原文 譯文 時邁其邦武王適時到各地巡視諸侯 昊天其子之昊天上帝愛他像兒子一樣 實右序有周上帝確實祝福周朝的王國 薄言震之當初伐紂的軍威驚動大地 莫不震疊諸侯們莫不震攝前來順服 懷柔百神他們祭拜上帝和追祀眾靈 及河喬嶽足跡遍及大小川山及河流 允王維后武王不愧是公義賢明君主 明昭有周上天已經表明要護衛周國 式序在位因此賜給他許多賢士輔佐 載戢干戈他收起了戰後的武器干戈 載櫜弓矢隱藏了所有戰鬥用的弓矢 我求懿德我要一心追求公義和美德 肆于時夏使這美好的德行遍佈中國 允王保之好讓王國的富强永保不落 英文翻譯 King Wu went on a patrolling tour to visit feudal lands The great heavenly Father regarded him as a beloved son
Truly God had blessed the central kingdom
The mighty army trembled the earth during the revolution
All feudal commanders stood by for they were shuddering
On the way they together worshiped God and all spirits in heaven
Reached different rivers and mountains as they were marching on
The king was truly a righteous and bright sovereign
So heavenly Father kept shielding him for protection
And rewarded him numerous distinguished men to help build the nation
Put away weapons after winning the war of revolution
And hid all armors, arrows, and swords I will enlighten the people to pursue morality and righteousness
To make the whole China filled with glorious virtues
So may the kingdom be kept abundant and strong always
關於這首詩《毛詩正義》解釋說:「王既定天下,時出行其邦國,謂巡守也。天其子愛之,右助次序其事,謂多生賢知,使為之臣也。武王既定天下,以時行其邦國,其出也天行雲轉,六軍皆從,群臣賢智各司其職。於是乃見昊天,其於武王子愛之矣。實佑助而次序我有周之事,謂生賢智之臣,使得以為用,是子愛之也。其兵所征伐,甫動之以威,則莫不動懼而服者,言其威武又見畏也。巡行其守土諸侯,至于方岳之下,乃作告至之祭,為柴望之禮,柴祭昊天,望祭山川。王巡守而明,見天之子有周家也,以其有俊乂,用次第處位。言此者,著天其子愛之,右序之效也。載之言則也,王巡守而天下咸服,兵不復用,此又著震疊之效也。」 詩中所提到的「百神」是對天地全部「神靈」的一種泛稱,包括「上帝、眾靈、眾天使」,而「上帝」則是所有「神靈、天使」的主宰,如前面所說的,「上帝」是「天皇大帝,神之最尊者也,為萬物之所宗,人神之所主」。即,「上帝」是天上最偉大的帝王,祂是宇宙中最尊貴的神,是創造萬物的宗主,也是人類和眾神的主宰。 先秦典籍對「神」的身份有許多描述,不過英國漢學大師李約瑟(Joseph Needham)認為「神」=「眾靈、眾天使」。在他的名著 “Science & Civilization in China” 中提到說:「Fr. Ricci and most of his followers, going by the sense of the classical text themselves, had concluded that the ancient Chinese expression Shang Ti(the Ruler Above,上帝) could be used as a translation for the God of Christians, that the kuei shen(鬼神) or thien shen(天神)could be used for angels, and that for ling hun(靈魂)could be used for soul。」 李約瑟依照中國古經所得到的結論是:上帝=至高的神(God),一般所稱呼的「鬼神、天神」指的是「天使」。在西洋文化裡,「天使」也被稱為 godly angel,表明「天使」也有神性,不過「天使」的神性來自上帝,他們是受上帝差遣的僕人、使者。
如果用字體的結構來分析,我們可以很清楚的看出「神」=「示」+「申」。「示」=上帝啟示、指示,「申」=延申、傳達之意。綜合起來,「神」=上帝啟示、指示或命令的傳達者。換句話說