THE SIXTH PETITION OF THE LORD'S PRAYER : "And lead us not into temptation."
天主经第六请求:又不许我陷于诱惑
Importance Of Instruction On This Petition
关于本请求的教导重要性
When the children of God, having obtained the pardon of their sins, are inflamed with the desire of giving toGod worship and veneration; when they long for the kingdom of heaven; when they engage in the performanceof all the duties of piety towards the Deity, relying entirely on His paternal will and providence, -- then it is thatthe enemy of mankind employs the more actively all his artifices, and prepares all his resources to attack themso violently as to justify the fear that, wavering and altered in their sentiments, they may relapse into sin, andthus become far worse than they had been before. To such as these may justly be applied the saying of thePrince of the Apostles: It had been better for them not to have known the way of justice, than, after they haveknown it, to turn back from that holy commandment which was delivered to them.
当天主儿女获得天主的宽恕后,燃起对天主钦崇和尊重的渴望;当他们想得到天国时;当他们履行对天主的虔诚职责时;当他们全然依赖祂的父亲般意愿和圣意时,人类的敌人永远会用最吸引人的诡计,动用所有的资源来猛烈的攻击人类,试图软化他们的敬畏心,动摇改变他们的情绪,让他们再次跌入罪中变得比之前更糟糕。宗徒之长对这种人论过许多:因为不认识正义之道,比认识后而又背弃那传授给他们的圣诫命,为他们倒好得多(伯后2:21)。
Hence Christ the Lord has commanded us to offer this Petition so that we may commend ourselves daily toGod, and implore His paternal care and assistance, being assured that, if we be deserted by the divineprotection, we shall soon fall into the snares of our most crafty enemy.
因此,基督上主命令我们奉献本请求,以便我们可以每天推荐自己给天主,祈求祂的父亲般关怀和帮助。可以确定的是,如果我们离开了神圣的保护,我们很快就会跌进我们最狡猾敌人的陷阱中。
Nor is it in the Lord's Prayer alone that He has commanded us to beg of God not to suffer us to be led intotemptation. In His address to the holy Apostles also, on the very eve of His death, after He had declared themclean, He admonished them of this duty in these words: Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
并不只是在天主经里,我主命令我们向天主祈祷不要让我们陷于诱惑。在祂受难前的那天夜里,祂对宗徒清晰的训导这个职责,说:醒寤祈祷罢!免陷于诱惑(玛窦26:41)。
This admonition, reiterated by Christ the Lord, imposes on the pastor the weighty obligation of exciting thefaithful to a frequent use of this prayer, so that, beset as men constantly are by the great dangers which the devilprepares, they may ever address to God, who alone can repel those dangers, the prayer, Lead us not intotemptation.
基督我主这次重申的训导,要求牧者肩负激起信友频繁使用本祷文的责任,作为被恶魔随时准备诱惑的人类,帮助信友能永远的向唯一能驱逐这些危险的天主祈求,就用本祷文,不许我们陷于诱惑。
Necessity of the Sixth Petition
第六请求的必要性
Human Frailty
人类的脆弱性
The faithful will understand how very much they stand in need of this divine assistance, if they remember theirown weakness and ignorance, if they recollect this saying of Christ the Lord: The spirit indeed is willing, butthe flesh is weak; if they call to mind how grievous and destructive are the misfortunes of men brought onthrough the instigation of the devil, unless they be upheld and assisted by the right hand of the Most High.
如果信友想到自己的软弱和无知,他们就会理解他们是多么需要神圣的协助,如果他们想起基督上主说:心神固然切愿,但肉体却软弱(玛窦26:41);如果他们想起因为听信恶魔的教唆,人类造成的不幸是多么的痛苦和毁灭性,除非他们能被至高者的右手所扶持和帮助。
What more striking example can there be of human infirmity, than the holy band of the Apostles, who, thoughthey had just before felt very courageous, at the first sight of danger, abandoned the Savior and fled. A stillmore conspicuous example is the conduct of the Prince of the Apostles. He who a short time before loudlyprotested his courage and special loyalty to Christ the Lord, he who had been so confident in himself as to say,Though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee, became so affrighted at the voice of a poor maid-servantthat he declared at once with an oath that he knew not the Lord. Doubtless his courage was not equal to hisgood-will. But if, by the frailty of human nature in which they confided, even the Saints have sinned grievously,what have not others to fear, who are so far below them in holiness?
