第59章 年迈的父母
§1
第59章 年迈的父母
§2
Chap. 59 - The Aged Parents
§3
“当孝敬父母”——作儿女的都有终身孝敬父母的本分。若父母年迈力衰，则儿女对父母所表现的敬爱和奉养更当与他们的需要相称。作儿女的应毅然决然地计划自己所当行的，即使自己必须有所牺牲也该如此，俾能消除父母心中所有的忧虑与困惑。[1]
§4
Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother.--The obligation resting upon children to honor their parents is of lifelong duration. If the parents are feeble and old, the affection and attention of the children should be bestowed in proportion to the need of father and mother. Nobly, decidedly, the children should shape their course of action even if it requires self-denial, so that every thought of anxiety and perplexity may be removed from the minds of the parents. . . . {AH 360.1}[1]
§5
儿女们都该受教以亲切之心敬爱并侍奉父母。作儿女的人哪，你们当躬亲服侍他们；因为假手他人所作的些许亲切的行动，决不能如你们自己所作的那样得蒙悦纳。要善用你们宝贵的时机去撒播慈爱的种子。[2]
§6
Children should be educated to love and care tenderly for father and mother. Care for them, children, yourselves; for no other hand can do the little acts of kindness with the acceptance that you can do them. Improve your precious opportunity to scatter seeds of kindness. {AH 360.2}[2]
§7
我们对父母所该尽的天职是无时或已的。我们对于他们的爱，和他们对于我们的爱，不是用岁月或距离来计量的，而且我们的责任是决不能卸除的。[3]
§8
Our obligation to our parents never ceases. Our love for them, and theirs for us, is not measured by years or distance, and our responsibility can never be set aside. {AH 360.3}[3]
§9
儿女们务须谨记：充其量而言，年迈的父母所能享受的欢愉与慰藉已非常有限了。试问：还有什么事情比亲生的儿女公然忽视父母更能使他们伤心的呢？儿女所犯的罪过，还有什么比使年迈无靠的父母满心悲痛更严重的呢？[4]
§10
Let children carefully remember that at the best the aged parents have but little joy and comfort. What can bring greater sorrow to their hearts than manifest neglect on the part of their children? What sin can be worse in children than to bring grief to an aged, helpless father or mother? {AH 360.4}[4]
§11
修平道路——有些儿女长大成人之后，认为自己所有的义务无非是给父母预备住处罢了。他们虽然供给父母食宿之需，却不呈献爱与同情。在他们父母年纪老迈之日，正是渴望得着亲切与同情之时，儿女们却冷酷无情地置之不顾。其实儿女决没有什么时候对于父母可以不敬不爱的。父母在堂之日，作儿女的都当以孝敬父母为乐。他们应该尽其所能地使年迈父母的晚景充满欢乐与温暖。他们应当为父母修平那条通向坟墓的道路。在这个世界上所有的荐信中，再没有比一个孝敬双亲的儿女更好的了，而在天上的案卷中，也再没有比敬爱并孝顺自己的父母更好的记载了。[5]
§12
Smooth the Pathway.--After children grow to years of maturity, some of them think their duty is done in providing an abode for their parents. While giving them food and shelter, they give them no love or sympathy. In their parents old age, when they long for expression of affection and sympathy, children heartlessly deprive them of their attention. There is no time when children should withhold respect and love from their father and mother. While the parents live, it should be the childrens joy to honor and respect them. They should bring all the cheerfulness and sunshine into the life of the aged parents that they possibly can. They should smooth their pathway to the grave. There is no better recommendation in this world than that a child has honored his parents, no better record in the books of heaven than that he has loved and honored father and mother. {AH 360.5}[5]
§13
不孝父母——难道做子女的真的可以木然地置父母对他们的要求于不顾，不肯甘心乐意地尽一己之所能以消除父母的忧伤，毫不厌倦地爱顾并侍奉他们么？他们岂可不以使父母的晚年为一生中至佳的日子为乐呢？无论是儿是女，怎可撇下自己的父亲或母亲而假手于陌生人去照顾他们啊！即使作母亲的是一个不信道的，不相合的人，这也不能使儿女摆脱上帝所加于他的侍奉父母的义务。[6]
§14
