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2019-12-19


跟清教徒学英语

By Eddy Zhang


跟清教徒学英语(3 | not ... any more than...

周四开始下雨,晚上带着儿子一起去重庆大学听贺照田老师的课。

贺老师是位奇人,是我的朋友中最纯粹的知识分子。他力劝我不要去听这门课,说是没什么意思。所以我就反其道而行之,一定要去听他要讲什么。不仅自己去,还带着陶陶一起去。

等待上课的平淡中,我和陶陶聊起他日后的写作计划,顺便问了一下前面三个月培训他翻译一门系统神学的教材,对他的英文有何帮助。陶陶说没什么帮助,倒是中文水平提高了一截,因为我严格地要求他的语法,所以最近已经知道句子该有主语和谓语才行了,不能总是“啊哈,虎躯一震”。

这才是我希望的门徒训练:掌握工具,熟悉翻译流程,提高英语语法,淬炼汉语表达方式,利用神学材料的翻译积累神学知识,每周见面一起校对,检讨译文中出现的问题。我判断这样的训练方式,大概两年左右可以让陶陶成为一个不错的译者。

可惜现在既无资源,身边也缺乏可造之材。一叹!

等到

等到贺照田老师关于“中国青年的集体无意识”这门课结束之后,我想打发陶陶去做两年志愿者,或者明年跟着我去拍一部纪录片出来。

《成圣的福音奥秘》有这样的句式:

And it will not follow from this that a believer is one person with Christ, any more than that Christ is one person with the Father, by that great mystical union.

And we are not ourselves the first makers and formers of our new holy nature, any more than of our original corruption; but both are formed ready for us to partake of them.

But this text is not to be taken exclusively in singing, any more than in prayer (Ps. 38: 18; 2 Chron. 35:25).

And therein we do not lie, any more than the Levites, the sons of Korah, or Jeduthun or other musicians bound to sing them (Ps. 5; 39; 42).

一本书里只有这四处例句。但是仍然值得提出来,免得日后出错。英语里有些句型十分精炼,要想翻译好,还破颇费心思。至少,我的语法检查系统认为,any more 应该修改为anymore.


跟清教徒学英语(4) | 站着说话不腰疼,躬身劳碌最脑瘫

作为著名的IT吉祥物“Bug Zhang”,(读音是 Bu-g Zan-g,不要忘掉最后的‘g’),我的同事们都不希望我写代码,所以我总是写一个Hello World!就表示参与了某些项目,就像植树节领导们铲了第一铲土,向着坑里洒了一桶水一样。而GCC,最优秀的代码编译器,则是大部分人看也看不懂的代码丛林。

陶陶一岁,出门见一螳螂。因为我们从前警告他不要惹螳螂挥舞大刀,于是他就停在原处一动也不敢动,直到螳螂自行离去。然后,他若有所思地对我说,螳螂,又叫“偷油婆”。

翻译也一样。中学英语语法中学习的那些不知就里的从句和分词,在实际的语言中其实是活的,在真实的文字中,大部分人也完全不知道这些结构会如何组织在一起。

下面的句子极其难解。一方面,开始是两个并列的、表示工具格的现在分词短语(已经不能算短语了,而是扩展为带有比较级的冗长复句);另一方面,有原因状语从句(里面插有定语从句,若干前置词短语),后接另一个原因状语从句(需要鉴别后一个原因状语是并列原因还是从属原因),然后是一个表示结果的连词引导的子句(需要判断这是主句还是从句),以两个不定式作为并列补语。
By the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us, and inclining us to mind spiritual things and to lust against the flesh into higher favor with Him than the first Adam had in the state of innocency, because the righteousness that Christ wrought out for us by His obedience to death is imputed to us for our justification, which is called the righteousness of God, because it is wrought by One that is God as well as man; and therefore it is of infinite value to satisfy the justice of God for all our sins, and to procure His pardon and highest favor for us (2Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:19).

作为译者,我无法喜欢这种行文风格,因为我不能在有限容量的短期记忆中存储所有的英文,同时又自由地查询调度长期记忆里英语和汉语的语法知识,再对信息进行合适的处理。因此,这本书实际上打破了我的翻译习惯,让我必须以老式穿孔卡片式计算机的方式运行和调试,从而大大地降低了翻译的效率。

唯有希望在翻译这本书之后,其他汉语读者再也不用经历如此痛苦的阅读体验。这也是翻译的重要功能之一。

句子太难,我就不邀请大家试译了。批评我的译文更容易,因为“站着说话不腰疼,躬身劳碌最脑瘫”。当然,如果你愿意了解一位译者究竟有多辛苦,还是可以先试译一下这句话,看看你要花费多少时间,再对比我的译文,看看是不是够得上我对译文的要求。