要说人类的软弱性的例子,还有哪个能比宗徒们在危险面前抛弃救主四散奔去更著名呢,尽管他们之前都觉得自己非常勇敢。更明显的例子就是宗徒之长的行为。他只是听到一个可怜的使女的声音,他就变得如此惊恐以至于立刻发誓说他不认识基督上主,然而短短的几小时前,他还在大声宣布自己的勇敢,以及对基督上主的特别忠贞,还说:即便我该同你一起死,我也决不会不认你(玛窦26:35)。毫无疑问,他的勇气与他良好的意愿并不相等。但是,人类是被限制在这脆弱的本性中的,甚至是圣人也犯有严重的罪,更不用说其他远远不如他们神圣得的那些人得的恐惧呢?
The Assaults Of The Flesh
肉身的攻击
Wherefore, let the pastor remind the faithful of the conflicts and dangers in which we are continually engaged,as long as the soul is in this mortal body, assailed as we are on all sides by the world, the flesh and the devil.
因而,让牧者提醒信友,只要灵魂还在这终将死亡的身体内,我们就始终要面对冲突和危险,来自世俗,肉身和恶魔方方面面的攻击。
How few are there who are not compelled to experience at their great cost what anger, what concupiscence cando in us? Who is not annoyed by these stings? who does not feel these goads? who does not burn with thesesmouldering fires? And, indeed, so various are these assaults, so diversified these attacks, that it is extremelydifficult not to receive some grievous wound.
那些没有受到肉身攻击并遭受令人愤怒的巨大代价的人是多么寥寥无几啊。贪情在我们内都做了什么?有谁没有受折磨呢?有谁感受不到肉身的刺激呢?有谁没有被肉身的暗火所炙烤呢?并且,事实上,进攻的种类如此之多,攻击的办法变化多端,不受到伤痛是极端困难的。
The Temptations Of The Devil
恶魔的诱惑
And besides these enemies that dwell and live with us, there are, moreover, those most bitter foes, of whom it iswritten: Our wrestling is not against, flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers ofthe world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. For to our inward conflicts areadded the external assaults and attacks of the demons, who both assail us openly, and also insinuate themselvesby stratagem into our souls, so much so that it is only with great difficulty that we can escape them.
并且,除了住在我们内的这些敌人外,还有更多更剧烈的敌人。经上说他们:因为我们战斗不是对抗血和肉,而是对抗率领者,对抗掌权者,对抗这黑暗世界的霸主,对抗天界里邪恶的恶神(厄佛弗所书6:12)。因为我们的内在冲突被外在的恶魔进攻和攻击所加剧了,他们不仅公开袭击我们,还暗中给我们的灵魂把他们灌输进去,一直到那种我们非常难以逃脱他们的程度。
The Apostle entitles the demons princes, on account of the excellence of their nature, since by nature they aresuperior to man, and to all other visible creatures. He also calls them powers, because they excel not only bytheir nature, but also by their power. He designates them rulers of the world of darkness, because they rule notthe world of light and glory, that is to say, the good and the pious, but the world of gloom and darkness, namely,those who, blinded by the defilement and darkness of a wicked life, are satisfied to have for their leader thedevil, the prince of darkness. He also terms the demons the spirits of wickedness, because there is a wickednessof the spirit, as well as of the flesh. What is called the wickedness of the flesh inflames the appetite to lusts andpleasures, which are perceived by the senses; while the wickedness of the spirit are evil purposes and depraveddesires, which belong to the superior part of the soul, and which are so much worse than the wickedness of theflesh as mind itself and reason are higher and more excellent (than the senses). The wickedness of Satan theApostle spoke of as in the high places, because the chief aim of the evil one is to deprive us of our heavenlyinheritance.
根据他们卓越的本质,宗徒列举了这些恶魔王子,因为就本质来说,他们是优于人类以及所有可见的造物的。宗徒称他们为掌权者,不仅因为他们本质卓越,而且他们能力超众。宗徒称他们为黑暗世界的掌权者,以为他们在光明和荣耀的世界没有权力,这意思是说,他们不在美善和虔诚者的世界里,而在阴暗漆黑的世界里,就是被邪恶的生活的肮脏黑暗弄瞎了眼睛的人,他们满足于撒殚这黑暗的霸主当他们的首领。宗徒还把恶魔命名为恶神,因为这神是邪恶的,与肉体一样。被称为肉身的邪恶激起了对肉欲和快乐的渴望,然后由感官感受到;恶神是邪恶的目标和堕落的渴望,属于灵魂的高级部分,恶神比肉身的邪恶要更严重,因为思维本身和理性都比感官更高级更卓越。宗徒说撒殚的恶神是在天界,因为他们的首要目的就是从天堂的继承者里剥夺我们。
Audacity Of The Demons
大胆放肆无所顾忌的恶魔
From all this we may understand that the power of these enemies is great, their courage undaunted, their hatredof us enormous and unmeasured; that they also wage against us a perpetual war, so that with them there can beno peace, no truce.
