基督徒

《愛的四百句箴言》
St. Maximus the confessor著

《400 sayings about love》
by St. Maximus the confessor
SECOND 100 about love

51、當你察覺你的心從物質上取樂，而且念念不忘，那你就要知道，你愛這些事超過了上帝，主耶穌說：「你的財寶在那裡，你的 心也必在那裡。」
51. When you see your mind dallying with pleasure over material things and taking fond delight in thinking of them, know that you love these things rather than God. "For where your treasure is," says the Lord, "there will your heart be also."

52、一個觸及上帝的心靈，又在祈禱 和愛中與上帝同在，就會變得有智慧、善良、充滿力量、慈悲、仁慈、寬容。簡而言之，它幾乎擁有所有神聖的屬性。 然而，一旦人鄙棄這樣的心靈，重拾對物質的喜愛，心靈就會變得愛好享樂，就像家畜一般，心靈也可能變得像野獸一般，在物質的事情上與人爭戰。
52. The mind which attains God and abides with him through prayer and love becomes wise, good, powerful, benevolent, merciful, and forbearing ; in short, it carries around almost all the divine qualities in itself. But when it withdraws from him and goes over to material things it becomes pleasure-loving like cattle or fights with men like a wild beast over these things.

53、聖經稱「物質界」為世界，而「世間人」指的就是那些將心安住在物質界的人。對此，聖經嚴重的警告：「別 愛世界，或世界上的事物了。肉體的私 欲，眼目的私欲，和人生的矜誇，都不是出於父，而是出於世界。」
53. Scripture calls material things the world, and worldly people are those who let their mind dwell on them. Against these is the very sharp reproof: "Do not love the world nor the things in the world; the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life are not from God but from the world."

54、一個修行人就是將自己的心從物質事物中分離出來的人，這樣的人藉著自 制、愛、吟唱聖詩以及祈禱，將自己獻給上帝。
54. A monk is one who separates his mind from material things and who devotes himself to God by self-mastery, love, psalmody, and prayer.

55、一個靈敏的人就好像一位牧牛人，而道德的行動就是他所牧養的牛，就好像雅各伯說：「你 僕人是牧牛的人」。然而，靈智是一位牧羊人，因為，那些 在山上靜觀、被心智看管著的思想，就是他牧養的羊。所以，「凡牧羊的都是埃及人所厭惡的。」也就是說，是最強大的敵人所厭惡的。
55. The active man is allegorically a cattle herder, for moral actions are signified by cattle, as when Jacob said, "Your servants are herders of cattle." But the gnostic is the shepherd, for the thoughts which are tended by the mind on the mountains of contemplation are signified by sheep, as again, "All shepherds are an abomination to the Egyptians," ; that is, to the powerful enemies.

56、一旦身體受到欲望與感官享樂所牽動，懈怠的心也會隨之而來， 並且跟隨欲樂的想像和驅動起伏。反之，貞潔的心就會嚴密地管控自己，使自己遠離情 欲的想像和驅動，並且集中精神，改善這種不良的情緒。
56. Once the body is moved by the senses to its own lusts and pleasures, the careless mind follows along and assents to its imaginings and impulses. The virtuous mind, in contrast, is in firm control and holds itself back from the passionate imaginings and impulses and instead concentrates on improving its emotions of this type.

57、有身體上的美德，也 有靈魂上的美德。其中，身體上的美德有：禁食、在特定的日子守夜、席地而睡、服務他人、做好該做的勞動以免成為他人的負 擔、分享事物…等。而靈魂上的美德有：愛、堅忍、柔和、自制、祈禱…等。有時，由於某些特殊狀況，例如：生病…等，我們無法完成屬於身體的美德，此時上帝 會諒解我們，因為祂知道其中的原因。然而，如果我們無法完成靈魂上的美德，就沒有理由抗辯，因為靈魂上的美德並不受限於任何特殊狀況。
57. There are virtues of the body and virtues of the soul. Bodily virtues are, for example, fasting, vigils, sleeping on the ground, service to others, manual labor done so as not to burden anyone or to have something to share, and so forth. The virtues of the soul are love, forbearance, meekness, self-mastery, prayer, and so forth. Now if from some necessity or bodily condition such as ill health or the like it happens that we are unable to accomplish the preceding bodily virtues, we are excused by the Lord, who understands the reasons. But if we do not accomplish the virtues of the soul we shall have no defense, for they are not subject to any necessity.

58、上帝的愛促使每一位擁有這愛的人，鄙視所有稍縱即 逝的享樂，和一切悲傷與麻煩。所有在喜悅中安忍各種苦難的聖徒，都會使你相信這一點。
58. The love of God induces the one who possesses it to despise every passing pleasure and every trouble and sorrow. All the saints, who have suffered so much with joy for Christ, should convince you of this.

