文化与艺术
圣诞新诗:礼物
2021-12-27
—— Bryan Hart

每个耶稣受难日,我都会重读乔治·赫伯特的诗《祭物》("The Sacrifice")。在赫伯特的叙述中,基督通过63节诗句表达了自己的受难,每一行都充满魅力和神学见解。这是一首对史上最伟大故事的精彩重述。

为了模仿赫伯特描写耶稣受难那样写圣诞的道成肉身,我根据《祭物》创作了《礼物》。它比《祭物》更短,并且也不是什么杰作。但是正像其灵感来源一样,它深植于道成肉身的神学启示(神与我们同在)和令人心碎的美丽中(神与我们同在)。

在赫伯特作品的开头,作者向道成肉身(“是我,凡有眼的都必寻见”)表达了敬意。在我的结尾诗节,我也同样向耶稣的受难表达了敬意。把这两句分开解读是不恰当的。不过《祭物》强调的是耶稣对经历悲痛的意愿,而《礼物》则强调了祂的慷慨舍己。我写的虽是一首现代诗,但我希望它是一首能帮助我们为耶稣诞生的诸多荣耀献上感恩的诗。神与我们同在!

The Gift

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?

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?

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?

Becoming low, my humiliation

Secures a more splendid transformation;

The lowest I'll raise in exaltation:

Was ever a gift like mine?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

 

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?

My parents to Egypt with me fly,

So as Israel I identify,

That their wanderings I might rectify:

Was ever a gift like mine?

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?

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?

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?

 

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?

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.

礼物

来吧,凡劳苦担重担、卑贱和瞎眼的,

来吧,凡失丧的,就是所有人类,

“是我,凡有眼的都必寻见”:

有何礼物像我?

除了生命的作者本身

还有谁会从高天降下?

进入我自己谱写的故事中:

有何礼物像我?

圣人只在朦胧中梦见过;

所谓爱和真理,哲学

但如今,一切终将在我之中得见:

有何礼物像我?

降为卑微,

我的屈辱成全了那更加壮丽的转变

我必高举最微小的:

有何礼物像我?

哦,听信毒蛇之言的夏娃啊,

挑起罪恶猩红之线的耻辱啊

将会结束——你的后裔要来击碎他的头:

有何礼物像我?

 

被天使从伊甸园驱逐的亚当,

如今他们听命于他的后裔

我,来修正世界的新亚当:

有何礼物像我?

 

万民因亚伯拉罕得福,

但如今?完成这福便是我的使命;

我来为他们披戴义袍:

有何礼物像我?

古老的树丕长出真枝条,

万王所供奉的那王;

而我为担罪付上极重的代价:

有何礼物像我?

预言说,王将诞生于伯利恒。

而我不止作王,还要作他们的粮仓,

舍身喂养他们:

有何礼物像我?

不要轻忽我的宗谱;

一切人类大灾难

是我为家族替罪的分:

有何礼物像我?

我拿走约瑟先祖的耻辱,

使其过失与我的美名相连,

所有的失败都因我完全:

有何礼物像我?

撒迦利亚传讲那将要来的晨光

从至高之神而来,给那黑暗中的灵魂

我的光,使凡人不朽:

有何礼物像我?

在伊利莎白的子宫里

从那修直我路的呼喊声中

门徒得以认识那真新郎:

有何礼物像我?

在寒冷中承载我身的马槽,

托住宇宙的那一位;

彰显圣诞的诸多荣耀!

有何礼物像我?

由童女生下,受生而非受造,

仍然是奇妙奥秘的启示:

罪人何以称为神的家属:

有何礼物像我?

牧羊人先听到,

我向他们宣布我的牧羊计划,

就是为首的牧羊人成为羊羔:

有何礼物像我?

 

马利亚的心是我儿时的至宝,

可叹,一把剑会将它刺伤;

别怕,我的得胜将医治它:

有何礼物像我?

西门找到了那众人所寻的,

伸开,他的手收到了那无价之宝;

我的恩典从不能赚取只能领受:

有何礼物像我?

 

博士在闪亮之星的带领下找到我,

寻到高天之子,

比其他宝藏更加在远处熠熠生辉,无暇无疵:

有何礼物像我?

希律王在宝座上带着权柄统治我的王国,

但却在我的诞生中战兢;

何必呢,我来是为将他的罪孽涂抹变白,

有何礼物像我?

父母带着我逃到埃及,

如同我民以色列,

我将结束他们的漂泊:

有何礼物像我?

我不止成为肉身三十年,

我的身体是永恒的,

做那永远的见证:

有何礼物像我?

我来怜悯苦难中的人,

拿走他们的痛苦和挣扎;

他们认出我是至高的大祭司:

有何礼物像我?

 

这难道不是我到来的理由吗?我向死而生

做多人的赎价,买赎他们的灵魂,

重写一切悲剧的结局:

有何礼物像我?

我为人的益处而造的生命树;

人所打造象征死亡的十字架,

木匠之子,以木换木

有何礼物像我?

 

所以,当天使高唱颂歌,

以马内利至高的喜乐

人们将永远高歌:“神与我们同在!”

没有礼物像我。

 


译:小芝麻;校:JFX。原文刊载于福音联盟英文网站:New Christmas Poem: 'The Gift'.

Bryan Hart(布莱恩·哈特)和他的太太金伯利以及四个孩子住在北卡罗来纳的莫尔黑德城(Morehead City)。他在一港教会(One Harbor Church)当牧师。
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