神学翻译的难处在于,如果你没有读过几种英文版的圣经,对经文不熟悉,就很容易用自己的表述代替了圣经的表述(有的时候,被基要派民兵揪住,就算是犯了神学错误)。所以,如果和合本已经翻译过的句子,我尽量抄袭原文,最多根据上下文做一点调整。因为,这样是最安全的做法,也是最方便读者检阅经文的做法。特别是直接引语,更是必须尊重圣经的文本。
兹举<成圣的福音奥秘>第三章最后一段为例。这段文字除了最后一句,每句话后面都有经文参考,所以处理的时候不应该错过“剪刀浆糊”的手段。英文后面的译文,是校对以前的版本。
And when Christ was manifested in the flesh, in the fullness of time, all things in heaven and on earth, all the saints departed, whose spirits were then made perfect in heaven, as well as the saints that then were, or should afterwards be on earth, were ‘gathered together in one,’ and comprehended in Christ as their Head (Eph. 1:10).
译文:当基督以肉身显现、在时候完满之时,在天上和地上一切的事上显现的时候,所有圣徒都离开了,他们的灵就在天上成为完全。那时的圣徒与后来在地上的圣徒,都在基督里“聚集在一处”,并且基督成为他们的头(弗 1:10)。
讨论(这些短语都是和合本圣经里有固定译法的):
Eph. 1:10 要照所安排的,在日期满足的时候,使天上、地上、一切所有的都在基督里面同归于一。
- in the fullness of time = 日期满足
- ‘gathered together in one’ = 直接引语:同归于一
修改译文:(请对比经文,看看如何尽可能地借用经文):在日期满足的时候,基督以肉身显现,使天上、地上、一切所有的,包括那已经死去、灵魂进入天国的圣徒,以及尚且在世,或者将要出生在世上的圣徒,都在基督里面“同归于一” ,以基督为首(弗 1:10)。
And He was ‘the chief corner-stone, in whom the building of the whole church on the foundation’ of the prophets before, and the apostles after His coming, ‘being fitly framed together, grows to a holy temple in the Lord’ (Eph. 2:20, 21).
译文:基督是建造全教会之根基上的房角石——在祂来以前是在先知的根基上,在祂来以后是在使徒的根基上;全教会在此基础上得以建造,在祂里面成为合式,渐渐成为主的圣殿(弗 2:20,21)。
经文: (Eph 2:20 [Cuv/S]) 并且被建造在使徒和先知的根基上,有基督耶稣自己为房角石,
(Eph 2:21 [Cuv/S]) 各(或作:全)房靠他联络得合式,渐渐成为主的圣殿。
讨论:
‘the chief corner-stone, in whom the building of the whole church on the foundation’ = 直接引语,“建造在……根基上,有基督耶稣自己为房角石”。这句话因为句式的问题,直接匹配原文有点难度。
‘being fitly framed together, grows to a holy temple in the Lord’ = 直接引语,“联络得合式,渐渐成为主的圣殿”。
修改:教会被建造在基督到来之前的先知和之后的使徒“根基上,有基督耶稣自己为房角石”,“靠他联络得合式,渐渐成为主的圣殿”(弗 2:20,21)。
Jesus Christ ‘is the same yesterday, and today, and forever’ (Heb. 13:8).
耶稣基督“昨日、今日、一直到永远,是一样的。”(来 13:8)。
讨论:
就是圣经原文。
His incarnation, death and resurrection were the cause of all the holiness that ever was, or shall be given to man, from the fall of Adam, to the end of the world – and that by the mighty power of His Spirit, by which all saints that ever were, or shall be, are joined together to be members of that one mystical body of which He is the Head.
祂的道成肉身、死亡和复活,是从亚当的堕落直到世界的末了,无论过去将来要赐给人类之一切圣洁的原因;藉着祂圣灵的大能,所有曾经活在世上、或将要出生的圣徒,都被联结在一起,成为那奥秘身体的一部分——而祂就是那奥秘身体之首。