从以上这些,我们就理解,这些敌人的力量是强大的,他们的勇气是不气馁的,他们对我们恨是巨大的和不可估量的;他们对我们发起了永恒的战争,因此与他们在一起,就绝不会由有安宁与和平。
How great is their audacity is evidenced by the words of Satan, recorded by the Prophet: I will ascend intoheaven. He attacked our first parents in Paradise; he assailed the Prophets; he beset the Apostles in order, as theLord says in the Gospel, that he might sift them as wheat.' Nor was he abashed even by the presence of Christthe Lord Himself. His insatiable desire and unwearied diligence St. Peter therefore expressed when he said:Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion goeth about, seeking whom he may devour.
先知记录下的撒殚的话作为证据,显示他们的放肆胆大是何等可怕,他们说:我要直冲霄汉,高置我的御座在天主的星宿以上;我要升越云表,与至高者相平衡(依撒意亚14:13)!他在地堂里攻击我们的元祖父母;他偷袭先知们;他用命令围攻宗徒们,如同上主在福音里说的:要筛你们像筛麦子一样(路加22:31)。在基督上主在场的时候,他也毫无羞愧。圣伯多禄在论撒殚永不满足的渴望和毫不疲惫的努力时说:你们的仇敌魔鬼,如同咆哮的狮子巡游,寻找可吞食的人(伯前5:8)。
Number Of The Demons
恶魔的数量
But it is not Satan alone that tempts men, for sometimes a host of demons combine to attack an individual. Thisthat evil spirit confessed, who, having been asked his name by Christ the Lord, replied, My name is legion; thatis to say, a multitude of demons, tormented their unhappy victim. And of another demon it is written: He takethwith him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there.
诱惑人的不仅只有撒殚,有时恶魔的军旅也联合起来攻击一个人。这是恶神自己承认了的,他在基督上主询问他叫什么名字时,回答:我名叫『军旅』,因为我们众多(马尔谷5:9)。就是说,有许多的恶魔折磨他们可怜的受害者。关于另一个恶魔,经上说:另外带了七个比他更恶的魔鬼来,进去,住在那里(玛窦12:45)。
Malignity And Power Of The Demons
恶魔们的能力与恶毒
There are many who, because they do not feel the assaults of demons against them, imagine that the wholematter is fictitious; nor is it surprising that such persons are not attacked by demons, to whom they havevoluntarily surrendered themselves. They possess neither piety nor charity, nor any virtue worthy of a Christian;hence they are entirely in the power of the devil, and there is no need of any temptation to overcome them, sincetheir souls have already become his willing abode.
还有许多人,因为他们感觉不到恶魔对他们的攻击,就说恶魔是想象出来的;这些人没有被恶魔攻击,这不奇怪,因为他们已经自愿围在恶魔身边了。他们既没有信德,也没有爱德,也没有任何基督徒应有的德性;因此他们已经全然在恶魔的掌控之中了,对他们而言,没有任何诱惑的必要来征服他们,因为他们的灵魂已经成为恶魔的住所。
But those who have dedicated themselves to God, leading a heavenly life upon earth, are the chief objects of theassaults of Satan. Against them he harbours bitterest hatred, laying snares for them each moment. SacredScripture is full of examples of holy men who, in spite of their firmness and resolution, were perverted by hisviolence or fraud. Adam, David, Solomon and others, whom it would be tedious to enumerate, experienced theviolent and crafty cunning of demons, which neither human prudence nor human strength can overcome.
但是那些已经把自己奉献给天主的人,在地上按天堂要求过生活,这些人就是撒殚袭击的主要对象。撒殚对他们抱有最剧烈的痛恨,每时每刻都给他们设置陷阱。圣经中,充满了这样圣洁之人的例子,虽然他们有坚定有决心,但总是被撒殚的暴力和欺诈所败坏。亚当,达味,撒落满和其他人,罗列这些人名是冗长的,他们经历了恶魔猛烈和狡猾的诡计,这些诡计靠人类的审慎和力量都是无法战胜的。
Prayer Protects Man's Weakness Against The Enemies Of His Soul
祈祷可以保护人的软弱,对抗灵魂的敌人
Who, then, can deem himself sufficiently secure in his own resources? Hence the necessity of offering to Godpure and pious prayer, that He suffer us not to be tempted above our strength, but make issue with temptation,that we may be able to bear it.