不过,即使要批评我的翻译,大概也需要花不少力气去阅读理解原文。下面这个句子的语序我做了调整,也就意味着在这句话上我至少工作了两遍:第一遍按照原文的语序,第二遍按照现在的语序。当然,实际的工作量,如前所述,远远不止这么一点。

因基督顺服神以至于死,成为我们的义——这义也被称为神的义,因它是由那全然的神又是全然的人所行的;又因基督的灵住在我们里面,叫我们思念属灵的事,抵挡肉体的私欲,甚至比第一亚当在无罪的状态下更蒙神的喜悦,这义就归算在我们身上,叫我们可以称义;因此,这义具有无限的价值,可以平息神的愤怒,不再计算我们一切的罪,而是赦免我们,给我们最大的恩惠。(林后 5:21 ;5:19)。


跟清教徒学英语(5| 嵌入经文的翻译

神学翻译的难处在于,如果你没有读过几种英文版的圣经,对经文不熟悉,就很容易用自己的表述代替了圣经的表述(有的时候,被基要派民兵揪住,就算是犯了神学错误)。所以,如果和合本已经翻译过的句子,我尽量抄袭原文,最多根据上下文做一点调整。因为,这样是最安全的做法,也是最方便读者检阅经文的做法。特别是直接引语,更是必须尊重圣经的文本。

兹举<成圣的福音奥秘>第三章最后一段为例。这段文字除了最后一句,每句话后面都有经文参考,所以处理的时候不应该错过“剪刀浆糊”的手段。英文后面的译文,是校对以前的版本。

And when Christ was manifested in the flesh, in the fullness of time, all things in heaven and on earth, all the saints departed, whose spirits were then made perfect in heaven, as well as the saints that then were, or should afterwards be on earth, were ‘gathered together in one,’ and comprehended in Christ as their Head (Eph. 1:10).
译文:当基督以肉身显现、在时候完满之时,在天上和地上一切的事上显现的时候,所有圣徒都离开了,他们的灵就在天上成为完全。那时的圣徒与后来在地上的圣徒,都在基督里“聚集在一处”,并且基督成为他们的头(弗 1:10)。
讨论(这些短语都是和合本圣经里有固定译法的):

Eph. 1:10 要照所安排的,在日期满足的时候,使天上、地上、一切所有的都在基督里面同归于一。
in the fullness of time = 日期满足
'gathered together in one' = 直接引语:同归于一

修改译文:(请对比经文,看看如何尽可能地借用经文):在日期满足的时候,基督以肉身显现,使天上、地上、一切所有的,包括那已经死去、灵魂进入天国的圣徒,以及尚且在世,或者将要出生在世上的圣徒,都在基督里面“同归于一” ,以基督为首(弗 1:10)。

And He was ‘the chief corner-stone, in whom the building of the whole church on the foundation’ of the prophets before, and the apostles after His coming, ‘being fitly framed together, grows to a holy temple in the Lord’ (Eph. 2:20, 21).
译文:基督是建造全教会之根基上的房角石——在祂来以前是在先知的根基上,在祂来以后是在使徒的根基上;全教会在此基础上得以建造,在祂里面成为合式,渐渐成为主的圣殿(弗 2:20,21)。

经文:(Eph 2:20 [Cuv/S]) 并且被建造在使徒和先知的根基上,有基督耶稣自己为房角石,
(Eph 2:21 [Cuv/S]) 各(或作:全)房靠他联络得合式,渐渐成为主的圣殿。
讨论:

the chief corner-stone, in whom the building of the whole church on the foundation = 直接引语,“建造在……根基上,有基督耶稣自己为房角石”。这句话因为句式的问题,直接匹配原文有点难度。

being fitly framed together, grows to a holy temple in the Lord  = 直接引语,“联络得合式,渐渐成为主的圣殿”。

修改:教会被建造在基督到来之前的先知和之后的使徒“根基上,有基督耶稣自己为房角石”,“靠他联络得合式,渐渐成为主的圣殿”(弗 2:20,21)。
Jesus Christ ‘is the same yesterday, and today, and forever’ (Heb. 13:8).
耶稣基督“昨日、今日、一直到永远,是一样的。”(来 13:8)。

讨论:
 就是圣经原文。

His incarnation, death and resurrection were the cause of all the holiness that ever was, or shall be given to man, from the fall of Adam, to the end of the world - and that by the mighty power of His Spirit, by which all saints that ever were, or shall be, are joined together to be members of that one mystical body of which He is the Head.
祂的道成肉身、死亡和复活,是从亚当的堕落直到世界的末了,无论过去将来要赐给人类之一切圣洁的原因;藉着祂圣灵的大能,所有曾经活在世上、或将要出生的圣徒,都被联结在一起,成为那奥秘身体的一部分——而祂就是那奥秘身体之首。


跟清教徒学英语(6| had rather ... or ...

