頌詩譯選
化石成金
教導我,我主我王,
在所有的事上看見你,
不論我為了何事忙,
所作都是為了你。
不是像粗野的動物,
反應動作本然;
但仍使你預先宣言,
終究能使其完全。
人對着鏡子觀看,
他會定睛在其上,
若他願看透另一面,
他就能看見天堂。
凡事可與你同作,
無事可算為不屑,
如果存心“為主作”,
無不化為光明清潔。
僕人持守這原則
可化雜務為聖工:
清掃房間,無殊宣講聖經,
使房間和行動都純淨。
這是那有名的石頭
能把一切變為金;
因神所作並所有的
不能減損所言半分。
喬治.赫伯特,英國詩人。
注:據傳說,古時的術士能煉成“昇化石”(Elixir),也稱為“The philosopher's stone”,能點石成金,又能使人長生不老。詩人以“有名的石頭”喻聖徒事奉觀念的轉變。
The Elixir
Teach Me, my God and King,
In all things Thee to see,
And that I do in anything,
To do it as for Thee.
Not rudely as a beast,
To run into an action;
But still to make thee prepossest,
And give it his perfection.
A man that looks on glass,
On it may stay his eye,
Or, if he pleaseth, through it pass,
And then the heav'n espy.
All may of Thee partake:
Nothing can be so mean,
Which with his tincture, "For Thy sake,"
Will not grow bright and clean.
A servant with this clause
Makes drugery divine:
Who sweeps a room, as for thy laws,
Makes that and th' action fine.
This is the famous stone
That turneth all to gold;
For that which God doth touch and own
Cannot for less be told.
George Herbert, 1593-1633
English religious poet