第45章 训练儿女乃母亲的首要任务
§1
第45章 训练儿女乃母亲的首要任务
§2
Chap. 45 - Mothers First Duty Is To Train Children
§3
接受正当训练之儿童的可能性——上帝洞悉小小儿童所有的可能性。他看出儿童若加以正当地训练，必在世上成为一股为善的力量。他也以热切的心情注视着父母是否会成全他的计划，或者因错误的溺爱而放纵这个孩子，造成他今生和来世的丧亡，以至破坏了他的旨意。要使这软弱无助而看来毫不重要的生灵，变成世上的福惠和上帝的荣耀，实在是一种伟大而非凡的工作。作父母的不应让任何事物拦阻他们，而不能达成自己对于儿女当尽的责任。[1]
§4
The Possibilities in a Properly Trained Child.-- God sees all the possibilities in that mite of humanity. He sees that with proper training the child will become a power for good in the world. He watches with anxious interest to see whether the parents will carry out His plan or whether by mistaken kindness they will destroy His purpose, indulging the child to its present and eternal ruin. To transform this helpless and apparently insignificant being into a blessing to the world and an honor to God is a great and grand work. Parents should allow nothing to come between them and the obligation they owe to their children. {AH 264.1}[1]
§5
为上帝为国家而从事的工作——凡遵守上帝律法的人，必以无法言喻的切望与畏惧之心注视着自己的儿女，不知他们在那迅即临到的大争斗中将采取怎样的行动。心中焦虑的母亲或者会问：“他们将采取怎样的立场呢？我能作什么才可使他们预备妥当，善尽自己的本分，俾能承受永远的荣耀呢？”母亲们啊，极重要的责任已落在你们的肩上了。你们虽或不会站在国家的议会中，但是你们仍可为国家从事一项伟大的工作。你们可以教养自己的儿女。你们可以帮助他们养成坚定不移，不受引诱作恶却要感化他行善的品格。借着出于信心的热切祷告，你们便可以挪动那挪动世界的膀臂。[2]
§6
A Work for God and Country.--Those who keep the law of God look upon their children with indefinable feelings of hope and fear, wondering what part they will act in the great conflict that is just before them. The anxious mother questions, What stand will they take? What can I do to prepare them to act well their part, so that they will be the recipients of eternal glory? Great responsibilities rest upon you, mothers. Although you may not stand in national councils, . . . you may do a great work for God and your country. You may educate your children. You may aid them to develop characters that will not be swayed or influenced to do evil, but will sway and influence others to do right. By your fervent prayers of faith you can move the arm that moves the world. {AH 264.2}[2]
§7
儿童和青年时期，乃是亟需给予教导的时期。当教育儿女作有为的人。应该训练他们从事凡属家庭生活中所必需的事工；而且作父母的应当借着亲切的训勉和嘉奖的话语，尽可能使这些义务显得轻松而愉快。[3]
§8
It is in childhood and youth that instruction should be given. The children should be educated for usefulness. They should be taught to do those things that are needful in the home life; and the parents should make these duties as pleasant as possible with kindly words of instruction and approval. {AH 265.1}[3]
§9
许多人忽略了家庭训练的工作——不论如何夸言教育方法有了怎样的进步，但今日一般训练儿童的方法还有许多可悲的缺点。家庭训练的工作全被忽略了。一般作父母的，特别是母亲们，都没有体察到自己的责任。他们既没有耐性去教导，也缺少智慧去管理那交托他们照顾的孩子们。[4]
§10
Home Training Is Neglected by Many.-- Notwithstanding boasted advancement that has been made in educational methods, the training of children at the present day is sadly defective. It is the home training that is neglected. Parents, and especially mothers, do not realize their responsibility. They have neither the patience to instruct nor the wisdom to control the little ones entrusted to their keeping. {AH 265.2}[4]
§11
这是很不幸的事实：许多作母亲的都没有持守自己的工作岗位，忠心地克尽母职。上帝所要求于我们的事情，没有一样不能靠着他的能力去实行，也没有一样不是为了我们自己和儿女的益处。[5]
§12
It is too true that mothers are not standing at their post of duty, faithful to their motherhood. God requires of us nothing that we cannot in His strength perform, nothing that is not for our own good and the good of our children. {AH 265.3}[5]
§13
母亲当寻求神圣的帮助——作母亲的只要觉悟自己所负使命的重要性，她们就必肯多用时间去作内室的祈祷，将她们的儿女献给耶稣，切望他赐福与他们，并祈求智慧，俾能正确无误地履行她们的神圣任务了。但愿每位作母亲的利用一切时机，塑造并陶冶她儿女的性情与习惯。但愿她缜密地注意他们品格的发展，抑制过于显著的特点，助长带有缺欠的品质。但愿她使自己的人生成为那交在她手中的宝贵委托物之纯正崇高的榜样。[6]
§14
Mothers to Seek Divine Aid.--Did mothers but realize the importance of their mission, they would be much in secret prayer, presenting their children to Jesus, imploring His blessing upon them, and pleading for wisdom to discharge aright their sacred duties. Let the mother improve every opportunity to mold and fashion the disposition and habits of her children. Let her watch carefully the development of character, repressing traits that are too prominent, encouraging those that are deficient. Let her make her own life a pure and noble example to her precious charge. {AH 265.4}[6]