And, that they may the better secure the practice of holiness by their conditional faith, they will not have trusting in God or Christ for salvation to be accounted the principal saving act of it; because, as it seems to them, many loose wicked people trust on God and Christ for their salvation as much as others and are, by their confidence, hardened the more in their wickedness; but they had rather it should be obedience to all Christ’s laws, at least in resolution, or a consent that Christ should be their Lord, accepting of His terms of salvation, and a resignation of themselves to His government in all things.

请用10分钟阅读和翻译这句只有110个单词的句子。上下文是“我们因信称义之后,是否还是要因为律法和行为成圣?”

清教徒的书籍,句子都很长,我的脑容量不够,所以每句话都需要mechanical layout,至少要在头脑中画出语法图来,才能慢慢地理解。按照人的短期记忆,我的高速缓存只有7个字长,所以凡是超过10个单词的句子就必须调用远离中心处理器(CPU)的二级缓存,超过30个单词就要使用内存里的交换文件,所以在判断一本书的难度时,我总是用句长作为主要的依据,因为句长和我对句子的理解时间之间具有指数关系。

但这里不是为了讨论句子如何长,因为我总是能从清教徒的书籍中找出更长的句子来,实在不行,我的朋友说,可以去德语的文献中找更长的句子,再不行就去古典希腊文或者希腊教父那里去,因为神学表述,没有最长,只有更长;我的目的是讨论这个句子中的rather ... or ...
And, that they may the better secure the practice of holiness by their conditional faith, they will not have trusting in God or Christ for salvation to be accounted the principal saving act of it; because, as it seems to them, many loose wicked people trust on God and Christ for their salvation as much as others and are, by their confidence, hardened the more in their wickedness; but they had rather it should be obedience to all Christ’s laws, at least in resolution, or a consent that Christ should be their Lord, accepting of His terms of salvation, and a resignation of themselves to His government in all things.

并且,透过他们有条件的信心,他们可以越发坚固圣洁的操练,他们并不会把相信神或基督而得到救恩视为主要的救恩行为;因为,在他们看来,许多放荡的恶人和其他人一样为了救恩而相信神和基督,他们的信心使他们在罪恶中更加刚硬;然而,他们宁可顺服基督的一切律法,至少决心去顺服,或者同意基督作他们的主,接受他救恩的条件,在一切事上顺服他的治理。

这个翻译中可以讨论的问题是:

that引导的条件句没有翻译出来:

And, that they may the better secure the practice of holiness by their conditional faith, they will not have trusting in God or Christ for salvation to be accounted the principal saving act of it;

修改:他们认为这种有条件的信心可以更好地保证自己行出圣洁,于是并不相信神或基督的拯救乃是得救的根本;

faith, trust, confidence等不同词汇的精微区别没有体现出来。

had rather ... or ...的翻译不符合上下文:

but they had rather it should be obedience to all Christ’s laws, at least in resolution, or a consent that Christ should be their Lord, accepting of His terms of salvation, and a resignation of themselves to His government in all things.

修改:所以他们宁可顺服基督的一切律法,或者至少下定决心要顺服,也不肯让基督作他们的主,接受他救恩的条件,在一切事上顺服他的治理。
没有什么诀窍。神学翻译有的时候是用语言去理解和表述神学,有的时候是用神学来判断翻译是否正确。这里实际上我借用了系统神学来校对翻译的理解错误。但我在这里校对的文字,是由一位在北美读神学、教育学、心理学、计算机科学,在北美生活数年的神学生翻译的。

近来有两位我很看重的译者朋友在公号上推送一篇“谁适合做神学翻译?”的文章,Lara甚至专门推送到我的微信上,提醒我注意这篇文章。我的意见是,如果在神学和哲学上没有良好的训练,翻译出现神学问题的可能性太大。如果没有在中国教会和英美教会长期聚会甚至讲道/教导的经验,熟悉两种语言的圣经文本和系统神学表述,大概对神学术语的转换和表述,会存在不少问题,结果仍然是一样——容易出现神学问题。神学翻译大概不是学习英文专业/翻译硕士的学生甚至英文专业的老师能做的事情,就像英文专业的学生无法翻译人工智能编程的资料或者法律文书一样。翻译需要很强的专业背景,语言不是凭空掌握的,需要使用的情景。
另一方面,汉语的表达对于很多年轻译者来说都是一个问题。基本上可以这样说,一个写不出流畅的中文讲道稿,不能用中文有条理地讲道的人,不适合做神学翻译。

