939 英翻中 (639)Lord,You are my shepherd,I only listen Your voice.主阿,祢是大牧人,我只聽祢聲音. 12/19/2024

939 英翻中 (639)Lord,You are my shepherd,I only listen Your voice.主阿,祢是大牧人,我只聽祢聲音.                               12/19/2024

2. Parents and Children                                                                                                                              2. 父母和孩子                                                                                                                                            In ancient Israel, a Jewish husband and wife would no more consider aborting a child than they would consider killing each other. Their philosophy was “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward” (Ps. 127:3). To them, marriage was a “bank” into which God dropped precious children who were His investment for the future, and it was up to the father and mother to raise those children in the fear of God. Children were rewards not punishments, opportunities not obstacles. They aren’t burdens; they’re investments that produce dividends.                                                                在古代以色列，猶太丈夫和妻子不會考慮墮胎，就像他們不會考慮互相殘殺一樣。他們的哲學是「看哪，兒女是主所賜的產業，腹中的果子是賞賜」（詩篇 127:3）。對他們來說，婚姻是一座“銀行”，上帝將寶貴的孩子投入其中，這些孩子是他對未來的投資，父母有責任以敬畏上帝的態度撫養這些孩子。孩子是獎勵而不是懲罰，是機會而不是障礙。它們不是負擔，而是負擔。它們是產生股息的投資。                                                                                                                             Along with the basic necessities of physical life, what should the godly home provide for the children?                                                                                                                                                                 除了物質生活的基本必需品之外，敬虔的家還該為孩子們提供什麼？                                               Example. “The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him” (Prov. 20:7 niv), and we’ve already considered the influence of the godly mother’s example (31:28). British statesman Edmund Burke called example “the school of mankind,” and its first lessons are learned in the home even before the children can speak. Benjamin Franklin said that example was “the best sermon,” which suggests that the way parents act in the home teaches their children more about God than what the children hear in Sunday school and church.                                                                                      例如,「義人過著無可指摘的生活；他的後裔是有福的」（箴言  20:7 新國際版），我們已經考慮過敬虔母親榜樣的影響（箴言  31:28）。英國政治家埃德蒙·伯克（Edmund Burke）將榜樣稱為“人類的學校”，甚至在孩子們會說話之前，人們就已經在家裡學習了榜樣。班傑明富蘭克林說，榜樣是“最好的講道”，這表明父母在家裡的行為方式比孩子們在主日學和教會聽到的更能教導孩子們關於上帝的知識。                                                                                                                    When parents walk with God, they give their children a heritage that will enrich them throughout their lives. Godliness puts beauty within the home and protection around the home. “He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge” (14:26 niv). The world wants to penetrate that fortress and kidnap our children and grandchildren, but godly parents keep the walls strong and the spiritual weapons ready.                                                                                                                當父母與上帝同行時，他們就給了孩子一份豐富他們一生的遺產。敬虔將美麗帶入家庭，並為家庭帶來保護。 「敬畏上主的人有安全的保障，這也成為祂子孫的避難所」（14:26 新國際版）。世界想要突破這座堡壘並綁架我們的子孫，但敬虔的父母要堅守城牆並準備好屬靈武器。                                                                                                                                                                        Instruction. “My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother” (1:8 nkjv; 6:20). The book of Proverbs is primarily the record of a father’s instructions to his children, instructions that they were to hear and heed all their lives. “Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge” (19:27 nkjv). “My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands within you” (7:1 nkjv).                                                                                                    操作說明。 「我兒，你要聽從你父親的訓誨，不可離棄你母親的律法」（1:8 新欽定本；6:20）。箴言主要記錄了父親對孩子的訓誡，以及他們一生都要聆聽和留意的訓誡。 「我兒，如果你不再聽教誨，你就會偏離知識的言語」（19:27 新欽定本）。 「我兒，你要遵守我的話語，將我的命令珍藏在你心裡」（7:1 新欽定本）。                                                                                      The man who deliberately walked into the trap of the adulteress did so because he ignored what his parents had taught him. “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised correction! I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me!” (5:12–13). As we get older, it’s remarkable how much more intelligent our parents and teachers become!                                           那個故意走進姦婦陷阱的男人之所以這麼做，是因為他忽略了父母的教導。 「我多麼討厭教導，我的心多麼鄙視管教！我沒有聽從老師的聲音，也沒有側耳傾聽那些教導我的人！ （5：12-13）。隨著年齡的增長，我們的父母和老師變得更加聰明，這是令人驚奇的！                                  The Bible is the basic textbook in the home. It was once the basic textbook in the educational system, but even if that were still true, the Bible in the school can’t replace the Bible in the home. I note that many modern parents sacrifice time and money to help their children excel in music, sports, and social activities; I trust they’re even more concerned that their children excel in knowing and obeying the Word of God.                                                                                                                                                    聖經是家庭的基本教科書。它曾經是教育系統的基本教科書，但即使這仍然是事實，學校裡的《聖經》也無法取代家裡的《聖經》。我注意到許多現代父母犧牲時間和金錢來幫助他們的孩子在音樂、體育和社交活動中表現出色；我相信他們更關心他們的孩子在認識和遵守神的話語方面表現出色。                                                                                                                                             Every parent should pray and work so that their children will have spiritual wisdom when the time comes for them to leave the home. “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother” (10:1 nkjv; see 15:20; 23:15–16, 24–25; 27:11; 29:3). “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke” (13:1 nkjv). In my pastoral ministry, I have often had to share the grief of parents and grandparents whose children and grandchildren turned their backs on the Word of God and the godly example given in the home. In some instances, the children, like the Prodigal Son, “came to themselves” and returned to the Lord, but they brought with them memories and scars that would torture them for the rest of their lives.                                                                                        每個父母都應該祈禱和工作，以便他們的孩子在離開家的時候能夠擁有屬靈的智慧。 「智慧之子，使父親歡喜；愚昧之子，使母親憂愁」（10:1 新欽定本；參閱 15:20；23:15-16, 24-25；27:11；29:3）。 「智慧子聽從父親的教訓；褻慢人不聽責備」（13:1 新欽定版）。在我的教牧事工中，我常常必須分擔父母和祖父母的悲傷，他們的孩子和孫子背棄了神的話語和在家中樹立的敬虔榜樣。在某些情況下，孩子們就像浪子一樣，「醒悟過來」並回到主身邊，但他們也帶來了終生折磨的記憶和傷疤。                                                                                                                 