943 英翻中 (643) The Influence of Righteousness. 公義的偉大. 12/21/2024

943 英翻中 (643)                    The Influence of Righteousness.      公義的偉大.         12/21/2024

3. The Influence of Righteousness                                                                                                            3. 公義的偉大.                                                                                                                                             The life of righteousness must not become a solitary and selfish experience. When God blesses the righteous, He does it so they can share the blessing with others. “I will bless you,” God promised Abraham, “and you shall be a blessing” (Gen. 12:2 nkjv). The “blessed man” of Psalm 1 is “like a tree” that produces fruit for others to enjoy (Ps. 1:3). “The righteous will thrive like a green leaf…. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” (Prov. 11:28, 30 niv).      公義的生活絕不能成為一種孤獨和自私的經驗。當神祝福義人時，祂這樣做是為了讓他們能夠與他人分享祝福。 「我要賜福給你，」神向亞伯拉罕保證，「你也必成為別人的福氣」（創 12:2 NNKJV）。詩篇第 1 篇中的“有福的人”“像一棵樹”，結出果子供別人享用（詩篇 1:3）。 「正義的人會像綠葉一樣茁壯成長......義人的果子就是生命樹」（箴 11:28, 30 新國際版）。                                                                                           Let’s trace the circles of influence that radiate from the lives of men and women of God who walk on His paths.                                                                                                                                                          讓我們追蹤走在神的道路上的男男女女的生活所輻射出的影響圈。                                                   They are blessed in their character. The eminent American preacher Phillips Brooks said that the purpose of life was the building of character through truth. Christian character is one thing we’ll take to heaven with us. We’ll all have glorified bodies like that of our Lord (Phil. 3:20–21; 1 John 3:1–3), and we’ll all be happy in His presence, but we will not all immediately have the same capacity for appreciating spiritual things. Every vessel will be filled, but not all vessels will be the same size. Those who have walked closely with their Lord will be delighted to see Him (2 Tim. 4:8), but others will be “ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).                                                                                              他們的品格是有福的。美國著名傳教士菲利普​​斯布魯克斯說，人生的目的是透過真理塑造品格。基督徒的品格是我們可以帶到天堂的一件事。我們都會擁有像我們主一樣榮耀的身體（腓立比書 3:20-21；約翰一書 3:1-3），我們都會在他面前喜樂，但我們不會立即擁有同樣的身體。事物的能力。每個容器都會被填滿，但並非所有容器的大小都相同。那些與主親密同行的人會很高興見到他（提後書 4:8），但其他人會「在他來的時候在他面前感到羞愧」（約翰一書 2:28）。                                                                                                                                                                  The righteous desire the very best from the Lord, and He grants it to them (Prov. 10:24; 11:23). When we delight ourselves in the Lord, we will want the things that delight Him (Ps. 37:4). The developing of spiritual perception, a godly appetite, and the ability to choose the best (Phil. 1:9–11), is one of the blessed by-products of a holy walk with God. The more we become like Christ, the less we enjoy the “entertainment” of this world and long for the enrichment of the world to come.    義人渴望從主那裡得到最好的東西，祂就將這一切賜給他們（箴 10:24；11:23）。當我們以主為樂時，我們就會想要令祂喜悅的事物（詩篇 37:4）。屬靈知覺的發展、敬虔的胃口以及選擇最好事物的能力（腓 1:9-11），是與神潔同行的神聖副產品之一。我們越變得像基督，就越少享受這個世界的“娛樂”，也就越不渴望來世的豐富。                                                                                                           Of course, godly character comes from feeding on the Word and taking time to be holy. “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning” (Prov. 9:9). Even reproof helps the godly person to mature. “Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you” (v. 8 nkjv).   當然，敬虔的品格來自於以神的道為糧，並花時間變得聖潔。 「教導智者，他會更明智；教導義人，他的學問就必增長」（箴 9:9）。即使責備也能幫助敬虔的人成熟。 「不要糾正褻慢人，免得他恨你；責備智慧人，他就必愛你」（8節  新欽定版）。                                                                                                                                                    The righteous are kind and generous (21:26) and show their kindness not only in the way they treat people (29:7) but also in the way they treat animals. “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel” (12:10 nkjv).                                                                     義人仁慈而慷慨（21:26），他們的仁慈不僅體現在對待人的方式上（29:7），也體現在對待動物的方式上。 「義人顧惜牲畜的性命；惡人的十種憐憫卻是殘酷的」（12:10 新欽定版）。                                                                                                                                                                       They are blessed in their home. “The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous” (3:33 niv). “The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish” (14:11 nkjv). The wicked may live in houses, and the righteous have only tents, but with the blessing of the Lord, the righteous person’s tent will be a palace! “The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand” (12:7).                                                          他們在家裡受祝福。 「耶和華咒詛惡人的家庭，賜福給義人的家庭」（3:33 新國際版）。 「惡人的家必傾覆，正直人的帳棚必興旺」（14:11 新欽定版）。惡人可能住在房屋裡，義人只有帳篷，但若有主的祝福，義人的帳篷將成為宮殿！ 「惡人傾覆，歸於無有；義人的家必站立得住」（12:7）。                                                                                                                                                   In the Hebrew culture, “house” refers to the family as well as the structure in which the family dwells (2 Sam. 7:16, 25, 27), which means that the children of the godly are included in the blessing. “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him” (20:7 nkjv). “Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (24:3–4; see 14:1).                                                                                              在希伯來文化中，「家」指的是家庭以及家庭居住的結構（撒母耳記下 7:16,25,27），這意味著敬虔的兒女也包括在祝福之內。 「義人行事純正；他的子孫在他之後是有福的」（20:7 新欽定版）。 「房子因智慧而建造，因聰明而堅立；藉著知識，房間裡充滿了一切寶貴而令人愉快的財富」（24：3-4；見14：1）。                                                                                                             One of the greatest rewards in life is to be a blessing to your children and grandchildren. “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (Ps. 37:25 nkjv). This blessing includes material things (Prov. 13:22), but it applies even more to spiritual treasures.                                                                                                                                                    生命中最大的回報之一就是成為你的子孫的祝福。 「我曾經年輕過，現在已經老了；我卻沒有看見義人被離棄，也沒有看見他的後裔討飯」（詩 37:25 新欽定版）。這祝福包括物質財富（箴言 13:22），但它更適用於屬靈的財富。                                                                                                    