第05章 该隐和亚伯
§1
第05章 该隐和亚伯
§2
Chapter 5 - Cain and Abel.
§3
亚当的两个儿子，该隐和亚伯，在性格方面大不相同。亚伯敬畏上帝。该隐却怀有悖逆的情绪，并且因那向亚当所宣布的咒诅，又因为他的罪使地受咒诅，而埋怨上帝。这两兄弟曾经受教，明白有关拯救人类所作的安排。他们奉命要实行一种谦卑顺命的制度，就是宰杀羊群中头生的，带着血正式地献给上帝作为燔祭，藉此表示他们尊崇上帝，并且信赖那位应许的救赎主。这个牺牲将要导使他们不断地想起自己的罪，以及那位要来为人类作伟大牺牲的救赎主。{1SP 54.1}[1]
§4
Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam, were very unlike in character. Abel feared God. Cain cherished rebellious feelings, and murmured against God because of the curse pronounced upon Adam, and because the ground was cursed for his sin. These brothers had been instructed in regard to the provision made for the salvation of the human race. They were required to carry out a system of humble obedience, showing their reverence for God, and their faith and dependence upon the promised Redeemer, by slaying the firstlings of the flock, and solemnly presenting them with the blood, as a burnt-offering to God. This sacrifice would lead them to continually keep in mind their sin, and the Redeemer to come, who was to be the great sacrifice for man. {1SP 54.1}[1]
§5
该隐将他的供物献在主面前，但心中对于上帝所应许的牺牲却充满了怨尤和不信。他不愿严格地遵循顺命的计划，去取一只羔羊，将它和地里的出产一同献上。他仅仅拿来地里的出产，而无视上帝的要求。上帝曾向亚当说明：若不流血，罪就不得赦免。该隐并不特别留意，甚至也不献上最优良的土产，亚伯劝他的哥哥不可不带祭牲的血到主面前来。该隐身为兄长，不愿听他弟弟的话。他藐视他的劝诫，并对献祭仪式的必要心存怀疑与埋怨之念，献上了他的供物。但是上帝却不悦纳。{1SP 55.1}[2]
§6
Cain brought his offering unto the Lord with murmuring and infidelity in his heart in regard to the promised Sacrifice. He was unwilling to strictly follow the plan of obedience, and procure a lamb and offer it with the fruit of the ground. He merely took of the fruit of the ground, and disregarded the requirement of God. God had made known to Adam that without shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin. Cain was not particular to bring even the best of the fruits. Abel advised his brother not to come before the Lord without the blood of a sacrifice. Cain being the eldest, would not listen to his brother. He despised his counsel, and with doubt and murmuring in regard to the necessity of the ceremonial offerings, he presented his offering. But God did not accept it. {1SP 55.1}[2]
§7
亚伯遵照上帝所吩咐的，带来他羊群中头生的和羊的脂油，并对那位要来的弥赛亚充满信心，以谦卑地敬畏献上了自己的供物。上帝看中了他的供物。有一道光从天上闪下来，将亚伯的供物烧尽了。该隐却看不到什么证明表示他的供物已蒙悦纳，于是他对耶和华并对他兄弟发怒了，但上帝竟屈就该隐，差遣天使来与他谈话。{1SP 55.2}[3]
§8
Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat as God had commanded; and in full faith of the Messiah to come, and with humble reverence, he presented the offering. God had respect unto his offering. A light flashes from Heaven and consumes the offering of Abel. Cain sees no manifestation that his is accepted. He is angry with the Lord, and with his brother. God condescends to send an angel to Cain to converse with him. {1SP 55.2}[3]
§9