Loving discipline. Many modern educators and parents revolt against the biblical teaching about discipline. They tell us that “Spare the rod and spoil the child” is nothing but brutal prehistoric pedagogy that cripples the child for life.3 But nowhere does the Bible teach blind brutality when it comes to disciplining children. The emphasis is on love, because this is the way God disciplines His own children. “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights” (3:11–12 nkjv; 13:24). Do we know more about raising children than God does?                                                                                                 愛紀律。  許多現代教育家和家長反對聖經關於紀律的教導。他們告訴我們，「少用棍棒，慣壞孩子」只不過是殘酷的史前教育法，會讓孩子終身殘疾。重點是愛，因為這是神管教導自己兒女的方式。 「我兒，你不可輕看主的管教，也不可憎惡他的管教；因為主所愛的，他必管教，正如父親管教所喜愛的兒子一樣」（3:11-12 新欽定版；13:24）。我們對教養孩子的了解比上帝還多嗎？                                                                                                                                                         Discipline has to do with correcting character faults in a child while there is still time to do it (22:15). Better the child is corrected by a parent than by a law enforcement officer in a correctional institution. “Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction” (19:18 nkjv). I prefer the New International Version translation of the second clause: “do not be a willing party to his death.” A vote against discipline is a vote in favor of premature death. (See 23:13–14.)                            管教就是在還有時間的情況下糾正孩子的性格缺陷（22:15）。孩子由父母管教比由懲教機構的執法人員管教好。 「趁著還有希望的時候管教你的兒子，不要一心要毀滅他」（19:18 新欽定版）。我更喜歡第二條的新國際版翻譯：“不要成為他死亡的自願一方。”投票反對紀律就是投票支持過早死亡。 （參見  23：13-14。）                                                                                                  What a tragedy when children are left to themselves, not knowing where or what the boundaries are and what the consequences of rebellion will be! I may be wrong, but I have a suspicion that many people who can’t discipline their children have a hard time disciplining themselves. If you want to enjoy your children all your life, start by lovingly disciplining them early. “The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother” (29:15 nkjv). “Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul” (29:17 nkjv).                                                                              當孩子們被留在自己身邊，不知道界線在哪裡或是什麼，也不知道叛逆的後果是什麼時，這是多麼悲劇啊！我可能是錯的，但我懷疑很多不能管教孩子的人也很難管教自己。如果你想讓你的孩子終生享受，就從儘早開始充滿愛意地管教他們吧。 「杖責和責備給人智慧，獨處的孩子使母親蒙羞」（29:15 新欽定版）。 「糾正你的兒子，他就會讓你安息；是的，他必使你的靈魂喜樂」（29:17 新欽定版）。                                                                                                                      Proverbs 22:6 is a religious “rabbit’s foot” that many sorrowing parents and grandparents desperately resort to when children stray from the Lord: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” They interpret this to mean, “they will stray away for a time but then come back,” but that isn’t what it says. It says that if they’re raised in the wisdom and way of the Lord, they won’t stray away at all. Even in old age, they will follow the wisdom of God.                             箴言22:6 是宗教上的“兔子腳”，當孩子們偏離主時，許多悲傷的父母和祖父母絕望地求助於它：“教養孩童，使他走當行的道，就是到老他也不偏離。他們將此解釋為“他們會迷失一段時間，然後又回來”，但事實並非如此。它說，如果他們在主的智慧和道路中長大，他們就根本不會迷失。即使在年老時，他們也會跟隨上帝的智慧。                                                                                  Certainly it’s true that children raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord can stray from God, but they can never get away from the prayers of their parents or the seed that’s been planted in their hearts. Parents should never despair but keep on praying and trusting God to bring wayward children to their senses. But that isn’t what Proverbs 22:6 is speaking about. Like the other proverbs, it’s not making an ironclad guarantee but is laying down a general principle.4                                                         當然，在主的養育和警戒下長大的孩子可能會偏離上帝，但他們永遠無法擺脫父母的祈禱或在他們心中種下的種子。父母永遠不應該絕望，而應該繼續祈禱並相信上帝會讓任性的孩子清醒過來。但這不是箴言 22:6 所說的。和其他諺語一樣，這並不是做出鐵定的保證，而是製定了一般原則。4                                                                                                                                                      In the autumn of 1993, we replaced a pin oak that a tornado had ripped out of our front yard, and the nursery people attached three guy-wires to the trunk of the new tree to make sure it would grow straight. They also taped metal rods to two limbs that were growing down instead of straight out. If you don’t do these things while the tree is young and pliable, you’ll never be able to do it at all. “As the twig is bent, so is the tree inclined,” says an old proverb, a paraphrase of Proverbs 22:6.                                          在1993 年秋天，我們更換了一棵被龍捲風從前院扯下來的針櫟，苗圃工作人員在新樹的樹幹上繫了三根拉索，以確保它能筆直地生長。他們還將金屬棒黏在兩條向下生長的肢體上，而不是直接向外生長，以確保它能筆直地生長。如果你不在樹還年輕、柔韌的時候做這些事情，你就永遠做不到。一句古老的諺語說：“枝條彎曲，樹也傾斜”，這是對箴言 22:6 的解釋。                  God has ordained that parents are older and more experienced than their children and should therefore lovingly guide their children and prepare them for adult life. If any of their children end up sluggards (10:5), gluttons (28:7), fornicators (29:3), rebels (19:26; 20:20; 30:11–12, 17; see Deut. 21:18–21), and robbers (28:24), it should be in spite of the parents’ training and not because of it.                    上帝命定父母比孩子年長、經驗豐富，因此應該慈愛地引導孩子，為他們的成年生活做好準備。如果他們的任何孩子最終成為懶惰者（10:5）、貪食者（28:7）、淫亂者（29:3）、叛逆者（19:26；20:20；30:11-12, 17 ；參考申命記 21 ：18-21）和強盜（28：24），這應該是無視父母的訓練，而不是因為父母的訓練原因。                                                                                

3. Friends and Neighbors. G. K. Chesterton said that God commanded us to love both our enemies and our neighbors because usually they were the same people. My wife and I have always been blessed with wonderful neighbors whom we consider friends; that seems to be the biblical ideal, for the Hebrew word (ra’a) can mean “friend” or “neighbor.” In this survey, we’ll include both meanings; for what’s true of friends ought to be true of neighbors.                                                                                              3. 朋友和鄰居.   G.K.切斯特頓說，上帝命令我們既要愛我們的敵人，又要愛我們的鄰居，因為他們通常是同一個人。我和我的妻子一直很幸運，有著很棒的鄰居，我們視他們為朋友。這似乎是聖經的理想，因為希伯來文（ra’a）可以表示「朋友」或「鄰居」。在本次調查中，我們將包括這兩種含義；因為適用於朋友的道理也適用於鄰居。                                                                            The basis for friendship. Proverbs makes it clear that true friendship is based on love, because only love will endure the tests that friends experience as they go through life together. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (17:17 nkjv). It’s possible to have many companions and no real friends. “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (18:24 niv). Friendship is something that has to be cultivated, and its roots must go deep.                                                                                                                                                                      友誼的基礎。箴言清楚地表明，真正的友誼是以愛為基礎的，因為只有愛才能經受住朋友共同經歷的考驗。 