作者 布莱恩・哈特 2022.12.25

图片提供／123RF


每个耶稣受难日，我都会重读乔治・赫伯特（George Herbert）的诗〈祭物〉(The Sacrifice)。在赫伯特的叙述中，基督通过63节诗句表达了自己的受难，每一行都充满魅力和神学见解。这是一首史上最伟大故事的精彩重述。

爲了模仿赫伯特描写耶稣受难那样写圣诞的道成肉身，我根据〈祭物〉创作了〈礼物〉。它比〈祭物〉更短，并且也不是什么杰作。但是正像其灵感来源一样，它深植于道成肉身的神学啓示——神与我们同在——和令人心碎的美丽中——神与我们同在。

在赫伯特作品的开头，作者向道成肉身（「是我，凡有眼的都必寻见」）表达了敬意。在我的结尾诗节，我也同样向耶稣的受难表达了敬意。把这两句分开解读是不恰当的。不过〈祭物〉强调的是耶稣对经历悲痛的意愿，〈礼物〉则强调了他的慷慨舍己。我写的虽是一首现代诗，但我希望它是一首能帮助我们爲耶稣诞生的诸多荣耀献上感恩的诗。神与我们同在！

礼物
The Gift

来吧，凡劳苦担重担、卑贱和瞎眼的，
来吧，凡失丧的，就是所有人类，
「是我，凡有眼的都必寻见」：
有何礼物像我？
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
还有谁会从高天降下？
进入我自己谱写的故事中：
有何礼物像我？
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?

圣人只在朦胧中梦见过；
所谓爱和真理，哲学
但如今，一切终将在我之中得见：
有何礼物像我？
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壮丽的转变
我必高举最微小的：
有何礼物像我？
Becoming low, my humiliation
Secures a more splendid transformation;
The lowest I'll raise in exaltation:
Was ever a gift like mine?

哦，听信毒蛇之言的夏娃啊，
挑起罪恶猩红之线的耻辱啊
将会结束——你的后裔要来击碎他的头：
有何礼物像我？
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?

被天使从伊甸园驱逐的亚当，
如今他们听命于他的后裔
我，来修正世界的新亚当：
有何礼物像我？
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?

万民因亚伯拉罕得福，
但如今？完成这福便是我的使命；
我来爲他们披戴义袍：
有何礼物像我？
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?

古老的树丕长出真枝条，
万王所供奉的那王；
而我爲担罪付上极重的代价：
有何礼物像我？
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?

预言说，王将诞生于伯利恒。
而我不止作王，还要作他们的粮仓，
舍身喂养他们：
有何礼物像我？
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?

不要轻忽我的宗谱；
一切人类大灾难
是我爲家族替罪的分：
有何礼物像我？
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?

我拿走约瑟先祖的耻辱，
使其过失与我的美名相连，
所有的失败都因我完全：
有何礼物像我？
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?

撒迦利亚传讲那将要来的晨光
从至高之神而来，给那黑暗中的灵魂
我的光，使凡人不朽：
有何礼物像我？
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?

在伊利莎白的子宫里
从那修直我路的呼喊声中
门徒得以认识那真新郎：
有何礼物像我？
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?

在寒冷中承载我身的马槽，
托住宇宙的那一位；
彰显圣诞的诸多荣耀！
有何礼物像我？
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，
仍然是奇妙奥秘的啓示：
罪人何以称爲神的家属：
有何礼物像我？
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?

牧羊人先听到，
我向他们宣布我的牧羊计划，
就是爲首的牧羊人成爲羊羔：
有何礼物像我？
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?

马利亚的心是我儿时的至宝，
可叹，一把剑会将它刺伤；
别怕，我的得胜将医治它：
有何礼物像我？
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?

西门找到了那众人所寻的，
伸开，他的手收到了那无价之宝；
我的恩典从不能赚取只能领受：
有何礼物像我？
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?

博士在闪亮之星的带领下找到我，
寻到高天之子，
比其他宝藏更加在远处熠熠生辉，无暇无疵：
有何礼物像我？
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?

希律王在宝座上带着权柄统治我的王国，
但却在我的诞生中战兢；
何必呢，我来是爲将他的罪孽涂抹变白，
有何礼物像我?
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?

父母带着我逃到埃及，
如同我民以色列，
我将结束他们的漂泊：
有何礼物像我？
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，
我的身体是永恒的，
做那永远的见证：
有何礼物像我？
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?

我来怜悯苦难中的人，
拿走他们的痛苦和挣扎；
他们认出我是至高的大祭司：
有何礼物像我？
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?

这难道不是我到来的理由吗？我向死而生
做多人的赎价，买赎他们的灵魂，
重写一切悲剧的结局：
有何礼物像我？
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?

我爲人的益处而造的生命树；
人所打造象徵死亡的十字架，
木匠之子，以木换木
有何礼物像我？
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，当天使高唱颂歌，
以马内利至高的喜乐
人们将永远高歌：「神与我们同在！」
没有礼物像我。
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.

---

译：小芝麻；校：JFX。原文刊载于福音联盟英文网站：New Christmas Poem: 'The Gift'.

Bryan Hart（布莱恩・哈特）和他的太太金伯利以及四个孩子住在北卡罗来纳的莫尔黑德城（Morehead City）。他在一港教会（One Harbor Church）当牧师。

【延伸阅读】:
〈普世欢腾〉不是在欢唱圣诞——Isaac Watts与他的〈大衞诗章〉
一切都指向十架
圣诞节为那些最讨厌它的人而来