7. Manna issue 64 - When They Say “Peace and Safety!”… 人正說平安穩妥的時候...
John Ko—Brisbane, Australia 澳洲布里斯本 John Ko
For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them,
as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. (1 Thess 5:3)
3人正說平安穩妥的時候，災禍忽然臨到他們，
如同產難臨到懷胎的婦人一樣。他們絕不能逃脫。
(帖前 5：3)
Ever since the beginning of 2010,
a series of major natural disasters has occurred around the world due to climatic abnormalities.
Devastating earthquakes, floods, tsunamis and tornados in different parts of the world
have taken hundreds of thousands of lives and stripped people of their possessions and homes.
自 2010 年初以來，
由於氣候異常，世界各地發生了一連串的重大自然災害。
世界不同的地區，有毀滅性地震、洪水、海嘯和龍捲風，
已經奪走了數十萬人的生命，剝奪了人們的財產和家園。
PEACE IN THE MIDST OF AUSTRALIA’S FLOOD 澳洲洪水中的平安
In the past, Australia and New Zealand were considered to be paradise on earth
because these places were rarely struck by disasters.
For this reason it was even more surprising that both countries were hit by natural disasters this year.
In January 2011, the worst flood in a hundred years hit Australia,
flooding Queensland, including Brisbane and nearby cites.
More than fifteen thousand houses were submerged by the floodwaters,
over eighteen thousand houses were flooded and twenty-two people lost their lives.
On February 22, 2011, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch, New Zealand.
Ten thousand houses and one thousand shops collapsed, and 181 people lost their lives.
All these disasters came suddenly
—they were like terror that comes like a storm,
and destruction that comes like a whirlwind,
causing distress and anguish
(cf. Prov 1:27).
過去，澳大利亞和紐西蘭被認為是人間天堂，
因為這些地方很少遭受災難。
因此，更令人驚訝的是，今年兩國都遭受自然災害。
2011 年一月，百年來最嚴重的洪水衝擊了澳洲，
水淹昆士蘭，包括布里斯班和附近的城市。
超過一萬五千間房屋被洪水淹沒，
超過一萬八千間房屋被淹到，並有 22 人喪生。
2011 年二月 22 日，紐西蘭基督城發生了 6.3 級的地震。
幾萬間房屋、幾千家店鋪倒塌，並有 181 人喪生。
這一切的災難來得很突然，
—他們就像暴風雨般的恐怖，
和大旋風帶來的毀滅，
造成危難和痛苦
（參見，箴 1：27）。
I have been living in Brisbane, Australia for more than twenty years,
and witnessed the century’s great flood.
In January this year, there was continuous heavy rain in the northern part of Queensland
as well as in the Toowoomba and Ipswich regions, which are west of Brisbane.
Due to the heavy rain and water overflowing from a reservoir,
the river level rose rapidly, up to a dangerous eighteen meters.
The flooding on January 10, 2011, devastated Toowoomba and Ipswich;
the citizens could only watch as the raging flood washed their vehicles and houses away.
When the flood reached Brisbane at 4:00 am on January 13, 2011,
the river level in Brisbane rose to 4.46 meters
and all the houses in the lower regions of Brisbane were submerged by the floodwaters.
Thank God, the flood did not so seriously affect the area where I live,
although the water stood knee-high,
most basements were flooded and many high-rise buildings had no electricity and water.
From my apartment on the 44th floor,
which faces the Brisbane River,
I saw how the raging flood swept over the private and public harbors,
washing yachts and public ferries all the way out to the ocean
—it was really a terrifying sight.
我生活在澳洲布里斯本已經二十多年了，
見證了本世紀的大洪水。
今年一月，昆士蘭州北部持續降下大雨，
以及布里斯本以西的 Toowoomba 圖翁巴市和 Ipswich 伊普斯威奇市地區。
由於大雨和水庫溢出的水，
河水迅速上升，達到危險的 18 公尺高。
2011 年一月 10 日的洪水摧毀了 Toowoomba 圖翁巴市和 Ipswich 伊普斯威奇市；
市民只能看著，洶湧的洪水沖走他們的車輛和房屋。
當洪水在 2011 年一月 13 日凌晨 4 點到達布里斯本時，
布里斯本水位已升高至 4.46 公尺，
布里斯本下游地區的所有房屋都被洪水淹沒。
感謝神，我居住的地區，洪水並沒有造成很嚴重的影響，
雖然水高沒膝，
大多數的地下室淹水了，許多高聳的大樓斷水斷電。
從我 44 樓的公寓，
面向布里斯本河，
我看到洶湧的洪水，橫掃私人和公共的港口，
遊艇和公共渡輪被沖出大海
—這真是恐怖的景象。
When the flood came, Brisbane Church was hosting a short-term National Youth Theological Seminar (NYTS)
and a working youth seminar on Mount Cootha, near Brisbane.