「朋友時時相愛，弟兄因患難而生」（17:17 新欽定本）。可能有很多同伴，卻沒有真正的朋友。 「朋友眾多，可能會走向滅亡，但有一個朋友，比兄弟更親密」（18:24 新國際版）。友誼是需要培養的，它的根必須紮得很深。                                                                                 God’s people must be especially careful in choosing their friends. “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray” (12:26 nkjv). “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (13:20). Friendships that are based on money (6:1–5; 14:20; 19:4, 6–7) or sin (16:29–30; 1:10–19) are destined to be disappointing. So are friendships with people who have bad tempers (22:24–25), who speak foolishly (14:7), who rebel against authority (24:21–22 niv), or who are dishonest (29:27). Believers need to heed Psalm 1:1–2 and 2 Corinthians 6:14–18.                                                                                                                                 上帝的子民在選擇朋友時必須特別小心。 「義人應謹慎選擇朋友，因為惡人的道路使他們誤入歧途」（12:26 新欽定版）。 「與智慧人同行的，必有智慧；與愚昧人同行的，必敗壞」（13:20）。基於金錢（6:1-5；14:20；19:4、6-7）或罪惡（16:29-30；1:10-19）的友誼注定會令人失望。與脾氣暴躁的人（22:24-25）、說話愚蠢的人（14:7）、反抗權威的人（24:21-22 niv）或不誠實的人（29:27）的友誼也是如此。信徒需要留意詩篇 1:1-2 和哥林多後書 6:14-18。                    The qualities of true friendship. I’ve already mentioned love, and true love will produce loyalty. “A friend loves at all times” (Prov. 17:17 niv) and “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (18:24 niv). Sometimes our friends do more for us in an emergency than our relatives do! By the way, this loyalty ought to extend to our parents’ friends. “Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father” (27:10 niv). Long-time family friends can be a blessing from one generation to the next.                        真正友誼的品質。我已經講過愛，真正的愛會產生忠誠。 「朋友時時相愛」（箴17:17新國際版）和「有朋友比兄弟更親密」（箴 18:24 新國際版）。有時，在緊急情況下，我們的朋友比我們的親戚為我們做的更多！順便說一句，這種忠誠應該延伸到我們父母的朋友。 「不要離棄你的朋友和你父親的朋友」（27:10 新國際版）。長期的家庭朋友可以成為一代又一代的祝福。                                                                                                                                                                        True friends know how to keep a confidence. “If you argue your case with a neighbor, do not betray another man’s confidence, or he who hears it may shame you and you will never lose your bad reputation” (25:9–10 niv). If you have a disagreement with somebody, don’t bring another person into the discussion by betraying confidence, because you’ll end up losing both your reputation (“You can’t trust him with anything confidential!”) and your friend who trusted you with his private thoughts. “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret” (11:13 niv; see 20:19). If we aren’t careful, gossip can ruin a friendship (16:28), so the wise thing to do is to cover offenses with love (17:9; 1 Peter 4:8).                                                                                                                                                            真正的朋友懂得如何保守秘密。 「你若與鄰舍爭辯，不可洩漏別人的信心，否則聽見的人必羞辱你，你的名聲就永遠不會消失」（25:9-10 新國際版）。如果你與某人有分歧，不要透過背叛信任的方式讓另一個人參與討論，因為你最終會失去你的聲譽（「你不能相信他有任何機密！」）和你的朋友誰信任你的私人想法。 「流言蜚語洩漏秘密，誠實人保守秘密」（11:13 新國際版；參閱 20:19）。如果我們不小心，流言蜚語就會毀掉友誼（16:28），所以明智的做法就是用愛來掩蓋過犯（17:9；彼得前書 4:8）。                                                                                              This leads to the next important quality for true friends and good neighbors: the ability to control the tongue. “With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape” (Prov. 11:9 Niv). Don’t believe the first thing you hear about a matter, because it may be wrong (18:17); remember that “a man of understanding holds his tongue” (11:12 niv). If your neighbor or friend speaks falsely of you, talk to him about it privately, but don’t seek to avenge yourself by lying about him (24:28–29; 25:18). And beware of people who cause trouble and then say, “I was only joking” (26:18–19).                                                                                                                                                 這導致了真正的朋友和好鄰居的下一個重要品質：控制舌頭的能力。 「不敬虔的人用口敗壞鄰舍，義人卻藉著知識逃脫」（箴言 11:9  新國際版）。不要相信你聽到的關於某件事的第一件事，因為它可能是錯的（18:17）；請記住，「明哲人守口如瓶」（11:12  新國際版 ）。如果你的鄰居或朋友誹謗你，請私下與他談論此事，但不要試圖透過對他撒謊來報復（24:28-29；25:18）。也要提防那些製造麻煩然後說「我只是開玩笑」的人（26:18-19）。                                          Friends and neighbors must be lovingly honest with one another. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (27:6). True friendship in the Lord can’t be built on deception; even if “the truth hurts,” it can never harm if it’s given in love. Better that we “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15), because the Spirit can use truth and love to build character, while the devil uses lies and flattery to tear things down (Prov. 29:5). “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue” (28:23). It has well been said that flattery is manipulation, not communication; what honest person would want to manipulate a friend?                               朋友和鄰居之間必須彼此坦誠相待。 「忠誠是朋友的傷口；仇敵的吻是詭詐的」（27:6）。在主裡真正的友誼不能建立在欺騙之上；即使“真相令人受傷”，如果是出於愛而付出，它永遠不會造成傷害。我們最好「用愛心說誠實話」（弗 4:15），因為聖靈可以用真理和愛來建立品格，而魔鬼則用謊言和諂媚來破壞事物（箴 29:5）。 「責備人的，後來蒙人喜悅，多於用舌頭諂媚人的」（28:23）。人們常說，奉承是一種操縱，而不是溝通；哪個誠實的人會想要操縱朋友呢？                                                                                                                                                We must never take our friends for granted and think that they will immediately forgive our offenses, even though forgiveness is the right thing for Christians. “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle” (18:19). It’s strange but true that some of God’s people will forgive offenses from unbelievers that they would never forgive if a Christian friend committed them. It takes a diamond to cut a diamond, and some Christians have a way of putting up defenses that even the church can’t break through. Matthew 18:15–35 gives us the steps to take when such things happen, and our Lord warns us that an unforgiving spirit only puts us into prison!                          我們絕不能認為我們的朋友是理所當然的，並認為他們會立即原諒我們的冒犯，儘管寬恕對基督徒來說是正確的事情。 「弟兄結怨，爭吵比堅固城還難；爭競如同城邑的閂鎖」（18:19）。奇怪但真實的是，神的一些子民會寬恕非信徒的冒犯，但如果基督徒朋友犯了這些罪，他們就永遠不會寬恕。鑽石需要鑽石來切割，而有些基督徒有一種甚至教會也無法突破的防禦方式。馬太福音 18:15-35 告訴我們當這類事情發生時要採取的步驟，我們的主警告我們，不饒恕的靈只會把我們關進監獄！                                                                                                                     Faithful friends and neighbors counsel and encourage each other. “Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel” (Prov. 27:9 nkjv). The images of oil and perfume are fine when the discussion is pleasant, but what’s it like when friends disagree? “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (27:17). If we’re not disagreeable, we usually learn more by disagreeing than by giving in and refusing to say what we really think, “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).   忠實的朋友和鄰居互相勸告和鼓勵。 「膏油和馨香，能悅人心；朋友的甘甜，因誠懇的勸告，使人喜樂」（箴 27:9 NKJV）。當討論愉快時，油和香水的形象還不錯，但當朋友意見不合時宜又會怎樣呢？ 