SECTION A
甲部
1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好！
2. It’s always a pleasure to know that you have tuned in and listen to this program,
欢迎你再次收听这个节目，
3. and, we carefully choose series of messages that would help you in your growing with Christ;
这些信息都是我仔细挑选的，希望能帮助你的灵命在基督里成长。
4. and, today, we’re going to begin a new, short series of messages.
今天，我们要开始一个比较短的系列信息。
5. It is entitled, “Shortcuts and Backtracking,”
这个系列就叫做“走捷径和回正路”。
6. and it comes from the Book of Ruth.
这个故事出自圣经的“路得记”。
7. I want to begin by talking about shortcuts.
首先，我们要谈谈什么是捷径。
8. I am known to my family and friends that, when I drive, I like shortcuts,
我的朋友和家人都知道，我在开车的时候，总爱抄近路。
9. and my reasoning for looking for shortcuts is to save time;
我这样做原本是为了节约时间。
10. but do I really save time?
但实际上，我是否真的节省了时间呢？
11. Not really.
不一定。
12. My shortcuts take me a long way away from where I want to go;
捷径反而让我偏离了我要去的方向；
13. and, sometimes, it takes me to dead-end streets.
有时候，我甚至走进了死胡衕。
14. What I am firmly learning is that shortcuts are more painful than they are worth.
我总算是学到了一个功课，那就是，走捷径是一件得不偿失的事。
15. Shortcuts in driving can be bad enough;
开车的时候走捷径已经够糟糕了；
16. but shortcuts in other areas of life can be disastrous.
但是，假如在生活中走捷径的话，你的损失就会更加惨重。
17. Let me give you some examples.
我来给你举几个例子。
18. Shortcuts to prosperity, without hard work and honesty and integrity, can lead to prison, or even worse.
想走捷径发财，而不是通过诚实、辛勤的努力，就会导致你进监牢，甚至更惨。
19. Shortcuts to morality, without God, will lead to amorality and disintegration.
在道德上走捷径，而不遵行神的心意，就会造成道德的崩溃解体。
20. Shortcuts to success, without paying the price for it, will lead to lying, cheating and ending up in disgrace.
不劳而获就想取得成功，只能导致谎言、欺骗，至终蒙受耻辱。
21. Not so long ago, there was a story printed in one of the magazines.
不久以前，杂志上发表了一则故事。
22. It was about a brilliant young student.
是关于一个有才气的青年学生。
23. He forged letters of recommendations for a fellowship grant.
他伪造了一份申请奖学金的推荐书。
24. His forgery was discovered.
后来，他的欺诈行为被揭发。
25. When it was investigated and he was found guilty, he left the university in disgrace.
经过调查之后，罪证确凿，他只好满怀羞愧地离开了大学。
26. Sometimes, shortcuts lead to death.
有时候，走捷径甚至可以夺去人的性命。
27. In the Book of Acts,
在使徒行传，
28. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit and the Apostles.
亚拿尼亚和撒非喇欺骗圣灵和使徒。
29. Their dead bodies were carried out of the church at that very moment they lied.
就在他们撒谎的那一刻，马上气绝而死，他们的尸体被抬出教会。
30. Even at their best, shortcuts can take you a long way from home.
捷径即使有些好处，也会使你越走离家越远。
31. This was the case in the life of a good Hebrew family who lived in the days of the Judges.
在士师时代，一个原本很好的希伯来家庭就发生了这样的的情况。
32. Let me tell you about those days.
让我告诉你一些关于那个年代的背景。
33. That period of time was after Joshua, who succeeded Moses.
那是继摩西之后，约书亚的年代。
34. It was before Samuel, the Prophet, who anointed Saul and David to be Kings.
也就是在撒母耳之前，撒母耳就是膏立扫罗和大卫的那位先知。
35. Those days were horrible days in the life of God’s people.
那些日子是神的子民最黑暗的日子。
36. Those days were not unlike our days.
那个时代和我们的时代很像，
37. Repeatedly, the historical Book of Judges tells us that everyone did what is right in their own eyes.
士师记一再告诉我们，当那些日子，各人任意而行。
38. Again and again, God would send His people a Judge to deliver them from their enemies;
一次又一次，神差遣士师到他们那里，搭救他们脱离仇敌的欺压。
39. but, as soon as they were delivered, they would go back to their life of compromise.
但是，每当他们被拯救出来之后，他们又犯罪得罪神。
40. In the midst of this chaos and confusion, there is a story of one family who decided to take a shortcut to prosperity.