Thank God, due to His protection, the raging flood did not affect the divine work.
In addition, none of our church members’ houses was flooded,
and all the brothers and sisters had peace during this turbulent time.
洪水淹來時，布里斯本教會正在舉辦短期的全國青年神訓班 (NYTS)，
以及布里斯本附近的 Mount Cootha 庫薩山，舉辦社青研討會。
感謝神，因著神的保守，洪水氾濫並沒有影響到神工。
此外，我們教會信徒的房屋都沒有被水淹到，
在此動亂的時期，所有的兄弟姐妹都很平安。
Witnessing Australia’s greatest flood of the century with my own eyes,
made me reflect: What is man?
We often hear that science is all-powerful and that nothing is impossible if we work hard.
These statements truly reveal the ignorance of man.
Although we are indeed able to achieve many things with our own hands
and are even able to predict the coming of floods,
we cannot do anything to stop nature’s forces.
When disaster strikes, we can only watch helplessly as nature’s forces destroy our possessions.
What is man?
Man is so small and insignificant!
There is nothing that we can boast about.
親眼目睹澳洲本世紀最大的洪水，
讓我反省：人到底為何物？
我們常聽說，科學無所不能，只要我們努力，沒有什麼是不可能的。
這些說法真的顯露了人的無知。
雖然我們確實能靠自己的雙手實現很多事情，
甚至能夠預知洪水的來臨，
我們卻無能為力，可以阻止自然的力量。
當災難來臨時，我們只能無助的看著，大自然的力量摧毀我們的財產。
人到底是什麼？
人是如此的渺小和無足輕重！
我們其實沒有什麼可誇的。
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
and the son of man that You visit him?
(Ps 8:3–4)
3我觀看你指頭所造的天，
並你所陳設的月亮星宿，
4便說：人算甚麼，你竟顧念他？
世人算甚麼，你竟眷顧他？
(詩 8：3-4)
Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket,
and are counted as the small dust on the scales;
(Isa 40:15)
15看哪，萬民都像水桶的一滴，
又算如天平上的微塵；
(賽 40：15)
PEACE IN THE MIDST OF NEW ZEALAND’S EARTHQUAKE 紐西蘭地震中的平安
On February 20, 2011, after the flood had receded from Brisbane,
my wife, my mother-in-law and I traveled to Christchurch, New Zealand.
We wanted to tour the region and visit my brother and aunt.
According to our original plan, we were to tour mountains and seashores on February 22,
and Christchurch city center on February 23,
but we changed our mind after our arrival.
So, we decided to visit a museum in the city center first.
However, on the morning of February 22,
my mother-in-law and my aunt decided to stay at home.
Therefore only my brother, my wife and I went to the museum.
When we arrived at the museum, I was so captivated by the surrounding historical buildings
that I took my camera and walked toward the city center.
We had originally planned to visit the main tour attraction,
the Christchurch Catholic Cathedral,
and then have a meal at the site that had been hit by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake on September 4, 2010,
to see the damage that had been done.
However, after our visit to the cathedral,
we decided to have lunch nearby first,
before going to the earthquake-ravaged site.
2011 年二月 20 日，布里斯本洪水退去之後，
我和妻子、岳母去了紐西蘭的基督城。
我們想遊覽該區，並拜訪我的兄弟和姑姑。
按照我們原定的計劃，二月 22 日我們要遊山玩水，
二月 23 日遊訪基督城市中心，
但我們到達後改變了主意。
所以，我們決定先去市中心參訪博物館。
然而，二月 22 日的上午，
岳母和姑姑決定留在家裡。
所以只有我和兄弟、妻子三人去了博物館。
當我們到達博物館的時候，就被周圍的歷史建築迷住了，
我拿著照相機，走向市中心。
我們原本計劃要參觀主要的旅遊景點，
基督城天主教大教堂，
然後在 2010 年九月 4 日發生 7.1 級地震的地點用餐，
看看已經造成的損害。
然而，我們參觀完大教堂之後，
在前往地震災區之前，
我們決定先在附近吃午飯。
After lunch, we walked slowly towards our destination.