When I was born, a doctor told my parents that I wouldn’t live beyond the age of two; yet the Lord enabled them to raise me, even though I wasn’t a robust child. Why did I survive? Partly because of a greatgrandfather who had prayed years before that there would be a preacher of the gospel in every generation of our family—and there has been! “The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot” (10:7).                                                                                                                                         當我出生時，一位醫生告訴我的父母，我活不過兩歲；然而主讓他們撫養我，儘管我不是個強壯的孩子。為什麼我能活下來？部分原因是一位曾祖父多年前就祈禱我們家族的每一代人都會有一位福音傳道者——而且確實如此！ 「義人的名譽必蒙福；惡人的名必朽壞」（10:7）。                                                                                                                                                             “Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home” (27:8 niv). In our contemporary American society, about 17 percent of the population relocates each year, but in ancient Israel, people stayed close to home. The extended family was the norm, with children and grandchildren learning to revere their ancestors and respectfully learning from them. The person who strayed from home was either up to no good or had to leave because of family problems.                                                      「人離家，如同飛鳥離巢」（27:8 Niv）。 在當代美國社會，每年約有 17% 的人口搬遷，但在古代以色列，人們卻留在家附近。大家庭是常態，子孫學會尊敬祖先並向他們學習。離家出走的人要不是不懷好意，就是因為家庭問題而不得不離開。                                                                      But the verse applies spiritually as well as geographically: We must not stray from the example of our godly ancestors or the spiritual treasures they left us. How tragic it is when children and grandchildren ridicule and reject the spiritual heritage of their family and turn instead to the ways of the world.                                                                                                                                                                      但這節經文不僅適用於地理，也適用於靈命：我們絕不能偏離我們敬虔祖先的榜樣或他們留給我們的精神寶藏。當子孫們嘲笑和拒絕家族的精神遺產，而轉向世俗的方式時，這是多麼悲慘的事情。                                                                                                                                                          They are blessed as citizens and leaders. “When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked” (11:10–11 nkjv). “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan” (29:2 nkjv).      他們作為公民和領導人受到祝福。 「義人得福，全城都歡喜；當惡人滅亡時，人們歡呼雀躍。城因正直人的祝福而高舉，卻因惡人的口而傾覆」（11:10-11 NKJV）。 「義人掌權，百姓歡喜；惡人作王，百姓就哀嘆」（29:2 新欽定版）。 以色列是君主制國家，國王應該敬畏耶和華來統治（20:8, 26）。 「作惡是君王所憎惡的；因為王位是靠公義堅立的」（16:12）。 「除掉王面前的惡人，王的寶座就必因公義堅立」（25：5）。神驅逐了迦南民族，因為他們的罪對他來說是不可憎惡的（申命記 12:29-32），當以色列效法這些民族的罪時，他就管教他們（士師記 2）。神不會容忍拜偶像的罪。 邪惡的統治者背棄上帝的律法，導致國家走向邪惡。每當這個國家有一位敬虔的君王，例如大衛、約西亞或希西家時，神就會祝福他的子民。但當一個不敬虔的國王登上王位時，主就撤回了他的祝福，讓他們自行其是。最終，北國以色列被亞述佔領，南國猶大被流放到巴比倫，耶路撒冷和聖殿被毀。                            Israel was a monarchy and the king was expected to rule in the fear of the Lord (20:8, 26). “It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness” (16:12). “Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness” (25:5). God cast out the Canaanite nations because their sins were abominable to Him (Deut. 12:29–32), and He chastened Israel when they imitated the sins of those nations (Judg. 2). God would not tolerate the sin of idolatry.                                                                                                                                                    By turning away from God’s law, wicked rulers led the way for the nation to become evil. Whenever the nation had a godly king, such as David, Josiah, or Hezekiah, God blessed His people. But when an ungodly king ascended the throne, the Lord withdrew His blessing and left them to their own devices. Eventually, the northern kingdom of Israel was taken over by Assyria, the Southern Kingdom of Judah was exiled in Babylon, and Jerusalem and the temple destroyed.                                                           During times of spiritual decay, it was the godly remnant of righteous people who maintained the flickering flame of spiritual life in the nation. When false prophets, greedy priests, and ruthless kings joined together to lead the nation away from the true God, it was the faithful remnant that served as salt and light in the land. “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name” (Mal. 3:16).                                                                                               Israel is the only nation that has a special covenant relationship with God, but the principle of Proverbs 14:34 still stands: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (niv). Deuteronomy 12, Amos 1—2, and Romans 1:18–32 make it clear that God judges the Gentile nations for their sins even though He didn’t give them the same law that He gave to Israel (Ps. 147:19–20). National leaders can’t escape the judgment of God when they lead the people away from God’s holy standards. Legalizing sin doesn’t make it right. No wonder Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.”                                                                                                     Godly parents can raise godly children, and godly children can provide godly influence in their communities and in the nation. In a democracy, where leadership is elected and not inherited, the Lord’s remnant must exert as much influence for righteousness as possible; certainly every believer ought to pray for those in authority (1 Tim. 2:1–8). I have ministered the Word in hundreds of churches and conferences in the United States, and I confess that rarely have I heard government leaders mentioned in the pulpit prayers. If the church obeyed the Word and prayed, national leaders would have to take God into account in their deliberations. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases” (Prov. 21:1 niv).                                                                                                I occasionally hear people lamenting the state of the nation, but most of them fail to point out the main cause: The church collectively and believers individually aren’t doing their job in spreading righteousness. If the righteous remnant were spreading more salt and light, there would be less decay and darkness (Matt. 5:13–16). Christians have a job to do: praying for all in authority, winning the lost, living godly lives, and raising godly children.                                                                                                       And it would help if we humbled ourselves and sought God’s face (2 Chron. 7:14); for apart from the deep working of God’s Spirit in hearts, there is no hope for any nation.                                                         “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance” (Ps. 33:12 niv). 