「鐵磨鐵，人磨朋友的面容」（27:17）。如果我們沒有意見不合，通常我們會從不同意中學到更多，而不是屈服和拒絕說出我們真正的想法，「用愛心說誠實話」（以弗所書 4:15）。                                                                        Friends and neighbors must exercise tact and be sensitive to each other’s feelings. If we spend too much time together, we may wear out our welcome. “Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he become weary of you and hate you” (Prov. 25:17 nkjv). I’ve known people who spent so much time with each other that they eventually destroyed their friendship. If we’re going to grow, we need space; space comes from privacy and solitude. Even husbands and wives must respect each other’s privacy and not be constantly together if their love is to mature.                                                                                              朋友和鄰居必須保持機智，體察彼此的感受。如果我們在一起的時間太多，我們可能會失去受歡迎的感覺。 「你要少進鄰舍的家，恐怕他厭煩你，恨你」（箴 25:17 新欽定版）。我認識一些人，他們花了太多時間在一起，最後毀了友誼。如果我們要成長，我們就需要空間；空間來自隱私和孤獨。即使是丈夫和妻子，也必須尊重彼此的隱私，不要總是在一起，愛情才能成熟。                                                                                                                                                                    “He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it will be counted a curse to him” (27:14 nkjv). Beware the “friend” who loudly and frequently praises you and tells you what a good friend you are, because true friendship doesn’t depend on such antics—especially if he wakes you up to do it! Love is sensitive to other people’s feelings and needs, and true friends try to say the right thing at the right time in the right way (25:20).                                                                                    「清早起來大聲祝福朋友的，就算是咒詛他」（27:14）。當心那些經常大聲讚美你並告訴你你是多麼好的朋友的“朋友”，因為真正的友誼並不依賴於這種滑稽的行為——尤其是當他叫醒你去做這些事的時候！愛對他人的感受和需求很敏感，真正的朋友會嘗試在正確的時間以正確的方式說正確的話（25:20）。                                                                                                                           A happy family, encouraging friends, and good neighbors: What blessings these are from the Lord! Let’s be sure we do our part to make these blessings a reality in our lives and the lives of others.             幸福的家庭，令人鼓舞的朋友，和善的鄰居：這是來自主何等的祝福！讓我們確保盡自己的一份力量，讓這些祝福在我們和他人的生活中成為現實。

Notes   註                                                                                                                                                     1 In marriage, two people become one flesh (Gen. 2:24); therefore, if one partner dies, the marriage is dissolved (Rom. 7:1–3) and the living partner may remarry “in the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:39). The book of Proverbs doesn’t whitewash the problems that can be faced in marriage, but nowhere does it deal with divorce. It magnifies God’s original plan for marriage and the home, and that’s what we should do today. People who get married with one hand on an escape hatch aren’t likely to have a happy home.      1 在婚姻中，兩個人成為一體（創 2:24）；因此，如果其中一方去世，婚姻關係就會解除（羅馬書 7:1-3），活著的一方可以「在主裡」再婚（林前 7:39）。箴言並沒有粉飾婚姻中可能面臨的問題，但也沒有涉及離婚。它放大了神對婚姻和家庭的最初計劃，這就是我們今天應該做的。結婚時一隻手放在逃生艙口上的人不太可能擁有幸福的家庭。                                                           2 Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 19:11–12 that not everybody is supposed to get married, and Paul states that singleness is a gift from God just as much as is marriage (1 Cor. 7:7). I once heard the gifted Christian educator Henrietta Mears say that the only reason she wasn’t married was because the apostle Paul was dead!                                                                                                                                              2 耶穌在馬太福音 19:11-12 中明確表示，不是每個人都應該結婚，保羅也指出單身是上帝賜予的禮物，就像婚姻一樣（哥林多前書 7:7）。我曾經聽過才華洋溢的基督教教育家亨麗埃塔‧米爾斯說，她沒有結婚的唯一原因是因為使徒保羅死了！                                                                           3 The proverb “Spare the rod and spoil the child” goes back to the days of Rome (Qui parcit virge, odit filium = “Who spares the rod, hates [his] son”) and has been in English literature since the year 1000. Those exact words aren’t found in Scripture, but Proverbs 13:24 comes closest: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes [early].” The Roman proverb no doubt comes from the Hebrew proverb, which is much older.                                                                                3 諺語「饒了棍子，寵壞了孩子」可以追溯到羅馬時代（Qui parcit virge, odit filium =「誰饒了棍子，就恨[他的]兒子」），自1000 年起就出現在英語文學中聖經中沒有找到這些確切的話，但《箴言》13:24 最為接近：“不忍用杖的，是恨惡他的兒子；愛子的，必及早管教他。”羅馬諺語無疑來自希伯來諺語，它的歷史要悠久得多。                                                                                        4 In The New American Commentary, Duane A. Garrett translates the verse, “Train up a child in a manner befitting a child, and even as he grows old he will not turn from it” (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1993), vol. 14, 188. See also Gleason Archer’s explanation in The Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1982), 252–53. We don’t know how much spiritual instruction Solomon received from his father, David, but when Solomon was old, he turned away from the Lord (1 Kings 11:1–8). Some students think that Ecclesiastes is his “confession of faith,” written after he returned to the Lord, but the book doesn’t say so and it isn’t wise to speculate.                                          4 在《新美國評論》中，杜安·A·加勒特(Duane A. Garrett) 翻譯了這句詩：「以適合孩子的方式教育孩子，即使他變老，他也不會放棄這一點」（納許維爾：布羅德曼出版社，1993 年），卷。 14, 188。我們不知道所羅門從他父親大衛那裡接受了多少屬靈的教導，但當所羅門年老時，他就離棄了耶和華（列王記上 11：1-8）。有些學生認為傳道書是他歸主後所寫的“信仰告白”，但書中並沒有這麼說，因此推測也不明智。                                                                          

 938 英翻中 (638)

CHAPTER EIGHT                                                                                                                              FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND NEIGHBORS                                                                                                  In 1937, the number one fiction bestseller in the United States was Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. The number one nonfiction title was Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People, and since then, millions of copies have been sold around the world. Why? Because just about everybody has “people problems” and wants to know how to solve them. Getting along with other people is an important part of life.                                                                                                                            The book of Proverbs is the best manual you’ll find on people skills, because it was given to us by the God who made us, the God who can teach us what we need to know about human relationships, whether it’s marriage, the family, the neighborhood, the job, or our wider circle of friends and acquaintances. If we learn and practice God’s wisdom as presented in Proverbs, we’ll find ourselves improving in people skills and enjoying life much more. 

