Mandarin Sermon Translations

  • John 10:11-18

    约翰福音 10:11-18


    [Jesus said:] 11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”


    【耶稣说：】11“我是好牧人。好牧人为羊舍命。12佣工不是牧人，羊也不是他自己的，他看见狼来，就撇下羊逃走；狼抓住羊，赶散了羊群。13佣工逃走，因他是佣工，不关心羊。14我是好牧人；我认识我的羊，我的羊也认识我，15正如父认识我，我也认识父一样。并且我为羊舍命。16我另外有别的羊，不是这圈里的；我必须领他们来，他们也要听我的声音，也要作一群羊，归一个牧人。17我父爱我，因我将命舍下，好再取回来。18没有人夺去我的命，是我自己舍下的。我有权柄舍下，也有权柄取回来。这是我从我父所受的命令。”


     

    The Ottawa Lutherans online book club just finished reading about going on a pilgrimage. Specifically, we read Tim Moore’s book about his pilgrimage to Santiago (Moore, 2004).


    渥太华路德教徒在线读书俱乐部刚刚完成了一本关于朝圣的书籍。具体来说，我们读了蒂姆摩尔关于他去圣地亚哥的朝圣之旅的书（摩尔，2004）。



    But what sets his book apart from all the other Camino books is that Tim Moore completed the 800-kilometre trek with a donkey, named Shinto. The entertaining account centres on this relationship between man and donkey, and their many adventures.


    但是，他的书与所有其他关于圣地亚哥之路的书籍不同之处在于，蒂姆摩尔与一头名叫Shinto的驴一起完成了这段长达800公里的徒步旅行。这个有趣的故事围绕着男人和驴之间的关系以及他们的许多冒险展开。


     

    Shinto was by far my favourite character even though, of course, he doesn’t say a word. Shinto’s intentions, aversions, foibles and reactions are all revealed by his behaviour and physical expression.


    尽管Shinto当然没有说过一句话，但他却是我最喜欢的角色。Shinto的意图、厌恶、怪癖和反应都通过他的行为和身体表情得以展现。


     

    If you have walked the Camino de Santiago, you may recall the many bridges you crossed on this journey through northern Spain, from narrow foot bridges over shallow streams to large, urban multi-lane highway bridges spanning major rivers.


    如果你曾走过圣地亚哥之路，你可能会回想起你穿过的许多桥梁，从跨越浅溪的窄脚桥到跨越重要河流的大型城市多车道桥。


     

    But one thing Shinto would never, never do, is walk over any body of water. He would just dead stop right before the bridge and there was very little anything Tim could do to goad, force, shoo, push, haul that beast across. Shinto won that argument most of the time. And so, for much of the Camino, Tim would have to lead Shinto the long way around in order to avoid crossing those bridges.


    但是Shinto绝对不会走过任何水域。他会在桥前突然停下来，而蒂姆几乎无法逼迫、强迫、赶走、推挤、拉动这头牲畜过桥。Shinto在大多数情况下都赢得了这场争论。因此，在很多时候，为了避开这些桥梁，蒂姆不得不带着Shinto绕远路走。


     

    As you can imagine, it was the source of major friction between the two of them. Shinto’s stubbornness caused Tim so much exhaustion and frustration.


    你可以想象，这给他们之间造成了很大的摩擦。Shinto的固执给蒂姆带来了很多疲惫和挫败。



    Nearing the end of the Camino, Tim was joined by his family for a few days, including his young daughter, Lilja. Tim Moore describes a moment when the three of them approached the next bridge:


    在接近圣地亚哥之路的尽头，蒂姆的家人加入了他几天，包括他的小女儿Lilja。蒂姆摩尔描述了他们三人走向下一座桥的时刻：


     

    “…There was a bridge over an irrigation culvert, a sheet of galvanized metal which sang like a saw when I planted a boot on it. This sensory experience had a predictable effect on Shinto, and with a sag of the shoulders I turned around.


    “……有一座桥横跨一个灌溉渠，一张镀锌金属板，我往上一脚踩下去时发出了锯齿声。这种感官体验对Shinto产生了可预见的影响，我耸耸肩转身走开。


     

    “’What are you doing?’ asked Lilja.


    “‘你在做什么？’Lilja问。


     

    “’We’re going back to find another way,’ I said, lightly massaging a tender spot on my right temple, and at this stage of the day I had no wish to expose my daughter to scenes incorporating adult language and strong graphic horror.


