天路历程 The Pilgrim's Progress | 八、美丽宫殿（1）

八、美丽宫殿（1）

Now I saw in my dream that he made haste and went forward, that if possible he might get lodging there. Now, before he had gone far, he entered into a very narrow passage, which was about a furlong off the porter's lodge; and looking very narrowly before him as he went, he espied two lions in the way. Now, thought he, I see the dangers that Mistrust and Timorous were driven back by. (The lions were chained, but he saw not the chains.) Then he was afraid, and thought also himself to go back after them, for he thought nothing but death was before him. But the porter at the lodge, whose name is Watchful, perceiving that Christian made a halt as if he would go back, cried unto him, saying, Is thy strength so small? Fear not the lions, for they are chained, and are placed there for trial of faith where it is, and for discovery of those that had none. Keep in the midst of the path, no hurt shall come unto thee.

我在梦里看见他加快脚步向前走去，希望有可能的话就在那儿住宿。他还没有走多远，就走进一条很窄的小路，这小路离开那门房还有八分之一英里的路。他一面走，一面留心张望着，终于看见路上有两只狮子。他想，现在我看到了把疑惑和胆怯吓退的危险物了（狮子是给锁住了的，但是他看不见铁链）。接着他怕起来，也想照他们的样子退回去，因为他认为前面只有死路一条。但是名叫警醒的看门人在门房里瞧见基督徒停下来，好像要回头走的样子，就喊他，说，你的胆量这么小吗？别害怕狮子，因为它们是给锁住了的，故意放在那儿来考验有信心的人（1），同时也可以发现没有信心的人。走在路当中就不会受到伤害。

Then I saw that he went on, trembling for fear of the lions, but taking good heed to the directions of the porter; he heard them roar, but they did him no harm. Then he clapped his hands, and went on till he came and stood before the gate where the porter was. Then said Christian to the porter, Sir, what house is this? And may I lodge here to-night? The porter answered, This house was built by the Lord of the hill, and he built it for the relief and security of pilgrims. The porter also asked whence he was, and whither he was going.

接着我看见他继续往前走，不过因为害怕狮子浑身直发抖；可是由于他注意看门人给他的指示，他只听见它们吼叫，而并没有受到它们的伤害。于是他拍着手，一直走到大门前看门人站的地方。他就对看门人说，先生，这是什么房子？我可以在这里过夜吗？看门人回答说，这房子是这座山的主人修建的，他是为了旅客的安全和休息而造的。看门人又问他从哪儿来，上哪儿去。

CHR. I am come from the City of Destruction, and am going to Mount Zion; but because the sun is now set, I desire, if I may, to lodge here to-night.

基督徒说：我是从毁灭城来的，要到锡安山去；因为太阳已经下山了，我希望，要是可能的话，在这儿过夜。

POR. What is your name?

看门人说：你叫什么名字？

CHR. My name is now Christian, but my name at the first was Graceless; I came of the race of Japheth, whom God will persuade to dwell in the tents of Shem.

基督徒说：我现在的名字是基督徒，本来的名字是邪恶；我是雅弗的后裔，上帝要使他的后裔住在闪的帐棚里（2）。

POR. But how doth it happen that you come so late? The sun

is set.

看门人说：你怎么这么晚才来呢？太阳已经下山了。

CHR. I had been here sooner, but that, "wretched man that I am!" I slept in the arbour that stands on the hillside; nay, I had, notwithstanding that, been here much sooner, but that, in my sleep, I lost my evidence, and came without it to the brow of the hill and then feeling for it, and finding it not, I was forced with sorrow of heart, to go back to the place where I slept my sleep, where I found it, and now I am come.

基督徒说：我本来会早一点儿到这儿来的，可是，我真该死！我在山腰上的亭子里睡着了；不，尽管这样，如果我没有在睡眠中丢了我的证件，我还是很早就会到这儿的，我走到山顶的时候，摸了一下才发觉丢了，于是不得不伤心地回到我睡觉的地方，找到了它再到这儿来。

POR. Well, I will call out one of the virgins of this place, who will, if she likes your talk, bring you into the rest of the family, according to the rules of the house. So Watchful, the porter, rang a bell, at the sound of which came out at the door of the house, a grave and beautiful damsel, named Discretion, and asked why she was called.

看门人说：好，我要把这地方的一个贞女请出来，如果她听你谈过以后，觉得满意，她会按着这一家的规矩，带你去见其余的人。于是看门人警醒打一下铃，铃声响后，一个端庄美丽、名叫谨慎的少女从房子里走出来，问看门人为什么叫她。

The porter answered, This man is in a journey from the City of Destruction to Mount Zion, but being weary and benighted, he asked me if he might lodge here to-night; so I told him I would call for thee, who, after discourse had with him, mayest do as seemeth thee good, even according to the law of the house.