1. Husbands and Wives                                                                                                                      According to Scripture, God established three human institutions in the world: marriage and the home (Gen. 2:18–25), human government (Gen. 9:1–6; Rom. 13), and the local church (Acts 2); of the three, the basic institution is the home. As goes the home, so go the church and the nation. The biblical views of marriage and the family have been so attacked and ridiculed in modern society that it does us good to review what the Creator of the home has to say about His wonderful gift of marriage.                                         Marriage. King Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11:3), and in so doing he disobeyed God’s law—by multiplying wives (Deut. 17:17), and by taking these wives from pagan nations that didn’t worship Jehovah, the true and Living God (Ex. 34:16; Deut. 7:1–3). Eventually, these women won Solomon over to their gods, and the Lord had to discipline Solomon for his sins (1 Kings 11:4ff.).                                                                                                                   In contrast to this, the book of Proverbs magnifies the kind of marriage that God first established in Eden: one man married to one woman for one lifetime (Gen. 2:18–25; Matt. 19:19).1 The husband is to love his wife and be faithful to her (Prov. 5). The wife is not to forsake her husband and seek her love elsewhere (2:17). They are to enjoy one another and grow in their love for each other and for the Lord.             In ancient days, marriages were arranged by the parents. Our modern “system” of two people falling in love and getting married would be foreign to their thinking and their culture. In that day, a man and woman got married and then learned to love each other; they expected to stay together for life. Today, a man and woman learn to love each other, then they get married, and everybody hopes they’ll stay together long enough to raise the children.                                                                                                       The husband. A man can inherit houses and lands, but “a prudent wife is from the Lord” (19:14 niv).2 “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord” (18:22 nkjv). Blessed is that marriage in which the husband acknowledges God’s goodness to him in giving him his wife! When a husband takes her for granted, he grieves both her and the Lord. He should love her and be loyal to her all the days of his life.                                                                                                                           The book of Proverbs places on the husband the responsibility of guiding the home according to the wisdom of God, but as we shall see in chapter 31, the wife also plays an important part. Where two people love the Lord and love each other, God can guide and bless them. It’s not a “fifty-fifty” arrangement, because “two become one.” Rather, it’s a 100-percent devotion to each other and to the Lord.                                                                                                                                                                          The wife. Every wife will either build the home or tear it down (14:1). If she walks with the Lord, she will be a builder; if she disobeys God’s wisdom, she will be a destroyer. She must be faithful to her husband, for “A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones” (12:4 niv). A crown or a cancer: What a choice! And beauty isn’t the only thing he should look for; it’s also important that a wife have wisdom and discretion (11:22).                                              Husbands occasionally create problems for their wives, but Solomon doesn’t mention any of them. However, he does name some of the problems a wife might create for her husband. “The contentions of a wife are a continual dripping” (19:13). A wife who quarrels constantly creates the kind of atmosphere in a home that would tempt her husband to look for attention elsewhere. “Better to live on the corner of a roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife” (21:9 niv; see 21:19; 25:24; 27:15–16). But let’s be fair and admit that the situation might be reversed and the husband be the culprit. God hates family discord (6:19), and we should do everything we can to practice in the home the kind of love that produces unity and harmony.                                                                                                                      The finest description of the ideal wife is found in 31:10–31. This poem is an acrostic with the initial words of the twenty-two verses all beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet (see Ps. 119).  This acrostic form was a device to help people commit the passage to memory. Perhaps Jewish parents instructed their sons and daughters to memorize this poem and use it as a guide for their lives and in their homes. What kind of wife is described here?                                                                                 First of all, she is a woman of character (Prov. 31:10–12). Just as wisdom is more important than wealth (3:15), so character is more important than jewels. Peter gave this same counsel to Christian wives in his day (1 Peter 3:1–6). Marriage doesn’t change a person’s character. If there are character weaknesses in either the husband or the wife, marriage will only reveal and accentuate them. A husband or wife who hopes to change his or her spouse after the honeymoon is destined for disappointment.                                                                                                                                                           If the husband and wife trust each other, there will be harmony in the home. Her husband has no fears or suspicions as she is busy about her work, because he knows she has character and will do nothing but good for him and their children. If brides and grooms take seriously the vows of love and loyalty they repeat to each other and to God at the altar, they will have a wall of confidence around their marriage that will keep out every enemy.                                                                                                                   She’s a woman who isn’t afraid to work (Prov. 31:13–22, 24). Whether it’s going to the market for food (vv. 14–15), buying real estate (v. 16a), or planting a vineyard (v. 16b), she’s up early and busy with her chores. You get the impression that the night before she makes a list of “things to do” and doesn’t waste a minute in idleness. “She sets about her work vigorously” (v. 17 niv), whether spinning thread, helping the poor, or providing a wardrobe for her children.   She prepares the very best for her family, and they have no reason to be ashamed.                                                                                                         She is a generous person (v. 20). As she ministers to her family, she keeps her eyes open for people who have needs, and she does what she can to help them. Happiness comes to those who have mercy on the poor (14:21), and nothing given to the Lord for them will ever be lost (19:17).                                 