《愛的四百句箴言》
St. Maximus the confessor著
301 - 325
《400 sayings
about love》
by St. Maximus the confessor
301 - 325
1.
當我們的心，開始沉思上帝的無限性，以及上帝那不可接近，卻又令人無比渴望的廣大寶藏時，最初，心靈會對此感到驚嘆不已，而後，心靈則會對上帝是如何將萬
物帶進存在之中而感到驚奇。就好像「他的至大，不可測度。」（詩篇145:3）祂的智慧，同樣也是不可思量的。
1. The mind is
first of all in wonder when it reflects on God's universal infinity and
that inaccessible and greatly desired ocean. Next it is amazed at how
from nothing he has brought into existence everything that is. But just
as, "of his greatness there is no end," so is his wisdom unsearchable.
2.
當一個人想到那不可思議、無邊無盡的美德大海時，他會有多麼驚訝呢？理性與智力的本性，以及四大元素所和合的肉體，在存在之前本是空無一物，那麼，當人們
一想到它們是如何出現，又是從何而來之時，誰又能夠不感到震驚呢？是什麼樣的力量使它們變的實在，而使它們存在的呢？對於全能的上帝以及祂那超出心靈力量
之外的智慧與知識，異教的希臘人並不接受，對此，他們仍然一無所知。
2. How can one help but marvel when
considering that immense ocean of goodness which is beyond
astonishment? How can one not be struck when reflecting on how and
whence rational and intelligent nature came to be, and also the four
elements which make up bodies, when there was no matter at all previous
to their existence? And what kind of power is it that moved them to
reality and brought them into being? But the pagan Greeks do not admit
this and remain in ignorance about the all-powerful goodness and its
efficacious wisdom and knowledge which is beyond the mind's powers.
3.
上帝永恆的存在著，身為造物者，當祂希望這麼做的時候，祂就藉著與祂同體的聖言與聖靈，以無限的善來進行創造。然而，請不要反對：到底上帝是基
於什麼理由會在這個時間點進行創造，只因為祂總是善良的嗎？反過來，我會這麼說，
，那無窮的本質所擁有的深遂智慧，是不受人類知識所支配的。
3.
Eternally existing as Creator, God creates when he wishes by his
consubstantial Word and Spirit out of infinite goodness. But do not
object : For what reason did he create at this time, since he was always
good? Because, I say in turn, the inscrutable wisdom of the infinite
nature is not subject to human knowledge.
4.
如果造物主樂意的話，就會創造祂永恆的、預存的、關於存有的知識，並且授予它一個實體。當然，去懷疑全能的上帝是否會在想要的時候授予某個事物「實體」，
是很荒謬的。
4. When he willed it, the Creator gave substance to and
produced his eternally preexisting knowledge of beings. It is of course
absurd to doubt that an omnipotent God can give substance to something
when he wishes.
5.
讓我們追尋上帝創造的理由，因為這是知識。然而，請不要去探索祂為何在這個時間點進行創造，又是如何在這個時間點進行創造，因為這種問題不是你的腦力所能
理解的。因為有些神聖的事是人類可理解的，有些則是不可理解的。就好像有一個聖人曾說：「不受拘束的思考，會將你推入險境之中。」
5.
Seek the reason why God created, for this is knowledge. But do not seek
how and why he only recently created, for that question does not fall
under your mind since while some divine things are comprehended by men
others are not. As one of the saints has said, "Unbridled speculation
can push you over the precipice."
6.
有些人說，受造物與上帝一起永恆的存在著，然而，這是不可能的。處處受限的受造物，怎麼可能可以和純粹的無限者永遠共存呢？或者說，如果受造物與上帝永恆
地共存，那麼他們還是受造物嗎？有些人認為，上帝之所以為造物者，完全不是因為祂的本質，而是因為祂的性質，這是希臘人的理論。然而，對於我們這些認識全
能上帝的人而言，我們斷言，祂之所以是造物者，並不是因為祂的性質，而是因為擁有這些性質的本質。如果這是真的，受造物自然就不可能與上帝永恆的共存。
6.
