← All books · Greek Fathers › Commentary on Isaiah
Chrysostom
Commentary on Isaiah 4
Greek original · 49 verses · some words can be tapped for a gloss
4:1
Δʹ. Καὶ ἐπιλήψονται ἑπτὰ γυναῖκες ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἀνθρώπου ἑνὸς λέγουσαι·
Chapter 4. And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying:
第四章。在那日，七個女人必拉住一個男人，說：
4:2
τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν φαγόμεθα καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια ἡμῶν περιβαλούμεθα·
We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothing;
我們必吃自己的食物，穿自己的衣服；
4:3
πλὴν τὸ ὄνομά σου κεκλήσθω ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, ἄφελε τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν ἡμῶν
only let your name be called upon us; take away our reproach.
只求你許我們歸你名下，除掉我們的羞辱。
4:4
Τὴν ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου συμβᾶσαν ὀλιγανθρωπίαν ἐμφῆναι βούλεται καὶ πῶς εἰς ἐλάχιστον περιέστη ὁ δῆμος
He wishes to indicate the scarcity of men that resulted from the war, and how the population was reduced to the very least.
先知要顯明那因戰爭而造成的男丁稀少，以及百姓如何減少到極其微少。
4:5
Οὐδὲ γὰρ προστασίας ἔφησαν δεῖσθαι τῆς ταῖς γυναιξὶ προσηκούσης ὑπὸ ἀνδρῶν παρέχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ ἀτελῆ τῆς λειτουργίας αὐτὸν ἀφεῖναι ταύτης καὶ στέργειν καὶ ἀγαπᾶν, εἰ ἁπλῶς γοῦν καὶ ὡς ἔτυχε τοῦ τῆς χηρείας ἀπαλλάγειεν ὀνόματος
For they said that they did not even ask for the protection which is due to be provided to women by men, but that he should release them from this obligation and be content and satisfied, if only in any way at all they might be freed from the name of widowhood.
因為她們說，她們甚至不求那男子按理當為婦女所提供的照顧與保護，只求他免去她們這一項義務，並樂意知足，只要她們無論如何得以擺脫寡婦這名稱就好。
4:6
Ἄφελε τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν ἡμῶν·
Take away our reproach;
除掉我們的羞辱；
4:7
ἐπειδὴ τὸ παλαιὸν ὄνειδος εἶναι τοῦτο ἐδόκει
since in ancient times this was reckoned to be a reproach.
因為在古時，這被看作是一種羞辱。
4:8
Τῇ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐπιλάμψει ὁ Θεὸς ἐν βουλῇ μετὰ δόξης ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τοῦ ὑψῶσαι καὶ τοῦ δοξάσαι τὸ καταλειφθὲν τοῦ Ἰσραήλ
But in that day God shall shine forth in counsel with glory upon the earth, to exalt and to glorify the remnant of Israel.
但在那日，神必在地上帶著榮耀，在祂的籌算中發出光輝，為要高舉並榮耀以色列所剩下的餘民。
4:9
Ἐπειδὴ σφόδρα κατέσεισε τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν τῇ τῶν λυπηρῶν ἀπειλῇ, καὶ τὴν συμφορὰν ἐναργῶς ἐτραγῴδησε καὶ μακρὸν ἀπέτεινε λόγον τὰ φοβερὰ διηγούμενος, μεταβάλλει λοιπὸν ἐπὶ τὰ χρηστότερα
Since he greatly shook their minds by the threat of the grievous things, and vividly dramatized the calamity, and drew out a long discourse recounting the fearful things, he now changes over to the more comforting matters.
先知既藉那可怕之事的警嚇大大震動了他們的心思，又生動地把那災禍演述如悲劇，並鋪陳長篇言論細述那些可畏之事，如今便轉向那較為安慰的事。
4:10
Τοῦτο γὰρ ἰατρείας ἀρίστης τρόπος, μὴ τέμνειν μηδὲ καίειν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἐκεῖθεν γινομένας ὀδύνας προσηνέσι παραμυθεῖσθαι φαρμάκοις·
For this is the manner of the best healing—not merely to cut and to cauterize, but also to soothe the pains that arise therefrom with gentle remedies;
因為這乃是最上乘醫治的方法——不單是割開與烙燒，也要以溫和的藥物撫慰由此而生的疼痛；
4:11
Οὐ γὰρ δὴ εἰς τὰ σκυθρωπὰ καταλύσειν ἔφησε τὸ πᾶν, ἀλλὰ τῶν πονηρῶν ἐκ μέσου ληφθέντων διαδέχεσθαι τὰ χρηστότερα·
For he did not say that the whole would end in gloom, but that, the wicked being taken out of the midst, the more prosperous things would succeed;
因為先知並沒有說這一切都要以愁苦告終，乃是說，惡人既被從中除去，那較為興盛的事就要接續而來；
4:12
καὶ οὐκ ἀπαλλαγὴν ἔσεσθαι μόνον τῶν ἀηδῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλὴν τὴν περιφάνειαν καὶ μεγάλην τὴν λαμπρότητα
and that there would be not only a deliverance from the unpleasant things, but also great renown and mighty splendour.