This wife makes it easy for her husband to do his work (v. 23). The city gate was the place where civic business was transacted, so her husband was one of the elders in the community (Ruth 4). While no such restrictions exist today, it would have been unthinkable in that day for a woman to sit on the “city council.” But this loyal wife didn’t want to take his place; she just did her work and made it easier for him to do his.                                                                                                                                              A husband and wife should complement each other as they each seek to fulfill their roles in the will of God. Wise is that husband who recognizes his wife’s strengths and lets her compensate for his weaknesses. Doing this isn’t a sign of personal failure, nor is it rebellion against the divine order (1 Cor. 11:3). Both leadership and submission in a home are evidences of love and obedience, and the one doesn’t nullify the other.                                                                                                                                            She is confident as she faces the future (Prov. 31:25). In the Bible, to be “clothed” with something means that it is a part of your life and reveals itself in your character and conduct. (See 1 Tim. 2:9–10; Col. 3:8–14.) This wife can laugh at future problems and troubles because she has strength of character and she’s prepared for emergencies. She is a woman of faith who knows that God is with her and her family.                                                                                                                                                     This wife is a capable teacher of wisdom (Prov. 31:26). She certainly teaches her children the wisdom of God, especially the daughters, preparing them for the time when they will have homes of their own. But it’s likely that she also shares her insights with her husband, and he’s wise enough to listen. Remember that earlier in the book, Solomon used a beautiful woman to personify wisdom; this godly wife does the same.                                                                                                                                            She is an attentive overseer of the household (v. 27). She isn’t idle, and nothing in the household escapes her notice, whether it’s food, finances, clothing, or school lessons. Managing the household is an exacting job, and she does her work faithfully day and night. Any husband and father who thinks that his wife “has it easy” should take her responsibilities for a week or two and discover how wrong he is!                                                                                                                                                         She’s a woman worthy of praise (vv. 28–29). It’s a wonderful thing when husband and children can praise wife and mother for her faithful ministry in the home. The suggestion here is that this praise was expressed regularly and spontaneously and not just on special occasions. (They didn’t have Mother’s Day in Israel. Every day should be Mother’s Day and Father’s Day!) It’s tragic when the members of a family take each other for granted and fail to show sincere appreciation. The father ought to set the example for the children and always thank his wife for what she does for the family. He should see in her the woman who surpasses them all!                                                                                               The secret of her life is that she fears the Lord (v. 30). It’s wonderful if a wife has charm and beauty; the possession of these qualities is not a sin. But the woman who walks with the Lord and seeks to please Him has a beauty that never fades (1 Peter 3:1–6). The man who has a wife who daily reads the Word, meditates, prays, and seeks to obey God’s will has a treasure that is indeed beyond the price of rubies.                                                                                                                                                                    Finally, her life is a testimony to others (Prov. 31:31). Her husband and children acknowledge her value and praise her, but so do the other people in the community. Even the leaders in the city gate recognize her good works and honor her. “A kindhearted woman gains respect” (11:16 niv). God sees to it that the woman who faithfully serves Him and her family is properly honored, and certainly she will have even greater honor when she stands before her Lord.                                                                                      This beautiful tribute to the godly wife and mother tells every Christian woman what she can become if she follows the Lord. It also describes for every Christian man the kind of wife for whom he ought to be looking and praying. But it also reminds the prospective husband that he’d better be walking with the Lord and growing in his spiritual life so that he will be worthy of such a wife if and when God brings her to him.

937 英翻中 (637) Oh, Lord, You my God. 主阿, 祢是我的上帝. 12/17/2024

937 英翻中 (637)        Oh, Lord, You my God.          主阿, 祢是我的上帝.                 12/17/2024

3. The Diligent                                                                                                                                              3.勤奮                                                                                                                                                            Diligent hands are directed by a diligent heart, and this means the discipline of the inner person. “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23 nkjv). When we cultivate the inner person through prayer, meditation on the Word, and submission to the Lord, then we can experience the joys of a disciplined and diligent life. “The fruit of the Spirit is … self-control” (Gal. 5:22–23).                                                                                                                                                      勤奮的手是勤奮的心所引導的，這意味著內在的人的紀律。 「你要保守你的心，凡事保守，因為生命的果效是由心發出」（箴 4:23 新欽定本）。當我們透過禱告、默想神的話語、順服主來培養內在的人時，我們就能體驗到自律和勤奮生活的喜樂。 「聖靈所結的果子就是…節制」（加拉太書 5：22-23）。                                                                                                                                   The reward for faithful hard work is—more work! “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things” (Matt. 25:21 nkjv; see Luke 19:16–19). “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men” (Prov. 22:29 nkjv).                                                                                                            忠誠辛勤工作的回報是－更多的工作！ 「幹得好，善良而忠實的僕人；你在不多的事上忠心，我必派你管理許多的事」（太 25:21 新欽定本；參考路加福音 19:16-19）。 「你見過一個工作出色的人嗎？他將站在君王面前；他必不站在不認識的人面前」（箴 22:29 新欽定本）。             One of the blessings of diligent labor is the joy of developing the kind of ability and character that others can trust, thereby fitting ourselves for the next responsibility God has prepared for us. Joseph was faithful in suffering and service, and this prepared him to rule Egypt. David faithfully cared for a few sheep, and God gave him an entire nation to shepherd (Ps. 78:70–72). Joshua was faithful as Moses’ helper and became Moses’ successor. “Wisdom is the principal thing.