2. 當你把財產給人時,你給得很少,
因為真正的給予是付出你自己
《先知‧給予1》
You give but little when you give of
your possessions
It is when you give of yourself
that you truly give
3. 財產是什麼?
財產不過是你保有並守護著的東西
你害怕明天會需要它們
需要的恐懼是什麼?
恐怕只是需要本身
《先知‧給予2》
For what are your possessions but things you
Keep and guard for fear you may need
them tomorrow?
And what is fear of need but need itself?
4. 有人擁有很少,卻付出全部
這些人相信生命,相信生命的慷慨,
他們的箱匣永不空乏
《先知‧給予3》
And there are those who have little
and give it all
These are the believers in life
and the bounty of life,
and their coffer is never empty
5. 有人歡欣的給予,
這份歡欣就是他們的報酬
有人痛苦的給予,
這份痛苦就是他們的洗禮
《先知‧給予4》
There are those who give with joy,and that
joy is their reward
And there are those who give with pain,and
that pain is their baptism
6. 有人給予,
但不感覺給予的痛苦他們不尋求欣喜,
也不是懷著行善的心;
他們的給予,
就像遠處山谷中桃金釀
將香氣吐入空中
《先知‧給予5》
And there are those who give and know not
pain in giving,nor do they seek joy,nor give
with mind-fullness of virtue;
They give as in yonder valley the myrtle
breathes its fragrance into space
8. 對慷慨好施者而言,尋找接受者
比施予本身有著更大的喜悅
《先知‧給予7》
And to the open-handed the search
for one who
shall receive is joy greater than giving
9. 你有任何東西是不想送給人的嗎?
你所擁有的,終有一天會送人的;
所以要給就趁現在,
趁給予的季節還屬於你,
而不是你的後人
《先知‧給予8》
And is there aught you would withhold?
All you have shall some day be given;
Therefore give now,that the season of giving
maybe yours and not your inheritors’.
10. 生命,不給就會消亡
一個配得擁有上天賜予晝夜的人,
當然也值得你給予他一切的東西
《先知‧給予9》
Surely he who is worthy to receive
his days and
his nights is worthy of all else from you.
11. 一個配得上從生命之洋中飲水的人,
當然也值得從你這條小溪中
勺滿他的水杯
還有什麼比接受施捨的勇氣和信心
-且不談慈悲- 更大的美德?
《先知‧給予10》
And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean
And what desert greater shall there be,than that
which lies in the courage and the confidence,
may the charity,of receiving?
12. 因此先使你自己配得上作一個
施予者,和一個施予的工具吧
因為其實是生命施予生命-而你,
你自以為是一個施予者,
卻只不過是個目擊者而已
《先知‧給予11》
See first that you yourself deserve to b
a giver,and an instrument of giving.
For in truth it is life that gives unto
life-while you,who deem yourself a
give,are but a witness.
13. 你常說:我願意給,
但是只給受之無愧的人
你果園裡的果樹不這麼說,
你牧場上的牲口也不這麼說
牠們是因為給予,才能延續
《先知‧給予12》
You often say,‘I would give,but only to
the desery-ing.’
The trees in your orchard say not so,
nor thrflocks in your pasture.
They give that they may live,for
to withhold is toperish.