如果神学翻译是一种重要的事工,从事神学翻译是一种呼召和服事,那么,合格的神学翻译大概需要这样几个条件(我留一个Loose end——天才人物除外。大家自行对号入座吧):

有用中文讲道的经验和训练,讲道流畅,神学正确,深得会众好评。
在英美国家用全英文拿到全日制神学院的神学学位,能够流畅阅读英文神学专著,有英语国家生活经验。

跟随一位资深的、有经验的编辑/导师,得到一段时间的指导和训练。

神学翻译的呼召和恩赐得到出版机构、编辑和身边成熟基督徒的认可。

于是,接下来的事情就是我们的教会是否预备好了,为着将来的复兴,是否要培养和支持这样的事工了。

呵呵,我可能言重了,但是这样或许比轻看神学翻译为好。马丁路德说,逃避传道要像逃避地狱的火焰一样;马丁得路说,不要让年轻人误以为自己可以从事神学翻译,于是毁了他们的一生。没有人想拿着80元千字的稿酬,将好好的神学书籍翻译成Loose wicked teaching,不仅让自己的生活艰难,而且对教会的教导造成深远的影响。

按照八股文的起承转合,最后的合题是:

Had rather be a good lay Christian, or be a loose theological translator.


翻译的上下文;以及一个最难处理的定语重句

见过不少将上下文处理错误,结果意思完全错误的翻译。解经的时候,也时有同样的情况发生。

不过我暂且洗心革面,只提出正面建议,不涉及错误的例句。请翻译下面两个例句。

有些朋友询问是否开班培训翻译,暂时没有这个打算。想要提高翻译水平的小朋友们,认真读这个博客,把每天的例句翻译一遍,对照我的译文,帮我找出翻译的问题来,大概暂时就够了。

F.F.Bruce的使徒行传注释。例句中的1:813:31都是指使徒行传相应的章节。作者的上下文是讨论使徒行传10章,给哥尼流一家传福音的事情。

While the apostles’ commission was worldwide—“to the end of the earth,” according to 1:8 Peter speaks of it as specifically directed to the Jewish people (cf. 13:31); and this is in accord with historical fact.

圣经的上下文,翻译是否与圣经或正统教义相矛盾
作者的上下文。作者要表达什么意思。
怎么翻译比较好?

The function of the risen Christ was by no means limited to the execution of judgment; he was also the one through whom, as the prophets agreed, those who believed on him would have their sins forgiven.

定语从句永远是翻译的难点,即使翻译了几百万字,遇到这种句型还是不知道怎么处理为好。大家有什么好主意?

今日份的祝福(平均句长超过30,这是目前为止最难的一段,今天的速度超级慢,耗时特别多):

耗时    260 分钟
英文字数        3405
中文字数        5641
原文译文比    5641/ 3405 = 1.66
翻译句数        112
平均句长        3405/ 112 = 30.4
单句平均耗时           260/ 112 = 2.32 分钟

来一段最长平均句长:

6. Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit (10:44–48)
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message. 45 The believers of the circumcision who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on Gentiles; 46 for they heard them speaking with65 tongues and magnifying God. 47 Then Peter said, “Can anyone forbid water? Why should these people not be baptized, since they have received the Holy Spirit as we also did?” 48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of66 Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for some days.

44 Peter had not yet finished his address67 when the “Pentecost of the Gentile world” took place.68 The Holy Spirit fell on all his listeners. The event was not so much a second Pentecost, standing alongside the first, as the participation of Gentile believers in the experience of the first Pentecost.69 What was involved was later summed up by Paul: “in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks” (1 Cor. 12:13). But, so far as the hearers of the apostolic preaching were concerned, the order of events differed markedly from that of the hearers on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. The hearers in Jerusalem were exhorted to repent and be baptized in order to receive the remission of sins and the gift of the Spirit. But the experience of the hearers in Caesarea reproduced rather that of the original company of disciples in Jerusalem, on whom the Spirit descended suddenly.70 This may be recognized in Peter’s drawing a parallel (v. 47) between the household of Cornelius and the original disciples rather than between the household of Cornelius and the three thousand who believed on the day of Pentecost (cf. 11:15; 15:8).

45–46 The descent of the Spirit on those Gentiles was outwardly manifested in much the same way as it had been when the original disciples received the Spirit at Pentecost: they spoke with tongues and proclaimed the mighty works of God.71 Apart from such external manifestations, none of the Jewish believers present, perhaps not even Peter himself, would have been so ready to accept the reality of the Spirit’s coming upon them. The Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter from Joppa were astounded by what they saw and heard: Gentiles, those “lesser breeds without the law,” had actually received the same Holy Spirit as they themselves had received on believing the same message. How right Peter had been in his new insight into the impartiality of God as between people of one race and another! As in Peter’s vision the voice of God overruled food restrictions, even those imposed with the authority of divine law, so now the act of God in sending the Spirit overruled the sacred tradition which forbade association with Gentiles.