Notes                                                                                                                                                            1 Paul is referring to Abraham’s faith in Genesis 15:6. Some people have the idea that sinners during the Old Testament era were saved by good works, while sinners today are saved by faith in Christ, but this idea is wrong. Anybody who has ever been saved has been saved by faith, because nobody can be saved by good works (Eph. 2:8–9). Hebrews 11 informs us that Old Testament saints were saved by faith, and Habakkuk 2:4 states, “The just shall live by his faith.” This verse is quoted in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38; these three epistles make it very clear that salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and faith alone.                                                                                                                                              2 Justification is the gracious act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner righteous in Jesus Christ and gives us a righteous standing in His sight. Sanctification is the divine process whereby God makes His children more like Jesus Christ as we walk in the Spirit and yield to His will. The person who is justified will want to reject sin and obey God because justification involves sharing the life of God as well as having a right standing before God (Rom. 5:18). A right position before the Lord leads to a right practice in daily life.

941 英翻中 (641) Be cadeful your speech. 謹慎你的言語. 12/19/2024

941 英翻中 (641)            Be cadeful your speech.      謹慎你的言語.                        12/19/2024

3. Speech Can Be Used to Do Evil                                                                                                            From Satan’s speech to Eve in Genesis 3 to the propaganda of the false prophet in the book of Revelation, the Bible warns us that words can be used to deceive, control, and destroy. It is estimated that the average American is exposed to over fifteen hundred “promotion bites” in the course of a day, some of them subliminal and undetected, but all of them powerful. Whether it’s political “double-speak,”7 seductive advertising, or religious propaganda, today’s “spin doctors” know how to manipulate people with words.                                                                                                                                               But it isn’t only some of the professional promoters who are guilty. There are many ways that you and I can turn words into weapons and damage others.                                                                                       We hurt others by lying. “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment” (Prov. 12:19 niv). “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly are his delight” (12:22; and see 6:16–17). Solomon warns us against bearing false witness and violating the ninth commandment (Ex. 20:16). (See Prov. 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9, 28; 21:28; 24:28.) When words can’t be trusted, then society starts to fall apart. Contracts are useless, promises are vain, the judicial system becomes a farce, and all personal relationships are suspect. “Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor” (25:18 niv).                                                                 One of the marks of liars is that they enjoy listening to lies. “A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue” (17:4 niv). It’s a basic rule of life that the ears hear what the heart loves, so beware of people who have an appetite for gossip and lies.                                                           “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips” (24:26 niv; see 27:6). A kiss is a sign of affection and trust, and God wants His people to “[speak] the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). It has well been said that love without truth is hypocrisy and truth without love is brutality, and we don’t want to be guilty of either sin. The world affirms, “Honesty is the best policy,” but as the British prelate Richard Whateley said, “He who acts on that principle is not an honest man.” We should be honest because we’re honest people in our hearts, walking in the fear of the Lord, and not because we’re shrewd bargainers who follow a successful policy.                                                                                                                                                    We hurt others by gossiping. “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people” (Lev. 19:16 nkjv). “Talebearer” is the translation of a Hebrew word that means “to go about,” and is probably derived from a word meaning “merchant.” The talebearer goes about peddling gossip! “A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter” (Prov. 11:13 nkjv). Gossips flatter people by sharing secrets with them, but to be one of their “customers” is dangerous. “He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips” (20:19 nkjv).                                                                                                                                                            The gossip “eats” and enjoys his secrets like you and I eat and enjoy food. “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts” (18:8 niv; see 26:22). People who feed on gossip only crave more, and the only remedy is for them to develop an appetite for God’s truth (2:10). We must beware of gossips because they do a great deal of damage. “An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends” (16:27–28 nkjv; see 17:9). “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases” (26:20 nkjv).                                                                                                           We hurt others by flattery. The English word flatter comes from a French word that means “to stroke or caress with the flat of the hand.” Flatterers compliment you profusely, appealing to your ego, but their praise is far from sincere. They pat you on the back only to locate a soft spot in which to stick a knife! “A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet” (29:5 nkjv).                                                “A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin” (26:28 nkjv). Satan flattered Eve when he said, “You shall be as God” (Gen. 3:5). In Proverbs, the prostitute seduces her prey by using flattery (Prov. 5:3; 7:5, 21). Some people flatter the rich because they hope to get something from them (14:20; 19:4, 6).                                                                                                             Most of us secretly enjoy flattery and dislike rebuke, yet rebuke does us more good (27:6; 28:23). There is certainly a place for honest appreciation and praise, to the glory of God (1 Thess. 5:12–13), but we must beware of people who give us insincere praise with selfish motives, especially if they begin their flattery first thing in the morning (Prov. 26:24–25). If it weren’t for our pride, flattery wouldn’t affect us. We privately enjoy hearing somebody agree with what we think of ourselves!                                     We hurt others by speaking in anger. “An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins” (29:22 niv). Angry people keep adding fuel to the fire (26:21) instead of trying to find ways to put the fire out. Many people carry anger in their hearts while they outwardly pretend to be at peace with their friends, and they cover their anger with hypocritical words. “Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver dross” (26:23 nkjv). If we’re inwardly angry at people, all our profuse professions of friendship are but a thin veneer over common clay. “Speak when you are angry,” wrote Ambrose Bierce, “and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.”                      Instead of covering our anger with cheap dross, we should cover others’ sins with sincere love. “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins” (10:12 nkjv; 1 Peter 4:8). Love doesn’t condone sin or encourage sinners to try to hide their sins from the Lord (Prov. 28:13; 1 John 1:9), but love doesn’t tell the sin to others. (See Gen. 9:18–29.) If I’m angry with someone and he sins, I’ll be tempted to spread the news as a way of getting even.                                                                                                                          We hurt others by impetuous speech. “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Prov. 29:20 nkjv). “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him” (18:13 nkjv; note v. 17). “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (15:28 nkjv; see 10:19). “Reckless words pierce like a sword” (12:18 niv). But reckless words not only hurt others, they can also hurt us because we utter them. “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (21:23 nkjv; see 13:3). This is especially true when we make rash promises to the Lord or to others (20:25; 22:26–27; see Eccl. 5:1–5).                                                                                                                                                                            We hurt others by talking too much. “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Prov. 10:19 nkjv). “The mouth of fools pours forth foolishness” (15:2). People who discipline their tongue can control their whole body (James 3:1–2). There is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Eccl. 3:7), and the wise know how to hold their peace (Prov. 11:12–13; 17:28).                                                                                                                                                                       We hurt others by talking instead of working. “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (14:23 niv). Mankind seems to be divided into three classes: dreamers who have great ideas but never accomplish much, talkers who exercise their jaw muscles and vocal cords but not their hands and feet, and doers who talk little but with God’s help turn their dreams into realities. 

4. Only God Can Help Us Use the Gift of Speech for Good                                                                    When David prayed, “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3), he was doing a wise thing and setting a good example. All of God’s people need to surrender their bodies to the Lord (Rom. 12:1), and this includes the lips and the tongue. We must also yield our hearts to the Lord, because what comes out of the mouth originates in the heart.                                                                       Proverbs 16:1 has been a great help to me, especially when I’ve been called upon to give counsel: “To man belong the plans of the hearts, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue” (niv). When you couple this with 19:21, it gives you great encouragement: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (niv). On many occasions, I’ve had to make decisions about complex matters, and the Lord has given me just the words to speak. However, if my heart had not been in touch with His Word and yielded to His will, the Spirit might not have been able to direct me. If we make our plans the best we can and commit them to the Lord, He’ll guide us in what we say and do.                                                                                                                                                                       God also gives us “spiritual radar” so that we can assess a situation and make the right reply. “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable” (10:32). “A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is” (15:23 nkjv; see Isa. 50:4–6). “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil” (Prov. 15:28 nkjv). There is beauty and value in the “word fitly spoken” (25:11–12).                                                                           People who speak wisely, saying the right thing at the right time in the right way, are people who store God’s truth in their hearts. “Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding” (10:13 nkjv), and that understanding comes from the Word of God. “Wise people store up knowledge” (10:14 nkjv); they are “filled richly” with the Word of God (Col. 3:16). “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips” (Prov. 16:23 nkjv). If we devote our hearts to serious study of the Word, even while we’re sharing the truth with others, God will teach us more of His truth. I have had this happen while ministering the Word, and it’s a wonderful experience of God’s goodness.                                 One of my schoolteachers used to say, “Empty barrels make the most noise,” and she was right. Too often in church board meetings and business meetings, those who talk the most have the least to say. People who don’t prepare their hearts for such meetings are making themselves available to become the devil’s tools for hindering God’s work. If we’re filled with the Word and led by the Spirit, we’ll be a part of the answer and not a part of the problem.                                                                                      Have you heard the fable of the king and the menu? A king once asked his cook to prepare for him the best dish in the world, and he was served a dish of tongue. The king then asked for the worst dish in the world, and again was served tongue.                                                                                                       “Why do you serve me the same food as both the best and the worst?” the perplexed monarch asked.                                                                                                                                                                         “Because, your majesty,” the cook replied, “the tongue is the best of things when used wisely and lovingly, but it is the worst of things when used carelessly and unkindly.”                                                             “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (18:21 nkjv).                                                                       “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life” (10:11 niv).                                                                     Choose life! 

