< 哥林多前书 13 >
1 我若能说万人的方言,并天使的话语,却没有爱,我就成了鸣的锣,响的钹一般。
Though I speak in the “tongues” of people, or even of angels, yet have not love, I have become mere echoing brass, or a clanging cymbal!
2 我若有先知讲道之能,也明白各样的奥秘,各样的知识,而且有全备的信,叫我能够移山,却没有爱,我就算不得什么。
Even though I have the gift of preaching, and fathom all hidden truths and all the depths of knowledge; even though I have such faith as might move mountains, yet have not love, I am nothing!
3 我若将所有的周济穷人,又舍己身叫人焚烧,却没有爱,仍然与我无益。
Even though I dole my substance to the poor, even though I sacrifice my body in order to boast, yet have not love, it avails me nothing!
4 爱是恒久忍耐,又有恩慈;爱是不嫉妒;爱是不自夸,不张狂,
Love is long-suffering, and kind; love is never envious, never boastful, never conceited, never behaves unbecomingly;
5 不做害羞的事,不求自己的益处,不轻易发怒,不计算人的恶,
love is never self-seeking, never provoked, never reckons up her wrongs;
love never rejoices at evil, but rejoices in the triumph of truth;
love bears with all things, ever trustful, ever hopeful, ever patient.
8 爱是永不止息。先知讲道之能终必归于无有;说方言之能终必停止;知识也终必归于无有。
Love never fails. But, whether it be the gift of preaching, it will end; whether it be the gift of “tongues,” it will cease; whether it be knowledge, it, too, will vanish.
For our knowledge is incomplete, and our preaching is incomplete,
but, when the perfect has come, that which is incomplete will end.
11 我作孩子的时候,话语像孩子,心思像孩子,意念像孩子,既成了人,就把孩子的事丢弃了。
When I was a child, I talked as a child, I felt as a child, I reasoned as a child; now that I am a man, I have done with childish ways.
12 我们如今仿佛对着镜子观看,模糊不清,到那时就要面对面了。我如今所知道的有限,到那时就全知道,如同主知道我一样。
As yet we see, in a mirror, dimly, but then – face to face! As yet my knowledge is incomplete, but then I will know in full, as I have been fully known.
13 如今常存的有信,有望,有爱这三样,其中最大的是爱。
Meanwhile faith, hope, and love endure – these three, but the greatest of these is love.