47–48 On the day of Pentecost (2:37–41) the sequence of initiation into the new community was conviction of sin, repentance and faith, baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the reception of the Spirit. Here the reception of the Spirit comes first. There is no explicit mention of faith in the immediate context, but it is certainly implied; it is suggested more definitely in 11:17, where Peter’s words “when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ” clearly mean that the Gentiles received the Spirit when they believed,72 while in 15:7–9 Peter expressly links the Gentiles’ reception of the Spirit with their believing and having their hearts cleansed by faith.73 Only after the manifest descent of the Spirit on these believing Gentiles were they baptized in water. As for the imposition of apostolic hands74 (whatever inferences may be drawn from the silence on this subject in ch. 2), nothing of the kind took place before the Gentiles received the Spirit, and nothing is said about its taking place subsequently.

Had Peter not been confronted with a divine fait accompli in the outpouring of the Spirit on Cornelius and his friends, he might not have taken the initiative in having them baptized. But, as things were, God had plainly accepted them, and Peter had no option but to accept what God had done. In justifying his action a few days later, he asked, “Who was I to hinder God?” (11:17). Here his question, “Can anyone forbid water?” (like the Ethiopian’s question in 8:36, “What prevents me from being baptized?”), has been thought to point to a primitive custom by which, before a convert was baptized, it was inquired if there was any “just cause or impediment” why the baptism should not take place.75 Whether this was so or not, no impediment was alleged on the present occasion, and Peter gave orders that these new believers should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.76 Their reception of the Spirit was not regarded as a substitute for baptism in water; rather, their baptism in water was the fitting response to the act of God in bestowing his Spirit. But no one appears to have suggested that Cornelius should be circumcised. His case thus served as a specially appropriate precedent when the question of the circumcision of Gentile believers was later raised at the Jerusalem council (ch. 15).

6. 外邦人接受圣灵(10:44-48

44  彼得还说这话的时候,圣灵降在一切听道的人身上。45 那些奉割礼、和彼得同来的信徒,见圣灵的恩赐也浇在外邦人身上,就都希奇;46 因听见他们说65 方言,称赞神为大。47 于是彼得说:“这些人既受了圣灵,与我们一样,谁能禁止用水给他们施洗呢?”48 就吩咐奉耶稣基督的名66 给他们施洗。他们又请彼得住了几天。

44 彼得还没有说完,67 “外邦人的五旬节”就到来了。68圣灵降临在所有听众身上。这一事件并非与第一次独立的第二次五旬节,因为第一次五旬节上已经有外邦人信徒参与其中。69后来,保罗总结了这里发生的事情:“我们不拘是犹太人,是希腊人……都从一位圣灵受洗,成了一个身体”(林前 12:13)。

但是,对于听见使徒布道的听众而言,各个事件发生的顺序与耶路撒冷五旬节当天的听众所经历的大为不同。当时,彼得劝勉耶路撒冷的听众们悔改受洗,好叫罪得赦,并且领受所赐的圣灵。但是在该撒利亚的听众们更像是重复了耶路撒冷最初一众门徒之经历,圣灵突然之间就降临下来。70从彼得认为哥尼流一家的经历与最初的门徒们相似(47节),而不是与五旬节那天信主的三千人相同(参11:1515:8),可以看出这一点来。

4546 圣灵降临在外邦人身上,从外在形式上看来与五旬节那天最初的门徒们领受圣灵的情况几乎相同:他们也开始说方言,宣告神的大作为。71若非如此明显的外部征兆,在场的所有犹太信徒,甚至包括彼得本人,可能都不会如此轻易地接受圣灵降临在他们身上的现实。陪伴彼得从约帕而来的犹太信徒们因这次的见闻大为惊奇:外邦人,那些“没有律法的低等种族”,居然领受了同样的圣灵,与他们自己相信同样的福音时所领受的完全一样。彼得关于神不因种族而偏待人的新洞见是多么正确啊!正如在彼得的异象中,神的声音压倒了食物的限制,甚至高过神圣律法的权威规矩,现在神赐下圣灵的行动也压过了不能与外邦人交往的神圣传统。