在这个混乱不法的时代里，有一个家庭想要走捷径发财。
41. Oh, but, alas, they ended up in the dead-end street of tragedy, sorrow and pain.
但是，很可惜，他们却走上了一条悲惨、痛苦的道路。
42. Oh, but, thank God, the story of that family does not end there.
然而，感谢神的是，这个家庭并没有从此一蹶不振。
43. We will see how God’s grace overrules and overrides, even our foolish shortcuts.
我们看到，神的恩典是多么的长阔高深，超越了我们走捷径的愚昧举动。
44. We will see how the grace of God does bring good out of bad.
我们看到，神的恩典怎样把坏事变成了好事。
45. We will see how God’s grace brings joy out of deep sorrow.
我们也看到，神的恩典怎样让他们转悲为喜。
46. Now, turn with me, if you have your Bible, to the Book of Ruth.
如果你有圣经，请翻到路得记。
47. Let us see how this family of Elimelech, who thought that they were buying a ticket to Heaven on earth, ended up in the graveyard of Moab.
我们来看一下，以利米勒全家是怎样在摩押这块他们以为是人间天堂的地方，走到人生尽头的。
48. If Ruth, Chapter 1, teaches us anything, it teaches us this:
假如说，路得记第一章给了我们一些教训的话﹐我想应该是这样的：
49. spiritual shortcuts will always lead to disastrous dead-ends.
在属灵方面走捷径，往往会带来惨痛的后果。
50. If you think you can be a discerning believer without spending time with God, think again.
如果你认为，自己不依靠神就可以洞察一切，我劝你仔细想想。
51. If you think that you can be a woman of God or a man of God without studying and poring over the Word of God, think again.
如果你认为，不用学习神的话语就可以成为神的仆人使女，你要仔细想想。
52. If you think that you can be super-spiritual without being a super-servant, think again.
如果你认为，不用全力侍奉神，就可以成为灵性高超的人，你要三思。
53. If you think that you can substitute fame and reputation for character and integrity, think again.
如果你认为，为了沽名钓誉就可以牺牲道德品格，你要好好想想。
54. If you think that you can get away with God’s blessings without being financially faithful in your giving back to Him, think again.
如果你认为，在奉献金钱方面不用忠心地尽你的本分，就可以侥幸得到神的祝福，你要三思了。
55. The Book of Ruth is a magnificent little book.
路得记是一卷了不起的小书。
56. It teaches us a great deal about ordinary people doing ordinary things.
它教导了我们很多有关普通人所做的普通事。
57. No, I’ll take that back.
不，我不该这么说。
58. It teaches us, most of all, about an extraordinary God who does extraordinary things.
其实它教导我们最重要的，是关乎一位了不起的神所做的了不起的事。
59. I want to talk to you about three things regarding spiritual shortcuts.
有关灵性上的捷径有三点需要你注意。
60. First of all,
第一，
61. shortcuts give some comfort.
捷径会带给你一些安慰。
62. Secondly,
第二，
63. shortcuts have inevitable consequences.
捷径具有无可避免的后果。
64. Thirdly,
第三，
65. shortcuts have only one way to cure;
只有一个办法可以医治走捷径的毛病；
66. so, let me repeat those.
我再重复说一次。
67. Shortcuts give you false comfort.
捷径给你虚假的安慰。
68. Secondly, it has severe consequences;
第二，它会带来严重的后果；
69. and, finally, there’s only one cure.
第三，只有一个解决的办法。
70. Elimelech and his family left the House of Bread—Bethlehem.
以利米勒和他的家人离开了自己的家园--伯利恒。
71. Why?
为什么？
72. Because they ran out of food and thought that they had to find a solution outside of God’s people and God’s land.
因为当他们缺乏食物的时候，就想在神的子民和土地以外寻找出路。
73. Please listen to me very carefully.
请仔细听我讲。
74. How you act and where you go when you are in a crisis situation says a great deal about your spiritual discernment.
当你面对危机时，你怎样选择你的路向，就能显示出你属灵的分辨能力是如何的。
75. Elimelech and his family did not go to another part of Israel, but they went to the land called, “Moab”.
以利米勒并没有选择到以色列另外一个地方，而是去了“摩押”地。
76. Moab was not very far geographically, but it was on the other side of the world spiritually.
从地理位置上说，摩押地并不远，但从属灵的角度来说，这是一个违背神的地方。
77. On a clear day, you could see the fields of Moab from the ridges outside of Bethlehem.
如果天好的话，从伯利恒城外的山坡上，就可以看到摩押这片土地。
78. These green fields of Moab beckoned Elimelech day after day after day when things got rough where he was living.
当以利米勒原居地的状况越来越艰难的时候，摩押这片绿油油的土地就更加吸引人。
79. He finally packed up the family wagon and headed for Moab.
终于他和全家人卷起铺盖，直奔摩押。
80. People in Moab were like the secular-minded people of our day.
摩押人与当今世代的人很相似。
81. They were absorbed in finding the secret to prosperity without hard work.
他们一心寻求不劳而获，却得以致富的门径。
82. Their children, like our children, want at a very early age what their parents had to work hard for for decades.
他们的儿女也很像今天的孩子，总想在很年轻的时候，就赚得他们父母辛劳几十年所得到的报酬。
83. God told Israel that He will bless them only when they are obedient;
神早就告诫以色列人，如果他们听从神的话，神就会赐福给他们；
84. but, when they got into the Promised Land, they said, “We can have it both ways.