那么,谁敢认为以自己的能力和资源就足以保证安全了呢?因此给天主献上纯洁虔诚的祈祷,求祂不要让我们陷于超过我们力量之上的诱惑,而让我们有能力对抗诱惑。
But should any of the faithful, through weakness or ignorance, feel terrified at the power of the demons, theyare to be encouraged, when tossed by the waves of temptation, to take refuge in this harbour of prayer. Forhowever great the power and pertinacity of Satan, he cannot, in his deadly hatred of our race, tempt or tormentus as much, or as long as he pleases; but all his power is governed by the control and permission of God. Theexample of Job is very well known. Satan could have touched nothing belonging to him, if God had not said tothe devil: Behold, all that he hath is in thy hand; while on the other hand, had not the Lord added: Only put notforth thy hand upon his person, Job with his children and possessions, would have been at once destroyed by thedevil. So restricted is the power of demons, that without the permission of God, they could not even enter intothe swine mentioned by the Evangelists.
但是有些信友,因为软弱与无知,对恶魔的力量感到恐惧,应对他们进行鼓励,当受到诱惑感到起伏时,要以祈祷的港湾为避难所。因为,无论撒殚的力量和顽固性有多么大,他对我们种族的致命的憎恨,诱惑和折磨,都不是他喜欢有多长就有多长的;他所有的能力都在天主的允许和控制之下监控。约伯的例子广为人知。撒殚对约伯的任何所有都不能动,如果天主没有告诉恶魔:看,他所有的一切,都随你处理(约伯1:12);然而另一方面,如果天主没有补充下一句:只是不要伸手加害他的身体(约伯1:12)。那么约伯和他的子孙财产,就会立刻被恶魔所摧毁。恶魔的力量是被限制的,如果没有天主的允许,他们甚至不能进入到福音作者提到的猪的身体里面。
"Temptation"
诱惑
To understand the meaning of this Petition, it is necessary to say what temptation signifies here, and also what itis to be led into temptation.
要理解本请求的含义,有必要解释此处所谓的诱惑是表示什么,以及什么能引导人陷入诱惑。
To tempt is to sound a person in order that by eliciting from him what we desire, we may extract the truth. Thismode of tempting does not apply to God; for what is there that God does not know? All things are naked andopen to his eyes.
怂恿诱惑就是指对一个人说话,目的是从他诱导出我们想要的,我们可以提取出真相。但是,这种模式的诱导不适用于天主;因为还有什么是天主不知道的?在祂眼中,一切都是敞开无遮挡的。
Another kind of tempting implies more than thisinasmuch as it may have either a good or a bad purpose.
另外种类的诱导的含义远不止于此,因为它可能有好目的,也可能有坏目的。
Temptation has a good purpose, when someone's worth is tried, in order that when it has been tested and provedhe may be rewarded and honoured, his example proposed to others for imitation, and all may be incited therebyto the praises of God. This is the only kind of tempting that can be found in God. Of it there is an example inDeuteronomy: The Lord your God tries you, that it may appear whether you love him or not.
当某人的价值值得一试,为了测试和证明他能否得到回报与荣耀时,诱导就具有好目的。他的榜样可以为他人效法,所有人都被激励赞美天主。这是唯一能在天主内看到的诱惑。在申命纪中,这个例子是:因为上主你们的天主有意试探你们,愿意知道你们是否全心全灵真爱上主你们的天主(申命13:4)。
In this manner God is also said to tempt His own, when He visits them with want, disease and other sorts ofcalamities. This He does to try their patience, and to make them an example of Christian virtue. Thus we readthat Abraham was tempted to immolate his son, by which fact he became a singular example of obedience andpatience to all succeeding times. Thus also is it written of Tobias: Because thou wast acceptable to God, it wasnecessary that temptation should prove thee.
当天主带给他们缺乏,疾病和其他的灾害时,这种方式天主也被称为诱惑祂自己拥有的。祂所为是为了测试他们的耐心,使他们称为基督徒德性的榜样。所以我们读到亚巴郎被诱导去宰杀他儿子时,通过这事,亚巴郎为他之后的时代成为服从和耐心的独一无二的榜样。同样的,在多俾亚中有:因为你在天主是可接受的,所以有必要用诱导来证明你(多俾亚12:13 译者:武加大版)。
Men are tempted for a bad purpose, when they are impelled to sin or destruction. To do this is the work of thedevil, for he tempts men with a view to deceive and precipitate them into ruin, and he is therefore called inScripture, the tempter. At one time, stimulating us from within, he employs the agency of the affections andpassions of the soul. At another time, assailing us from without, he makes use of external things, as ofprosperity, to puff us up with pride, or of adversity, to break our spirits. Sometimes he has for his emissaries andassistants abandoned men, particularly heretics, who, sitting in the chair of pestilence, scatter the deadly seedsof bad doctrines, thus unsettling and precipitating headlong those persons who draw no line of distinctionbetween vice and virtue and are of themselves prone to evil.