Some say that created things eternally exist with God, which is
impossible. For how can what is limited in every way eternally coexist
with the wholly infinite? Or how are they really creatures if they are
coeternal with the Creator? But this is the theory of the Greeks, who
admit God as the Creator not of the substance at all but only of the
properties. But we who know the almighty God affirm that he is the
Creator not of the properties but of the substance endowed with
properties. And if this is true, creatures do not eternally coexist with
God.
7. 上帝，以及神聖的實體，一部分是可理解的，一部分是不可理解的：對於上帝的概念是可理解的，而上帝的本體是無法理解的。
7.
God, along with divine realities, is in one sense knowable and in
another sense unknowable: knowable in ideas about him, unknowable in
himself.
8.
不要在聖三位一體純粹而無限的實體裡，探究其狀態和能力，除非你把祂當成是像受造物一樣的混合物。對上帝有這樣見解的人是荒謬的，是不敬的。
8.
Do not search for states and aptitudes in the simple and infinite
substance of the Holy Trinity, lest you make it composite like
creatures. To have such notions about God is absurd and impious.
9.
只有這個創造萬物、無限而又全能的實體才是純粹的、同一型態的、絕對的、平靜的、不受阻擾的。另一方面，每一個受造物都由自己的實體與命運所組成，他需要
神聖的天佑，因為他無法不受無常的約束。
9. Only the infinite and all-powerful substance
which created all things is simple, of one form, unqualified, peaceful,
and undisturbed. Every creature, on the other hand, is a composite of
substance and accident and in constant need of divine Providence since
it is not free from mutability.
10.
當上帝創造了每一個有智力或是有感情的實體時，他們都從上帝那收到理解存在物的能力，有智力的實體藉由思維，而有感情的實體則透過感覺。
10.
Every intellectual and sensitive substance receives from God, when he
brings them into existence, powers which allow them to apprehend beings,
the intellectual substance through thoughts and the sensitive substance
through sensations.
11.
上帝只能被參與。受造物不但參與其中，還能夠傳達這個消息。受造物參與了存在與幸福的狀態，但卻只能夠傳達幸福的消息；有形的實體有屬於他們的方法，而無
形的實體則有不同的方法。
11. God is participated only; the creature both
participates and communicates. He participates in being and in
well-being but communicates only well-being, corporeal substance in one
way, incorporeal in another.
12.
無形的實體藉由說話、行動或是成為默觀的對象，來傳達「幸福的狀態」。有形的實體只能透過成為默觀的對象來傳達。
12. Incorporeal
substance communicates well-being by speaking or acting or by being an
object of contemplation. Corporeal substance does so by being an object
of contemplation only.
13.
不管是理性和智力的本質是永恆的存在，或存在於造物主的意志中。他們是善是惡，都是自己的意志自作的選擇。
13. Whether the
rational and intelligent being has eternal being or nonbeing lies in the
will of the one who created all good things. Whether it be good or bad
by choice lies in the will of the creatures.
14.
不可以把受造物的本質視為惡的，惡是來自於受造物錯誤與不合理的行動。
14. Evil is not to be regarded as
in the substance of creatures but in its mistaken and irrational
movement.
15.
當靈魂中欲望的元素受自制所約束時，靈魂就會理性的行動，其暴躁的元素就會堅守著愛而放棄恨，其理性的元素就會透過祈禱和靈性的默觀而與上帝同在。
15.
The soul is moved reasonably when its concupiscible element is
qualified by self-mastery, its irascible element cleaves to love and
turns away from hate, and the rational element lives with God through
prayer and spiritual contemplation.
16.
當一個人受到誘惑，卻無法承受隨之而來的怒火，並且將自己從弟兄的愛之中分裂出來，那麼，在他靈魂的深處，尚未擁有完美的愛，也還沒有天命的知識。
16.
When one in time of temptation does not bear up under incidental
annoyances but cuts himself off from the love of his spiritual brothers,
he does not yet have perfect love nor the knowledge of divine
Providence in its depths.