59、讓我們遠離自私的愛吧，它是一切墮落的母親， 是一種不合理的愛，來自於肉體。因為這種愛，很容易激起最根本的三種情欲：貪吃、貪婪、虛誇。從 外面看來，這些想法都來自於不可缺少的生理需求，而一切的惡，也都來出於此。因此，如同上文所說的，我們一定要以堅毅的決心，來斷除自私的愛，與自私的愛 戰鬥。只要自私的愛被克服之後，一切因之而起的惡也會被克服。
59. Keep yourself away from self-love, the mother of vices, which is the irrational love of the body. For from it surely arise the first three passionate and capital thoughts, gluttony, greed, and vainglory, which have their starting point in the seemingly necessary demands of the body and from which the whole catalogue of vices comes about. Therefore, as was said, one must necessarily keep away from and do battle with this self-love with full determination, for when this is overcome then are all its offspring likewise brought into line.

60、對於出家修士來說，自私的愛，會讓他們認為自己應該善待身體，進而縱情享 受各種食物，越過常軌。這種合理化的藉口，常常引導他們，一步一步陷 入肉體欲望的陷井當中。對於世間人來說，自私的愛則會驅使他們貪婪地要求各種生活用品。
60. The passion of self-love suggests to the monk that he should be kind to the body and to indulge in food more than is appropriate. Thus under the pretense of proper guidance it means to drag him little by little to fall into the pit of voluptuousness. To the worldly person it proposes that he make provision for himself right away in the matter of lust.

61、據說最高境界 的祈禱，是完全超越肉體與塵世，此時的祈禱，完全不具任何的素材和形式。一個人若能夠保持這種狀態而毫不費力，就真的是「不斷地 祈禱」。
61. It is said that the supreme state of prayer is when the mind passes outside the flesh and the world and while praying is completely without matter and form. The one who preserves this state without compromise really "prays without ceasing."

62、我們應該要像身體已經死掉了一般，與世上所有客觀事實脫離，也要 像心已經死掉了一樣，在最高的祈禱中，與塵世的所有想法脫離。因為，如果身心 不死去的話，就不可能住在上帝那裡。
62. Just as the body which is dying is separated from all the realities of the world, so is the mind which dies on the heights of prayer separated from the thoughts of the world. For if it does not die such a death it cannot be and live where God is.

63、出家修士們，不要讓任何人欺騙了你，認為自己可以在喜樂與自負 的儀式中得救。
63. Let no one deceive you, monk, into thinking that you can be saved while in the service of pleasure and vainglory.

64、就好像身體 可以透過事物來犯罪，也可以透過修行來修養美德，回歸最原本的狀態。同樣的，心靈可以藉由情欲的思想來犯罪，也可以透過修行來修養 靈魂的美德，以純淨及超然的心來看待事物，回歸最原本的狀態。
64. Just as the body which sins through things and has as discipline the bodily virtues to bring it back to its senses, so in its turn does the mind which sins through passionate thoughts likewise have as discipline the virtues of the soul, in order that looking at things in a pure and detached way it might return to its senses.

65、就像夜晚緊接著白晝，冬天緊臨著夏天；不論是現在或未來，悲傷與痛苦也緊臨著自誇與喜樂。
65. Just as night follows day and winter follows summer, so do sorrow and pain follow vainglory and pleasure whether in the present or in the future.

66、一個犯了罪的人，是不可能脫離審判的，除非他能夠在這世上，自願的背負起勞苦，或承擔自然而來的苦難。
66. In no way can the sinner escape the judgment to come unless he takes on here below voluntary hardships or involuntary afflictions.

67、依據 這五點理由，魔鬼被允許對我們發動戰爭：第一、因為唯有如此，在攻與防的戰鬥過程中，我們才能認清什麼是美善的道德，什麼是敗壞的道德。 第二、因為唯有如此，我們才能瞭解，為了獲致美善的道德，我們必須以堅毅的精神，努力奮鬥。第三、因為唯有如此，我們才會發現，當道德成就越來越進步時， 千萬不可高傲，必須學習謙卑。第四、因為唯有如此，在經歷過道德的淪喪之後，才會徹底厭惡這種墮落的狀態。第五、這也是最重要的原因，因為唯有如此，當我 們不再執著時，才不會忘記自己的軟弱，還有曾經幫助過我們的那一位的大能。
67. It is said that there are five reasons why we are allowed to be warred upon by the demons. First, so that in offensive and defensive battle we come to distinguish virtue and vice. Second, that in acquiring virtue by struggles and toil we shall hold on to it firmly and steadfastly. Third, that while advancing in virtue we do not become haughty but learn rather to be humble. Fourth, that having experienced vice we will hate it with a consummate hate. Fifth, and most important, that when we become detached we do not forget either our own weakness or the power of the one who has helped us.