並且不但要脫離那些不愉快的事，還要有極大的顯赫與宏大的光輝。
4:13
Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐπίλαμψιν Θεοῦ καλεῖ, τὸ σκότος τῆς ἀθυμίας λύουσαν καὶ φαιδρὰν ποιοῦσαν ἡμέραν καὶ περιφανεῖς καθιστῶσαν
For he calls this the shining forth of God: the light that dissolves the darkness of despondency, makes the day radiant, and renders men illustrious.
因為他稱這為神的照耀：它驅散了灰心喪志的黑暗，使白晝光明燦爛，也使人顯赫尊榮。
4:14
Ἐν βουλῇ, ὅτι συνετῶς, φησί, πάντα ἐργάσεται καὶ μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης αὐτῷ σοφίας
'With counsel,' he says, that is, he will accomplish all things wisely and with the wisdom that befits him.
「憑著謀略」，他說，就是說，神必以智慧成就萬事，並且是以那與祂相稱的智慧行事。
4:15
Καὶ ἔσται τὸ καταλειφθὲν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἐν Σιὼν καὶ τὸ καταλειφθὲν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἅγιοι κληθήσονται πάντες οἱ γραφέντες εἰς ζωὴν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ
'And it shall come to pass that the remnant of Israel in Zion and the remnant in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even all who are written unto life in Jerusalem.'
「必有這樣的事：以色列在錫安所剩下的，和在耶路撒冷所剩下的，凡記名存活在耶路撒冷的，都要稱為聖。」
4:16
Ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι οὐ συντυχίας τινὸς ἡ σωτηρία γέγονε τῶν διαφυγόντων τὸν κίνδυνον, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς ἄνωθεν ψήφου τειχισθέντες καὶ ἐν μέσοις τοῖς δεινοῖς ὄντες οὐχ ἑάλωσαν, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν·
That you may learn that the salvation of those who escaped the danger did not come about by some chance, but that, being fortified by the decree from on high and set in the midst of terrors, they were not taken captive—therefore he says:
為要叫你知道，那些逃脫危險之人的得救，並非出於某種偶然，乃是因他們得了從上頭而來之定旨的保障，雖處於重重危難之中，卻未被擄掠。因此他說：
4:17
Ἅγιοι κληθήσονται πάντες οἱ γραφέντες εἰς ζωὴν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ
'All who are written unto life in Jerusalem shall be called holy.'
「凡記名存活在耶路撒冷的，都要稱為聖。」
4:18
Οἱ ἀφορισθέντες, φησίν, οἱ δοκιμασθέντες, οἱ τυπωθέντες, μηδὲν παθεῖν δεινόν
'Those who were set apart,' he says, 'those who were tested, those who were marked out, to suffer nothing terrible.'
他說：「就是那些被分別出來的，那些被試驗過的，那些被標記的，使他們不遭受任何可怕之事。」
4:19
Εἰκότως δὲ αὐτοὺς ἁγίους καλεῖ δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς ὁ ἀφορισμὸς αὐτοὺς ἀπήλλαξεν, οὐδὲ ἁπλῶς ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ ψῆφος·
And fittingly he calls them holy, showing that it was not simply the setting-apart that delivered them, nor simply the decree of God;
他稱他們為聖，乃是恰當的，藉此表明並非單單那分別使他們得了拯救，也非單單神的定旨；
4:20
ἀλλά τι καὶ ἡ τῶν τρόπων εἰσήνεγκεν ἀρετή, ἥ τε προτέρα, ἥ τε μετὰ ταῦτα
but the virtue of their character too contributed something—both that which came before and that which came after.