4748 在五旬节那天(2:37-41),信徒加入新的信仰共同体之顺序是认罪、悔改与信心,奉耶稣基督之名受洗,叫罪得赦免,然后领受圣灵。这里的情况则是领受圣灵在前。在紧邻上下文中没有明确提到信心的问题,但是显然暗含其中;在11:17里,彼得的话给出了更明确的暗示,“像在我们信主耶稣基督的时候”,清楚地表示当外邦人相信的时候,他们也领受了圣灵,72 同时在15:7-9里,彼得明确地将外邦人领受圣灵与他们听而相信,借着信洁净了他们的心联系在一起。73在圣灵明显地降临在这些信了耶稣的外邦人身上后,他们才接受了水的洗礼。至于使徒按手的问题74(无论我们从第2章对此只字未提的沉默可以推论出什么来),在外邦人接受圣灵之前显然没有过,后来也没有任何地方提到过。

如果彼得不是面对圣灵浇灌哥尼流及其朋友的神圣fait accompli (译注:〔法语〕既成事实),他可能不会主动为他们施洗。但是,既然神明白地接纳了他们,彼得别无选择,只能接受神所成就的事情。几天以后,在为自己的行为辩护时,他这样反问到,“我是谁,能拦阻神呢?” 11:17)。而他在这里的提问,“谁能禁止用水给他们施洗呢?” (就像在8:36里埃塞俄比亚人问“我受洗有什么妨碍呢?”一样),被一些人认为是指向某种原始的习俗:在归信之人受洗之前,需要询问有无任何“公平的理由或妨碍”,不能施以洗礼。75不管是否如此,目前的情况下并无任何妨碍,因此彼得吩咐奉耶稣基督的名给这些新信徒施洗。76他们接受了圣灵,但此事并不能代替水的洗礼;相反,他们接受水的洗礼,乃是对神赐下圣灵的合适回应。但是没有任何人提出,哥尼流应当受割礼。因此,当后来的耶路撒冷大公会议上出现外邦人信徒是否应受割礼的问题时(第15章),他的案例成为一件特别合适的先例。


跟清教徒学英语(7|神爱世界,却告诉我们不要爱世界和世界上的事?

翻译是一种解释,圣经翻译是对圣经的解释。请耐心读到最后,就知道在这个题目下,为何我要以讨论约翰福音3:16开头:

最近有篇文章谈到约翰福音3:16,认为和合本将κόσμον翻译为“世人”是一种错误。

神爱世人,甚至将他的独生子赐给他们,叫一切信他的,不至灭亡,反得永生。
自然,翻译的问题可以讨论。但此文进一步指出,κόσμον只能翻译为“世界”,所以翻译和合本的宣教士是故意在中文圣经中引入错误,因为这些宣教士不是“改革宗”。这就有点哄骗不懂希腊文的人,故弄玄虚了。

在释经的时候,首先需要一本权威性的原文词典,拿着“微读圣经”上的原文解释来讨论这种问题,实在是过于简单。

BDAG的κόσμος, ου, ὁ (Hom.+)7个义项,各有古典希腊文的用法,LXX的用法,新约圣经的用法,一共将近2600个字(译成汉语将近5000字)。
that which serves to beautify through decoration, adornment, adorning
condition of orderliness, orderly arrangement, order
the sum total of everything here and now, the world, the (orderly) universe, in philosophical usage
the sum total of all beings above the level of the animals, the world, as θέατρον ἐγενήθημεν (i.e. οἱ ἀπόστολοι) τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ἀγγέλοις καὶ ἀνθρώποις 1 Cor 4:9. Here the world is divided into angels and humans
planet earth as a place of inhabitation, the world
humanity in general, the world
of all humanity, but especially of believers, as the object of God’s love J 3:16, 17c; 6:33, 51; 12:47b.
the system of human existence in its many aspects, the world

TDNT(新约神学词典)上的κοσμέω, κόσμος, κόσμιος, κοσμικός一条,一共17492个字(翻译出来大概3万字),完全是一篇严肃的圣经神学论文了。
举个简单的例子,约翰福音3:16和约翰一书2:15,都用了κόσμος这个词。即使我们都把这个词翻译为“世界”,就可以躺赢,不再需要解经了吗?大概我们仍然要花费很多口舌来解释这两个“世界”在用法和含义上的差别吧,最终仍然需要我们仔细考察这个词的含义,脱离教条主义的领域,进入圣灵带领的自由批判精神中。

1John 2:15 不要爱世界和世界上的事。人若爱世界,爱父的心就不在他里面了。
John 3:16 16 神爱世界(?),甚至将他的独生子赐给他们,叫一切信他的,不至灭亡,反得永生。

至于英文版的约翰3:16译为“world,只要查一下英文字典就知道了,world一词在merriam-webster字典上,光是作为名词就有14个义项,加上三个成语(world还可以做形容词,比如 world peace):