68、就好像一個飢餓的人，會幻想著麵包；一個口渴的人，會幻想著水；一個貪吃的人，會幻想著各式各樣的食物；一個好色之徒，會幻 想著女人的景象； 一個無用的人，會幻想著得到稱讚；一個貪心的人，會幻想著獲利；一個報復心重的人，會幻想著自己成功的復仇，讓敵人陷入悲慘之中；一個嫉妒心重的人，會幻 想著自己所嫉妒的那個人面臨災厄；同理可證，內心充滿各種其它情欲的人，心中就會升起各種幻想。因為，一個受到情欲困擾的人，無論他是清醒的或是在睡夢 中，都會升起充滿情欲的各種幻想與煩惱。
68. Just as the mind of the one who is hungry imagines bread and that of the one who is thirsty imagines water, so does the glutton imagine a great variety of food and the voluptuous man imagine feminine visions, and the vain person imagine human applause, and the greedy person imagine profits, the vengeful person imagine revenge against the one who offended him, the envious person imagine evil to the one of whom he is envious, and similarly with the other passions. For the mind which is troubled by the passions receives passionate thoughts both when the body is awake and asleep.

69、當情 欲越來越強烈，心靈對於可以供它享樂的對象，就會升起越來越多的夢幻。當瞋恚心越來越強烈，心靈就會越來越專注於那些引起恐懼感的事物。 此時，不潔的惡魔會利用我們的漫不經心，趁機增強情欲。然而，另一方面，神聖的天使也會驅使我們去實踐美德，以喚醒惡魔迷失的心。
69. When lust grows strong, the mind dreams of the objects which give it pleasure; when anger grows strong, it looks on the things which arouse fear. Now it is the impure demons who strengthen the passions and arouse them, making use of the help of our carelessness. On the other hand the holy angels weaken them by moving us to the exercise of the virtues.

70、 如果心中細微的情欲經常被喚醒，它就會在靈魂中埋下享樂的壞習慣。當情緒反覆地鼓譟，心靈就會變得怯懦。前者需要靠不斷地禁食、守夜、祈禱來 治療，而後者需要靠友好、善行、仁慈、愛來治療。
70. When the concupiscible element of the soul is frequently aroused it lays up in the soul a fixed habit of pleasure. And when the temper is repeatedly stirred up it makes the mind craven and cowardly. The first is healed by a continual exercise of fasting, vigils, and prayer; the second by kindness, benevolence, love, and mercy.

71、惡魔以一切與他們有關的「事物」或「欲念」來展開攻擊。當惡魔以「事物」展開攻擊時，惡魔通常涉入其中；當惡 魔以「欲念」展開攻擊時，惡魔通 常已經從事物當中撤離了。
71. The demons mount their attacks either with things or with the passionate thoughts connected with them: with things, those who are concerned with them, with thoughts those who have withdrawn from things.

72、如果意念比行動更容易犯罪，那麼，意念上的戰鬥將會比具體事物上的戰鬥更 激烈。
72. As much as it is easier to sin in thought than in deed, so is a war with thoughts more exacting than one with things.

73、事物存在於 心智之外，當心智思考到事物時，就會把物事帶進心智之內。因此，不論是對事物正當的使用或錯誤的使用，都依賴我們的心智。那些誤用 事物的陋習，正是來自於思想上的錯誤。
73. Things exist outside the mind while thoughts about them are put together inside. Therefore on it depends either their proper or improper use, for the abuse of things follows on the mistaken use of thoughts.

74、心中的情欲有三個來源：感官、性情、記憶。就感官而言，容易引發情欲的事物，使感官留下深刻印 象，並且驅使心靈升起欲念；就性情而言，因為生 活習慣不好，不知自我節制，再加上身體病痛或惡魔的侵擾，導致生理狀況改變，就會促使欲念在心中升起，使人想要違抗神的旨意；就記憶而言，當回想起那些激 起情欲的事情時，我們的心也會再一次升起欲念。
74. The mind receives passionate thoughts from these three sources: sense experience, temperament, and memory. From the senses when things which are the source of passions impress them and move the mind to passionate thinking; from temperament, when because of intemperate living or the working of demons or some sickness, the bodily development is altered and it moves the mind again to passionate thinking or against Providence; finally from memory, when it recalls the thoughts of things that have aroused our passion and moves the mind once more to passionate thinking.

75、上帝賜給我們的一切事物，有些是在靈魂裡 的，有些是在身體裡的，有些則是與身體有關的。那些在靈魂裡的，就是靈魂的力量；在身體裡的，就是感 知器官和其它器官；而與身體有關的，就是食物、財富…等。因此，如果善用這些事物，就會顯出我們的善，如果惡用，就會顯出我們的惡。
75. Of the things given to us by God for our use some are in the soul, others in the body, and others are concerned with the body. Those in the soul, for example, are its powers, in the body are the organs of sense and the other members; and those which are concerned with the body are food, wealth, possessions, and so forth. Therefore, the good or evil use of these things or of those corresponding to them indicates whether we are virtuous or wicked.