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。