美國語文第六冊 第151期:守安息日(4)
在確保國家興旺繁榮上，守安息日也具有很大的影響力。
The God of Heaven has said, "Them that honor me I will honor,"
上帝說過，“給我榮譽的人，我會酬之以榮。”
You will not often find a notorious Sabbath breaker a permanently prosperous man;
你不會經常發(fā)現一個臭名昭著的不守安息日的人，竟然是一位成功人士。
and a Sabbath-breaking community is never a happy or prosperous community.
一個踐踏安息日守則的社會絕對不是一個幸福和繁榮的社會。
There is a multitude of unobserved influences which the Sabbath exerts upon the temporal welfare of men.
安息日對人的現世福祉產生的影響，在很大程度上是無法估量的。
It promotes the spirit of good order and harmony; it elevates the poor from want;
它能提升良好的秩序與和諧的精神實質;它能鼓舞窮人擺脫物質匱乏;
it transforms squalid wretchedness; it imparts self-respect and elevation of character;
它能改變污穢的悲慘;它能給予自尊和個性的提升;
it promotes softness and civility of manners;
它能促進舉止儀態(tài)的柔和與禮貌;
it brings together the rich and the poor upon one common level in the house of prayer;
它能讓富人和窮人為了祈禱而共處一室;
it purifies and strengthens the social affections,
它能凈化和加強社會大愛，
and makes the family circle the center of allurement and the source of instruction, comfort, and happiness.
使得家庭緊緊圍繞有吸引力的事物和教化之源。沐浴在幸福和溫馨之中，
Like its own divine religion, "it has the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come,"
就像它神圣的教義那樣，“它對現在和即將到來的生活做出承諾。”
for men can not put themselves beyond the reach of hope and heaven so long as they treasure up this one command,
因為人們不會將自己置于希望和上帝之外，只要重視安息日，
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
“牢記安息日吧，切實恪守。”