当人们倾向于犯罪或毁灭时,人就被坏的目的而诱惑。这就是恶魔的工作,因为他诱惑人时,就始终抱有欺骗人和使人坠入毁灭的目的,因此在圣经中,他就被称为诱惑者。有时,他会利用灵魂中的激情和感情作为代理,从内部刺激我们;有时,他利用外部事物,比如用繁荣让我们骄傲;比如用逆境不幸击溃我们的精神。有时候他会派他的使者和助手,就是那些寡廉鲜耻的人,特别是异端,坐在瘟疫的宝座上,撒播着败坏信理的致命种子,从而扰乱那些分不清邪恶与德性的,并倾向于邪恶的人,把这些人头朝下的抛掷进深渊。
"Lead us not into Temptation"
不许我们陷于诱惑
We are said to be led into temptation when we yield to temptations. Now this happens in two ways. First, we areled into temptation when, yielding to suggestion, we rush into that evil to which some one tempts us. No one isthus led into temptation by God; for to no one is God the author of sin, nay, He hates all who work iniquity; andaccordingly we also read in St. James: Let no man, when he is tempted, say that he is tempted of God; for Godis not a tempter of evils.
当我们屈服于诱惑时,我们被称为陷于诱惑。这会以两种方式发生。首先,当我们听从了那些想诱惑我们人的建议,陷于诱惑,冲进了邪恶中。所以,没有人被天主陷于诱惑;因为,天主不是任何人犯罪的作者,不,祂憎恨所有行邪恶的人;所以,圣雅各伯说:人受诱惑,不可说:「我为天主所诱惑,」因为天主不会为恶事所诱惑,他也不诱惑人。(雅各伯1:13)
Secondly, we are said to be led into temptation by him who, although he himself does not tempt us norcooperate in tempting us, yet is said to tempt because he does not prevent us from being tempted or from beingovercome by temptations when he is able to prevent these things. In this manner God, indeed, suffers the goodand the pious to be tempted, but does not leave them unsupported by His grace. Sometimes, however, we fall,being left to ourselves by the just and secret judgment of God, in punishment of our sins.
第二,有人他自己尽管没有诱惑我们,也没有参与诱惑我们,但是依然说他诱惑,是因为他没有阻止我们被诱惑,或者他有能力阻止但却没有这样做。在这种情况下,天主事实上,允许善人和虔信者被诱惑,但是天主并没有抛弃他们,依然给与支持的恩宠。然而有时,我们跌倒,经过天主正义并秘密的审判,把我们抛弃给自己,作为我们罪的惩罚。
God is also said to lead us into temptation when we abuse, to our destruction, His blessings, which He has givenus as a means of salvation; when, like the prodigal son, we squander our Father's substance, living riotously andyielding to our evil desires. In such a case we can say what the Apostle has said of the law: The commandmentthat was ordained to life, the same was found to be unto death to me.
有时说天主让我们陷于诱惑,这是因为我们滥用祂给我们作为救恩的办法的祝福恩宠,就像那个挥霍的小儿子,我们挥霍了我们天父的财富,生活在骚动中,屈服于我们邪恶的愿望中。在这种情况下,我们就可以说宗徒论法律的话:那本来应叫我生活的诫命,反叫我死了(罗马7:10)。
Of this an opportune example is Jerusalem, as we learn from Ezechiel. God had so enriched that city with everysort of embellishment, that He said of it by the mouth of the Prophet: Thou wast perfect through my beauty,which I had put upon thee. Yet Jerusalem, favoured with such an abundance of divine gifts, was so far fromshowing gratitude to God, from whom she had received and was still receiving so many favours, was so farfrom making use of those heavenly gifts for the attainment of her own happiness, the end for which she hadreceived them, that having cast away the hope and idea of deriving spiritual profit from them, she, mostungrateful to God her Father, was content to enjoy her present abundance with a luxury and riotousness whichEzechiel describes at considerable length in the same chapter. Wherefore those whom God permits to convertinto instruments of vice the abundant opportunities of virtuous deeds which He has afforded them, are equallyungrateful to Him.
最合适的例子就是耶路撒冷,我们从厄则克耳先知可知,天主曾使这城多么的富有,祂借先知的口说:因我用我的饰物点缀了你,你才如此美丽无瑕──吾主上主的断语(厄则克耳16:14)然而受到丰富神圣恩宠的耶路撒冷,却远没有对天主表示感激,她当时已经领受了天主那么多的偏爱,而且还正在领受,却远没有善用这些天堂礼物为了她自己的幸福,也就是天主赏赐她这么多礼物的目的,她抛弃了这些礼物包含的神圣的精神利益,她对她的天父忘恩负义,奢侈放荡的滥用这丰富的一切,厄则克耳先知在本章中(厄则克耳16章)用了相当长的篇幅描述耶路撒冷的丑恶淫行。因而,天主允许一些人把天主赏自己的大量的立德性之功的机会给浪费掉,反而成为恶行的工具,这些人对天主也同样的忘恩负义。
But we ought carefully to notice a certain usage of Sacred Scripture, which sometimes denotes the permissionof God in words which, if taken literally, would imply a positive act on the part of God. Thus in Exodus weread: I will harden the heart of Pharoah; and in Isaias: Blind the heart of this people; and the Apostle to theRomans writes: God delivered them up to shameful affections, and to a reprobate sense. In these and othersimilar passages we are to understand, not at all any positive act on the part of God, but His permission only.