天使询问他发怒的原因，并且告诉他：如果他行的对，并遵从上帝所赐予的指示，祂就必悦纳并看重他的供物。但如果他不肯谦虚地顺服上帝的安排，相信而且听从祂，祂就不能接受他的供物。天使告诉该隐，上帝不看重他的供物，并不是因为上帝方面的不公平或偏爱亚伯，而是因为他自己的罪和违背上帝明令的行为——而且如果他行的对，他就必蒙上帝的悦纳，他的兄弟也应听他，况且他应当起带头作用，因为他是兄长。但就在该隐受了如此忠实的教导之后，他依然没有悔改。他非但没有因自己的不信而自责自恨，反而还要埋怨上帝不公和偏心。他因嫉妒与恨恶，竟与亚伯争论起来并且责怪他。亚伯谦和地指出他哥哥的过失，并向他说明错处全在乎他自己。但该隐自从上帝表示悦纳他兄弟的时候起就恨恶他。他的兄弟亚伯设法力陈上帝如何在原可让立即死亡临到他们的父母身上时，竟救了他们的性命，显明上帝的慈悲，借此平息该隐的忿怒。他告诉该隐上帝爱他们，否则祂不会赐下祂无罪而圣洁的儿子，来担当人类因自己违法所应承当的忿怒。亚伯在为上帝的计划辩护时，该隐却因而激怒，他向亚伯所怀的愤恨越来越剧烈，结果竟在盛怒之下将他杀死了。上帝向该隐问到他的兄弟，该隐说出了一句罪恶的谎言：“我不知道，我岂是看守我兄弟的吗？”上帝告诉该隐祂知道他的罪——祂熟悉他的每一行动，甚至洞悉他心中的思想意念，便对他说：“你兄弟的血有声音从地里向我哀告，地开了口，从你手里接受你兄弟的血；现在你必从这地受咒诅。你种地，地不再给你效力；你必流离飘荡在地上。” {1SP 55.3}[4]
§10
The angel inquires of him the reason of his anger, and informs him that if he does well, and follows the directions God has given, he will accept him, and respect his offering. But if he will not humbly submit to Gods arrangements, and believe and obey him, he cannot accept his offering. The angel tells Cain that it was no injustice on the part of God, or partiality shown to Abel; but that it was on account of his own sin, and disobedience of Gods express command, why he could not respect his offering--and if he would do well he would be accepted of God, and his brother should listen to him, and he should take the lead, because he was the eldest. But even after being thus faithfully instructed, Cain did not repent. Instead of censuring and abhorring himself for his unbelief, he still complains of the injustice and partiality of God. And in his jealousy and hatred he contends with Abel, and reproaches him. Abel meekly points out his brothers error, and shows him that the wrong is in himself. But Cain hates his brother from the moment that God manifests to him the tokens of his acceptance. His brother Abel seeks to appease his wrath by contending for the compassion of God in saving the lives of their parents, when he might have brought upon them immediate death. He tells Cain that God loved them, or he would not have given his Son, innocent and holy, to suffer the wrath which man by his disobedience deserved to suffer. While Abel justifies the plan of God, Cain becomes enraged, and his anger increases and burns against Abel, until in his rage he slays him. God inquires of Cain for his brother, and Cain utters a guilty falsehood: I know not; am I my brothers keeper? God informs Cain that he knew in regard to his sin--that he was acquainted with his every act, and even the thoughts of his heart, and says to him, Thy brothers blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. {1SP 55.3}[4]
§11
人对咒诅初次临到地上的影响尚觉和缓；但如今地竟受了双重的咒诅。该隐和亚伯代表两等人，就是义人与恶人，信的人和不信的人。从人类堕落一直到基督复临，都必有这两等人存在。该隐杀害他的兄弟亚伯，代表恶人因为义人比他们更好，故此嫉妒并仇恨他们。恶人要嫉妒义人，并且逼迫他们，置他们于死地，因为义人所行的义显明他们罪恶行径的不是。{1SP 57.1}[5]
§12
The curse upon the ground at first had been felt but lightly; but now a double curse rested upon it. Cain and Abel represent the two classes, the righteous and the wicked, the believers and unbelievers, which should exist from the fall of man to the second coming of Christ. Cains slaying his brother Abel, represents the wicked who will be envious of the righteous, and will hate them because they are better than themselves. They will be jealous of the righteous, and will persecute and put them to death because their right-doing condemns their sinful course. {1SP 57.1}[5]