§15
作母亲的在从事她的工作时，应当居心勇敢，富有精力，时刻依赖神圣的帮助，以克尽她的一切努力。在她还没有看出她儿女的品格已渐趋高尚，而且也有了一个比单求自己的喜乐更崇高的人生目的以前，决不可心满意足地停顿下来。[7]
§16
The mother should enter upon her work with courage and energy, relying constantly upon divine aid in all her efforts. She should never rest satisfied until she sees in her children a gradual elevation of character, until they have a higher object in life than merely to seek their own pleasure. {AH 265.5}[7]
§17
一位恒切祈祷的母亲之感化力是无法估量的。在她所行的一切事上她都认定上帝。她带领她的儿女来到施恩宝座前，将他们献与耶稣，恳求他赐福给他们。这种祷告的感化力对于儿女们就如“生命的泉源”一般。这种出于信心的祷告乃是基督化母亲的支援与力量。忽略了与自己的儿女一同祈祷的义务，便是放弃了我们所能享受的最大福惠之一，并且丧失了那在人生种种困惑、忧虑、和重担中的一项最大帮助。[8]
§18
It is impossible to estimate the power of a praying mothers influence. She acknowledges God in all her ways. She takes her children before the throne of grace and presents them to Jesus, pleading for His blessing upon them. The influence of those prayers is to those children as a wellspring of life. These prayers, offered in faith, are the support and strength of the Christian mother. To neglect the duty of praying with our children is to lose one of the greatest blessings within our reach, one of the greatest helps amid the perplexities, cares, and burdens of our lifework. {AH 266.1}[8]
§19
母亲的祷告所含的力量暂时不能估计得太高。凡经常跪在她儿女的身旁，陪他们经历孩童时期的一切变化，以及青年时期的诸般危险的人，必须等到审判的大日，才能知道她的祷告在她儿女的生活中发挥了怎样的感化作用。母亲若凭着信心与上帝的儿子有了联系，则她温柔的手便可能拦阻她的儿女不致落在试探的权势之下，并防止她的儿女不致纵溺于罪恶之中。当情欲力图称霸之时，爱的力量，以及母亲所有约束、恳挚、坚定的感化作用，便可使儿女的心决定选择正义这一方面。[9]
§20
The power of a mothers prayers cannot be too highly estimated. She who kneels beside her son and daughter through the vicissitudes of childhood, through the perils of youth, will never know till the judgment the influence of her prayers upon the life of her children. If she is connected by faith with the Son of God, the mothers tender hand may hold back her son from the power of temptation, may restrain her daughter from indulging in sin. When passion is warring for the mastery, the power of love, the restraining, earnest, determined influence of the mother, may balance the soul on the side of right. {AH 266.2}[9]
§21
若有客人来搅扰时——你应当用时间与你的小宝贝们谈话，与他们一同祷告，不可让任何事物防碍你与上帝和儿女交往的时间。你可以对客人说：“上帝已委托我一项当作之工，我实在没有时间可以用在闲谈方面。”你应该觉得自己有一项须为今生和永世而从事的工作。你的首要义务，就是照顾自己的儿女。[10]
§22
When Visitors Interrupt.--You should take time to talk and pray with your little ones, and you should allow nothing to interrupt that season of communion with God and with your children. You can say to your visitors, God has given me a work to do, and I have no time for gossiping. You should feel that you have a work to do for time and for eternity. You owe your first duty to your children. {AH 266.3}[10]
§23
你当视自己的儿女比宾客或任何事物更重要。在你儿女幼年时期理应给予的服务，乃是丝毫不容疏忽的。而在其一生中任何时候，都不可忘记这个原则。[11]
§24
Before visitors, before every other consideration, your children should come first. . . . The labor due your child during its early years will admit of no neglect. There is no time in its life when the rule should be forgotten. {AH 267.1}[11]
§25
不要打发他们到户外去，使你可以好好地款待宾客，乃要训练他们在宾客面前安静而恭敬。[12]
§26
Do not send them out-of-doors that you may entertain your visitors, but teach them to be quiet and respectful in the presence of visitors. {AH 267.2}[12]
§27
母亲们应当作善良而高贵的模范——母亲们哪，你们当珍视自己的宝贵时间。要记得你们的儿女正在逐渐成长，不久或将脱离你们的教育与训练的范围。你们很可能在他们的眼中成为全然善良、纯洁、高贵的模范。要将他们的福利视同你们自己的一样。[13]
§28
Mothers to Be Models of Goodness and Nobility.-- Mothers, be careful of your precious moments. Remember that your children are passing forward where they may be beyond your educating and training. You may be to them the very model of all that is good and pure and noble. Identify your interest with theirs. {AH 267.3}[13]
§29