Definition of world
(Entry 1 of 2)
a : the earthly state of human existence
b : life after death —used with a qualifierthe next world
: the earth with its inhabitants and all things upon it
: individual course of life : career
: the inhabitants of the earth : the human race
a : the concerns of the earth and its affairs as distinguished from heaven and the life to come
b : secular affairs
: the system of created things : universe
a : a division or generation of the inhabitants of the earth distinguished by living together at the same place or at the same time the medieval world b : a distinctive class of persons or their sphere of interest or activity the academic world the digital world
: human society withdraw from the world
: a part or section of the earth that is a separate independent unit
: the sphere or scene of one's life and action living in your own little world
: an indefinite multitude or a great quantity or distance makes a world of difference a world away
: the whole body of living persons : public announced their discovery to the world
: kingdom sense 4 the animal world
: a celestial body (such as a planet)
for all the world : in every way : exactly copies which look for all the world like the original
in the world : among innumerable possibilities
: ever —used as an intensive
  what in the world is it
out of this world : of extraordinary excellence
 : superb

在一切释经方法中,教条主义可能是最坏的方法。不仅因为教条主义让人完全放弃其他解释原则,而且教条主义让人不再具备批判性思维,于是让自己的神学境界永远停留在“字字句句认信……”上。

而轻信κόσμοςworld只能作单一解释,乃是另一种教条主义——“迷信权威”。而我花费许多时间来开设“释经讲道工作坊”,就是希望良好稳固的释经成为教会的常识,于是不再受到各种看似高深的教条主义解经之诱惑,而是自己考察圣经,在圣灵带领下有所分辨。

回到年底的项目上来,《福音的成圣奥秘》!跟清教徒学英语!

在翻译的时候,我们会发现,某些文化在某些概念上不是那么充分。比如,在中国文化中,“罪”的概念就没有英文那样细致的区分,于是在翻译的时候,会非常难选择。比如,guilt, sintransgression的问题:

One thing belonging to our natural state is the guilt of sin, even of Adam’s first sin, and of the sinful depravation of our nature, and of all our own actual transgressions, and therefore we are by nature the children of wrath (Eph. 2:3) and under the curse of God.
(翻译):属于我们本性的一件事,就是罪之咎(甚至包括亚当的首个罪)、我们本性的罪性之堕落,和我们自己所有的本罪——因此我们天生就是可怒之子(弗2:3),且在神的咒诅之下。

(修改):犯罪(guilt)是我们的本性。罪的引诱,亚当的原罪,在罪中堕落的人性,以及我们实际所犯下的各种罪行,都让我们担负罪疚(guilt of sin)——因此我们天生就是可怒之子(弗 2:3),在神的咒诅之下。

-(注释):guilt = 罪疚(犯罪)上次有位弟兄分享说,应当区分客观的罪和良心的负疚,sin = 罪,transgressions = 罪行。译者对“even”的处理不太好,因为所有of引导的短语,应当译为并列。

-(注释2):我的修改,常常是将句子缩短。比如,将最后的“且”字去掉。这也是和合本的中国同工们修订和合本的原则之一。

as has been shown:诚如前面所示
Another property, inseparable from the former, is an evil conscience, which denounces the wrath of God against us for sin, and inclines us to abhor Him as our enemy, rather than to love Him, as has been shown; or, if it is a blind conscience, it hardens us the more in our sins.
(翻译):另一种与前者不可分割的特征,就是邪恶的良心。这良心谴责神(因我们的罪恶而)对我们所发的烈怒,使我们倾向于厌恶祂、把祂当作敌人,而不是像所示的那样爱祂;倘若良心是瞎眼的,就越发叫我们陷在罪里。
(修改):另一种与旧人不可分割的特征,就是邪恶的良心,抗拒神因我们的罪所发的烈怒,使我们厌恶祂、视为寇仇,而不是爱祂——正如我们前面已经论证过的一样;或者,倘若良心是盲目的,就越发叫我们陷在罪里,心里刚硬。
(注释):as has been shown。按照上下文,这个完成时态的短语,应当指前面已经讨论过的内容。“诚如前面所示”。