§13
亚当的一生乃是饱经忧患，谦卑，和时常痛悔的。他既教导子孙敬畏耶和华，自己也常因他那造成后代如许不幸的罪恶而悲痛自责。当他离开美丽的伊甸园时，他一想到自己必定死，就不禁因恐怖而颤栗了。他认为死亡乃是可怕的灾祸。他最先因自己的儿子该隐杀死他的兄弟亚伯，而体验到死亡临到人类家庭的可怖事实。他因自己的违命而满怀最沉痛的悔恨，又因丧失了次子亚伯，并看到该隐乃是杀害亚伯的凶手，再认明上帝在他身上所宣布的咒诅，便因悲伤而肠断心碎。他极其悲痛地为自己所犯的首次大罪而责怪自己。他借着所应许的牺牲而恳求上帝赦免。他深深地感受到上帝对他在乐园中所犯罪行的忿怒，他亲自目睹那后来引起上帝终于用洪水毁灭地上居民的普遍性的败坏。创造主在他身上所宣布的死刑，当初对他似乎非常可怕，但经过生活数百年之后，他倒认为上帝结束他不幸的人生，反显明是公义而慈怜的了。{1SP 57.2}[6]
§14
Adams life was one of sorrow, humility, and continual repentance. As he taught his children and grand-children the fear of the Lord, he was often bitterly reproached for his sin which resulted in so much misery upon his posterity. When he left the beautiful Eden, the thought that he must die, thrilled him with horror. He looked upon death as a dreadful calamity. He was first made acquainted with the dreadful reality of death in the human family by his own son Cain slaying his brother Abel. Filled with the bitterest remorse for his own transgression, and deprived of his son Abel, and looking upon Cain as his murderer, and knowing the curse God pronounced upon him, bowed down Adams heart with grief. Most bitterly did he reproach himself for his first great transgression. He entreated pardon from God through the promised Sacrifice. Deeply had he felt the wrath of God for his crime committed in Paradise. He witnessed the general corruption which afterward finally provoked God to destroy the inhabitants of the earth by a flood. The sentence of death pronounced upon him by his Maker, which at first appeared so terrible to him, after he had lived some hundreds of years, looked just and merciful in God, to bring to an end a miserable life. {1SP 57.2}[6]
§15
亚当在落叶残花上所看到自然界腐化的初步迹象，当时所感到悲哀的深切，较比现代的人悲悼死者更甚。凋谢的花朵因为原是娇柔脆弱的，还不至引起太深的伤感，但高大，崇伟，坚实的树木竟也脱卸它们的叶子而腐烂了；这呈现在他面前的，乃是上帝专为人类福利而创造的佳美大自然的普遍败坏。{1SP 58.1}[7]
§16
As Adam witnessed the first signs of decaying nature in the falling leaf, and in the drooping flowers, he mourned more deeply than men now mourn over their dead. The drooping flowers were not so deep a cause of grief, because more tender and delicate; but the tall, noble, sturdy trees to cast off their leaves, to decay, presented before him the general dissolution of beautiful nature, which God had created for the especial benefit of man. {1SP 58.1}[7]
§17
亚当向他的子子孙孙，一直到第九代，描述了他伊甸家乡的绝妙美景，和他的堕落及其可怕的后果，以及由于他家庭的破裂而结果造成亚伯的死，致使他感到负疚悲伤。他向他们述说上帝如何让他经受种种痛苦，为要教训他严格遵循祂律法的必要。他向他们声明：罪恶不论形式如何，是必定要受到刑罚的。他恳劝他们务要顺从上帝；如果他们爱上帝并且敬畏祂，祂就必以慈怜对待他们。{1SP 58.2}[8]
§18
To his children, and to their children, to the ninth generation, he delineated the perfections of his Eden home; and also his fall and its dreadful results, and the load of grief brought upon him on account of the rupture in his family, which ended in the death of Abel. He related to them the sufferings God had brought him through, to teach him the necessity of strictly adhering to his law. He declared to them that sin would be punished in whatever form it existed. He entreated them to obey God, who would deal mercifully with them if they should love and fear him. {1SP 58.2}[8]
