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聖維克托的雨果
文集 第 5 章 第 2/2 段
拉丁文原文．4 節．部分字詞可點開查義．本章太長已分段，此段為 5:39–5:42（全章共 42 節）
5:39
qui in opere strenuus est, orat ne deficiat; qui precibus insistit, ne orando offendat, meditatur quid orandum sit; et qui aliquando in proprio consilio minus confidit, lectionem consulit. et sic evenit, ut, cum ascendere semper nobis sit voluntas, descendere tamen aliquando nos cogat necessitas, ita tamen ut in voluntate non necessitate propositum nostrum consistat. quod ascendimus propositum est, quod descendimus propter propositum. non hoc ergo, sed illud principale esse debet. [798B] De tribus generibus lectorum. Satis, ut puto, aperte demonstratum est provectis, et aliquid amplius de se promittentibus, non idem esse propositum cum incipientibus.
在工作上奮勉的人，禱告求自己不至失敗；專心禱告的人，為免在禱告中冒犯，便默想當禱告什麼；而那有時對自己的商議較少把握的人，便求教於誦讀。如此就有這情形：雖然上升常是我們的意願，然而需要有時逼我們下降——卻是以這樣的方式：使我們的目標立於意願，而非立於需要。我們上升，乃是出於目標；我們下降，乃是為了目標。所以，要緊的不該是後者，乃是前者。論三類讀者。我想，已經夠清楚地向那進深的人、並向那對自己應許更多的人指明了：他們與初學者並沒有同樣的目標。
he who is vigorous in work prays that he may not fail; he who is intent upon prayers, lest in praying he offend, meditates on what is to be prayed; and he who at some time has less confidence in his own counsel consults reading. And so it comes to pass that, although it is always our will to ascend, yet necessity sometimes compels us to descend — yet in such a way that our purpose stands in will, not in necessity. That we ascend is purpose; that we descend is for the sake of the purpose. Not this, therefore, but that ought to be the principal thing. Concerning the three kinds of readers. It has been demonstrated clearly enough, I think, to the advanced, and to those who promise something more of themselves, that they do not have the same purpose as beginners.
5:40
sed sicut illis aliquid licite conceditur quod isti sine culpa minime agere possunt, ita etiam ab istis aliquid requiri quo illi nondum obligati sunt. nunc igitur ad promissa solvenda redeo, ut videlicet ostendam qualiter eis divina scriptura legenda sit, qui adhuc in ea solam quaerunt scientiam. sunt nonnulli qui divinae scripturae scientiam appetunt ut vel divitias congregent, vel honores obtineant, vel famam acquirant, quorum intentio quantum perversa, tantum est miseranda. [798C] sunt rursus alii, quos audire verba Dei et opera eius discere delectat, non quia salutifera, sed quia mirabilia sunt. scrutari arcana et inaudita cognoscere volunt, multa scire et nil facere.
但正如有些事合法地許可給前者、卻是後者不能無過而行的，照樣也有些事是向後者要求的、卻是前者尚未受其約束的。如今我便回到要實踐我的應許，就是要指明那些至今在聖經中只尋求知識的人當如何讀經。有些人渴望聖經的知識，是為了積聚財富、或取得尊榮、或獲得名聲；他們的存心既邪僻，又可憐。又有些人喜歡聽神的話、學習神的作為，不是因它們是有益於救恩的，乃是因它們是希奇的。他們想要窺探隱祕、認識未曾聽聞之事，想要知道許多、卻一無所行。
But just as something is lawfully granted to the former which these latter cannot do without fault, so also something is required of these latter to which those are not yet bound. Now therefore I return to fulfilling my promises, namely to show how sacred Scripture is to be read by those who as yet seek in it knowledge alone. There are some who desire knowledge of sacred Scripture in order either to amass riches, or to obtain honours, or to acquire fame — whose intention is as perverse as it is pitiable. There are again others who delight to hear the words of God and to learn His works, not because they are salutary, but because they are marvellous. They wish to scrutinize secrets and to know things unheard of, to know much and to do nothing.
5:41
in vanum mirantur potentiam qui non amant misericordiam. hos ergo quid aliud agere dicam, quam praeconia divina in fabulas commutare? sic theatralibus ludis, sic scenicis carminibus, intendere solemus, ut scilicet auditum pascamus, non animum, huiusmodi tamen non tam confundi quam adiuvari oportere censeo, quorum voluntas non utique maligna est, sed improvida.
那些不愛憐憫的人，他們驚奇於大能也是徒然。那麼，我還能說這些人在做什麼，豈不是把神聖的宣告變成了虛構的故事麼？我們慣常如此地觀看戲台的演出、如此地聽戲場的歌曲，為要餵養耳朵，而非心思。然而我認為，這樣的人與其叫他們困窘，不如幫助他們；他們的意願實在並非惡毒，乃是欠缺遠慮。
In vain do they marvel at power who do not love mercy. What else, then, shall I say that these do, than that they change divine proclamations into fables? Thus we are wont to attend to theatrical plays, thus to the songs of the stage, that we may feed the ear, not the mind. Yet I judge that such men ought not so much to be confounded as to be helped, whose will is not indeed malicious, but improvident.
5:42
alii vero idcirco sacram scripturam legunt ut, secundum apostoli praeceptum, parati sint omni poscenti reddere rationem de ea fide in qua positi sunt, ut videlicet inimicos veritatis fortiter destruant, [798D] minus eruditos doceant, ipsi perfectius viam veritatis agnoscant, et altius Dei secreta intelligentes artius ament, quorum nimirum devotio laudanda est et imitatione digna. tria igitur sunt genera hominum sacram scripturam legentium, quorum primi quidem miserandi sunt, secundi iuvandi, tertii laudandi. nos vero, quia omnibus consulere intendimus, quod bonum est in omnibus augeri cupimus, et quod perversum, commutari. omnes intelligere volumus quod dicimus, omnes facere quod hortamur.
但另有些人誦讀聖經，是為這緣故：照使徒的訓誡，要常作準備，可以回答各人，為他們所立足的信仰交賬；就是要剛強地擊倒真理的仇敵，教導學識較淺的人，自己更完全地認識真理的道路，並更深領會神的奧祕、便更緊密地愛慕它們。他們的虔誠無疑當受稱讚、也值得效法。所以，誦讀聖經的人有三類：第一類實在當受憐憫，第二類當受幫助，第三類當受稱讚。但我們既意在為眾人籌劃，便渴望在眾人中所是善的得以增長、所是邪僻的得以改變。我們願眾人都明白我們所說的，都實行我們所勸勉的。
But others read sacred Scripture for this reason: that, according to the apostle's precept, they may be ready to render to everyone who asks a reason for the faith in which they are placed; namely, that they may strongly overthrow the enemies of truth, may teach the less learned, may themselves more perfectly recognize the way of truth, and, understanding the secrets of God more deeply, may love them more closely. Their devotion, assuredly, is to be praised and worthy of imitation. There are, therefore, three kinds of men who read sacred Scripture, of whom the first indeed are to be pitied, the second to be helped, the third to be praised. But we, since we intend to take counsel for all, desire that what is good be increased in all, and what is perverse be changed. We wish all to understand what we say, all to do what we exhort.