    “‘我们要回去找别的路，’我说着，轻轻地按摩着右太阳穴上的敏感部位，这一天的这个阶段，我不想让我的女儿目睹成人语言和强烈的图像恐怖场面。


     

    “As I’d seen so many others do, she grimaced sceptically at first donkey, then bridge. ‘But it’s really small.’ I nodded vacantly, then set about wheeling Shinto round. ‘Have you tried holding out some of his favourite stuff from the other side?’


    “就像我看到许多其他人做过的那样，她一开始对着驴，然后对着桥抱着怀疑的表情。‘但它真的很小。’我茫然地点了点头，然后开始转动Shinto。‘你试过拿一些他最喜欢的东西诱惑他吗？’


     

    “’I’ve tried everything.’


    “‘我试过了一切。’


     

    “She twisted out a frond of alfalfa from the pathside. ‘Can I try again?’


    “她从路边拔下一片苜蓿。“我能再试一次吗？”


     

    “I suppressed a sigh. ’Quickly, then.’


    “我忍住了一声叹息。“快点吧。”


     

    “Lilja looked at Shinto in mock reproach, one hand on hip and the other proffering the vegetable lure. Then she leant forward, and whispered, ‘Now, Shinty, it’s only a little bridge.’ His ears shot up and without hesitation or deviation he clanged straight over” (p. 229-230).


    “Lilja假装责备地看着Shinto，一只手放在腰间，另一只递出蔬菜。然后她俯身过去，耳语道：“Shinty，这只是一座小桥。”他的耳朵竖了起来，毫不犹豫地直接过了去。”（摩尔，229-230页）。


     

    Tim Moore doesn’t explain his daughter’s gift of having that special connection with Shinto, apart from observing Lilja successfully do “her donkey-whisperer thing” (p. 234) for a few more days on the Camino.


    蒂姆摩尔没有解释他女儿与Shinto建立的特殊联系之礼物，除了观察到Lilja在圣地亚哥之路上成功地再次做出“她的驴驯服者本领”（摩尔，234页）。


     

    And I don’t know why I thought of Shinto when reading the perennial Gospel text for this fourth Sunday of Easter. Today is traditionally called Shepherd’s Sunday. Jesus is the good shepherd. I think of the metaphors describing Jesus’ relationship with us in terms of animals, and sheep no less. What’s about those sheep, and what’s about God who knows how to relate to us?


    当我阅读这个四旬期第四主日的经文时，我不知道为什么会想到Shinto。今天传统上被称为牧人星期日。耶稣是好牧人。我想到描述耶稣与我们关系的隐喻，用动物的形象，尤其是羊。关于那些羊，以及知道如何与我们相关的上帝，有什么特别的含义吗？


     

    Maybe the sheep in the gospels are there to remind us that we cannot control matters of faith in our relations—divine, human and non-human. And maybe that’s the point. We cannot force the issues, make others do things we are convinced are right. There is something here beyond our capacity to manage. And that’s what makes our faith journeys, individually and in community, such a challenge and such a joy!


    也许福音书中的羊在这里提醒我们，我们不能控制与神、人类和非人类的信仰关系。也许这就是问题所在。我们不能强迫问题，让其他人做我们认为正确的事情。有些事情超出了我们管理的能力。这就是使我们的信仰旅程，无论是个人还是社区，既是挑战又是喜悦的原因！


     

    Because love begins in freedom. Love is not love unless it starts in freedom.


    因为爱始于自由。除非爱起始于自由，否则就不是爱。



    Jesus “lays down” his life for the sheep. When you can’t force, control or manage outcomes, you’re giving up without giving up. You have to, like many beasts of the field, “center down” and trust God.


    耶稣为羊“舍命”。当你不能强迫、控制或管理结果时，你放弃了，却又没有放弃。你必须像许多田野的走兽一样“集中精神”，信任上帝。

     


    How do we do that? Jesus says that the sheep “will know my voice”. There was something about Lilja’s manner and the sound of her voice that convinced Shinto to cross the bridge. Shinto’s ears are a prominent feature in Tim Moore’s descriptions throughout the book. Listening for the deeper truth, the deeper reality. And trusting in it.