Notes                                                                                                                                                              1 Robert B. Downs, Books That Changed the World (New York: New American Library, 1956), 129.      2 Steven Pinker, The Language Instinct (New York: William Morrow, 1994), 15, 18. Dr. Pinker is professor and director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In his book The Difference of Man and the Difference It Makes, philosopher Mortimer J. Adler calls human speech “the pivotal fact.” He says that “man is the only talking, the only naming, declaring or questioning, affirming or denying, the only arguing, agreeing or disagreeing, the only discursive, animal” (New York: World Publishing Co., 1968), 112. That is what makes us different from the “other animals.”                                                                                                                                        3 According to Genesis 3:1–7, Satan tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden tree so she would become like God, “knowing good and evil.” But it isn’t necessary to disobey God to develop discernment; His divine wisdom instructs us concerning good and evil, and is our “tree of life” (see Prov. 3:18).                4 The Greek word translated “sound” (hugiaino) gives us the English word “hygiene,” and means, “to be sound in health.”                                                                                                                                      5 The Hebrew word translated “quarrel” has legal overtones and can refer to a lawsuit (Ex. 23:2–3 niv). Solomon’s counsel is wise: it’s better to keep cool and speak calmly than to argue with your opponent and end up with an expensive lawsuit that nobody really wins.                                                                    6 The Greek word translated “willing to yield” (“easy to be entreated”) speaks of a conciliatory attitude and not a comproProverbs 1090 mising bargain that seeks for “peace at any price.” Conciliatory people are willing to hear all sides of a matter and honestly seek for areas of agreement. They are open to “yielding to persuasion.” Some people mistake prejudice and stubbornness for conviction and faithfulness.                                                                                                                                                    7 In his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell warned us about “newspeak”; in his book Double-Speak (New York: Harper & Row, 1989), William Lutz explains today’s version of what Orwell predicted half a century ago. It’s frightening!

942 英翻中 (642) MAKE WAY FOR THE RIGHTEOUS! 為正義者路開! 12/20/2024

942 英翻中 (642)     MAKE WAY FOR THE RIGHTEOUS!      為正義者開路!        12/20/2024

CHAPTER TEN                                                                                                                                          第十章                                                                                                                                                        MAKE WAY FOR THE RIGHTEOUS!                                                                                                        為正義者開路！

Those who obey the wisdom taught in God’s Word will become more skillful in handling the affairs of life. But we must not think that this wisdom is a set of rules or a collection of “success formulas” that anyone can occasionally apply as he or she pleases. Following God’s wisdom is a fulltime endeavor. His Word must first work within our hearts and transform our character before we can become the kind of people God can guide and bless. You don’t need godly character these days to be a success in making money. Many Hollywood celebrities, dishonest businessmen, and deceptive politicians have proved that. But if you’re concerned with making a life, you must major on building godly character.                  那些遵守神話語所教導的智慧的人，在處理生活事務時會變得更加熟練。但我們絕不能認為這種智慧是一套規則或一套「成功公式」的集合，任何人都可以偶爾隨心所欲地應用。跟隨神的智慧是一項全職的努力。祂的話語必須先在我們心中發揮作用，改變我們的品格，然後我們才能成為神可以引導和祝福的人。如今，你不需要敬虔的品格就能成功賺錢。許多好萊塢名人、不誠實的商人和欺騙性的政客都證明了這一點。但如果你關心創造生活，你就必須專注於培養敬虔的品格。                                                                                                                                                        This explains why the words righteous and righteousness are used so often in Proverbs. Wisdom leads “in the way of righteousness” (8:20), and “in the way of righteousness is life” (12:28). “The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing” (10:28 niv). The wicked have hopes, but they’re false hopes, so it behooves us to examine our own hearts to make sure we’re among the righteous who truly have hope, and that we’re the kind of people the Lord can trust with His blessings.                                                                                                                                                                 這就解釋了為什麼箴言中如此頻繁地使用公義和公義這兩個詞。智慧引領「正義的道路」（8:20），「正義的道路就是生命」（12:28）。 「義人的盼望是喜樂；惡人的盼望卻歸於空」（10:28 新國際版）。惡人有希望，但那是虛假的希望，所以我們應該省察自己的內心，以確保我們是真正有希望的義人之一，並且我們是主可以信賴他的人。                          