§19
天使在亚当堕落之后，仍与他保持交通，告知救恩的计划，并说明人类并不是无法挽救的。虽然上帝与人之间已经有了可怕的隔离，但上帝已早有安排，使人可以因祂爱子所作的牺牲而得蒙拯救。然而他们唯一的希望乃在于虚心痛悔的生活，以及对于上帝安排的信心。凡能如此接受基督为自己唯一救主的人，将要因上帝儿子的功劳而再度得蒙上帝的眷爱。{1SP 58.3}[9]
§20
Angels held communication with Adam after his fall, and informed him of the plan of salvation, and that the human race was not beyond redemption. Although a fearful separation had taken place between God and man, yet provision had been made through the offering of his beloved Son by which man might be saved. But their only hope was through a life of humble repentance, and faith in the provision made. All those who could thus accept Christ as their only Saviour, should be again brought into favor with God through the merits of his Son. {1SP 58.3}[9]
§21
亚当奉命教导他的后裔学习敬畏主，并且藉他的榜样和谦卑的顺从教导他们高度重视那预表一位要来的救主的供物。亚当谨慎地珍存了上帝给他的启示，并且将之传给了他的子子孙孙。认识上帝的知识藉此得以保存下来。甚至在亚当的日子，地上就有一些义人认识和敬畏上帝。安息日是在人类堕落之前就得到遵守的。因为亚当夏娃违背了上帝的命令，吃了禁树的果子，他们便被赶出了伊甸园；然而他们在堕落之后遵守了安息日。他们已尝到悖逆的苦果，认识到每一次违背上帝的命令尽早都会获悉上帝言出必行，他们必定遭受违命的刑罚。{1SP 59.1}[10]
§22
Adam was commanded to teach his descendants the fear of the Lord, and, by his example and humble obedience, teach them to highly regard the offerings which typified a Saviour to come. Adam carefully treasured what God had revealed to him, and handed it down by word of mouth to his children and childrens children. By this means the knowledge of God was preserved. There were some righteous upon the earth who knew and feared God even in Adams day. The Sabbath was observed before the fall. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed Gods command, and ate of the forbidden fruit, they were expelled from Eden; but they observed the Sabbath after their fall. They had experienced the bitter fruits of disobedience, and learned that every transgressor of Gods commands will sooner or later learn that God means just what he says, and that he will surely punish the transgressor. {1SP 59.1}[10]
§23
那些胆敢轻视耶和华的休息日，就是祂分别为圣并且赐福，命令人守为圣日之日的人，必要知道死是犯罪者的报应。由于上帝给予第七日的特殊尊荣，祂要求祂的子民数算七日，免得他们忘记他们的创造主，祂在六日之内创造了天地，并在第七日安息了。{1SP 59.2}[11]
§24
Those who venture to lightly esteem the day upon which Jehovah rested, the day which he sanctified and blessed, the day which he has commanded to be kept holy, will yet know that death is the reward of the transgressor. On account of the special honors God conferred upon the seventh day, he required his people to number by sevens lest they should forget their Creator who made the heavens and the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. {1SP 59.2}[11]
§25
该隐的后代没有小心尊重上帝安息的日子。他们选择自己的作息时间，不顾耶和华特别的命令。地上有截然不同的两等人。一等人公然反叛上帝的律法；而另一等人则顺从祂的命令，尊敬祂的安息日。{1SP 60.1}[12]
§26
The descendants of Cain were not careful to respect the day upon which God rested. They chose their own time for labor and for rest, regardless of Jehovahs special command. There were two distinct classes upon the earth. One class were in open rebellion against Gods law, while the other class obeyed his commandments, and revered his Sabbath. {1SP 60.1}[12]