17.
天命的目的，是要藉著正直的信仰和靈性的愛來結合過去因種種惡行而分離的人。事實上，就是出於這個理由，救世主才會受難「要將上帝四散的兒女都聚集歸
一。」（約翰福音11:52）因此一個人並不是在神聖的愛與天命之外，獨自忍受不安，承受痛苦，或是經歷困苦的生活。
17. The
purpose of divine Providence is to unify by an upright faith and
spiritual love those who have been separated in diverse ways by vice.
Indeed it was because of this that the Savior suffered, "to gather
together into one the children of God who were dispersed." Therefore,
the one who does not endure disturbances or bear up under distress or
undergo hardships walks outside divine love and the purpose of
Providence.
18.如果「愛是忍耐又有恩慈」（歌林多前書13:4）；一個人，若對於降臨在自己身上的麻煩顯得懦弱，或是惡意
對待那些攻擊他的人，並且因此遠離 了愛，那麼他又如何能不背離天命呢？
18. If "love is patient and kind,"
how can the person who is fainthearted in the troubles that befall him
and who consequently deals wickedly with those who offend him, cutting
himself away from love for them, help but fall away from the purpose of
divine Providence?
19.
讓我們提高警覺，免得在自己身上，而非在弟兄的身上，找到那些使你與弟兄們分離的惡行；快點與自己的弟兄和解吧，以免你背離了愛的誡命。
19.
Be on guard lest the vice that separates you from your brother be not
found in your brother but in you; and hasten to be reconciled to him,
lest you fall away from the commandment of love.
20.
不要輕視愛的誡命。因為藉由它，你可以成為上帝的兒子。如果你違反了它，你就會成為地獄的兒子。
20. Do not disdain the
commandment of love, because by it you will be a son of God. If you
transgress it you will become a son of Gehenna.
21.
下面的這些原因，將會分離你與朋友之間的愛：嫉妒與被嫉妒，傷害與被傷害，侮辱與被侮辱，以及猜疑。希望你從沒有做過，或經歷過這些會讓你從朋友的愛中分
裂出來的事。
21. What separates you from the love of friends is this:
envying or being envied, hurting or being hurt, insulting or being
insulted, and suspicious thoughts. May you never have done or
experienced any of these things by which you might be separated from
your friend's love.
22.
當你的兄弟使你陷入誘惑，讓你受傷而心生怨恨時，請不要被恨意所征服，而是要以愛來征服恨。你可以與下面這個方式來取得勝利：真誠的為他禱告，接受他的辯
解，要不然就趕緊向他道歉，把這個誘惑歸因於自己，耐心的等待，直到烏雲散去。
22. A temptation came upon you
from your brother, and the hurt led you to hate. Do not be overcome
with hate but overcome hate with love. You will prevail in this way:
Pray for him sincerely to God, accept his apology, or else come up with
an apology for him yourself, think of yourself as the cause of the
temptation, and be patient until the cloud has passed by.
23.
一個人若能等到誘惑結束，並且等待忍耐的成果，那麼他才算是有耐心的。
23. A person is patient if he waits
out the end of a temptation and awaits the triumph of perseverance.
24
「不輕易發怒的，大有聰明」（箴言14:29），因為他認為所發生的每一件事，都與它的結果有關，在等待結果的同時，必會蒙受種種的困難。「終點是永恆的
生命。」依據宗徒的說法，「這就是永生：認識你獨一無二的真神，並且認識你所差遣的耶穌基督。」（約翰福音17:3）
24. "A
patient man is rich in prudence," because he refers every happening to
its end, and while waiting for it he puts up with difficulties. "And the
end is everlasting life," according to the divine Apostle ; "and this
is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and the one you
have sent, Jesus Christ. "
25.
失去了靈性之愛的時候，不可以保持沉默，因為對人們來說，除了靈性之愛以外，就沒有任何其它的救恩了。
25. Do not be calm
over the loss of spiritual love, because there is no other way to
salvation left for men.
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