摘、译自 Orthodox daily prayers. Prayers before sleep. 3rd prayer, to the Holy Spirit. [《正教会日常祈祷文》,「睡前祈祷」,「第 3 篇祈祷,致圣灵」。]
O Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, and Spirit of Truth, show compassion and have mercy on me, thy sinful servant! Absolve me, who am unworthy. Forgive all the sins I have committed this day, both in my humanity and my inhumanity, behaving worse than beasts in sins voluntary and involuntary, known and unknown, whether from my youth, and from evil suggestions; or whether from brazenness and despondency. If I have sworn by thy Name, or blasphemed it in thought; if I have grieved anyone or become angered by something; or have slandered, or saddened anyone in my anger; or have lied or slept unnecessarily; or a beggar has come to me, and I have despised him; or have saddened my brother or quarrelled with him; or have judged someone; or have allowed myself to become haughty, proud, or angry; or, when standing in prayer, my mind had been distracted by the wickedness of this world; or have entertained depraved thoughts; or have over-eaten, over-drunk, or laughed frivolously; or have had evil thoughts or seen the beauty of another, and been wounded thereby in my heart; or have spoken inappropriately; or have laughed at my brother’s sins, when my own transgressions are countless; or have been neglectful of prayer; or have done any other wrong that I do not remember; for all of this and more than this have I done; have mercy, O Master, my Creator, on me, thy despondent and unworthy servant! Absolve, remit, and forgive me in thy goodness and love for mankind, that I, who am prodigal, sinful, and wretched, may lie down in peace, and find sleep and rest. And I shall worship, hymn, and glorify thy most honourable Name, together with the Father, and his only-begotten Son, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
主、天上的王、抚慰者、真理的灵,怜悯、施恩于我,你有罪的仆人!宽恕我,虽然我不配。赦免我今日,在人性与非人性中,犯的所有罪。有意与无意、知晓与未知,或在年轻时或邪恶的建议下,或因无耻或沮丧,我在罪中的行为比野兽更恶。若我以你的名起誓,或在思想中亵渎你的名;若我使他人悲伤,或因某事、某物发怒;或诽谤,或在愤怒中使他人伤心;或不必要地歇息或睡觉;或有乞丐找到我,而我鄙视他;或使我的兄弟伤心,或与他争吵;或论断他人;或放任自己的傲慢、自负或愤怒;或站立祈祷时,我因此世界的恶而分心;或怀有堕落的思想;或暴食、暴饮或轻薄地大笑;或对他人起恶念,或见他人的美貌,因而心灵受伤害;或说不适当的话;或嘲笑我兄弟的罪,虽然我自己的罪过无数;或疏忽祈祷;或犯下其他我不记得的过错;因为我犯了所有且超过这些的罪;主、我的创造者,施恩于我,你沮丧与不配的仆人!宽恕、缓解、赦免我,因为你为善而爱人。使浪费、罪恶、悲惨的我,可以在平安中躺下,并得到睡眠和休息。我必敬拜、歌颂并赞美你至崇高的名,以及父和他独生的子,今与永久,而至世世。阿门。
以上的翻译,其实一些语句我不是很肯定。英文原文的标点符号与我编辑、发布的有些不同,有些地方难以理解。或许我的标点对您来说同样难以理解。
- ‘or slandered or saddened anyone in my anger’ 可解作「在愤怒中诽谤或使他人伤心」,或「诽谤,或在愤怒中使他人伤心」。
- ‘or have lied, or slept unnecessarily’ 中,lie 可解作「躺下」或「撒谎」。此言可解作「不必要地躺下或睡觉」,或「撒谎,或不必要地睡觉」。
- ‘or have had evil thoughts or seen the beauty of another and been wounded thereby in my heart’ 可解作「怀有恶念,或见他人之美而心灵受伤害」,或「对他人起恶念或见他人之美,而心灵受伤害」。可能指色情的恶念。
说起来,正教会的祈祷实在蛮有趣的。晚上,为所有我已犯与夜间将犯的罪,祈求 神 赦免、施恩、保守。早上,感谢 神 没有在我睡眠之时,将我这个罪人与我的罪,一同毁灭。
英语称呼 神 的第二人称代词,要么是 you,要么是 thou。华语称呼 神 的第二人称代词,要么是「你」,要么是「祢」,日常中,则要么是「你」,要么是「您」。在我看來,「祢」为示部,比「你」甚至「您」都恭敬許多。所以很久我都以为,thou 是尊称,相当于「您」。但实际上,在中古和近代英语中,thou 用于称呼下级、晚辈;you 用于称呼长辈、上级,才是尊称。
例如,莎士比亚的《威尼斯商人》,以二种第二人称代词的分别,显示剧中人物地位、心理的变化。夏洛克最初谦卑,称 you。后来以为自己胜利,竟「大胆、冒昧」地称呼基督徒为 thou。最后失去了一切,才再次卑微地称 you。
古英语(Old English)中,thou 是单数主格,thee 是单数宾格,ye 是复数主格,you 是复数宾格。thou 和 you、thee 和 ye,发音、拼写类似,但数、格却均相反。1300 多年开始,中古英语(Middle English)受法语影响,复数的 ye,逐渐成为第二人称单数的尊称。后来,you 取代 ye 成为单数尊称。you 本来是复数宾格,因为用作单数敬语,现在成为普通的,单数、复数共同的主格,不是敬语。敬语失去敬意,成为普通的词汇,这有点类似日语的「敬意逓減の法則」。
《圣经》的英文译本,KJV (1611),成书于中古英语之后,近代英语(Early Modern English)时期。KJV 却按照古英文的传统,使用 thou, thee 为单数,ye, you 为复数。
现在,有些英语的祈祷、礼仪,称呼 神 为 thou,应该是受 KJV 与英国(Anglican)教会传统的影响,而非刻意使用平称、回避尊称。不过,意大利语、法语、德语、西班牙语、葡萄牙语、苏格兰盖尔语等语言,均以更亲近、通俗,而非尊敬、正式的第二人称代词称呼 神。