聖誕新詩:〈禮物〉

【作者:布萊恩‧哈特詩,在最深的井底 2022.12.25



圖片提供/123RF


每個耶穌受難日,我都會重讀喬治·赫伯特(George Herbert)的詩〈祭物〉(The Sacrifice)。在赫伯特的敘述中,基督通過63節詩句表達了自己的受難,每一行都充滿魅力和神學見解。這是一首史上最偉大故事的精彩重述。

爲了模仿赫伯特描寫耶穌受難那樣寫聖誕的道成肉身,我根據〈祭物〉創作了〈禮物〉。它比〈祭物〉更短,並且也不是什麼傑作。但是正像其靈感來源一樣,它深植於道成肉身的神學啓示——神與我們同在——和令人心碎的美麗中——神與我們同在。

在赫伯特作品的開頭,作者向道成肉身(「是我,凡有眼的都必尋見」)表達了敬意。在我的結尾詩節,我也同樣向耶穌的受難表達了敬意。把這兩句分開解讀是不恰當的。不過〈祭物〉強調的是耶穌對經歷悲痛的意願,〈禮物〉則強調了祂的慷慨捨己。我寫的雖是一首現代詩,但我希望它是一首能幫助我們爲耶穌誕生的諸多榮耀獻上感恩的詩。神與我們同在!

禮物
The Gift


來吧,凡勞苦擔重擔、卑賤和瞎眼的,
來吧,凡失喪的,就是所有人類,
「是我,凡有眼的都必尋見」:
有何禮物像我?
Come all ye burdened, lowly, and blind,
Come, all who are lost, that is, all mankind,
"To me, who took eyes that I might you find":
Was ever a gift like mine?

除了生命的作者本身
還有誰會從高天降下?
進入我自己譜寫的故事中:
有何禮物像我?
Who else but the Author of life itself
Would to descend from the heavenly shelf?
Into this tale I have written myself:
Was ever a gift like mine?

聖人只在朦朧中夢見過;
所謂愛和真理,哲學
但如今,一切終將在我之中得見:
有何禮物像我?
Of love and logos, of philosophy,
The sages dreamt, though only hazily;
But now, at last, can all be seen in Me:
Was ever a gift like mine?

降爲卑微,
我的屈辱成全了那更加壯麗的轉變
我必高舉最微小的:
有何禮物像我?
Becoming low, my humiliation
Secures a more splendid transformation;
The lowest I'll raise in exaltation:
Was ever a gift like mine?

哦,聽信毒蛇之言的夏娃啊,
挑起罪惡猩紅之線的恥辱啊
將會結束——你的後裔要來擊碎他的頭:
有何禮物像我?
Oh Eve, who heeded what the serpent said,
The shame for commencing sin's crimson thread
Can end—Your seed has come to crush his head:
Was ever a gift like mine?

被天使從伊甸園驅逐的亞當,
如今他們聽命於他的後裔
我,來修正世界的新亞當:
有何禮物像我?
From Eden did the angels Adam send,
But now to his offspring they do commend
Me, the new Adam who will the world mend:
Was ever a gift like mine?

萬民因亞伯拉罕得福,
但如今?完成這福便是我的使命;
我來爲他們披戴義袍:
有何禮物像我?
In Abraham all nations will be bless'd,
But how? Accomplishing it is my quest;
I come to dress them in my righteousness:
Was ever a gift like mine?

古老的樹丕長出真枝條,
萬王所供奉的那王;
而我爲擔罪付上極重的代價:
有何禮物像我?
An ancient stump sends up a royal shoot,
A King to whom all kings will pay tribute;
But greater is the prize that I』ll impute:
Was ever a gift like mine?

預言說,王將誕生於伯利恆。
而我不止作王,還要作他們的糧倉,
捨身餵養他們:
有何禮物像我?
From Bethlehem that King would come, 'twas said.
But I'll be more, their only House of Bread,
And give my body that all may be fed:
Was ever a gift like mine?

不要輕忽我的宗譜;
一切人類大災難
是我爲家族替罪的分:
有何禮物像我?
Do not ignore my genealogies;
Both sagas of human catastrophes
Are my share in our trade of fam'ly trees:
Was ever a gift like mine?

我拿走約瑟先祖的恥辱,
使其過失與我的美名相連,
所有的失敗都因我完全:
有何禮物像我?
For I assume Joseph's ancestral shame,
Attaching its failure to my good name,
So my perfection all failures might claim:
Was ever a gift like mine?