While strolling along a main street in the tourist area,
the earth suddenly began to shake violently.
I thought, “Is this an earthquake?”
Thank God, at that moment, we were standing right in the middle of the street,
and so we were able to avoid the falling bricks.
We saw the ground crack open, with mud gushing out;
the walls and windows of the shops around us were breaking
and the people around us were screaming in fear.
At that time, I had only one thought:
“Lord, have mercy on us”.
With this thought in mind,
I kept praying silently in my heart.
Thank God, as I prayed, I did not panic and was not afraid,
for I knew that God would protect us
—He will not slumber nor sleep
(Ps 121:4–8);
He is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble
(Ps 46:1–3).
吃完午飯，我們慢慢走向目的地。
漫步在旅遊區一條主要道路上，
大地突然開始劇烈震動。
我想，“這是地震嗎？”
感謝神，那一刻，我們正站在道路中央，
這樣我們就能夠避過掉落的磚塊。
我們看到地面裂開，泥漿湧出；
周圍商店的牆壁和窗戶都破碎了
周圍的人很恐懼並尖叫。
那時候，我只有一個念頭：
“主啊，憐憫我們吧”。
抱著這樣的想法，
我一直在心中默禱。
感謝神，當我祈禱時，並沒有驚慌，也沒有害怕，
因為我知道神會保護我們
—他即 4不打盹也不睡覺。
（詩 121：4-8）；
1神是我們的避難所，是我們的力量，
是我們在患難中隨時的幫助。
（詩 46：1-3）。
I then took my camcorder and recorded this historical moment,
still not aware of the earthquake’s severity.
It so happened that we were standing right in front of a sister’s store,
when we saw this sister with her baby in her arms, rushing out of the building,
followed by her husband and her father in-law.
A coffee shop on the other side of the road was on the verge of collapsing,
and some courageous individuals rushed into the coffee shop
with chairs held above their heads to save others who were still trapped inside.
Soon afterwards, two persons were carried out of the coffee shop and placed on the roadside.
Attempts were made to resuscitate them,
but it seemed like a futile exercise.
Together with others in the city,
we were evacuated to the field in front of the cathedral.
於是我拿起攝影機，記錄此歷史性的一刻，
還沒有意識到地震的嚴重性。
恰好我們正站在一個姐妹的店門口，
當我們看到這位姊妹抱著孩子，衝出大樓時，
緊隨其後的是她的丈夫和公公。
馬路對面的一家咖啡店瀕臨倒塌，
有一些勇敢的人衝進了咖啡店，
用椅子舉過頭頂，來救出仍被困在裡面的人。
不久之後，兩人被抬出咖啡店，放在路邊。
試圖使他們甦醒，
但這似乎是徒勞無功。
我們和城市的其他人一起，
疏散到大教堂前的空地上。
When we reached the field,
it dawned on me that this earthquake was the most serious in decades.
The cathedral that we had visited just an hour ago was devastated
—its tower was broken,
the bricks that had fallen from the walls piled up to about a person’s height
and cars parked beside the cathedral were crushed.
當我們到達田野時，
我才恍然大悟，這次地震是幾十年來最嚴重的一次。
我們一小時前參觀的大教堂毀壞了
—它的高塔被崩塌了，
牆上掉下來的磚塊，堆起來大約有一個人那麼高，
停在大教堂旁邊的汽車被壓扁了。
Had my mother-in-law and my aunt accompanied us that morning,
we would have still been in the cathedral when the roof collapsed,
because they would have walked at a slower pace due to their age.
If we had taken our lunch at the earthquake-ravaged site,
we would likely be trapped in the collapsed restaurant.
Reflecting upon all these coincidences,
I have to say that we would have been buried under the rubble,
if the Lord had not protected us.
But the Lord was not only looking after us:
by the mercy of God, the earthquake did not harm any of our brothers and sisters in Christchurch,
nor did it damage our local church building.