… Exalt her, and she will promote you” (Prov. 4:7–8 nkjv). “The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools” (3:35).                                                                                                                                                           勤奮工作的祝福之一是我們可以快樂地培養別人可以信任的能力和品格，從而使我們自己能夠承擔上帝為我們準備的下一個責任。約瑟在苦難和服務中忠心耿耿，這為他統治埃及做好了準備。大衛忠心地照顧了幾隻羊，但神卻賜給他整個國家來牧養（詩篇 78：70-72）。約書亞是摩西的忠實幫助者，並成為摩西的繼承人。 「智慧是最重要的…高舉她，她就會提升你」（箴 4:7-8 新欽定本）。 「智慧人必承受榮耀；愚昧人升遷必蒙羞」（3:35）。                                    There’s no substitute for hard work. “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (10:4 niv). “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (14:23 niv). A new college graduate was asked if he was looking for work. He thought for a minute and then replied, “No, but I would like to have a job.” That seems to be the attitude of too many people today. Poet Robert Frost said, “The world is full of willing people: some willing to work and the rest willing to let them.”                                                                                                                                                                     努力工作是無可取代的。 「懶惰的手使人貧窮，但勤奮的手使人富有」（10:4 新國際版）。 「所有的努力都會帶來利潤，但僅僅空談只會導致貧窮」（14:23 新國際版）。一位剛畢業的大學畢業生被問到是否正在找工作。他想了想，然後回答說：“不，但我想要一份工作。”這似乎是今天太多人的態度。詩人羅伯特·弗羅斯特說：“世界上充滿了願意工作的人：有些人願意工作，其他人則願意讓他們工作。”                                   Diligent people plan their work and work their plan. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty” (21:5 nkjv). “Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established” (16:3 nkjv; see 24:27). Thomas Edison said, “I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by work.” More than one scientific breakthrough seemed to be discovered by accident, but there was still a great deal of hard work put into the project before the breakthrough came. Benjamin Franklin wrote in his Poor Richard’s Almanack, “Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to industry.”            勤奮的人計劃他們的工作並執行他們的計劃。 「勤奮的人，必致富；急躁的人，必致貧窮」（21:5 新欽定版）。 「將你的工作交託給主，你的意念就必成立」（16:3 新欽定本；參閱 24:27）。湯瑪斯愛迪生說：「我從來沒有偶然做過任何值得做的事情，我的任何發明都不是偶然產生的；他們是上班來的。不只一項科學突破似乎是偶然發現的，但在突破到來之前，該計畫仍然投入​​了大量的努力。本傑明·富蘭克林在《窮理查德年鑑》中寫道：“勤奮是好運之母，上帝將一切賜予勤奮。”                                                                                                                                       God blesses the labors of people who are honest. “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase” (13:11 nkjv). God expects “a just weight and a just balance” (16:11; see 20:10, 23). He also expects us to be honest in our words as we deal with people in our work. “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (12:22 nkjv).                                                                                                                                             上帝祝福誠實人的勞動。 「不誠實的財富將會減少，但辛勤累積的財富將會增加」（13:11 新欽定版）。神期望「公正的重量和公正的天平」（16:11；參 20:10、23）。他也希望我們在工作中與人打交道時要誠實。 「說謊的嘴，為耶和華所憎惡；行事誠實的，為他所喜悅」（12:22 新欽定版）。                                                                                                                                  God blesses diligent people for their generosity. “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself” (11:24–25 nkjv). “He who has a generous eye will be Proverbs 1080 blessed, for he gives of his bread to the poor” (22:9 nkjv). Mark the difference between the diligent worker and the slothful person: “The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare” (21:25–26 nkjv).                                                                                                                                        上帝因他們的慷慨而祝福勤奮的人。 「有的人雖分散，卻有更多的增加；有人剋扣過多，卻會導致貧窮。慷慨的人必致富，澆灌的人也必澆灌自己」（11:24-25 新欽）。 「箴言 1080 中，眼目慷慨的人必蒙福，因為他將自  己的食物分給窮人」（22:9 NKJV）。請注意勤奮的工人和懶惰的人之間的區別：「懶惰人的慾望害死他，因為他的手不肯勞動。他終日貪得無厭，但義人卻施捨，不吝惜」（21：25-26 新欽定版）。                                                                                      Diligent people are careful not to incur debts they can’t handle. “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (22:7 nkjv). While a certain amount of honest debt is expected in today’s world, and everybody wants to achieve a good credit rating, we must be careful not to mistake presumption for faith. As the familiar adage puts it, “When your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep is your downfall.”                                                                                                                                       勤奮的人會小心翼翼地避免承擔無法償還的債務。 「富人統治窮人，借錢的人是貸方的僕人」（22:7 新欽定版）。雖然當今世界預計會有一定數量的誠實債務，而且每個人都希望獲得良好的信用評級，但我們必須小心，不要將推定誤認為信仰。正如一句熟悉的格言所說：“當你的支出超過你的收入時，你的維持就會導致你的垮台。”                                                                            It’s a dangerous thing for people to become greedy for more and more money and to overextend themselves to acquire it. Each of us must discover at what financial level God wants us to live and be content with it. “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ’Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (30:7–9 niv).                                                                                                        對人們來說，貪圖越來越多的錢並過度追求金錢是一件危險的事。我們每個人都必須發現上帝希望我們生活在什麼財務水平並對此感到滿意。 「主啊，我向你請求兩件事：在我死之前，不要拒絕我：讓謊言和謊言遠離我；既不要給我貧窮，也不要給我財富，只給我每日的麵包。否則，我可能擁有太多而不再擁有你，並說：'  耶和華是誰？'  或者我會變得貧窮而偷竊，從而羞辱我神的名」（30:7-9 新國際版）。                                                                                                    I was a “depression baby” and the text my sister and two brothers and I learned to live by was “Use it up, wear it out; make it do, or do without.” Our parents taught us the difference between luxuries and necessities, and they didn’t try to impress the neighbors by purchasing things they didn’t need with money they couldn’t afford to spend. But that philosophy of life seems to have almost disappeared. Today if you talk about hard work, wise stewardship, the dangers of debt, and the importance of accountability before God, somebody is bound to smile (or laugh out loud) and tell you that times have changed.                                                                                                                                         我是一個“抑鬱症嬰兒”，我和姐姐、兩個兄弟以及我學會的生活準則是“用完它，磨損它；用完它，用完它；用完它，用完它；用完它，用完它；用完它，用完它；用完它，用完它；用它，用它；用它，用它；用它，用它。要嘛做，要嘛不做。我們的父母教導我們區分奢侈品和必需品，他們不會用自己花不起的錢去購買不需要的東西，從而給鄰居留下深刻的印象。但這種人生哲學似乎幾乎消失了。今天，如果你談論辛勤工作、明智的管理、債務的危險以及在上帝面前負責的重要性，一定有人會微笑（或大聲笑）並告訴你時代已經改變。                                       Our heavenly Father knows that His children have needs that must be met (Matt. 6:32); in our modern society, this means we must have money to procure them. But our most important task isn’t to earn money; our most important task is to be the kind of people God can trust with money, people who are faithful in the way we use what God gives us. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33 nkjv).                                                       我們的天父知道祂的兒女有必須滿足的需要（太 6:32）；在我們的現代社會，這意味著我們必須有錢才能購買它們。但我們最重要的任務不是賺錢，而是賺錢。我們最重要的任務是成為神可以在金錢上信任的人，忠實地使用神所賜給我們的東西。 