Sirach 1 1 I give you thanks, O God of my father; I praise you, O God my savior! I will make known your name, refuge of my life; 息辣之子耶稣的祈祷:上主,君王,我要感谢你;我要赞美你,天主,我的救主! 2 you have been my helper against my adversaries. You have saved me from death, and kept back my body from the pit, From the clutches of the nether world you have snatched my feet; 3 you have delivered me, in your great mercy From the scourge of a slanderous tongue, and from lips that went over to falsehood; From the snare of those who watched for my downfall, and from the power of those who sought my life; From many a danger you have saved me, 4 from flames that hemmed me in on every side; From the midst of unremitting fire, 使我脱离了环绕我的窒息热火,我在火中,却没有烧伤; 5 From the deep belly of the nether world; From deceiving lips and painters of lies, 使我脱离了阴府的最深处,摆脱不洁的唇舌和谎言, 6 from the arrows of dishonest tongues. I was at the point of death, my soul was nearing the depths of the nether world; 7 I turned every way, but there was no one to help me, I looked for one to sustain me, but could find no one. 这些困难,从各方面包围了我,却没有一个人前来援助;我期待有人来辅助,却没有一个人。 8 But then I remembered the mercies of the LORD, his kindness through ages past; For he saves those who take refuge in him, and rescues them from every evil. 9 So I raised my voice from the very earth, from the gates of the nether world, my cry. 我从地上高声恳求,求你救我脱免死亡; 10 I called out: O Lord, you are my father, you are my champion and my savior; Do not abandon me in time of trouble, in the midst of storms and dangers. 上主,你是我的父,我呼求了你;求你在我危难之日,不要离弃我;在骄傲人得势之时,不要使我孤立无援。 11 I will ever praise your name and be constant in my prayers to you. Thereupon the LORD heard my voice, he listened to my appeal; 我要时常赞美你的名号,我要知恩地歌颂你的名号,因为你俯听了我的祈祷; 12 2 He saved me from evil of every kind and preserved me in time of trouble. For this reason I thank him and I praise him; I bless the name of the LORD. 13 3 4 When I was young and innocent, I sought wisdom. 当我年轻时,在出外旅行以前,我公开以祈祷来寻求智慧。 14 She came to me in her beauty, and until the end I will cultivate her. 我曾在圣殿前,恳求过智慧;对智慧,我要寻求到底。 15 As the blossoms yielded to ripening grapes, the heart's joy, My feet kept to the level path because from earliest youth I was familiar with her. 16 In the short time I paid heed, I met with great instruction. 我稍微侧耳倾听,就接受了她。 17 Since in this way I have profited, I will give my teacher grateful praise. 18 I became resolutely devoted to her-- the good I persistently strove for. 因为我已决定,要实行智慧的事,热心行善,我决不会蒙羞。 19 I burned with desire for her, never turning back. I became preoccupied with her, never weary of extolling her. My hand opened her gate and I came to know her secrets. 20 For her I purified my hands; in cleanness I attained to her. At first acquaintance with her, I gained understanding such that I will never forsake her. 21 My whole being was stirred as I learned about her; therefore I have made her my prize possession. 为寻求她,我五内不安;我现在得到了她,无异获得了至宝。 22 The LORD has granted me my lips as a reward, and my tongue will declare his praises. 上主给了我唇舌,当作我的酬报,我要用它来赞美上主。 23 Come aside to me, you untutored, and take up lodging in the house of instruction; 未受教训的人,请你们接近我,住宿在我的学校里。 24 How long will you be deprived of wisdom's food, how long will you endure such bitter thirst? 你们说罢,你们的灵魂既然很渴,为什么你们还缺少这些知识? 25 I open my mouth and speak of her: gain, at no cost, wisdom for yourselves. 我已开口讲学,你们可以学得智慧,而不用花钱。 26 Submit your neck to her yoke, that your mind may accept her teaching. For she is close to those who seek her, and the one who is in earnest finds her. 你们的颈项,要屈伏在她的管辖之下;你们的灵魂,应接受训练,因为她为寻找她的人,原来很近,心灵向往她的人,必能找着她。 27 See for yourselves! I have labored only a little, but have found much. 你们亲眼看一看罢!我劳苦不多,却获得了最大的安宁。 28 Acquire but a little instruction; you will win silver and gold through her. 为获得学识,你们固然要花费许多银钱;但有了学识以后,必获得更多的金钱。 29 Let your spirits rejoice in the mercy of God, and be not ashamed to give him praise. 你们的灵魂,要喜乐于天主的仁慈,你们决不会因赞美他而蒙羞受辱。 30 Work at your tasks in due season, and in his own time God will give you your reward. 你们要及时工作,到了时候,他必要给你们报酬。 Footnotes(注解) 1 [1-12] A canticle of praise and thanks to God for delivering the author from slander, dangers, destruction, death, the nether world, and evil of every kind. 2 [12] After this verse the Hebrew text gives the litany of praise contained below. It is similar to Psalm 136. Though not found in any versions, and therefore of doubtful authenticity, the litany seems from internal evidence to go back to the time of Sirach: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the God of glory, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the guardian of Israel, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the creator of the universe, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the redeemer of Israel, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to him who gathers the dispersed of Israel, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to him who builds his city and his sanctuary, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to him who makes a horn to sprout forth for the house of David, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to him who has chosen for his priests the sons of Zadok, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the shield of Abraham, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the rock of Isaac, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the mighty one of Jacob, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to him who has chosen Zion, for his mercy endures forever; Give thanks to the king over kings of kings, for his mercy endures forever. He has lifted up the horn of his people, be this his praise from all his faithful ones, From the children of Israel, the people close to him. Alleluia! (Cf Psalm 148:14.) 3 [13-30] An alphabetic canticle describing: a) the approach to wisdom through prayer, persistent study and instruction (Sirach 51:13-17), purification from sin, enlightenment and ardent desire; b) the possession of wisdom (Sirach 51:18-22). The author concludes with an urgent invitation to men to receive instruction in wisdom from him, and to live by it, because wisdom gives herself to those who seek her (Sirach 51:23-26); and for their labor, God will reward them in the end (Sirach 51:27-30). Cf Matthew 11:28; Eccl 12:14. 4 [13] In the Greek of 13f there is an expansion introducing Solomon as the speaker. This deviates from the original author's intent. It reads: "Publicly, in my prayer, facing the temple, I asked for her." |