倘若你们在别的事上都已失败，在这一方面却要彻底而有效地去作。假如你们的儿女因家中的训练而成为纯洁而有操守的人，假如他们在上帝造福世界的大计划中担任最少最低的任务，则你们的人生就决不能算是失败的，而在回顾时也决不至有所悔恨的了。[14]
§30
If you fail in everything else, be thorough, be efficient, here. If your children come forth from the home training pure and virtuous, if they fill the least and lowest place in Gods great plan of good for the world, your life can never be called a failure and can never be reviewed with remorse. {AH 267.4}[14]
§31
婴儿是一面镜子，使母亲可以从中见到自己的习惯和行为的反影。因此，在这些小学生面前，她该怎样谨慎自己的言语和行为啊！她所期望他们发展的任何品格上的特质，她自己必须先行培养。[15]
§32
Infant children are a mirror for the mother in which she may see reflected her own habits and deportment. How careful, then, should be her language and behavior in the presence of these little learners! Whatever traits of character she wishes to see developed in them she must cultivate in herself. {AH 267.5}[15]
§33
目的应高于俗世的标准——作母亲的不可被世人的意见所左右，也不要努力达到俗世的标准。她应当自行决定何为人生伟大的目的和宗旨，而后悉力以赴，务求达到她的目的。由于缺少时间，她可能会忽略家中的许多事情而仍不致有何严重的恶果；但她若忽略了应给予儿女的正当训练，就不能算为无罪的了。他们那种充满瑕疵的品格必宣述她的不忠。她所纵容而不加纠正的恶习，粗暴无礼的态度，不孝不顺的表现，懒惰懈怠的习惯，都必令她羞愧不已，抱恨终身。母亲们啊，你们儿女的命运大部分都操在你们的手中。倘若你们不忠于自己的职责，就可能将他们置于撒但的行列中，并使他们成为他的工具去败坏别人。反之，借着你们忠心的训导和敬虔的榜样，便可能引领他们来归向基督，而且他们还会感化别人，如此，你们的作为就能使许多的生灵得救了。[16]
§34
Aim Higher Than the Worlds Standard.--The mother should not be governed by the worlds opinion, nor labor to reach its standard. She should decide for herself what is the great end and aim of life and then bend all her efforts to attain that end. She may, for want of time, neglect many things about her house, with no serious evil results; but she cannot with impunity neglect the proper discipline of her children. Their defective characters will publish her unfaithfulness. The evils which she permits to pass uncorrected, the coarse, rough manners, the disrespect and disobedience, the habits of idleness and inattention, will reflect dishonor upon her and embitter her life. Mothers, the destiny of your children rests to a great extent in your hands. If you fail in duty, you may place them in Satans ranks, and make them his agents to ruin other souls. Or your faithful discipline and godly example may lead them to Christ, and they in turn will influence others, and thus many souls may be saved through your instrumentality. {AH 267.6}[16]
§35
培养善良，抑制邪恶——父母们须与上帝合作，存着敬畏他的心养育自己的儿女。再没有比因忽略正当地训练儿女的工作，更使他不悦的了。他们要细心地注意自己儿女的言行，免得仇敌在他们身上发挥他的影响。他亟盼这样作，借以破坏上帝的旨意。作父母的要慈祥地、关切地、温和地为自己的儿女工作，并在孩子们的品格方面培养一切善良的特质，抑制一切邪恶的劣点。[17]
§36
Cultivate the Good; Repress the Evil.--Parents are to co-operate with God by bringing their children up in His love and fear. They cannot displease Him more than by neglecting to train their children aright. . . . They are to carefully guard the words and actions of their little ones, lest the enemy shall gain an influence over them. This he is intensely desirous of doing, that he may counterwork the purpose of God. Kindly, interestedly, tenderly, parents are to work for their children, cultivating every good thing and repressing every evil thing which develops in the characters of their little ones. {AH 268.1}[17]
§37
妥善工作所有的喜乐——儿女乃是耶和华的产业，我们是必须为了处理他的产业而向他有所交代的。教育并训练自己的儿女作基督徒，乃是父母向上帝所作的最高尚的服务。这是需要刻苦耐劳的工作，是需要毕生殷勤而恒切努力的。我们若忽视这一委托，那就证明我们乃是不忠心的管家。[18]
§38
The Joy of Work Satisfactorily Done.--Children are the heritage of the Lord, and we are answerable to Him for our management of His property. The education and training of their children to be Christians is the highest service that parents can render to God. It is a work that demands patient labor--a lifelong, diligent, and persevering effort. By a neglect of this trust we prove ourselves unfaithful stewards. . . . {AH 268.2}[18]
§39
作父母的也要本着爱心、信心，和祈祷为自己的家属作工，直到他们能欢然地来到上帝面前说：“看哪，我与耶和华所给我的儿女。”[19]
§40
In love, faith, and prayer let parents work for their households, until with joy they can come to God saying, Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me. {AH 269.1}[19]