1. The God of Righteousness                                                                                                                    1. 公義的上帝 The Hebrew words in Proverbs that are translated “righteous,” “righteousness,” “upright,” and “uprightness” describe ethical conduct that conforms to God’s standards and moral character that comes from a right relationship to the Lord and His Word. True righteousness isn’t just toeing the line and obeying the rules. As Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount, it is possible for us to obey the law outwardly while cultivating sin inwardly. It isn’t enough for us not to kill or not to commit adultery; we must also not harbor hatred and lust in our hearts (Matt. 5:21–48).                                                          箴言中的希伯來語詞被翻譯為“公義”、“公義”、“正直”和“正直”，描述了符合神的標準的道德行為和來自與人正確關係的道德品格。真正的正義不僅僅是遵守規則。正如耶穌在登山寶訓中所教導的那樣，我們有可能在外表上遵守律法，而在內心卻培養罪惡。我們光不殺生、不姦淫還不夠；我們心裡也不可懷有仇恨和私慾（太 5:21-48）。                                                                               Our God is a righteous God. His character is holy and without sin (1 John 1:5), and all that He says and does is right and just. “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deut. 32:4 nkjv). “For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright” (Ps. 11:7 nkjv). 我們的上帝是公義的神。祂的品格是聖潔無罪的（約翰一書1:5），祂所說所做的一切都是正確和公義的。 「他是磐石，他的作為完美；因為他所行的一切都是公義的，是誠實的神，毫無不義。他又公義又正派」（申 32:4 新欽定版）。 「因為耶和華是公義的，他喜愛公義；正直人必有他的面」（詩篇 11:7 N新欽定版）。                                       God’s Word is righteous. “I open my lips to speak what is right. … All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge” (Prov. 8:6, 8–9 niv; see Ps. 119:138). The Word of God reveals the God of the Word; His Word, like His character, can be trusted.                                                                                       上帝的話是公義的。 「我張開雙唇說出正確的話。 ……我口中所說的一切都是公正的；他們中沒有一個是彎曲的或不正當的。對於有洞察力的人來說，所有這些都是正確的；對有知識的人來說，他們是沒有瑕疵的」（箴 8:6, 8-9 niv；參考 詩篇 119:138）。上帝的道揭示了道的神；祂的話語就像祂的品格一樣，是可以信賴的。                                                                                      Other nations had their gods, temples, priests, and sacrifices, but only the people of Israel worshipped the living God who spoke to them and gave them His Word. “Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? … Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire” (Deut. 4:33, 36 nkjv).                                                                             其他國家也有他們的神、廟宇、祭司和祭品，但只有以色列人敬拜對他們說話並賜給他們話語的永生神。 「有沒有人像你所聽到的那樣，聽到上帝從火中說話的聲音而活下來？ ……他讓你從天上聽見他的聲音，好讓他引導你；他在地上將他的烈火顯給你們看，你們也從火中聽見了他的話」（申命記 4:33, 36 新欽定版）。                                                                                                    However, the privilege of hearing God’s Word brings with it the responsibility of obeying what He commands. “You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for all time” (Deut. 4:40 nkjv). “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks” (Heb. 12:25 nkjv).     然而，聆聽神話語的特權也帶來了遵守祂命令的責任。 「所以你們要謹守我今日所吩咐的他的律例和誡命，使你和你的子孫都可以得福，並且使你在耶和華你的神賜給你為世人的地上得以長久。時間” （申  4:40 新欽定本）。 「你們要謹慎，不可拒絕那說話的」（來 12:25 新欽定本）。                                                                                          God’s acts are righteous. “I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight” (Jer. 9:24 niv). “The Lord our God is righteous in everything He does” (Dan. 9:14 niv). We may question God’s plans and even accuse Him of being unfair, but nobody can succeed in proving that God has ever done anything wrong. “The Lord is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails” (Zeph. 3:5 nkjv).              上帝的作為是公義的。 「我是耶和華，在地上施行仁慈、公平、公義，因此我喜悅這些」（耶利米書 9:24 和合本）。 「耶和華我們的神所做的一 切都是公義的」（但  9:14 新國際版）。我們可以質疑神的計劃，甚至指責祂不公平，但沒有人能成功地證明神曾經做過任何錯事。 「耶和華在她中間是公義的，必不作不義的事。每天早晨，他都會彰顯他的正義；他永不失敗」（西番雅 3:5 新欽定版）。                                                                                                                     God wants His people to be righteous. It is unthinkable that a righteous God would violate His own nature and disobey His own Word by asking His people to be less than righteous. Before He gave Israel His law, God said, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people. … and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:5–6 nkjv). Jesus echoed this divine desire when He said, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5:48 nkjv).                                                        上帝希望祂的子民成為公義的。公義的神會要求祂的子民不公義，因而違背祂自己的本性，違背祂自己的話語，這是不可想像的。在賜給以色列人律法之前，神說：「現在你們若確實聽從我的話，遵守我的約，你們就必成為我所珍視的寶物，勝過萬民。 ……你們要歸我作祭司的國度，聖潔的國民」（出 19:5-6 新欽定版）。耶穌回應了這個神聖的願望，他說：「所以你們要完全，正如你們的天父完全一樣」（太 5:48 新欽定版）。                                                              The problem, of course, is that people are—people. And that means that they’re sinners. “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts” (Prov. 21:2 nkjv). “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins” (Eccl. 7:20 niv). “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10; see Ps. 14:1–3). How can sinners ever be righteous before a righteous God?     當然，問題在於人就是人。這意味著他們是罪人。 「人所行的，在自己眼中都看為正，唯有耶和華衡量人心」（箴 21:2 新欽定版）。 「行善而不犯罪的義人，世上沒有」（傳 7:20 Niv）。 「沒有義人，沒有一個」（羅馬書 3:10；參考詩篇 14:1-3）。罪人怎能在公義的神面前稱義呢？                                                                                                                                             When you read Proverbs, you discover that God mentions many different sins that people committed in ancient Israel and still commit in our communities today, sins like anger, deception, thievery, murder, slander, gossip, drunkenness, adultery, bribery, jealousy, rebellion against parents, and a host of other things that all of us would recognize. Proverbs makes it very clear that people are sinners.                                                                                                                                                                   當你閱讀箴言時，你會發現上帝提到人們在古代以色列犯下的許多不同的罪，並且在今天我們的社區中仍然犯下這些罪，例如憤怒、欺騙、偷竊、謀殺、誹謗、八卦、酗酒、通姦、賄賂、嫉妒等罪、對父母的叛逆，以及許多我們所有人都會認識到的其他事情。箴言說得很清楚，人都是罪人。                                                                                                                                                God provides righteousness for those who will accept it. How can a guilty sinner ever become righteous enough to please a holy God? If God is going to be just, all He can do is condemn the wicked and accept the righteous, but there are no righteous people for Him to accept! We certainly don’t become righteous by being religious. “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Prov. 21:3). Disobedient King Saul learned that lesson from Samuel (1 Sam. 15:22), and this important principle was repeated by several other prophets (Isa. 1:11–17; Jer. 7:22–23; Mic. 6:68). In fact, Isaiah said that our righteousnesses were “as filthy rags” in God’s sight (Isa. 64:6)—so what must our sins look like to Him?                                                                                                                            上帝為願意接受公義的人提供公義。有罪的罪人怎樣才能變得足夠公義來取悅聖潔的神呢？如果神要公義，他能做的就是定惡人的罪，悅納義人，但他卻沒有悅納義人！我們當然不會因為信仰宗教而變成正義。 「行公義和公平，比獻祭更蒙耶和華悅納」（箴 21:3）。不聽話的掃羅王從撒母耳那裡學到了這一教訓（撒母耳記上  15:22），其他幾位先知也重複了這一重要原則（以賽亞書  1:11-17；耶利米書  7 :22-23；彌迦書  6： 68）。事實上，以賽亞說，我們的義在上帝眼中「如同污穢的破布」（以賽亞書 64:6）——那麼我們的罪在上帝眼中又會是什麼樣子呢？                                                                                                                                                                      “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 17:15 nkjv). But that’s exactly what the Lord God did! His Son, Jesus Christ, died for the sins of the world, “the just for the unjust” (1 Peter 3:18); the judgment that should have been ours was laid on Him (2:24). God justifies (declares righteous) the ungodly, not when they do good works but when they put their faith in Christ. “But to him who does not work [for righteousness] but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5 nkjv).1                                                                                                                                                                  「稱惡人為義的，定罪人為有罪的，二人都為耶和華所憎惡」（箴 17:15 新欽定版版）。但這正是主神所做的事！祂的兒子耶穌基督為世人的罪死，「義人代替不義人」（彼得前書 3:18）；本應屬於我們的審判卻落在了他身上（2:24）。神稱罪人為義（宣告他們為義），不是當他們行善時，而是當他們相信基督時。 「但那不［為義］作工，卻信稱罪人為義的主，他的信就算為義。」（羅馬書 4:5 NKJV）1                                                                                                            “The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,” wrote Solomon, “and the transgressor for the upright” (Prov. 21:18), but that wasn’t true at Calvary. There the Righteous One became a ransom for the wicked when Jesus was numbered with the transgressors and died for our sins (Isa. 53:4–6, 12). The only way to be righteous before God is to trust Jesus Christ and receive His righteousness as God’s free gift (Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21).2 Then we can begin to walk “the path of righteousness” and enjoy the blessings of the Lord.                                                                                                                                          「惡人必作義人的贖價。」所羅門寫說：「正直的人卻有悖逆的人」（《箴言》21:18），但在髑髏地，情況並非如此。當耶穌被列在罪犯之中並為我們的罪而死時，義人就成為了惡人的贖價（以賽亞書 53:4-6, 12）。在神面前稱義的唯一方法就是相信耶穌基督並接受祂的義作為神免費的禮物（羅馬書5:17；哥林多後書5:21）。2   並享受主的祝福。                                                         Not everybody who claims to be among the righteous is truly a child of God. God’s people understand righteousness (Prov. 2:9) because they meditate on His Word and seek to obey it. They do righteousness (1:3; 25:26) because true faith always leads to works (James 2:14–26). They speak righteousness (Prov. 10:11; 12:6, 17; 13:5; 15:28; 16:13) and their words can be trusted, and they pursue righteousness and make it the passion of their hearts. “The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness” (15:9 niv). “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6).                                                                                              並非所有自稱義人的人都是真正神的兒女。上帝的子民明白公義（箴 2:9），因為他們默想祂的話語並尋求遵守它。他們行公義（1：3；25：26），因為真正的信心總是帶來行為（雅各書2：14-26）。他們說公義（箴10:11；12:6,17；13:5；15:28；16:13），他們的話可信，他們追求公義，並把它當作心中的熱望。 「耶和華憎恨惡人的道路，卻喜愛追求公義的人」（15：9）。 「飢渴慕義的人有福了；因為他們必得飽足」（太 5:6）。                                                             When people are right with God, He leads them in “right paths” (Prov. 4:11), and teaches them “right things” (8:6). Their minds and hearts are filled with right thoughts (12:5), and their lips speak right words (23:16). Their work is right (21:8), because God works in them and through them to accomplish His will (Phil. 2:12–13).                                                                                                                     當人們與神和好時，神就會引導他們走「正道」（箴 4:11），並教導他們「正直的事」（8:6）。他們的心思意念充滿正確的思想（12:5），他們的嘴唇說正確的言語（23:16）。他們的工作是正確的（21:8），因為神在他們裡面工作，並透過他們來成就祂的旨意（腓2:12-13）.