Ingratitude to Parents.--Is it possible that children can become so dead to the claims of father and mother that they will not willingly remove all causes of sorrow in their power, watching over them with unwearying care and devotion? Can it be possible that they will not regard it a pleasure to make the last days of their parents their best days? How can a son or daughter be willing to leave father or mother on the hands of strangers for them to care for! Even were the mother an unbeliever and disagreeable, it would not release the child from the obligation that God has placed upon him to care for his parent. {AH 361.1}[6]
§15
有些父母自招不敬——父母在儿女童年时期纵容他们有不敬的表现，或任凭他们常说急躁苛刻的话语，则在后来的年日中必有可怕的收获。若是作父母的不吩咐儿女立即而全然地顺从，则在为儿女奠立良好品格基础的工作上就失败了。他们乃是准备自己在年老之日要饱受儿女的羞辱，而且除非基督的恩典使他们儿女的心意回转，品格改善，则当他们在渐近坟墓之时，心中必充满了悲伤。[7]
§16
Some Parents Are Responsible for Disrespect.-- When parents permit a child to show them disrespect in childhood, allowing them to speak pettishly and even harshly, there will be a dreadful harvest to be reaped in after years. When parents fail to require prompt and perfect obedience in their children, they fail to lay the right foundation of character in their little ones. They prepare their children to dishonor them when they are old, and bring sorrow to their hearts when they are nearing the grave, unless the grace of Christ changes the hearts and transforms the characters of their children. {AH 361.2}[7]
§17
勿向不公正的双亲显示报复之念——有一个人提到她的母亲说：“我始终恨我的母亲，我的母亲也恨我。”这样的话语已记入天上的案卷中，而在审判之日案卷要展开，那时每个人都要各按自己的行为受报应。[8]
§18
Show No Retaliation Against Unjust Parents.--Said one of her mother, I always hated my mother, and my mother hated me. These words stand registered in the books of heaven to be opened and revealed in the day of judgment when everyone shall be rewarded according to his works. {AH 362.1}[8]
§19
假如儿女们认为他们在童年时遭受了苛刻的虐待，则他们若对于父母——特别在父母年迈力衰的时候，仍怀存报复的念头，这岂能帮助他们在基督的恩典和知识上有所长进，或使他们反映出他的形象来呢？父母衰老无助的情形岂不应激发儿女对他们的爱么？上了年纪的父母所有急迫的需要岂不应唤起他们心中那种高尚的情感，而仰赖基督的恩典，使父母得以享受儿孙亲切的关注与孝敬么？啊，但愿无人向父母显出铁石一般刚硬的心肠！一个自称为基督徒的儿女，岂可怀恨自己的母亲，尤其是在她母亲年老多病之时呢？但愿亲切与仁爱，就是基督徒生活中最甘美的果子，在儿女们的心中有存在的余地，进而向他们的父母表现出来。[9]
§20
If children think that they were treated with severity in their childhood, will it help them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, will it make them reflect His image, to cherish a spirit of retaliation and revenge against their parents, especially when they are old and feeble? Will not the very helplessness of the parents plead for the childrens love? Will not the necessities of the aged father and mother call forth the noble feelings of the heart, and through the grace of Christ, shall not the parents be treated with kind attention and respect by their offspring? Oh, let not the heart be made as adamant as steel against father and mother! How can a daughter professing the name of Christ cherish hatred against her mother, especially if that mother is sick and old? Let kindness and love, the sweetest fruits of Christian life, find a place in the heart of children toward their parents. {AH 362.2}[9]
§21
容忍病弱——最可憎的一件事，乃是儿女变心而厌恶年迈体弱，呈现衰老时期之羸弱多病情形的母亲。儿女应该何等亲切而容忍地善待这样的母亲啊！讲的应该是不致激怒人的柔和的话语。一个真诚的基督徒决不会显出不亲切的态度，无论在什么情形之下，也决不会忽略侍奉自己的双亲，乃要遵从这条诫命：“当孝敬父母。”上帝曾说：“在白发的人面前，你要站起来，也要尊敬老人。”[10]
