匐在地，害怕得很。 17 But Raphael said to them: ＂No need to fear; you are safe. Thank God now and forever. 天使对他们说：＂不必害怕，愿你们平安！你们该永远赞美天主。 18 As for me, when I came to you it was not out of any favor on my part, but because it was God's will. So continue to thank him every day; praise him with song. 我与你们在一起，并不是出于我的好心，而是出于天主的圣意。因此，你们该天天赞美他，歌颂他。 19 Even though you watched me eat and drink, I did not really do so; what you were seeing was a vision. 你们虽然天天见我吃喝，其实我并没有吃喝什么；你们看见的，只是个现象而已。 20 So now get up from the ground and praise God. Behold, I am about to ascend to him who sent me; write down all these things that have happened to you.＂ 你们现在该在世上赞美上主，感谢天主。看我要升到遣发我来者那里去；你们该把所遇到的一切事写下来。＂说完这话便升天去了。 21 When Raphael ascended they rose to their feet and could no longer see him. 当他们起来时，已经再看不见他了。 22 They kept thanking God and singing his praises; and they continued to acknowledge these marvelous deeds which he had done when the angel of God appeared to them. 他们便赞美歌颂天主，并且感谢他行了这一切伟大的事业，因为天主的天使显现给他们。 Footnotes（注解） 1 (1-5) Tobit and his son generously agree to give Azariah far more than the wages agreed upon in Tobit 5:15-16. 2 [6] (6-10) In the fashion of a wisdom teacher, Raphael gives the two men a short exhortation similar to the one Tobit gave his son in Tobit 4:3-19. 3 [6] (6-7) The Jews considered the duty of praising God their most esteemed privilege. Without praise of God, life was meaningless. Cf Isaiah 38:16-20. 4 [8] Prayer . . . fasting . . . almsgiving . . . righteousness: these, together with the proper attitude toward wealth, are treated in great detail by Christ our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6). 9 for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life; 5 [12] (12,15) Raphael is one of the seven specially designated intercessors who present man's prayers to God. Angelology was developing in this period. The names of two other angels are given in the Bible: Gabriel (Daniel 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26) and Michael (Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 1:9; Rev 12:7). 6 [14] I was sent . . . test: God often sends trials to purify his faithful servants further. Cf Job 1-2. |
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