看门人回答道：这个人从毁灭城来，到锡安山去，因为觉得疲倦而且天又黑了，他问我能不能让他在这儿过夜；我对他说我要请你出来，等你跟他谈过以后，按照这一家的规矩，认为应该怎么办就怎么办。

Then she asked him whence he was, and whither he was going, and he told her. She asked him also how he got into the way; and he told her. Then she asked him what he had seen and met with in the way; and he told, her. And last she asked his name; so he said, It is Christian, and I have so much the more a desire to lodge here to-night, because, by what I perceive, this place was built by the Lord of the hill for the relief and security of pilgrims. So she smiled, but the water stood in her eyes; and after a little pause, she said, I will call forth two or three more of the family. So she ran to the door, and called out Prudence, Piety, and Charity, who, after a little more discourse with him, had him into the family; and many of them, meeting him at the threshold of the house, said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; this house was built by the Lord of the hill, on purpose to entertain such pilgrims in. Then he bowed his head, and followed them into the house. So when he was come in and sat down, they gave him something to drink, and consented together, that until supper was ready, some of them should have some particular discourse with Christian, for the best improvement of time; and they appointed Piety, and Prudence, and Charity to discourse with him; and thus they began:

于是她问他从哪儿来，上哪儿去，他都一一回答了。她又问他怎么走上这条路的，他也告诉了她。然后她问他在路上看到了和遇到了什么事情，他也说了。最后她问他叫什么名字，他就说，我叫做基督徒，我特别希望在这儿过夜，因为据我知道，这地方是这座山的主人为了安慰旅客们并保障他们的安全而建造的。她微笑着，同时眼睛里含着泪水；她顿了一顿说，我去喊两三个家里人来。她就跑到门口把贤慧、虔诚和仁爱三个人叫了来，她们跟他谈了一会儿后，把他当作自己人看待；她们很多人在门口迎接他，说，请进来，你这位被主人祝福的人；这房子是这座山的主人特地为招待这样的旅客而造的。于是他鞠了一躬，跟着她们走了进去。他到了里面坐下来以后，她们请他喝了一些东西，大家都同意，在晚饭还没有准备好以前，为了尽量利用时间起见，她们中间有些人应该特别跟基督徒谈谈；她们选出了虔诚、贤慧和仁爱跟他谈话；她们就这样开始：

PIETY. Come, good Christian, since we have been so loving to you, to receive you in our house this night, let us, if perhaps we may better ourselves thereby, talk with you of all things that have happened to you in your pilgrimage.

虔诚说：喂，好基督徒，既然我们对你这么友爱，今天晚上在我们房子里接待你；要是对我们有帮助的话，让我们谈谈你旅途中所遇到的一切事情。

CHR. With a very good will, and I am glad that you are so well disposed.

基督徒说：我非常愿意，你们这样有兴趣，我很高兴。

PIETY. What moved you at first to be take yourself to a pilgrim's life?

虔诚说：最初是什么使你投身于天路旅客的生涯？

CHR. I was driven out of my native country by a dreadful sound that was in mine ears: to wit, that unavoidable destruction did attend me, if I abode in that place where I was.

基督徒说：我耳朵里有一种可怕的声音驱使我离开我的家乡；就是说，如果我在原来的地方待下去，我就不可避免地要遭到毁灭。

PIETY. But how did it happen that you came out of your country this way?

虔诚说：可是你怎么会这样离开家乡的？

CHR. It was as God would have it; for when I was under the fears of destruction, I did not know whither to go; but by chance there came a man, even to me, as I was trembling and weeping, whose name is Evangelist, and he directed me to the wicket-gate, which else I should never have found, and so set me into the way that hath led me directly to this house.

基督徒说：是照着上帝的意旨做的；因为我害怕遭到毁灭，又不知道往哪儿去好；我正在战抖、哭泣的时候，碰巧来了一个叫做宣道师的人，他指点我到那扇小门那儿去（不然的话，我决计找不到那扇小门的），我就这样被引到这条把我直接带到这房子来的路上。

PIETY. But did you not come by the house of the Interpreter?

虔诚说：难道你没有经过解释者的住宅吗？

CHR. Yes, and did see such things there, the remembrance of which will stick by me as long as I live; especially three things: to wit, how Christ, in despite of Satan, maintains his work of grace in the heart; how the man had sinned himself quite out of hopes of God's mercy; and also the dream of him that thought in his sleep the day of judgement was come.