「你們要先求神的國和祂的義，這些東西都要加給你們了」（太 6:33 新國際版）。                                                                                “The real measure of our wealth,” said John Henry Jowett, “is how much we’d be worth if we lost all our money.” Character is more important than position, and wisdom than possessions. God doesn’t glorify poverty, but neither does He magnify affluence. “There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; and one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches” (Prov. 13:7 nkjv).                                  約翰·亨利·喬伊特說：“衡量我們財富的真正標準是，如果我們失去所有的錢，我們會值多少錢。”品格比地位更重要，智慧比財產更重要。上帝不榮耀貧窮，但也不誇大富裕。 「有的人使自己富有，卻一無所有；自己貧窮的，卻擁有大豐富」（箴 13:7 新欽定版）。                                We must not think that the way of the wealthy is always easy, 3 because there are also perils that accompany wealth and success in life. Wealthy people face problems that people of ordinary means don’t face, for an increase in wealth usually means an increase in decision-making, risk-taking, and possibly physical danger. “A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat” (13:8 niv). Kenneth Taylor aptly paraphrased this verse, “Being kidnapped and held for ransom never worries the poor man!” (TLB). Thieves will break into a mansion but not a hovel.                                                           我們千萬不要認為富人的路總是一帆風順的，3因為生活中的財富和成功也伴隨著危險。富人面臨著普通人不會面臨的問題，因為財富的增加通常意味著決策能力、冒險精神以及可能的人身危險的增加。 「一個人的財富可以贖回他的生命，但一個窮人不會聽到威脅」（13:8 新國際版）。肯尼思泰勒恰當地解釋了這節經文：“被綁架並勒索贖金永遠不會讓窮人擔心！” （TLB版）。小偷會闖入豪宅，但不會闖入茅屋。                                                                                         One of the subtle dangers of wealth is a false sense of security. “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage” (11:28). After all, riches won’t save the sinner on the day of judgment (11:4); they can’t buy peace (15:16–17) or a good name (22:1). Riches have a tendency to fly away when we least expect it (23:4–5; 27:23–24).                                                                       財富的微妙危險之一是錯誤的安全感。 「倚靠財富的，必跌倒；義人必發旺，如葉子」（11:28）。畢竟，在審判之日，財富並不能拯救罪人（11:4）；他們買不到和平（15:16-17）或好名聲（22:1）。財富往往會在我們最意想不到的時候飛走（23:4-5；27:23-24）。                              If God blesses our diligent work with success, we must be careful not to become proud. “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall” (18:11 niv). This reminds us of the rich farmer in our Lord’s parable (Luke 12:13–21). If successful people aren’t careful, they’ll start mistreating people (Prov. 14:21; 18:23) and becoming a law to themselves (28:11). “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life” (22:4). Rich people have many friends (14:20; 19:4, 6), but will those friends remain faithful if the rich become poor (19:7)? Wealth is a wonderful servant for humble people but a terrible master for the proud.                                                                            如果上帝保佑我們的辛勤工作成功，我們必須小心，不要變得驕傲。 「富人的財富是他們的堅固城；他們想像它是一堵無法攀登的牆」（18:11 niv）。這讓我們想起主耶穌比喻中的富農（路 12：13-21）。如果成功人士不小心，他們就會開始虐待別人（箴 14:21；18:23），並成為自己的法則（28:11）。 「謙卑和敬畏耶和華，就得豐富、尊貴、生命」（22:4）。富人有很多朋友（14:20；19:4, 6），但是如果富人變窮了，這些朋友還會保持忠誠嗎（19:7）？對謙卑的人來說，財富是個極好的僕人，但對驕傲的人來說，財富是個可怕的主人。                                     The wrong attitude toward money can wreck friendships and even destroy a home. “He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live” (15:27 nkjv). The man or woman who thinks only of getting rich will put money ahead of people and principles, and soon they start to neglect the family in their frantic pursuit of wealth. Expensive gifts to the children become substitutes for the gift of themselves; before long, values become twisted and the family falls apart. How many families have been destroyed because of the distribution of an estate! As a lawyer friend of mine used to say, ”Where there’s a will, there’s relatives.”                                                                                   對金錢的錯誤態度會破壞友誼，甚至毀掉一個家庭。 「貪財的，禍害自己的家；恨惡賄賂的，必得存活」（15:27 新欽定版）。只想著致富的男人或女人會把金錢看得比人和原則更重要，很快他們就開始在瘋狂追求財富的過程中忽視家庭。給孩子們的昂貴禮物成為了他們自己禮物的替代品；不久之後，價值觀開始扭曲，家庭也分崩離析。多少家庭因為分財產而毀！正如我的一位律師朋友常說的：“有遺囑，就有親戚。”                                                                                     In connection with that problem, wealthy people have to worry about what their children will do with their wealth. “For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations” (27:24 nkjv). Solomon discussed this pro blem in Ecclesiastes 2:18–26 and came to the conclusion that the best thing rich people can do is enjoy their wealth while they’re able and not worry about their heirs. Perhaps their will should read, “Being of sound mind and body, I spent it all!”4                                                                     與這個問題相關的是，富人必須擔心他們的孩子會用他們的財富做什麼。 「財富不能永遠，冠冕不能萬代」（27:24 新欽定版）。所羅門在傳道書 2:18-26 中討論了這個問題，並得出結論：富人能做的最好的事情就是在有能力的時候享受他們的財富，而不用擔心他們的繼承人。也許他們的遺囑應該這樣寫：“由於身心健康，我把一切都花光了！" 4                                                 “Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief.” God has a word for all of them. "Are they willing to receive it?  "                                                                                                                                                         上帝對他們所有人都有話要說, "富人、窮人、乞丐、和小偷。您們願意接受嗎？"                                                                            

Notes  註 1 The origin of the word “scam” is obscure. It comes from carnival jargon and may be a variation of         the  word “scheme.” Before the law stepped in to control such things, some carnival workers were         notorious at fleecing the unsuspecting public with get-rich-quick offers. Alas, what was once                   confined  to carnivals is now found on Wall Street.                                           1 「詐騙」一詞的起源並不明確。它來自狂歡節行話，可能是“計劃”一詞的變體。在 法律介入控制此類事情之前，一些嘉年華工作人員以通過提供快速致富的優惠來欺騙毫無戒心的公眾而臭名昭著。唉，曾經僅限於嘉年華的活動現在也出現在華爾街了。  2 Of course, we don’t give to others in order to get something back, because that would be selfish. We must be motivated by love and a desire to honor the Lord.                                                                         2 當然，我們給予別人並不是為了得到回報，因為那是自私的表現。我們必須受到愛 和榮耀主的渴望的激勵。 3 The story of “King Midas and the Golden Touch” is supposed to teach this important lesson. As the king acquired more and more gold, he discovered the hard way the things that were really important to him.                                                                                                                                                              3 「邁達斯國王與點金術」的故事應該教導這重要的教訓。隨著國王獲得越來越多的黃金，他艱難地發現了對他來說真正重要的東西。 4 I wrote that in jest, of course, but only to get your attention and remind you of your accountability before God. Christians will want their last will and testament also to be a last will and testimony. How we dispose of the wealth God gives us, whether it be little or much, tells other people what is really important to us. It’s frightening how many professed believers don’t even have a will! Where is their sense of stewardship.                                                                                                                                     4 當然，我寫這些是為了吸引你的注意，並提醒你在上帝面前的責任。基督徒希望他們的遺囑和遺囑也成為遺囑和見證。我們如何處理上帝給我們的財富，無論是多或少，都會告訴其他人甚麼對我們來說真正重要。令人恐懼的是，有多少自稱信徒的人甚至沒有遺囑！他們的管理意識在哪裡。