但是，当他们进入应许之地后，他们说：“不管我们听不听话，都无关紧要。
85. We can get the blessings from Yahweh and live in disobedience.”
即使我们悖逆神，同样可以得到耶和华赐福。”
86. Oh, they didn’t call it, “disobedience.”
他们不把这个叫做“悖逆。”
87. They called it other things.
他们另有称呼。
88. They called it, “go with the flow.”
他们把这叫做：“跟上潮流。”
89. They called it, “everybody does it these days.”
他们称它为：“人之常情。”
90. They called it, “times have changed.”
他们称它为：“时代在改变。”
91. Oh, let me tell you, times may have changed, but God has not changed.
啊，我告诉你，时代也许不断地在改变，但是，神从来不改变。
92. In those days of the Book of Judges, even the most faithful believers were caught between doing the will of God and conforming to the fertility cults of Canaan.
在士师记的年代里，连那些最忠实的信徒也会感到左右为难，应该顺服神，还是跟从迦南地的假神偶像。
93. They went to Yahweh when they were in crisis;
当他们遭遇危机的时候，他们就呼求耶和华。
94. and, then, they turned to Baal when times were good.
当情况改善之后，他们又转去拜巴力假神。
95. You can see that happening today, can you not?
今天，你同样可以看到类似的事情发生，不是吗？
96. Well, just as Elimelech and his family began to get comfortable in their newfound prosperity in Moab,
就在以利米勒和他的全家在摩押地安居，渐渐昌盛起来的时候，
97. tragedy struck.
灾难开始了。
98. Step two occurred.
捷径的第二步发生了。
99. They suffered the consequences.
他们遭受到走捷径所带来的后果。
SECTION B
乙部
1. I told you first there’s an initial comfort;
我说过，刚开始会有一点甜头；
2. but, then, there is consequence.
但不久，他们就吃到了苦果。
3. Comfort without God’s permission has a deadly consequence.
若不是出于神的享受，就是通往死亡之路。
4. Comfort away from God can have disastrous consequences.
远离神的舒适，会造成毁灭性的后果。
5. These consequences can be immediate, as in the Book of Ruth, Chapter 1, verses 3 and 4;
这些后果可以是立竿见影，正如路得记第一章，三到四节所记载的；
那里说：后来，拿俄米的丈夫以利米勒死了，剩下妇人和她两个儿子。这两个儿子娶了摩押女子为妻，一个名叫俄珥巴，一个名叫路得。
6. or, they can have long term consequences, as we will see in the Book of Ruth, Chapter 1, verses 4 and 5.
但有些后果不一定马上看得出来，正如路得记一章四到五节里面所记载的。
那里说：在那里住了约有十年，玛伦和基连二人也死了，剩下拿俄米没有丈夫，也没有儿子。
7. Consequences sometimes hit suddenly,
有时候，报应突如其来，
8. especially to those believers who cease to discern God’s voice;
尤其是对那些违背神命令的信徒；
9. or it can take a long time.
有时候，报应在很久以后才临到。
10. Here, in the Book of Ruth, were very, very few warning signs, if any;
在路得记这里，几乎没有记载神对他们的警告；
11. and I want to tell you a lot more about the consequences of shortcuts;
我还要告诉你许多关于走捷径所带来的后果；
12. but, to prepare your mind for the next broadcast, I want to just tell you the following:
但是，为了让你在下一次的节目中继续收听，我只告诉你以下这一点点事实：
13. Elimelech died.
以利米勒死掉了。
14. His widow, Naomi, placed her hopes on her two sons,
他的遗孀，拿俄米，把她全部的希望寄托在她两个儿子身上，
15. and, the two sons became more comfortable outside of God’s will.
这两个儿子同样远离神的心意。
16. They married two local girls.
他们与当地的女子结婚。
17. You remember one of God’s clearest instructions to the people of Israel was not to marry pagans.
我们还记得，神清楚地告诫以色列人，不要和异教徒通婚。
18. They did it anyway;
他们却完全不理会神的诫命；
19. and one of God’s clearest instructions in the New Testament is for believers not to be unequally yoked;
在新约中，神也很清楚地教导我们﹕信的与不信的不要同负一轭。
20. but Christians do it anyway.
但很多基督徒根本不理会神的命令。
21. Listen to this one more time.
我再说一次。
22. Shortcuts and short-term decisions will prove to have long-term consequences.
一失足，可以造成千古恨。
23. I’m going to tell you how long it took for this family;
我会告诉你，这个家庭经过了多长的时间才尝到走捷径的苦果。
24. and I want to tell you that in the next broadcast.
在下次的节目中，我会详细地告诉你。
25. Please tune in so you can listen to the rest of this program.
欢迎你按时收听余下的信息。
26. Until then, I wish you God’s richest blessings.
好，我们下次节目再见，愿神大大赐福给你。