但是我们应谨慎的注意,圣经里有一种特殊的表达方法,有时在表示天主的许可时的用语,如果从字面意义理解,就以为这是天主主动的行为。比如在出谷纪7:3:我却要使法郎心硬;在依撒依亚6:10:要使这民族的心迟钝;以及宗徒在罗马书26章写道:天主任凭他们陷于可耻的情欲和堕落的感觉里。在这些以及类似的篇章中,我们应该理解,绝不是天主主动的行为,而仅仅是祂的允许。
Objects of the Sixth Petition
第六请求的目标对象
What We Do Not Pray For
我们不祈求什么
These observations having been premised, it will not be difficult to understand the object for which we pray inthis Petition.
在做好上述前提后,就不难理解我们在本请求里所祈祷的目标。
We do not ask to be totally exempt from temptation, for human life is one continued temptation. This, however,is useful and advantageous to man. Temptation teaches us to know ourselves, that is, our own weakness, and tohumble ourselves under the powerful hand of God; and by fighting manfully, we expect to receive a neverfadingcrown of glory. For he that striveth for the mastery is not crowned, except he strive lawfully. Blessed isthe man, says St. James, that endureth temptation; for when he hath been proved, he shall receive the crown oflife, which God hath promised to them that love him. If we are sometimes hard pressed by the temptation of theenemy, it will also cheer us to reflect, that we have a high priest to help us, who can have compassion on ourinfirmities, having been tempted himself in all things.
我们并非祈求完全免于诱惑,因为人生就是一个连续的诱惑。并且对人而言,是有用的和有利益促进的。诱惑教我们懂得了我们自己,就是说我们的软弱,教我们在天主的强臂下如何谦卑自己;通过与诱惑进行大丈夫般的斗争,我们期待能获得永不退色的荣耀之冠。“除非按规矩竞赛,是得不到花冠的(弟后2:5)”圣雅各伯说,我的弟兄们,几时你们落在各种试探里,要认为是大喜乐(雅各伯书1:2),忍受试探的人是有福的,因为他既经得起考验,必能得到主向爱他的人,所预许的生命之冠(雅各伯书1:12)。如果有时敌人的诱惑深深的压迫了我们,我们也应振奋的反思,我们有大祭司帮助我们,祂为了我们的软弱而受难,自己也经受了一切事的诱惑。
What We Pray For In This Petition
我们在本请求应求什么
What, then, do we pray for in this Petition? We pray that the divine assistance may not forsake us, lest havingbeen deceived, or worsted, we should yield to temptation; and that the grace of God may be at hand to succorus when our strength fails, to refresh and invigorate us in our trials.
那么我们在本请求中求什么呢?我们祈求神圣的助佑不抛弃我们,以免我们被欺骗,或者更糟,我们向诱惑屈服;以及求天主的恩宠能在手边救济我们,当我们力量跌倒时,在我们受磨炼中更新和激活我们。
We should, therefore, implore the divine assistance, in general, against all temptations, and especially whenassailed by any particular temptation. This we find to have been the conduct of David, under almost everyspecies of temptation. Against lying, he prays in these words: Take not thou the word of truth utterly out of mymouth; against covetousness: Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness; and against thevanities of this life and the allurements of concupiscence, he prays thus: Turn away my eyes, that they may notbehold vanity.
我们应该祈求神圣的协助,笼统的帮我们抵制所有的诱惑,当我们特别被某类诱惑所袭击时。我们从达味的例子可以了解到这一点。在对抗谎言时,他是这样祈祷的:不要由我口撤去真理的训言(圣咏119:43);对抗贪婪妄想时:不要让我的心贪财好利(圣咏119:36);对抗生命中的空虚和欲情的诱惑时:求你转回我的眼目免看虚荣(圣咏119:37)。
We pray, therefore, that we yield not to evil desires, and be not wearied in enduring temptation; that we deviatenot from the way of the Lord; that in adversity, as in prosperity, we preserve equanimity and fortitude; and thatGod may never deprive us of His protection. Finally, we pray that God may crush Satan beneath our feet.