2. The Path of Righteousness                                                                                                                        2. 公義之路                                                                                                                                                  In our study of Proverbs 2—4, we learned that following the way of wisdom is compared to a pilgrim walking a path. As we follow His wisdom, God protects, directs, and perfects our path. God’s desire for us is that we “walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness” (2:20). We’re warned not to listen to evil men “who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness” (v. 13 nkjv); nor should we heed the seductive words of the evil woman whose “house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead” (v. 18 nkjv).        

 在我們對箴言 2-4 章的研究中，我們了解到，追隨智慧之路就像是行路的朝聖者。當我們遵循祂的智慧時，上帝就會保護、引導和完善我們的道路。神對我們的願望是要我們「行走良善的道路，謹守公義的路」（2:20）。我們被警告不要聽從惡人的話，「他們離棄正直的路，走黑暗的路」（13節）；我們也不應該聽從邪惡女人的誘惑性話語，她的「房屋通往死亡，她的路通往死人」（18節 新欽定版）。                                                                                                                           I read about a dirt-road intersection in the prairies of Canada where somebody had posted this sign: “Be careful what rut you take—you’ll be on it a long time!” Each of us must choose to travel one of two paths, and the path we choose determines the destination we’ll reach (Matt. 7:13–14). It also determines the quality of life we’ll experience along the way. Solomon points out some of the blessings that come to those who walk the path of life and wisdom.                                                                                                    我讀到過有關加拿大大草原上的一個土路交叉口的報道，有人在那裡張貼了這樣的標語：“小心你所走的車轍——你會在上面待很長時間！”我們每個人都必須選擇走兩條路之一，而我們選擇的路決定了我們將到達的目的地（太7:13-14）。它也決定了我們一路上將經歷的生活品質。所羅門指出了那些走在生命和智慧之路上的人會得到的一些祝福。                                                To begin with, God’s people experience His direction. “The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness” (Prov. 11:5 nkjv). The Lord directs the paths of those who trust and obey (3:5–6), because God wants His children to know His will (Acts 22:14) and enjoy doing it (Eph. 6:6). The Lord reveals His will only to those who are willing to obey it (John 7:17).                                                                                                                                                首先，上帝的子民經歷祂的指引。 「完全人的義必指引他的道路；惡人必因自己的惡而跌倒」（箴  11:5  新欽定版）。主為信靠和順服的人指引道路（3:5-6），因為神希望祂的孩子們知道祂的旨意（使徒行傳22:14）並享受遵行祂的旨意（弗  6 :6）。主只向願意順服的人啟示祂的旨意（約翰福音7:17）。                                                                                                                          On the path of the righteous, God’s people also experience deliverance. “The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them, but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness” (Prov. 11:6). Godly people certainly have their share of trials and testings, but the Lord promises to help them and make these experiences turn out for good (Rom. 8:28). “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Ps. 34:17). Obedience to the Lord keeps us from many of the troubles that sinners experience, but when the Lord permits us to suffer, He promises to bring us through. “The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips, but the just shall come out of trouble” (Prov. 12:13). 在義人的道路上，神的子民也經歷拯救。 「正直人的公義必救自己；姦詐人必因自己的罪孽被擄去」（箴 11:6）。敬虔的人當然也會經歷考驗和考驗，但主應許會幫助他們，並​​使這些經歷變得美好（羅馬書8:28）。 「義人呼求，耶和華俯聽，救他們脫離一切患難」（詩 34:17）。順服主可以使我們免受罪人經歷的許多麻煩，但當主允許我們受苦時，祂應許會帶我們渡過難關。 「惡人因嘴唇的罪孽陷入網羅；義人必脫離患難」（箴 12:13）。                                We have God’s provision for all we need if we’re walking in His wisdom. “I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full” (8:20–21 niv). This isn’t an encouragement for us to jump on the “health-wealth-and-success” bandwagon. Proverbs was originally written for Jews under the old covenant; under that covenant, material blessing was a part of God’s promise to Israel (Deut. 28:1–14). Believers today can be sure of God’s provision for their every need as they obey His will (Phil. 4:19; Matt. 6:24–34). It sometimes looks to us as though the righteous are suffering and the wicked prospering, but faith sees beyond today and considers where the godless end up (Ps. 73). “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right [with injustice]” (Prov. 16:8). Our real prosperity isn’t here on earth but in glory when we see the Lord. “Misfortune pursues the sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous” (13:21 niv).                                                                                                                                          如果我們行在神的智慧中，我們就能得到神的供應，滿足我們一切的需要。 「我走在正義的道路上，沿著正義的道路，將財富賜給那些愛我的人，使他們的庫充滿」（8：20-21 niv）。這並不是鼓勵我們追隨「健康、財富和成功」的潮流。箴言最初是為舊約下的猶太人所寫的；根據該約，物質祝福是神對以色列應許的一部分（申 28：1-14）。今天的信徒只要遵守神的旨意，就可以確信神會滿足他們一切的需要（腓 4:19；太 6:24-34）。有時在我們看來，義人受苦，惡人興旺，但信心的眼光超越今天，考慮到不敬虔之人的結局（詩篇 73）。 「財少有義，強如財多無義（不義）」（箴 16:8）。我們真正的繁榮不是在地上，而是在我們看見主時的榮耀裡。 「罪人有禍，義人必得福報」（13:21 新國際版）。                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

