作者 布萊恩‧哈特 2022.12.25

圖片提供／123RF


每個耶穌受難日，我都會重讀喬治·赫伯特（George Herbert）的詩〈祭物〉(The Sacrifice)。在赫伯特的敘述中，基督通過63節詩句表達了自己的受難，每一行都充滿魅力和神學見解。這是一首史上最偉大故事的精彩重述。

爲了模仿赫伯特描寫耶穌受難那樣寫聖誕的道成肉身，我根據〈祭物〉創作了〈禮物〉。它比〈祭物〉更短，並且也不是什麼傑作。但是正像其靈感來源一樣，它深植於道成肉身的神學啓示——神與我們同在——和令人心碎的美麗中——神與我們同在。

在赫伯特作品的開頭，作者向道成肉身（「是我，凡有眼的都必尋見」）表達了敬意。在我的結尾詩節，我也同樣向耶穌的受難表達了敬意。把這兩句分開解讀是不恰當的。不過〈祭物〉強調的是耶穌對經歷悲痛的意願，〈禮物〉則強調了祂的慷慨捨己。我寫的雖是一首現代詩，但我希望它是一首能幫助我們爲耶穌誕生的諸多榮耀獻上感恩的詩。神與我們同在！

禮物
The Gift

來吧，凡勞苦擔重擔、卑賤和瞎眼的，
來吧，凡失喪的，就是所有人類，
「是我，凡有眼的都必尋見」：
有何禮物像我？
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
還有誰會從高天降下？
進入我自己譜寫的故事中：
有何禮物像我？
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?

聖人只在朦朧中夢見過；
所謂愛和真理，哲學
但如今，一切終將在我之中得見：
有何禮物像我？
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壯麗的轉變
我必高舉最微小的：
有何禮物像我？
Becoming low, my humiliation
Secures a more splendid transformation;
The lowest I'll raise in exaltation:
Was ever a gift like mine?

哦，聽信毒蛇之言的夏娃啊，
挑起罪惡猩紅之線的恥辱啊
將會結束——你的後裔要來擊碎他的頭：
有何禮物像我？
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?

被天使從伊甸園驅逐的亞當，
如今他們聽命於他的後裔
我，來修正世界的新亞當：
有何禮物像我？
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?

萬民因亞伯拉罕得福，
但如今？完成這福便是我的使命；
我來爲他們披戴義袍：
有何禮物像我？
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?

古老的樹丕長出真枝條，
萬王所供奉的那王；
而我爲擔罪付上極重的代價：
有何禮物像我？
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?

預言說，王將誕生於伯利恆。
而我不止作王，還要作他們的糧倉，
捨身餵養他們：
有何禮物像我？
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?

不要輕忽我的宗譜；
一切人類大災難
是我爲家族替罪的分：
有何禮物像我？
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?

我拿走約瑟先祖的恥辱，
使其過失與我的美名相連，
所有的失敗都因我完全：
有何禮物像我？
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?

撒迦利亞傳講那將要來的晨光
從至高之神而來，給那黑暗中的靈魂
我的光，使凡人不朽：
有何禮物像我？
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?

在伊利莎白的子宮裡
從那修直我路的呼喊聲中
門徒得以認識那真新郎：
有何禮物像我？
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?

在寒冷中承載我身的馬槽，
托住宇宙的那一位；
彰顯聖誕的諸多榮耀！
有何禮物像我？
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，
仍然是奇妙奧祕的啓示：
罪人何以稱爲神的家屬：
有何禮物像我？
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?

牧羊人先聽到，
我向他們宣佈我的牧羊計劃，
就是爲首的牧羊人成爲羊羔：
有何禮物像我？
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?

馬利亞的心是我兒時的至寶，
可嘆，一把劍會將它刺傷；
別怕，我的得勝將醫治它：
有何禮物像我？
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?

西門找到了那眾人所尋的，
伸開，他的手收到了那無價之寶；
我的恩典從不能賺取只能領受：
有何禮物像我？
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?

博士在閃亮之星的帶領下找到我，
尋到高天之子，
比其他寶藏更加在遠處熠熠生輝，無暇無疵：
有何禮物像我？
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?

希律王在寶座上帶著權柄統治我的王國，
但卻在我的誕生中戰兢；
何必呢，我來是爲將他的罪孽塗抹變白，
有何禮物像我?
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?

父母帶著我逃到埃及，
如同我民以色列，
我將結束他們的漂泊：
有何禮物像我？
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，
我的身體是永恆的，
做那永遠的見證：
有何禮物像我？
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?

我來憐憫苦難中的人，
拿走他們的痛苦和掙扎；
他們認出我是至高的大祭司：
有何禮物像我？
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?

這難道不是我到來的理由嗎？我向死而生
做多人的贖價，買贖他們的靈魂，
重寫一切悲劇的結局：
有何禮物像我？
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?

我爲人的益處而造的生命樹；
人所打造象徵死亡的十字架，
木匠之子，以木換木
有何禮物像我？
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，當天使高唱頌歌，
以馬內利至高的喜樂
人們將永遠高歌：「神與我們同在！」
沒有禮物像我。
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.

---

譯：小芝麻；校：JFX。原文刊載於福音聯盟英文網站：New Christmas Poem: 'The Gift'.

Bryan Hart（布萊恩·哈特）和他的太太金伯利以及四個孩子住在北卡羅來納的莫爾黑德城（Morehead City）。他在一港教會（One Harbor Church）當牧師。

【延伸閱讀】:
〈普世歡騰〉不是在歡唱聖誕——Isaac Watts與他的〈大衞詩章〉
一切都指向十架
聖誕節為那些最討厭它的人而來