基督徒说：有，在那儿还看到些我一辈子也忘不了的事情；尤其是那三件事情——那就是，尽管撒但的破坏，基督依然一直在人心里维持着恩典的工作；那个人怎样继续犯罪，弄到没有希望得到上帝的怜悯的地步；还有那个在睡眠中以为审判的日子已经来到的人所做的梦。

PIETY. Why, did you hear him tell his dream?

虔诚说：怎么，他把他的梦告诉了你吗？

CHR. Yes, and a dreadful one it was. I thought it made my heart ache as he was telling of it; but yet I am glad I heard it.

基督徒说：是的，而且我认为那是一个够可怕的梦。在他告诉我的时候，我吓得心惊肉跳；可是现在我倒觉得很高兴能听到那个梦。

PIETY. Was that all that you saw at the house of the Interpreter?

虔诚说：你在解释者家里所看到的就是这些吗？

CHR. No; he took me and had me where he shewed me a stately palace, and how the people were clad in gold that were in it; and how there came a venturous man and cut his way through the armed men that stood in the door to keep him out, and how he was bid to come in, and win eternal glory. Methought those things did ravish my heart! I would have stayed at that good man's house a twelve month, but that I knew I had further to go.

基督徒说：不，他还带我去看一座雄伟的宫殿，里面的人都穿着黄金般的衣服；我还看见一个大胆的人来到宫殿门前，有一批穿戴盔甲的人站在门口不让他进去，他在他们中间冲了过去，后来他给请进宫去，赢得了永恒的荣耀。我觉得那些情景使我全心向往！我本来可以在那个好人的家里耽上一年，但是我知道我得赶路。

PIETY. And what saw you else in the way?

虔诚说：你在路上还看到什么吗？

CHR. Saw! why, I went but a little further, and I saw one, as I thought in my mind, hang bleeding upon the tree; and the very sight of him made my burden fall off my back, (for I groaned under a very heavy burden,) but then it fell down from off me. It was a strange thing to me, for I never saw such a thing before; yea, and while I stood looking up, for then I could not forbear looking, three Shining Ones came to me. One of them testified that my sins were forgiven me; another stripped me of my rags, and gave me this broidered coat which you see; and the third set the mark which you see

in my forehead, and gave me this sealed roll. (And with that he plucked it out of his bosom.)

基督徒说：看到什么！咳，还没有走多远，我就看见一个人，就像我所想象的那样，挂在十字架上直淌着血；一见到他，我的负担顿时就从背上落了下来；我本来给重担压得直呻吟，可是那时侯它从我身上滑了下来。这在我身上是件奇妙的遭遇，因为我从来没有碰到过这种事情；我正抬头看的时候（因为那时我没法不看），三个全身发亮的人向我走来。其中一个见证说我的罪已经得到赦免；另一个脱掉我身上褴褛的衣服，给我穿上这件你现在看到的绣花的外衣；第三个在我额上印了这个你现在看见的记号，还给我这本盖了印的小册子（说着他从怀里把它掏出来）。

PIETY. But you saw more than this, did you not?

虔诚说：不过你看到的还不止这些吧，对不对？

CHR. The things that I have told you were the best; yet some other matters I saw, as, namely--I saw three men, Simple, Sloth, and Presumption, lie asleep a little out of the way, as I came, with irons upon their heels; but do you think I could awake them? I also saw Formality and Hypocrisy come tumbling over the wall, to go, as they pretended, to Zion, but they were quickly lost, even as I myself did tell them; but they would not believe. But above all, I found it hard work to get up this hill, and as hard to come by the lions' mouths, and truly if it had not been for the good man, the porter that stands at the gate, I do not know but that after all I might have gone back again; but now I thank God I am here, and I thank you for receiving of me.

基督徒说：我告诉你的都是最精采的；我还看到一些别的事，譬如——我看见三个人，愚蠢、懒惰和傲慢，当我一路走来的时候，见他们都上了脚镣睡在路旁边不远的地方；可是你想我能把他们叫醒吗？我还看见形式主义者和虚伪越墙而来，他们自称是要到锡安去的,可是他们不久就迷路了；我事先就告诉他们会有那样的结果，但是他们不相信。不过，所有这些事中最重要的是我发觉上这座山非常吃力，在那两头狮子身边走过也不简单，真的，要没有那个好人，那个站在大门口的看门人，说不定我终究还会掉转头走掉了哩；可是现在谢谢上帝，我到了这儿，我感谢你们的接待。