    我们如何做到这一点？耶稣说，羊“要认识我的声音”。Lilja的举止和声音使Shinto相信穿过桥。Shinto的耳朵是蒂姆摩尔在整本书中描述的一个突出特点。倾听更深层的真理，更深层的现实。并且对其产生信任。


     

    A story is told about Howard Thurman—20th century American author, Christian mystic, civil rights leader and theologian. “As a seminary student walking home late one night, Howard Thurman noticed the sound of water. He had taken this route many times, and he had never heard even a drip.


    讲述了有关霍华德瑟曼的故事 —— 二十世纪美国作家、基督教神秘主义者、民权领袖和神学家。“作为一名神学院学生，在一个深夜走回家的路上，霍华德瑟曼注意到了水声。他曾经走过这条路很多次，从未听到过一滴水声。

     


    “The next day Thurman discussed his observations with one of his professors, who told him that a canal ran underneath the street. Because the noises of streetcars, automobiles, and passersby were absent late at night, Howard could discern the sound of water.”


    “第二天，瑟曼与他的一位教授讨论了他的观察结果，后者告诉他，一条运河从街道底下流过。因为在深夜，没有电车、汽车和行人的噪音，霍华德才能听到水声。”


     

    Later, “Thurman equates these sounds … to the inner chatter within our minds that prevents us from being aware of God’s presence. Quieting the surface noise in our minds is what Thurman urges us to do when he instructs us … to ‘center down’” (Coleman Brown, 2023, pp. 121-123). 


    后来，“瑟曼将这些声音……与我们内心的喋喋不休相提并论，这阻碍了我们意识到上帝的存在。安抚我们内心表面的噪音是瑟曼在教导我们时所敦促我们做的事情……‘集中精神’”（布朗，2023年，121-123页）。


     

    For most of our wanderings in life, we are probably not aware of what is underneath us and how deep it goes. We can’t hear it. And when we’re faced with challenges in life, meet obstacles on the journey of faith, and we begin to sense what we’re walking over, maybe like Shinto we need to stop.


    在我们生命中的大多数漫步中，我们可能并不知道底下是什么，以及它有多深。我们听不到它。当我们面对生活中的挑战，在信仰之旅上遇到障碍时，当我们开始感受我们所行走的东西时，也许像Shinto一样，我们需要停下来。

     


    But here’s the crux of the matter, potentially the turning point of our lives. We don’t need to stay frozen in place. And we don’t always have to turn around and go back. In that moment of uncertainty, we can “center down” and listen. Listen to her voice, the whispering voice of God’s Spirit reaching deep into our hearts, to urge us forward in faith.


    但问题的关键在于，这可能是我们生命的转折点。我们不需要停滞不前。我们也不总是需要掉头回去。在那种不确定的时刻，我们可以“集中精神”并倾听。倾听她的声音，上帝的圣灵深入我们的内心，深深地促使我们以信仰前行。


     

    We wonder today how to witness to our faith, how to relate in faith to our children and grandchildren. Maybe we need to be reminded again that Jesus doesn’t force us to do anything. Because God loves us and gives us the freedom to respond however we will. Following God does not come from willfulness but from listening (Palmer, 1999, p. 4).


    今天，我们想知道如何见证我们的信仰，如何在信仰中与我们的子女和孙子辈交往。也许我们需要再次被提醒，耶稣并不强迫我们做任何事情。因为上帝爱我们，并给了我们自由去做任何我们愿意做的事情。跟随上帝不是出于自我意志，而是出于倾听（帕尔默，1999年，第4页）。

     


    And we, in turn, don’t will ourselves or will others into ways of being. Our task is first to listen. And trust in the ever-present movement of God’s Spirit flowing through, underneath and all around all our relations.

    Amen.


    而我们，反过来，也不会通过意志力使自己或他人成为某种方式。我们的任务首先是倾听。并且信任上帝的圣灵一直在我们所有关系中流动、包围、深入。阿门。

     

     

    References:

    Coleman Brown, L. (2023). What makes you come alive: A spiritual walk with Howard Thurman. Broadleaf Books.

    Moore, T. (2004). Travels with my donkey: One man and his ass on a pilgrimage to Santiago. St. Martin’s Press.

    Palmer, P. (1999). Let your life speak: Listening for the voice of vocation. Jossey-Bass.

                  


     






Past Sermon Translations

LOADING PLAYER…