我们因此祈祷,不屈服于邪恶的愿望中,在忍耐诱惑中毫不疲倦;不要偏离上主的道路;在逆境中就像在顺境中一样,保持坚韧与镇静;求天主永不放弃保护我们;最后,我们祈求天主再制服撒殚在我们脚下。
Dispositions which should Accompany this Petition
本请求应伴随的意向
The pastor ought next to admonish the faithful concerning the chief thoughts and reflections that should
accompany this prayer.
接下来,牧者应劝诫信友在祈祷时该有的反思和念头。
Distrust Of Self And Confidence In God
对自己的不信任以及对天主的信心
It will, then, be found most efficacious, when offering this Petition that, remembering our weakness, we distrustour own strength; and that, placing all our hopes of safety in the divine goodness and relying on the divineprotection, we encounter the greatest dangers with undaunted courage, calling to mind particularly the manypersons, animated with such hope and resolution, who were delivered by God from the very jaws of Satan.
所以,在奉献本请求时回忆起我们的软弱,不信任我们自己的力量,这是非常有效力的。将我们所有的希望都置于神圣美善中,依赖神圣的护佑,我们就能用最大的勇气面对最大的危险,同时回忆有许多人,在这种希望和决心的激励下,被天主从撒殚的魔爪中救出。
When Joseph was assailed by the criminal solicitations of a wicked woman, did not God rescue him from theimminent danger, and exalt him to the highest degree of glory? Did He not preserve Susanna, when beset by theministers of Satan, and on the point of being made the victim of an iniquitous sentence? Nor is this surprising;for her heart, says the Scripture, trusted in the Lord. How exalted the praise, how great the glory of Job, whotriumphed over the world, the flesh and the devil ! There are on record many similar examples to which thepastor should refer, in order to exhort with earnestness his pious hearers to this hope and confidence.
当若瑟被邪恶妇人的罪恶恳求所攻击时,难道天主没有从迫近的危险中救他,并提升他到最高荣耀中吗?(创世纪39)难道天主没有保护苏撒纳吗,当她被撒殚的下属围攻,马上就要成为邪恶审判的牺牲者时?(达尼尔13)这并不令人惊讶;经上说,因为她的内心完全信任天主。约伯获得的赞美和荣耀是多么高大啊,在他战胜这个世界,肉身和恶魔后!还有许多的类似记录,牧者可以参考,为了最诚恳的劝诫他的谦逊听众们抱有信心和希望。
Remembrance Of The Victory Of Christ And His Saints
念起基督和祂圣人的胜利
The faithful should also reflect who is their leader against the temptations of the enemy; namely, Christ theLord, who was victorious in the same combat. He overcame the devil; He is that stronger man who, comingupon the strong armed man, overcame him, deprived him of his arms, and stripped him of his spoils. Of Christ'svictory over the world, we read in St. John: Have confidence: I have overcome the world; and in theApocalypse, He is called the conquering lion; and it is said of Him that He went forth conquering that He mightconquer, because by His victory He has given power to others to conquer.
信友也应该深思,谁是他们对抗诱惑敌军的领袖;那就是,基督上主,祂在同样的战斗中已经胜利。祂制服了恶魔;祂就是那更强力之人,前来制服那武装的强者,剥夺他们的武器,夺走他们的战利品。关于基督对这个世界的胜利,我们在圣若望福音中读到:然而你们放心,我已战胜了世界(若望16:33);在默示录中,祂被称为征服之狮;论到祂说:他像胜利者出发,必百战百胜(默示录6:2)。
The Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews abounds with the victories of holy men, who by faith conqueredkingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions, etc. While we read of such achievements, we should also take intoaccount the victories which are every day won by men eminent for faith, hope and charity, in their interior andexterior conflicts with the demons, -- victories so numerous and so signal, that, were we spectators of them, weshould deem no event of more frequent occurrence, none of more glorious issue. It was with reference to suchdefeats of the enemies that St. John wrote: I write unto you, young men, because you are strong, and the wordof God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.
圣保禄给希伯来教会的书信里有大量的圣人胜利的例子,他们靠信德征服王国,驯服狮子,等等。我们读到这样的成就时,我们也应该考虑到,每天都有人靠着杰出的信望爱三德,在他们身内身外赢得了与恶魔斗争的胜利,——这些胜利是如此的多,如此的杰出;我们作为他们的目击者,除了这些胜利与荣耀,我们对于其他应无所求。圣若望对敌人的失败这样写道:青年们,我给你们写过:你们是强壮的,天主的话存留在你们内,你们也得胜了那恶者(若望一书2:14)。
Watchfulness
警惕
Satan, however, is overcome not by indolence, sleep, wine, revelling, or lust; but by prayer, labor, watching,fasting, continence and chastity. Watch ye and pray, that ye enter not into temptation, as we have already said,is the admonition of our Lord. They who make use of these weapons in the conflict put the enemy to flight; forthe devil flees from those who resist him.
