末世的样子（二）

末世另一个现象是，执政掌权者走上邪路，远离上帝和他的律法、原则，而且没人有资格指斥之。另一个翻译是and no one will rebuke them，没人会指斥之。两个翻译都说得通。

记得二十多年前网络论坛刚刚在大陆兴起时，看过一个帖子，叫“批判之死”，所说就是当代世界的根本的批判精神死掉了。今天回头想想，诚然。没有一个至高无上的敬畏，在上者就不再有约束，在下者也不可能有真正的批判。

 

两千多年前以赛亚书说：

 

因此，耶和华一日之间
必从以色列中剪除头与尾，
棕枝与芦苇－
长老和尊贵人就是头，
以谎言教人的先知就是尾。
因为，引导这百姓的使他们走错了路；
被引导的都必败亡。
(以赛亚书 9:14-16 和合本)

 

这话指当时以色列社会，也指现在全世界。偏离正道，绝地天通，结果都失去立脚之地，此亦一是非彼亦一是非，同陷沼泽，互相揪打，又有什么用处呢。

 

《塔木德》讨论弥赛亚之前的现象那整段话，英译如下，（因为不懂希伯来文，没法自己翻译。）

With the approach of Moshiach, insolence will increase and prices will rise sharply. The vine will yield produce but wine will be expensive. The government will turn to heresy and no one will be qualified to give rebuke. The meeting places will be used for promiscuity, the Galilee will be destroyed and the Gavlan (perhaps referring to the Golan) will be desolate. Those who live on the frontier will wander from place to place but no one will take pity on them. The wisdom of scholars will deteriorate, people who fear sin will be despised and truth won’t be found. Young people will shame their elders, old men having to stand up for the young, as per Micah 7:6, “A son despises his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A person’s enemies will be the members of his own household.” The face of the generation preceding Moshiach will be like that of a dog, a son feeling no shame before his father. Again, there is no one upon whom we can rely except for our Father in Heaven.

 

另一翻译：

 

With the advent of the footsteps of Mashiach, insolence will increase and prices will soar; the vine will yield its fruit, yet wine will be dear; the government will turn to heresy and no one will rebuke them; the meeting place of scholars will be used for immorality; Galilee will be destroyed, Gavlan will be desolate, and those who dwell on the borders will wander about begging from town to town without being pitied; the wisdom of the scholars will degenerate, those who fear sin will be despised, and the truth will be lacking; youths will put old men to shame, elders will rise in deference to the young, a son will revile his father, a daughter will rise up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household; the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog; a son will not feel ashamed before his father.

So upon whom can we rely? — Upon our Father Who is in heaven.

Sotah 9:15