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The Book of Wisdom 1 Again, one preparing for a voyage and about to traverse the wild waves cries out to wood more unsound than the boat that bears him. 再如：有个准备航海的人，行将在怒涛中航行之际，竟向一块比自己乘的船还易坏的木头呼求。 2 For the urge for profits devised this latter, and Wisdom the artificer produced it. 船固然是因求财的贪心而发明的，亦是匠人以智慧造成的； 3 But your providence, O Father! guides it, for you have furnished even in the sea a road, and through the waves a steady path, 但最后，父啊！还是你的照顾在驾驶，因为原是你在海洋中划出了一条路线，在波浪中开辟了一条安全的路径， 4 Showing that you can save from any danger, so that even one without skill may embark. 表示你能救人脱离各种危险，连没有技术的人，也能航海。 5 But you will that the products of your Wisdom be not idle; therefore men trust their lives even to frailest wood, and have been safe crossing the surge on a raft. 你决不愿使你智慧的工作弃之不用，因此，人将生命托给一片小木，借一叶扁舟，经过巨涛而平安到达海岸。 6 1 For of old, when the proud giants were being destroyed, the hope of the universe, who took refuge on a raft, left to the world a future for his race, under the guidance of your hand. 其实，在当初，当那些傲慢的巨人被灭绝的时候，世界的希望逃入了一叶扁舟，经你手的驾驶，才得给后世留下了新生的苗裔。 7 2 For blest is the wood through which justice comes about; 8 but the handmade idol is accursed, and its maker as well: he for having produced it, and it, because though corruptible, it was termed a god. 但是，人手造的木偶和木偶的制造者，却是可诅咒的：制造者，因为他造了木偶；木偶，因为虽是腐败的东西，竟被称为神。 9 Equally odious to God are the evildoer and his evil deed; 不虔敬的人，与他行的不虔敬的事，同样为天主所憎恶； 10 and the thing made shall be punished with its contriver. 所以，木偶与造木偶的，都必遭受惩罚。 11 Therefore upon even the idols of the nations shall a visitation come, since they have become abominable amid God's works, Snares for the souls of men and a trap for the feet of the senseless. 为此，天主必要惩罚列邦的偶像，因为偶像在天主的造物中，成了可憎之物，成了人们灵魂的障碍，作了愚人脚前的陷阱。 12 For the source of wantoness is the devising of idols; and their invention was a corruption of life. 发明偶像，是淫乱的开端；创造偶像，是人生的腐败。 13 For in the beginning they were not, nor shall they continue forever; 14 for by the vanity of men they came into the world, and therefore a sudden end is devised for them. 由于人的虚荣心，偶像才进入了世界；为此，已注定很快就要结束。 15 For a father, afflicted with untimely mourning, made an image of the child so quickly taken from him, And now honored as a god what was formerly a dead man and handed down to his subjects mysteries and sacrifices. 一个父亲因他儿子的夭折，甚为悲伤，遂为自己早死的儿子立像，他虽是已死的人，如今却敬之如神，并传令家属礼拜献祭。 16 Then, in time, the impious practice gained strength and was observed as law, and graven things were worshiped by princely decrees. 17 Men who lived so far away that they could not honor him in his presence copied the appearance of the distant king And made a public image of him they wished to honor, out of zeal to flatter him when absent, as though present. 住在远方的人，不能当面尊敬国王，便由远方设想君王的相貌，为所要尊敬的君王，制造一座可见的肖像，向那不在跟前的，殷勤献媚，如同就在跟前一样。 18 And to promote this observance among those to whom it was strange, the artisan's ambition provided a stimulus. 艺术家的野心，把那些不认识君王的人，也都诱来，为扩大这项敬礼； 19 For he, mayhap in his determination to please the ruler, labored over the likeness to the best of his skill; 艺术家原为讨有权威者的欢心，就竭力运用自己的技术，使君王的肖像格外美丽； 20 And the masses, drawn by the charm of the workmanship, soon thought he should be worshiped who shortly before was honored as a man. 民众受了这精美手工的吸引，不久以前那当人尊敬的，现在却奉之为神了。 21 And this became a snare for mankind, that men enslaved to either grief or tyranny conferred the incommunicable Name on stocks and stones. 这便成了人生的隐祸，因为遭受不幸，或受暴君压迫的人们，将“那不可道出的名字，”加给了木石。 22 Then it was not enough for them to err in their knowledge of God; but even though they live in a great war of ignorance, they call such evils peace. 他们对天主的认识错到如此地步，还以为不足；甚至愚昧使他们生活在强烈的战斗中，还将这样的大祸，称为和平。 23 For while they celebrate either child-slaying sacrifices or clandestine mysteries, or frenzied carousals in unheard-of rites, 因他们祭杀孩童，或举行秘密祭礼，或仪式怪诞的狂欢宴会。 24 They no longer safeguard either lives or pure wedlock; but each either waylays and kills his neighbor, or aggrieves him by adultery. 谁也不顾及生活与婚姻的纯洁，遂彼此陷害残杀，以奸淫加害于人。 25 And all is confusion-blood and murder, theft and guile, corruption, faithlessness, turmoil, perjury, 于是，混乱到处丛生：流血、杀人、盗窃、欺骗、缺德、失信、暴乱、违约、 26 Disturbance of good men, neglect of gratitude, besmirching of souls, unnatural lust, disorder in marriage, adultery and shamelessness. 陷害忠良、忘恩负义、玷辱灵魂、同性淫乱、婚姻混杂、通奸淫乱。 27 For the worship of infamous idols is the reason and source and extremity of all evil. 崇拜虚无的偶像，实是万恶的起源、由来和结局。 28 For they either go mad with enjoyment, or prophesy lies, or live lawlessly or lightly forswear themselves. 这些人行乐发狂，预言虚妄，生活邪辟，妄发虚誓， 29 For as their trust is in soulless idols, they expect no harm when they have sworn falsely. 因为他们信赖无生命的偶像，自以为妄发虚誓，不会受罚。 30 3 But on both counts shall justice overtake them: because they thought ill of God and devoted themselves to idols, and because they deliberately swore false oaths, despising piety. 但是，正为了这两件事，他们必受公义的处罚：因对天主没有正确的认识，因而崇拜偶像；又因诡计多端，妄发虚誓，因而轻视圣洁。 31 4 For not the might of those that are sworn by but the retribution of sinners ever follows upon the transgression of the wicked. 因为，那常追击不义者违法行为的，并不是“赖以发誓者”的力量，而是天主对犯罪者的惩罚。 Footnotes（注解） 1 [6] Noah. 2 [7] Often applied to the Cross of our Lord. 3 [30] Piety: the sanctity of oaths. 4 [31] Perjury is a form of deceit which calls for punishment even though it be practiced in the name of a lifeless idol. |
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