940 英翻中 (640) Human Speech is a matter of life or death, 人言是生死攸關的大事. 12/19/2024

940 英翻中 (640)        Human Speech is a matter of life or death,      人言是生死攸關的大事.               12/19/2024

CHAPTER NINE                                                                                                                                        第九章                                                                                                                                                            (Human Speech)   （人的言語）                                                                                                                A  MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH                                                                                                            生死攸關的大事                                                                                                                                          Ajudge speaks some words and a guilty prisoner is taken to a cell on death row. A gossip makes a phone call and a reputation is blemished or perhaps ruined. A cynical professor makes a snide remark in a lecture and a student’s faith is destroyed.  法官說了幾句話，一名有罪的囚犯被帶到死囚牢房。一個八卦者打了一個電話，名譽就會受到損害，甚至可能被毀掉。一位憤世嫉俗的教授在講座中說了一句諷刺的話，學生的信心就被摧毀了。                                                                                                  Never underestimate the power of words. For every word in Hitler’s book Mein Kampf, 125 people died in World War II.1 Solomon was right: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue."  (Prov.  18.21).  No wonder James compared the tongue to a destroying fire, a dangerous beast, and  adeadly poison (James 3: 5-8).  Speech is a matter of life or death.                                                                       永遠不要低估言語的力量。希特勒的著作《我的奮鬥》中的每一個字都代表著125 人在第二次世界大戰中喪生。1 所羅門是對的：「死與生都在舌頭的權下。」（箴 18.21）。 。難怪使徒雅各將舌頭比喻為毀滅性的火、危險的野獸和致命的毒藥（雅各書 3：5-8）。言語是生死攸關的問題。                                                                                                                                                             When you summarize what Proverbs teaches about human speech, you end up with four important propositions: (1) speech is an awesome gift from God; (2) speech can be used to do good; (3) speech can be used to do evil; and (4) only God can help us use speech to do good.                                                       當你總結箴言關於人類言語的教導時，你最終會得到四個重要的命題：（1）言語是來自上帝的令人敬畏的禮物； （2）言語可以用來行善； （三）用言語可以作惡的； （4）只有上帝能幫助我們用言語行善。                                                                         

1. Speech Is an Awesome Gift from God                                                                                                    Our older daughter’s first complete sentence was, “Where Daddy go?” Considering how full my schedule was in those days, it was an appropriate question for her to ask. But, who taught Carolyn how to understand and speak those words? And who explained to her how to put together a sentence that asked a question?  1. 言語是上帝賜予的一份很棒的禮物 我們大女兒的第一句話是：“爸爸去哪兒？”考慮到我當時的日程安排得很滿，她問這個問題是合適的。但是，誰教卡洛琳如何理解和說出這些話呢？誰向她解釋如何組成一個提出問題的句子？ 「[說話]的能力來得如此自然，以至於我們很容易忘記它是一個多麼奇蹟，」史蒂文·平克教授寫道。 「語言不是一種文化產物，我們學習的方式就像我們學習計時或聯邦政府如何運作一樣。相反，它是我們大腦生物構成的一個獨特部分。人類按照溝通之神的形象而造，擁有奇妙的語言天賦。 「舌頭的應對是出於耶和華」（16:1）。 上帝對亞當說話，並給了他有關伊甸園生活的指示，後來他與夏娃分享了這些指示。他們都明白神告訴他們的話（創 2：15-17；3：2-3）。亞當能夠為動物命名（2:18-20），並給他的新娘一個描述性的名字（22-24節）。撒但用言語欺騙亞當和夏娃（3:1-5），而夏娃一定用言語勸說丈夫吃飯（6節）。伊甸園是一個溝通的地方，因為上帝賦予亞當和夏娃理解和使用語言的能力。                                                                                                                                          “The ability [to speak] comes so naturally that we are apt to forget what a miracle it is,” writes Professor Steven Pinker. “Language is not a cultural artifact that we learn the way we learn to tell time or how the federal government works. Instead, it is a distinct piece of the biological makeup of our brains.”2 Christian believers would say that when God created our first parents, He gave them the ability to speak and understand words. Made in the image of a God who communicates, human beings have the wonderful gift of speech. “The answer of the tongue is from the Lord” (16:1).                                     God spoke to Adam and gave him instructions about life in the garden, which he later shared with Eve; they both understood what God told them (Gen. 2:15–17; 3:2–3). Adam was able to name the animals (2:18–20) and to give a descriptive name to his bride (vv. 22–24). Satan used words to deceive Adam and Eve (3:1–5), and Eve must have used words to persuade her husband to eat (v. 6). The Garden of Eden was a place of communication because God gave Adam and Eve the ability to understand and use words.                                                                                                                                     The images used in Proverbs for human speech indicate the value of this divine gift that we not only take for granted but too often waste and abuse. Wise words are compared to gold and silver. “The tongue of the just is like choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth” (Prov. 10:20). “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear” (25:11–12 niv). Our words ought to be as balanced, beautiful, and valuable as the most precious jewelry; we ought to work as hard as the craftsman to make them that way. (See Eccl. 12:9–11.)                                                                                                                       Words are also like refreshing water. “The mouth of a righteous man is a well [fountain] of life” (Prov. 10:11). “The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook” (18:4 nkjv). When we listen to and appropriate the words of a godly person, it’s like taking a drink of refreshing water. “The law of the wise is a fountain of life” (13:14), and “the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life” (14:27). But it isn’t enough for the wise to speak to us; we must be prepared to listen. “Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it” (16:22 nkjv). The soil of the heart must be prepared and the seed of the Word planted, or the water won’t do us much good.                                                Right words are like nourishing, health-giving food. “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” (15:4 niv). What a wonderful thing it is to say the right words and help to heal a broken spirit! The phrase “tree of life” means “source of life” and goes back to Genesis 2:9.3 “The lips of the righteous feed many” (Prov. 10:21; see 18:20). “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (16:24 nkjv; see Ps. 119:103). “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Prov. 12:18 niv; see 12:14; 13:2).             The apostle Paul considered biblical doctrine to be “healthy doctrine” (“sound doctrine,” kjv)4 that nourishes the believer’s spiritual life. He warned Timothy to beware of anything that was “contrary to sound [healthy] doctrine” (1 Tim. 1:10), and he reminded him that the time would come when professed Christians wouldn’t “endure sound [healthy] doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:3). Spiritual leaders are to use sound doctrine to exhort the careless and rebuke the deceivers (Titus 1:9–10; 2:1). The words of Jesus are “wholesome [healthy] words,” but the words of false teachers are “sick” (1 Tim. 6:3–4, see niv). “Their teaching will spread like gangrene” (2 Tim. 2:17 niv), but God’s words are “life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh” (Prov. 4:22 nkjv).                                                                               The Christian who recognizes how awesome is the gift of speech will not abuse that gift but will dedicate it to the glory of God. The New Testament scholar Bishop B. F. Westcott wrote, “Every year makes me tremble at the daring with which people speak of spiritual things.” We all need to heed the words of Solomon: “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few” (Eccl. 5:2 nkjv). 