乃是他們品行上的美德也有所貢獻——無論是先前的，還是此後的。
4:21
Εἰ γὰρ καὶ χρηστοί τινες ἦσαν καὶ ἐπιεικεῖς, ἀλλ' ὅμως ὑπὸ τῶν συμβάντων βελτίους ἐγένοντο καὶ ἀκριβέστεροι
For even if some of them were already good and equitable, nevertheless through what befell them they became better and more exact.
因為即使他們中間有些人本已良善、公正，然而藉著所臨到他們的遭遇，他們卻變得更加美好、更加嚴謹。
4:22
Καθάπερ γὰρ τὸ χρυσίον τῷ πυρὶ παραδιδόμενον πᾶσαν ἀποτίθεται κηλῖδα, οὕτω καὶ οἱ σπουδαῖοι σπουδαιότεροι καθίστανται ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς, πᾶσαν ἀπονιπτόμενοι ῥᾳθυμίαν
For just as gold, when committed to the fire, lays aside every stain, so too the zealous become more zealous amid trials, washing off all sloth.
因為正如金子交在火中就除去一切渣滓，照樣，那些殷勤的人在試煉中也變得更加殷勤，洗去了一切怠惰。
4:23
Ὅτι ἐκπλυνεῖ Κύριος τὸν ῥύπον τῶν υἱῶν καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων Σιὼν καὶ τὸ αἷμα Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐκκαθαριεῖ ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν πνεύματι κρίσεως καὶ πνεύματι καύσεως
'Because the Lord will wash away the filth of the sons and daughters of Zion, and will purge out the blood of Jerusalem from their midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning.'
因為主必用審判的靈與焚燒的靈，洗去錫安眾子與眾女的污穢，又從耶路撒冷中間除淨其中的血。
4:24
Διπλοῦν ἐνταῦθά μοι δοκεῖ λέγειν καθαρμὸν καὶ τὸ δοῦναι δίκην ὧν ἥμαρτον καὶ τὸ σπουδαιοτέρους γενέσθαι πρὸς τὸ μέλλον ἐντεῦθεν
Here he seems to me to speak of a twofold cleansing: both the paying of the penalty for the sins they committed, and their becoming more diligent henceforth for the future.
在此他似乎向我述說一種雙重的潔淨：既是為他們所犯的罪付上刑罰，也是使他們從此對將來更加殷勤謹慎。
4:25
Αἷμα δὲ Ἱερουσαλὴμ τοὺς φόνους λέγει τὰς σφαγὰς τὰς ἀδίκους
By 'the blood of Jerusalem' he means the murders, the unjust slaughters.
他所說「耶路撒冷的血」，指的是那些兇殺，那些不義的殺戮。
4:26
Εἶτα αὔξων τὸ ἔγκλημά φησιν, Ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν
Then, heightening the accusation, he says, 'from their midst.'
接著，他加重了控訴，說：「從他們中間。」
4:27
Οὐδὲ γὰρ λανθάνοντες καὶ κρυπτόμενοι τὰς ἀνδροφονίας ἐτόλμων, ἀλλὰ τῶν λῃστῶν καὶ τῶν τὰς λεωφόρους ἐφεδρευόντων χεῖρον
For they did not dare their murders in secret or in hiding, but worse than robbers and those who lie in wait along the highways.
因為他們行兇殺並非暗中隱藏而行，反倒比那些強盜、比那些埋伏在大路上的人更甚。
4:28
Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ καὶ τῷ σκότῳ κρυπτόμενοι καὶ ταῖς ἐρημίαις τολμῶσι τὰ εἰωθότα·
For those men dare their customary deeds hidden by darkness and in desert places;
因為那些強盜是藉著黑暗掩護、在曠野僻靜之處，才敢做他們慣常之事；
4:29
οὗτοι δὲ ἐν μέσαις ταῖς ἀγοραῖς, ἐν μέσῃ τῇ πόλει, ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς δικαστηρίοις τὰ ἐκείνων παρηνόμουν
but these men committed the very same lawless deeds in the midst of the marketplaces, in the midst of the city, in the very courts of justice.
但這些人卻在市場當中、在城中央、甚至在審判的公堂裡，行那些同樣不法的事。
4:30
Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν, φησί, γενομένην κηλῖδα ἐπελθὼν ὁ πόλεμος ἀναλώσει
'But even the stain arising from that source,' he says, 'the war that comes upon them shall consume.'