撒迦利亞傳講那將要來的晨光
從至高之神而來,給那黑暗中的靈魂
我的光,使凡人不朽:
有何禮物像我?
Zechariah spoke of coming Sunrise
from God on high, to darkened souls supplies
My light, that mortals I'll immortalize:
Was ever a gift like mine?

在伊利莎白的子宮裡
從那修直我路的呼喊聲中
門徒得以認識那真新郎:
有何禮物像我?
Elizabeth carries within her womb
One to straighten my way, a voice from whom
Disciples will learn of the true Bridegroom:
Was ever a gift like mine?

在寒冷中承載我身的馬槽,
托住宇宙的那一位;
彰顯聖誕的諸多榮耀!
有何禮物像我?
A manger contains my body from cold,
The very one who does the cosmos hold;
The glories of Christmas are manifold!
Was ever a gift like mine?

由童女生下,受生而非受造,
仍然是奇妙奧祕的啓示:
罪人何以稱爲神的家屬:
有何禮物像我?
Begotten not made, yet born of virgin,
Still a stranger myst'ry I illumine:
How sinners are made into God’s kinsmen:
Was ever a gift like mine?

牧羊人先聽到,
我向他們宣佈我的牧羊計劃,
就是爲首的牧羊人成爲羊羔:
有何禮物像我?
The Shepherds hear first, for to them I am
Inaugurating my ovine program,
In which the Chief Shepherd becomes a Lamb:
Was ever a gift like mine?

馬利亞的心是我兒時的至寶,
可嘆,一把劍會將它刺傷;
別怕,我的得勝將醫治它:
有何禮物像我?
Mary's heart is my childhood treasury,
Alas, a sword will bring it injury;
Fear not, I'll heal it in my Victory:
Was ever a gift like mine?

西門找到了那眾人所尋的,
伸開,他的手收到了那無價之寶;
我的恩典從不能賺取只能領受:
有何禮物像我?
Simeon finds that for which many sought,
Open, his hands receive what can』t be bought;
My grace is never earned but only caught:
Was ever a gift like mine?

博士在閃亮之星的帶領下找到我,
尋到高天之子,
比其他寶藏更加在遠處熠熠生輝,無暇無疵:
有何禮物像我?
The Magi seek me via shining star,
Meet a heavenly Son, brighter by far
Than all other treasure, one without par:
Was ever a gift like mine?

希律王在寶座上帶著權柄統治我的王國,
但卻在我的誕生中戰兢;
何必呢,我來是爲將他的罪孽塗抹變白,
有何禮物像我?
Herod from his throne rules my land with might,
But finds in my infancy cause for fright;
Why, since his sins I have come to make white?
Was ever a gift like mine?

父母帶著我逃到埃及,
如同我民以色列,
我將結束他們的漂泊:
有何禮物像我?
My parents to Egypt with me fly,
So as Israel I identify,
That their wanderings I might rectify:
Was ever a gift like mine?

我不止成爲肉身三十年,
我的身體是永恆的,
做那永遠的見證:
有何禮物像我?
Not only thirty years I'll be a man,
My flesh is permanent, so that I can
Be Advocate for an eternal span:
Was ever a gift like mine?

我來憐憫苦難中的人,
拿走他們的痛苦和掙扎;
他們認出我是至高的大祭司:
有何禮物像我?
With sufferers I come to sympathize,
To take their pain and with them agonize;
In me their High Priest they』ll soon recognize:
Was ever a gift like mine?

這難道不是我到來的理由嗎?我向死而生
做多人的贖價,買贖他們的靈魂,
重寫一切悲劇的結局:
有何禮物像我?
Is this not why I』ve come? I』m born to die
As ransom for many, their souls I』ll buy,
That all wretchedness I might beautify:
Was ever a gift like mine?

我爲人的益處而造的生命樹;
人所打造象徵死亡的十字架,
木匠之子,以木換木
有何禮物像我?
The tree of life I made, for man’s good;
The cross of death men made, not knowing I would,
As a carpenter’s son, trade wood for wood:
Was ever a gift like mine?

所以,當天使高唱頌歌,
以馬內利至高的喜樂
人們將永遠高歌:「神與我們同在!」
沒有禮物像我。
So, as angels sang celestial chorus,
Immanuel will be the most joyous
Carol men will ever sing: "God with us!"
Never was a gift like mine.




譯:小芝麻;校:JFX。原文刊載於福音聯盟英文網站:New Christmas Poem: 'The Gift'.

Bryan Hart(布萊恩·哈特)和他的太太金伯利以及四個孩子住在北卡羅來納的莫爾黑德城(Morehead City)。他在一港教會(One Harbor Church)當牧師。


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