§22
Be Patient With Infirmities.--Especially dreadful is the thought of a child turning in hatred upon a mother who has become old and feeble, upon whom has come those infirmities of disposition attendant upon second childhood. How patiently, how tenderly, should children bear with such a mother! Tender words which will not irritate the spirit should be spoken. A true Christian will never be unkind, never under any circumstances be neglectful of his father or mother, but will heed the command, Honour thy father and thy mother. God has said, Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man. . . . {AH 362.3}[10]
§23
你们作儿女的人哪，要使你们年迈力衰，无法自助的父母在世的余年中饱享满足、平安与敬爱，我奉基督的名劝你们：要使他们在走向坟墓的时日中，从你们口里所听到的话语，全都蕴含着亲切、敬爱、恩慈和宽恕。你们既盼望主爱你们，怜悯你们，赦免你们，并且当你们在患病时给你们铺床，你们岂不应该待别人像你们盼望别人待你们一样么？[11]
§24
Children, let your parents, infirm and unable to care for themselves, find their last days filled with contentment, peace, and love. For Christs sake let them go down to the grave receiving from you only words of kindness, love, mercy, and forgiveness. You desire the Lord to love and pity and forgive you, and to make all your bed in your sickness, and will you not treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself? {AH 363.1}[11]
§25
上帝照顾老年人的计划——设法照顾我们年老而无家可归的弟兄姊妹这件事，经常有人竭力提倡着。究竟能为他们作些什么呢？主以前所赐与我的亮光又一再地显示出来：设立养老机构来照顾年迈的人，使他们常聚一处，这并不是最妥善的办法。也不当送他们远离家庭去接受别人的照料。最好是各家照顾各家的人。倘若不可能这样行，那么教会就应该负起责任来，且当视之为一项义务与特权。凡怀抱基督精神的人，必以专一的尊敬和亲切善待身体衰弱的长者。[12]
§26
Gods Plan of Caring for the Aged.--The matter of caring for our aged brethren and sisters who have no homes is constantly being urged. What can be done for them? The light which the Lord has given me has been repeated: It is not best to establish institutions for the care of the aged, that they may be in a company together. Nor should they be sent away from home to receive care. Let the members of every family minister to their own relatives. When this is not possible, the work belongs to the church, and it should be accepted both as a duty and as a privilege. All who have Christs spirit will regard the feeble and aged with special respect and tenderness. {AH 363.2}[12]
§27
令人安心而愉快的特权——力求父母安舒的这种思想，足以使子女终身心安理得，尤其是当他们自己也需要同情和爱顾之时，更能为他们带来无限的快乐。凡存心仁爱的人，必视替父母修平通往坟墓的道路为至上的特权。他们心中必因曾为亲爱的父母的暮年增进慰藉与平安而快慰无已。相反地，若否定了无助的老人所当得自儿女之亲切的侍奉，则我们的心肠倘非冰冷如铁石的话，就必使心灵中充满了悔恨，年日中充满了遗憾。[13]
§28
A Privilege That Brings Satisfaction and Joy.--The thought that children have ministered to the comfort of their parents is a thought of satisfaction all through the life, and will especially bring them joy when they themselves are in need of sympathy and love. Those whose hearts are filled with love will regard the privilege of smoothing the passage to the grave for their parents an inestimable privilege. They will rejoice that they had a part in bringing comfort and peace to the last days of their loved parents. To do otherwise than this, to deny to the helpless aged ones the kindly ministrations of sons and daughters, would fill the soul with remorse, the days with regret, if our hearts were not hardened and cold as a stone. {AH 363.3}[13]