然而靠懒惰,贪睡,酒饮,宴乐或肉性是战胜不了撒殚的;只有靠祈祷,劳力,警惕,大斋,节制和贞洁才可以。醒寤祈祷罢!免陷于诱惑(玛窦26:41),就像我们已经说过的,这是我主的训诫。用这些做武器的人才能把敌人打跑;因为只有对抗魔鬼,魔鬼才会跑。
The Author of victory over Temptation
克服诱惑得胜利之作者
But from the consideration of these victories achieved by holy men which we have mentioned, let no oneindulge feelings of self-complacency, nor flatter himself that, by his own single unassisted exertions, he is ableto withstand the temptations and hostile assaults of the demons. This is not within the power of human nature,nor within the capacity of human frailty.
但是深入思考我们提到的圣洁者获得的胜利时,不应有人产生自我满足情绪,也不能夸大自己说,完全靠他自己的没有他人帮助的努力,他就有能力抵抗恶魔的诱惑和敌意的进攻。这是靠人类本性的能力完全做不到的,抵抗魔诱超出人类软弱的能力。
The strength by which we lay prostrate the satellites of Satan comes from God, who maketh our arms as a bowof brass; by whose aid the bow of the mighty is overcome, and the weak are girt with strength; who giveth usthe protection of salvation, whose right hand upholdeth us: who teacheth our hands to war, and our fingers tobattle. Hence to God alone must thanks be given for victory, since it is only through His guidance and help thatwe are able to conquer. This the Apostle did; for he said: Thanks to God, who hath given us the victory, throughour Lord Jesus Christ. The voice from heaven, mentioned in the Apocalypse, also proclaims God to be theauthor of our victories: Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of hisChrist; because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth; and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb." Thesame book declares that the victory obtained over the world and the flesh belongs to Christ the Lord, when itsays: They shall fight with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them. But enough has now been said on thecause and the manner of conquering (temptation).
我们让撒殚随从匍匐在脚下的能力,来自于天主,是他教导我的手上阵进攻,使我伸出臂膊开张了铜弓(圣咏18:35);壮士的弓已被折断,衰弱者反而力量倍增(撒慕尔纪上2:4);祂给我们救恩的保护;祂的右手常常扶持我们(圣咏63:9);他教我的手能斗,教我的指能战(圣咏144:1)因此,只单独对天主感谢胜利,因为只有经过祂的指引和帮助,我们才能征服。宗徒就是这样做的;因为他说:感谢天主赐给了我们因我们的主耶稣基督所获得的胜利(格前15:57)默示录里,从天堂传来的声音,宣告只有天主才是我们胜利的作者:控告我们弟兄的控告者,已被摔下去了。赖羔羊的血得胜了那条龙(默示录12:11)。默示录还宣告了基督上主对这个世界和血肉的胜利,说:他们要同羔羊交战,羔羊却要战胜他们(默示录17:14)。关于克服诱惑的方法和原因,现在已经说的足够了。
The Rewards of Victories over temptation
克服诱惑胜利的赏报
When these things have been explained, the pastor should instruct the faithful concerning the crowns preparedby God, and the eternal and superabundant rewards reserved for those who conquer. He should quote from theApocalypse the following divine promises: He that shall overcome shall not be hurt by the second death; and inanother place: He that shall overcome, shall thus be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his nameout of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. A little after, ourdivine Lord Himself thus addresses John: He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of myGod: and he shall go out no more: and again: To him that shall overcome, I win give to sit with me in mythrone; as I also have overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne. Finally, having unveiled theglory of the Saints, and the never ending bliss which they shall enjoy in heaven, He adds, He that shallovercome shall possess these things.
在解释完以上后,牧者应教导信友关于天主为征服诱惑的人预备下的荣冠,以及永恒丰富的回报。牧者应引用默示录里的神圣许诺:胜利的必不受第二次死亡的害(2:11);胜利的必要这样穿上白衣,我决不将他的名字从生命册上抹去;反之,我要在我父面前,在他的天使面前,承认他的名字(3:5)。我们的神圣救主还告诉若望:胜利的,我要使他成为我天主殿宇的柱子,决不再让他到外面去(3:12)胜利的,我要赐他同我坐在我的宝座上,就如我得胜了,同我的父坐在他的宝座上一样(3:21)最后,救主揭晓了诸圣的荣耀,以及他们在天国享受的永不停止的幸福,补充说:胜利者必要承受这些福分(21:7)。