单数的主语需要单数的动词,翻译的时候会不会弄错?
A third property is an evil inclination, tending only to sin, which therefore is called ‘sin that dwells in us’, and ‘the law of sin in our members’, that powerfully subdues and captivates us to the service of sin (Rom. 7:20, 23).
(翻译):第三种特征是一种恶的倾向(即单单倾向于犯罪),因此被称为“住在我们里面的罪”和“住在我们肢体里的罪之律”,这两种律强有力地制服我们、迷惑我们去服事罪(罗 7:20,23)。
(修改):第三种特征是行恶的倾向,让人不可避免地犯罪,因此被称为“住在我里头的罪”和“肢体中犯罪的律”。这种特征强迫我们为罪服役(罗 7:20,23)。
-(注释):subduescaptivates都是单数第三人称,所以不用“两种律”作为主语。这句话的主语应当是“A third property”,或者“evil inclination”。

all whom he fights …… 宾格的代词加主格的定语从句
A fourth property is subjection to the power of the devil who is the god of this world, that has blinded the minds of all that do not believe (2Cor. 4:4), and will certainly conquer all whom he fights with on his own dunghill, that is, in a natural state.
-(翻译):第四个特征,是对魔鬼能力的顺服。魔鬼是这个世界的神,曾叫一切不信的人,心里瞎了眼(林后 4:4)),也会战胜一切处在污秽中(即属血气的状态中)与之争战的人。
-(修改):旧人的第四个特征是屈服在魔鬼的权势之下。魔鬼是这个世界的神,弄瞎了不信之人的心眼(林后 4:4),凡凭着自己的努力,在自身的污秽中——即属血气的状态中——与之争战的人,都会被他征服。
-(注释):基本不错。subjection译为“顺服”略微不好,与后面的conquer有些冲撞。

如何用和合本的句法来翻译?
As far as it remains in them, it lusts against the Spirit (Gal. 5:17); and it remains dead, because of the sin, even when the Spirit is life to them, because of righteousness (Rom. 8:10), and must be wholly abolished by death, before we can be perfected in that holiness and happiness that is by faith in Christ.
(Rom 8:10 [Cuv/S]) 基督若在你们心里,身体就因罪而死,心灵却因义而活。
(翻译):这状态在他们里面存留的时候,就凭肉体的私欲与圣灵相反(加5:17)。这自然状态哪怕在圣灵中因义是活的,却仍因罪而是死的(罗 8:10),并且必须被死所全然废弃,才能在那因信基督而成的圣洁和幸福上得以完全。
(修改):旧人只要存留一天,就凭着肉体的私欲与圣灵相争(加 5:17);即便在圣灵里他们因义而活,身体却因罪而死(罗 8:10),并且必须借着死亡全然废弃,才能在那因信基督而成的圣洁和幸福上得以完全。
-(注释):“这自然状态哪怕在圣灵中因义是活的,却仍因罪而是死的”,没有清楚表明罗马书8:10的“身体”,“心灵”之分别。
-(注释2):by death. 工具格,不译为被动语态的动作主体。
parents = 父神,大概是typo

The promise of God, that He will not charge the iniquities of parents on their children, is a promise belonging to the new covenant confirmed in the blood of Christ; and it is yea and amen to us only in Christ, in whom we have another nature than that which our parents conveyed to us, so that we cannot justly claim the benefit of it in our old natural state (Jer. 31:29-31; 2Cor. 1:20).
-(翻译):神的应许,就是不将父母的罪孽归给儿女。这应许属乎在基督的宝血里所确认的新约。只有在基督里,我们才得着“是”,“阿们”。在基督里,我们有别的本性,与我们的父神所传给我们的不同(耶 31:29-31; 林后 1:20)。
-(修改):神应许不将父母的罪孽归在儿女的头上,乃是属乎新约,在基督的宝血里确认;只有在基督里,我们才以此应许为“是”,“阿们”,因为唯有在基督里,我们得到另一种本性,与我们的父母传给我们的旧人不同——所以我们在旧人里无法享受这应许的益处(耶 31:29-31; 林后 1:20)。
我们只学过mean,没学过means……(或者单复数的问题?)
And those gospel means that are effectual for sanctification serve also for restraint of sin.
(翻译):那些福音意味着,那些能使人成圣的,也能约束人的罪。
(修改):那些使人成圣的福音手段,也能约束人的罪。
补语(间接宾语)。请参考前面约翰福音3:16关于“世界”的讨论!

As vile and wicked as the world is, we have cause to praise and to magnify the free goodness of God that it is no worse.
(翻译):虽然这个世界卑鄙邪恶,但我们有理由赞美和赞美神的自由善良,因为这自由良善并不比世界更坏。
(修改):世界虽然肮脏邪恶,但我们有理由赞美神,称颂祂那慷慨的良善,因祂并未让这世界变得更坏。
-(注释):这是此书第5章的最后一句话。译者累了,所以留下一句注释:
that it is no worse"的理解让我扣头皮,啥叫“神的良善可不糟糕”- 我承认没咋理解,就按上下文和常理稍微处理了一下,不妥请指正。
译者把"that it is no worse"当作goodness of God的修饰语,但这个短语是动词praisemagnify的修饰语。
确实辛苦了,第5章完工!
正是:
平原君安在,科斗生古池。
座客三千人,于今知有谁。
我辈不作乐,但为后代悲。