“The Romish Lady”（一个天主教姑娘）
这首名叫“The Romish Lady”（一个天主教姑娘）的基督教诗歌最早出现在1830年代的一个赞美诗歌本中，流行传唱于整个19世纪直到20世纪初。笔者在2018年时听老歌，无意中听到，歌词很有启发性，非常喜欢，于是便翻译出来，时而歌唱品味。现在分享给大家。转载请注明出处（译者）。
The Romish Lady
一个天主教姑娘
何奇伟 译
1.
There was a Romish lady brought up in popery,
Her mother always taught her that the priest she must obey;
O pardon me dear mother, I humbly pray thee now
For unto these false idols I can no longer bow.
曾有一天主教姑娘在天主教家庭长大，
她母亲总教导她必须听神父一切的话；
噢，原谅我，母亲，我谦卑向你祈求
对这些错谬偶像，我绝不再拜倒磕头。
2.
Assisted by her handmaid, a Bible she concealed,
And there she gained instruction, till God his love revealed;
No more she prostrates herself to pictures decked with gold,
But soon she was betrayed, and her Bible from her stole.
在她女仆协助之下，她私藏一本圣经，
从此蒙训诲教导，上帝慈爱由此显明；
她再也不向那些镶金的画像膜拜叩头，
可怜她却很快遭背叛，圣经被人偷走。
3.
I'll bow to my dear Jesus, I'll worship God unseen,
I'll live by faith for ever, the works of men are vain;
I cannot worship angels, nor pictures made my men;
Dear mother, use your pleasure, but pardon if you can.
那眼不可见的上帝，才是我敬拜对象，
我永远凭信心存活，人的行为皆枉然；
我不敬拜天使，也不拜人手所造的像；
亲爱的母亲，随你乐意，也请你原谅。
4.
With grief and great vexation, her mother straight did go
To inform the Roman clergy the cause of all her woe:
The priests were soon assembled, and for the maid did call,
And forced her in the dungeon, to fright her soul withal.
悲伤又苦恼，她母亲去找天主教神父
她向那神父诉说自己一切悲痛的缘由：
神父们不久便开会聚集，传唤那姑娘，
将她拖入地牢，对她心灵恐吓又胁迫。
5.
The more they strove to fright her, the more she did endure,
Although her age was tender, her faith was strong and sure.
The chains of gold so costly they from this lady took,
And she with all her spirits, the pride of life forsook.
但他们越恐吓威胁，她却越坚忍持守，
尽管她年纪幼小，她信心却强劲坚固。
他们摘去了她佩戴的昂贵金银和首饰，
她却被圣灵充满，弃绝今生浮华虚荣。
6.
Before the pope they brought her, in hopes of her return,
And there she was condemned in horrid flames to burn.
Before the place of torment they brought her speedily,
With lifted hands to heaven, she then agreed to die.
她被带到教皇面前，被迫令弃绝信仰，
她被判定死罪，准备迎接那可怕火刑。
很快她便被带到了那折磨肉体之场地，
她同意赴死，却先举起双手朝向天堂。
7.
There being many ladies assembled at the place,
She raised her eyes to heaven, and begged supplying grace
Weep not, ye tender ladies, shed not a tear for me--
While my poor body's burning, my soul the Lord shall see.
今天来刑场聚集观看火刑的妇女不少，
她定睛举目望天，祈求上帝恩典扶助
不要哭泣，软弱的姑娘们，别为我哭—
我可怜身体焚烧，灵魂却要升天见主。
8.
Yourselves you need to pity, and Zion's deep decay;
Dear ladies, turn to Jesus, no longer make delay.
In comes her raving mother, her daughter to behold,
And in her hand she brought her pictures decked with gold.
可怜自己吧，可怜那腐朽败坏的锡安；
亲爱姑娘们，归向耶稣吧，别再耽延。
她母亲咆哮乱语，来看她赴死的女儿，
她为她带来了一大堆镶金的圣像画像。
9.
O take from me these Idols remove them from my sight;
Restore to me my Bible, wherein I take delight.
Alas, my aged mother, why on my ruin bent?
'Twas you that did betray me, but I am innocent.
噢，赶紧把这些偶像从我眼前移开吧；
把我圣经拿来，在那里我才愉悦喜乐。
年长的母亲啊，你为何决心让我灭亡？
背叛我的正是你，而我本身清正无辜。
10.
Tormentors, use your pleasure, and do as you think best--
I hope my blessed Jesus will take my soul to rest.
Soon as these words were spoken, up steps the man of death,
And kindled up the fire to stop her mortal breath.
行刑者们，随意而行，尽享这欢乐吧-
我盼望恩惠的主会带我灵魂得入安息。
她说完这些话，行刑者便走上行刑台，
他点燃了火，来终结姑娘必死的呼吸。
11.
Instead of golden bracelets, with chains they bound her fast;
She cried, "My God give power now must I die at last?
With Jesus and his angels for ever I shall dwell,
God pardon priest and people, and so I bid farewell."
她不再佩戴金项链，而是被铁链紧缚；
她呼求道，“我今终赴死，我主添力量-
我将永存留，与耶稣及众天使同居住，
求主赦免神父与民众，我便道别安详。”
这首诗歌让笔者想到了16世纪上半叶著名的英国女殉道者安妮·阿斯库（Anne Askew）。安妮·阿斯库是英国女作家、第一位用英语写作的女诗人，她还是一位敬虔的改革派基督徒。她勤勉阅读圣经、记诵经文，因此被丈夫驱逐。但她依然坚守宗教改革信仰，来到伦敦向市民宣讲福音，而后被自己的丈夫捉拿回家，她设法逃走后继续去往伦敦传讲福音，最终再次被捕。亲和罗马天主教的加第纳主教下令折磨她，要求她弃绝宗教改革信仰，酷刑使她最后丧失行走能力，但她却没有放弃信仰。最后，安妮被火刑处死，那年她25岁。
最后人们是用凳子抬着她去火刑柱上的，因为她四肢骨骼完全脱节，已无法站立，她是坐着被活活烧死的，下面是观看的天主教神父和主教们。
让我们记念那些曾为纯正的福音基督教信仰而殉道的圣徒先烈们，他们有着和我们一样软弱的身体，有着我们也拥有的同一位主。这位主已经藉着圣经向我们显明了他自己。爱慕圣经便是爱慕主，你爱慕圣经吗？你研读圣经、背诵圣经吗？当邪恶的魔鬼来袭击我们时，愿我们都能像这位“天主教姑娘”一样，如此说：噢，赶紧把这些偶像从我眼前移开吧！把我圣经拿来，在那里我才愉悦喜乐。
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