那天早上若不是我岳母和姑姑陪著我們，
屋頂倒塌時，我們還在大教堂裡，
因為他們年紀大了，走路的速度比較慢。
如果我們在地震災區吃午飯，
就很可能會被困在倒塌的餐廳裡。
回想起所有這些巧合，
我不得不說，我們可能會被埋在瓦礫之下，
如果沒有主保護我們。
但主不僅看顧我們：
靠著神的恩典，地震沒有傷害我們基督城的任何弟兄姐妹，
它也沒有損壞到我們當地的教堂建築。
TRUE PEACE IN THE LORD 主裡有真平安
Natural disasters are so terrifying,
because they always come unexpectedly
—when we realize that there’s a disaster,
it’s already too late.
As human beings,
we are unable to have full control over our lives
or to escape any natural disaster
—we are not exempt from suffering.
Yet, we can find peace in God to face our trials.
For this reason,
we need to acknowledge our own insignificance and learn to rely on God.
自然災難很可怕，
因為他們總是不期而至，
—當我們意識到有災難發生時，
一切都已經太遲了。
作為人類，
我們無法完全控制自己的生活
或能逃避任何自然災害
—我們亦不能免於苦難。
然而，我們可以在主裡找到平安，來面對自已的考驗。
為此原因，
我們需要承認自己的渺小微不足道，並學會依靠神。
People often try to obtain peace through different methods of their own,
but more often than not, they loose peace instead.
The Bible teaches us that the True God is our refuge in times of dire distress.
If we earnestly seek God,
He will grant us true peace that transcends all human understanding.
His peace is a complete peace of body, soul and spirit.
If we have true peace,
we will be able to face and overcome the difficulties in the flesh.
人們常常想通過自己的不同方法，來獲得平安，
但更多的時候，他們反而失去了平安。
聖經教導我們，危難的時刻，真神是我們的避難所。
如果我們認真尋求神，
祂將賜給我們真正的平安，超越一切人類所能理解的。
祂的平安是身體、靈魂和精神完全的平安。
如果我們有真平安，
將能夠面對和克服肉體的困難。
The True God, Jesus Christ, is the source of peace
(Lk 1:76–79; Ps 29:11; Jn 14:27, 16:33)
and the Everlasting Rock
(Isa 26:3–4; Ps 56:13).
If we know Jesus and listen to His commandments,
we will have peace flowing like a river.
When we meet with trials and tribulations,
we do not have to be anxious,
“but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”
(Phil 4:6–7).
Personally experiencing God’s protection in the midst of these two natural disasters
has once again proved to me that
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You”
(Isa 26:3).
真神，耶穌基督，是平安的源頭
（路 1：76-79；詩 29：11；約 14：27，16：33）
和永恆的磐石
（賽 26：3-4；詩 56：13）。
如果我們認識耶穌，並且聽從祂的誡命，
我們會擁有像河流一樣流動的平安。
當我們遇到考驗和磨難時，
我們不必憂慮，
“6只要凡事藉著禱告、祈求，和感謝，
將你們所要的告訴神。
7神所賜、出人意外的平安
必在基督耶穌裡保守你們的心懷意念。”
（腓 4：6-7）。
在這兩次自然災害中，親身體驗神的保守，
再次向我證明，
“3堅心倚賴你的，你必保守他十分平安，因為他倚靠你。”
（賽 26：3）。
In fact, all the natural disasters that have struck the earth in recent years,
remind us that the end time has come:
And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
(Mt 24:7–8)
事實上，近年來襲擊地球的所有自然災害，
是提醒我們末日已到：
7多處必有饑荒、地震。
8這都是災難（災難：原文是生產之難）的起頭。
（太 24:7-8）
May we have the wisdom to recognize the signs of the end time
(Mt 24:32–33)
and be watchful and sober.
May we treasure our life that God has given to us,
be zealous for Him and prepare ourselves for the second coming of the Lord.
Amen.
願我們有智慧，認清末日的徵兆
（太 24：32-33）
要警醒謹守。
願我們珍惜神賜給我們的生命，
為祂發熱心，為主的再臨預備好自己。
阿們。
For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.
Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
(1 Thess 5:2, 6)
2因為你們自己明明曉得，主的日子來到，好像夜間的賊一樣。
6所以我們不要睡覺像別人一樣，總要儆醒謹守。
(帖前 5：2，6)
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
歡迎主內同靈來信加入翻譯
Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)