他說：「然而，那由此而生的污穢，臨到的戰爭必要將它燒盡。」
4:31
Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῶν χρηστῶν ὑπὲρ τῶν προτέρων ἀπολογεῖται λυπηρῶν, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὰ ἐκεῖνα τὰ συμβάντα διὰ τοῦτο συνέβη, ἵνα ἐκπλυθῶσιν, ἵνα καθαρθῶσιν, ἵνα πυρωθῶσιν, ἵνα πᾶσαν ἀποθῶνται κηλῖδα, ἵνα τὸ ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ τῶν σφαγῶν ἀπονίψωνται ὄνειδος
For indeed, even in the season of good things he offers a defense concerning the former sufferings, showing that those very calamities befell them for this reason: that they might be washed, that they might be cleansed, that they might be tried by fire, that they might lay aside every stain, that they might wash off the reproach arising from their sins and slaughters.
因為即便在美好之時，他也為先前那些憂患辯明，表明那些遭遇之所以臨到，正是為此緣故：使他們得以被洗淨，得以被潔淨，得以被火煉，得以除去一切污穢，得以洗去那從他們的罪孽與殺戮而來的羞辱。
4:32
Πνεύματι κρίσεως καὶ πνεύματι καύσεως; Τῇ μεταφορᾷ τῶν χωνευομένων ὑλῶν ἐπέμεινεν
'By the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning'? He continued in the metaphor of substances being smelted.
「用審判的靈與焚燒的靈」麼？他仍延續著金屬被熔煉之物的比喻。
4:33
Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα εἰς τὸ χωνευτήριον ἐμπῖπτον καὶ τὴν φλόγα ἀναρριπίζον καὶ θερμοτέρους ποιοῦν τοὺς ἄνθρακας ἅπαντα δαπανᾷ τὸν ῥύπον·
For just as there the blast, falling into the furnace and fanning the flame and making the coals hotter, consumes all the dross;
因為正如在那裡，那股氣息吹入熔爐，煽旺火焰，使炭火更加熾熱，便燒盡一切渣滓；
4:34
οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἡ θεήλατος ὀργὴ καὶ ἡ τῶν πολεμίων ἔφοδος ἐμπεσοῦσα, ἀντὶ πυρὸς τῇ πόλει γέγονε, πυρὸς οὐκ ἀπολλύντος, ἀλλὰ καίοντος καὶ καθαίροντος, κολάζοντος καὶ διορθουμένου
so also here the God-sent wrath and the assault of the enemies, falling upon the city, became to it in place of fire—not a fire that destroys, but one that burns and purges, that chastises and sets right.
照樣，在此那神所差來的忿怒與仇敵的攻擊，臨到這城，就成了火一般——不是毀滅的火，乃是焚燒潔淨、責罰匡正的火。
4:35
Πνεύματι κρίσεως, τουτέστι, κολάσεως, τιμωρίας, ἐκδικήσεως
'By the spirit of judgment'—that is, of chastisement, of punishment, of vengeance.
「用審判的靈」——就是說，責罰的、刑罰的、伸冤報應的靈。
4:36
Παρουσίαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνέργειαν καλεῖ
By his 'presence' he means his operation.
他所說神的「臨在」，指的是神的運行作為。
4:37
Καὶ ἔσται πᾶς τόπος τοῦ ὄρους Σιὼν
'And it shall be that every place of Mount Zion'—
「必有這樣的事：錫安山的各處」——
4:38
καὶ πάντα τὰ περικύκλῳ αὐτῆς σκιάσει νεφέλη ἡμέρας καὶ ὡς καπνοῦ καὶ ὡς φωτὸς πυρὸς καιομένου νυκτός, πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ σκεπασθήσεται
'and all that is round about her a cloud shall overshadow by day, and as of smoke and as of the light of burning fire by night; with all the glory shall she be covered.'
「並其四圍，白日必有雲彩遮蔽，夜間必有煙氣、有火焰之光；因為在全榮耀之上，必有遮蓋。」
4:39
Καὶ ἔσται εἰς σκιὰν ἡμέρας ἀπὸ καύματος, καὶ ἐν σκέπῃ καὶ ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ ἀπὸ σκληρότητος καὶ ὑετοῦ
'And it shall be for a shade by day from the heat, and for a shelter and a covert from harshness and from rain.'
「這必成為白日避暑的陰涼，也作躲避狂暴與暴雨的遮蔽和隱密之處。」
4:40
Νεφέλην ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἐκ τῶν κακῶν ἐγγινομένην παραψυχήν φησι·
By the 'cloud' here he means the comfort that arises out of one's ills;
他在此所說的「雲彩」，指的是那從患難中生出的慰藉；
4:41
πυρὰν δὲ τὴν μετὰ τῆς παραμυθίας περιφάνειαν προσγινομένην
and by the 'fire,' the illustrious splendor that accompanies the consolation.