2. Speech Can Be Used to Do Good                                                                                                              No matter what may be wrong with us physically, when the doctor examines us, he or she often says, “Stick out your tongue!” This principle applies to the Christian life, for what the tongue does reveals what the heart contains. Inconsistent speech bears witness to a divided heart, for it is “out of the abundance of the heart” that the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing,” wrote James. “My brethren, these things ought not so to be” (James 3:10).                      What we say can help or hurt other people. When we reviewed some of the images of speech found in Proverbs, we learned that our words can bring beauty and value, nourishment, refreshment, and healing to the inner person. But the awesome power of words reveals itself in other positive ways.              Our words can bring peace instead of war. “A soft [gentle] answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1 nkjv). “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel” (v. 18 niv).5 Solomon isn’t advising us to compromise the truth and say that what’s wrong is really right. Rather, he’s counseling us to have a gentle spirit and a conciliatory attitude when we disagree with others. This can defuse the situation and make it easier for us to settle the matter peacefully.                                                                                                                                                                Once again, the key issue is the condition of the heart. If there’s war in the heart, then our words will be destructive missiles instead of healing medicines. “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth” (James 3:14 nkjv). Earthly wisdom advises us to fight for our rights and make every disagreement a win/lose situation, but heavenly wisdom seeks for a win/win situation that strengthens the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3). “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield,6 full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17 nkjv). Applying this wisdom means taking the attitude that’s described in Philippians 2:1–12, the attitude that was practiced by Jesus Christ.                        Our words can help restore those who have sinned. “As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient [listening] ear” (Prov. 25:12). It isn’t easy to reprove those who are wrong, and we need to do it in a meek and loving spirit (Gal. 6:1); yet it must be done. To flatter those who are disobeying God’s Word will only confirm them in their sin and make us their accomplices. “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue” (28:23 nkjv). “He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses reproof goes astray” (10:17 nkjv).                                                                                                                                                   In Matthew 18:15–20 Jesus explains the procedure for helping restore a sinning brother or sister. First, we must talk to the offender personally and confidentially, trusting God to change the heart. If that fails, we must try again, this time taking witnesses with us. If even that fails, then what was confidential must become public as we share the matter with the church. If the offender fails to hear the church, then he or she must be excluded from the church as though the person were not a believer at all. Of course, during this whole procedure, we must be much in prayer, seeking the Lord’s help for ourselves and for those we’re trying to help.                                                                                                          Our words can instruct the ignorant. “The lips of the wise disperse knowledge” (Prov. 15:7). “The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction” (16:21 niv). While there are many good and helpful things to learn in this brief life that we have on earth, the most important is the wisdom of God found in the Word of God (8:6–8). “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding” (4:7 nkjv). After we acquire wisdom, we must share it with others, for “wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning” (10:13 niv).                            Whether it’s parents teaching their children (Deut. 6:1–13), older women teaching the younger women (Titus 2:3–5), or spiritual leaders in the church teaching the next generation of believers (2 Tim. 2:2), accurate instruction is important to the ongoing of the work of God. Every local church is but one generation short of extinction; if we don’t teach the next generation the truth of God, they may not have a church.                                                                                                                                                                  In spite of all the books and periodicals that are published and all the Christian programs that are broadcast, we’re facing today a famine of God’s Word (Amos 8:11). People attend church services and special meetings of all kinds, purchase Bibles and books, and listen to Christian radio and TV. But there seems to be little evidence that all this “learning” is making a significant difference in families, churches, and society as a whole. Many professed believers are “spiritually illiterate” when it comes to the basics of the Christian life. We desperately need men who will obey 2 Timothy 2:2 and women who will obey Titus 2:3–5, or we will end up with an uninstructed church.                                                                  Our words can rescue the perishing. “A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies” (Prov. 14:25 nkjv). While this verse can be applied to our own personal witness for Christ in rescuing the lost (Acts 1:8), the context is that of a court of law. An accused criminal in Israel could be condemned on the testimony of two or three witnesses; if the case involved a capital crime, the witnesses had to be the first to cast the stones (Deut. 17:6–7). The law forbade the bearing of false witness (Ex. 20:16; 23:2; Deut. 5:20), and anyone found guilty of perjury was given the punishment that the accused would have received (Deut. 19:16–18).                                                                                              If my testimony could save an innocent person from death, and I refused to speak, then my silence would be a terrible sin. “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Surely we did not know this,’ does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?” (Prov. 24:11–12 nkjv). Whether it’s rescuing prisoners from execution or lost sinners from eternal judgment, we can’t plead ignorance if we do nothing.                                                          Our words can encourage those who are burdened. “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad” (12:25 nkjv). “A man finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word!” (15:23 niv). When we’re walking in the Spirit daily and being taught by the Lord, we’ll know how “to speak a word in season to him who is weary” (Isa. 50:4). “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Prov. 16:24 niv).                                                  The Royal British Navy has a regulation that reads, “No officer shall speak discouragingly to another officer in the discharge of his duties.” We need to practice that regulation in our homes and churches! Each of us needs to be a Barnabas, a “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36–37). Near the close of his ministry, a famous British preacher of the Victorian age said, “If I had my ministry to do over, I would preach more to broken hearts.” Jesus came “to heal the brokenhearted” (Luke 4:18), and we can continue that ministry today with words of encouragement and hope.