而所說的「火」，指的是那隨著安慰而來的顯赫榮光。
4:42
Ὅπερ γάρ ἐστιν ἐν καύματι νεφέλη, τοῦτο ἐν σκότῳ καὶ νυκτὶ βαθυτάτῃ πυρὰ λαμπρῶς ἀναπτομένη
For what a cloud is in the heat, that a fire brightly kindled is in darkness and in deepest night.
因為雲彩在炎熱中是甚麼，明亮燃燒的火在黑暗與深夜中就是甚麼。
4:43
Ἡ μὲν γὰρ τὸν αὐχμὸν ἀποκρούεται, ἡ δὲ διαλύει τὸν ζόφον
For the one wards off the drought, while the other dispels the gloom.
因為前者抵擋乾旱酷熱，後者則驅散幽暗。
4:44
Τὴν μὲν οὖν περιφάνειαν τῇ λαμπρότητι τῆς πυρᾶς, τὴν δὲ ἄνεσιν τῇ σκιᾷ τῆς νεφέλης παρέβαλεν
He therefore compared the splendor to the brightness of the fire, and the relief to the shade of the cloud.
因此他將那顯赫榮光比作火的光輝，將那舒緩安息比作雲彩的陰涼。
4:45
Εἶτα δεικνὺς ὡς οὐ κατὰ μικρὸν τῶν δεινῶν λυομένων ταῦτα ἔσται, ἀλλὰ ἀθρόον ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ τῶν λυπηρῶν ἀκμῇ ἡ μεταβολὴ γενήσεται, ἵνα καὶ ἐντεῦθεν μάθωσιν, ὅτι οὐχὶ ἐκ περιφορᾶς τινος καὶ συντυχίας ἡ πρὸς τὸ βέλτιον γέγονε μετάστασις, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς ἄνωθεν δυνάμεως τὸ πᾶν κατώρθωται·
Then, showing that these things would come to pass not by a gradual loosening of the terrors, but that the change would take place all at once, at the very height of the sorrows—so that from this too they might learn that the turning toward the better did not come about by some cycle or chance, but that the whole was accomplished by the power from on high—
接著，他表明這些事的成就並非藉著災禍逐漸緩解，乃是那轉變要在憂患的頂峰之際頓然發生——為使他們也由此得知，那向著更美的遷移並非出於某種循環或偶然，乃是全然藉著從上頭而來的能力所成就的——
4:46
Ὡς πυρὸς καιομένου νυκτός, φησίν, οὕτως ἡ μεταβολὴ γενήσεται·
'As of a fire burning by night,' he says, 'so shall the change come to pass.'
他說：「如同夜間燃燒的火，這轉變也必照樣發生。」
4:47
Καὶ ἔσται εἰς σκιὰν ἡμέρας
'And it shall be for a shade by day.'
「這必成為白日的陰涼。」
4:48
Τίς ἔσται; Ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ βοήθεια, φησί, καὶ ἡ συμμαχία, ὥσπερ σκιὰ ἐν καύματι καὶ ὥσπερ ὄροφος ἢ κατάδυσίς τις σπηλαίου, ὄμβρου καταρρηγνυμένου σφοδροῦ, ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ τὸν ἐκεῖ καταφυγόντα διατηροῦσα·
What shall it be? The help of God, he says, and his alliance—like a shade in the heat, and like a roof or the recess of some cave, when a violent downpour breaks forth, keeping in safety the one who has taken refuge there;
這要成為甚麼呢？他說，就是神的幫助與神的援助——如同炎熱中的陰涼，又如屋頂或洞穴的深處，當猛烈的暴雨傾瀉而下時，仍保守那逃到其中的人平安穩妥；
4:49
οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ συμμαχία οὐκ ἀφήσει δεινὸν οὐδὲν παθεῖν, καὶ τοσούτου καταρρηγνυμένου πολέμου, οὓς ἂν ἕληται ἐξ ἀρχῆς διασῶσαι
so indeed also the alliance of God will not permit them to suffer any harm—even amid so great a war breaking forth—whomsoever he has chosen from the beginning to preserve.
照樣，神的援助也必不容他們受任何損害——即或有如此大的戰爭爆發——凡祂從起初所揀選要保全的人，都必得保全。