这是该章的第二段开篇经文,承接第一段。第一段论述了真主存在的真理,这一真理体现在天地的创造、黑暗与光明的产生之中;它又体现在人从这片大地的本质中被创造出来,确定了其今世生命的期限,此生终于死亡,同时另有一个复活的时间被隐藏起来;并且体现在真主完全知晓人们公开与私下所做以及已经做过的一切之中。

This is the second opening passage of the sūrah, following the first that spoke of the truth of God’s existence as it is reflected in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the origination of darkness and light. It is further reflected in the creation of man from the very substance of this earth, determining the term of his first life that ends in death while keeping secret another time fixed for resurrection, and in God’s full knowledge of what people may do and have done both in public and in private.

这位神圣存在的存在是独一无二的，不同于任何其他存在，因为除真主之外并无造物主。这一点如此清晰而有力，以至于尽管有诸多伟大的迹象为之作证，仍然否认它，是不可原谅的极大罪过。

This existence of the Divine Being is unique, unlike any other existence, because there is no creator other than God. It is so clear and overpowering that to deny it, in spite of all the great signs testifying to it, is an unjustifiable enormity.

当本章描绘那些反对伊斯兰讯息的不信道者，面对如此无可否认、压倒一切的存在时所持的态度，这种态度显得格外难以站得住脚。因此，《古兰经》赢得了这第一回合，它的胜利是在人性深处取得的，尽管人们表面上顽固地拒绝。

When the sūrah portrays the attitude of the unbelievers who oppose the Islamic message in the face of such undeniable and overpowering existence, their attitude appears singularly insupportable. Thus, the Qur’ān wins this first round, scoring its win in the depth of people’s nature, despite their apparent and stubborn rejection.

本段经文描绘了这种不讲道理的顽固，一方面发出严厉的警告，另一方面提醒人们先前否认者的下场。

This passage of the sūrah portrays this unreasonable stubbornness, issuing on the one hand a stern warning and on the other a reminder of the fate of earlier rejecters.

这段训诫在开篇震撼人心的冲击之后，又层层叠加了多种手法，而且都非常有效。

The admonition is stacked with various but highly effective touches that follow the initial jolt that shakes people’s hearts at the outset of the sūrah.

每当有启示从他们的主那里降临他们时,他们(那些不信的人)就掉头不顾。因此,真理已经降临他们,他们却予以否认。不久,他们就会知道他们曾经嘲笑的事情。难道他们没有看见,在他们之前,我毁灭了多少世代吗?那些人在大地上的权势,比我给你们的更大;我为他们从天空降下充沛的雨水,并使河流在他们脚下流淌。然而,我因他们的罪过毁灭了他们,并在他们之后兴起了另一代人。(第4-6节)

Whenever a revelation comes to them from their Lord, they [who are unbelievers] turn their back upon it. Thus they have denied the truth now that it has come to them. In time, they shall have full information about that which they used to deride. Do they not see how many a generation We have destroyed before them — people whom We had made more powerful in the land than We have made you, and for whom We sent down abundant water from the sky, and made rivers flow at their feet? Yet We destroyed them for their sins, and raised up another generation in their place. (Verses 4-6)

很明显，背弃真理是不信道者所采取的一种顽固立场，而这是在所有指向其谬误的证据摆在面前的情况下发生的。他们并不缺少引导人们信仰的迹象和指引，也不缺少证明该讯息真实性以及传达者诚实无欺的证据，更不缺少真主存在的证据。这些都是他们被号召去接受的基本概念。他们所缺少的，只是回应明确证据的意愿，是克服非理性顽固、反思呈现在面前之真理的意愿："每当来自他们主的一则启示降临他们时，他们（那些不信道者）便背转身去不顾。"（第4节）这种对一切证据和明确迹象的刻意顽固，需要严厉惩罚的威胁来震动他们，使他们脱离这种态度，消除其傲慢的障碍，并重新唤醒他们的天性反应："他们既然真理已经降临，便予以否认。不久，他们将会知道他们过去所嘲笑的事情的真相。"（第5节）

It is clear that turning away from the truth is an obstinate position taken by the unbelievers, and this in the face of all the evidence pointing to its error. They do not lack signs and pointers which guide people to faith, nor do they lack evidence to prove the truth of the message and the genuine honesty of the Messenger conveying it, nor do they lack evidence of Godhead. These are the basic concepts they are called upon to accept. All they lack is the will to respond to clear evidence, overcome irrational stubbornness and reflect on the truth presented to them: “Whenever a revelation comes to them from their Lord, they [who are unbelievers] turn their back upon it.” (Verse 4) Such deliberate obstinacy against all evidence and clear signs needs the threat of severe punishment to jolt them out of their attitude, remove the barriers of their conceit and reawaken their natural responses: “Thus they have denied the truth now that it has come to them. In time, they shall have full information about that which they used to deride.” (Verse 5)

真理已经降临到他们面前，它来自创造天地的主。是他创造了黑暗与光明，并用泥土造了人。在天上和地上，唯有他是真神；他知道人们隐秘和公开的一切所作所为，也知道他们所赚取的一切。来自他的，正是真理，然而他们却拒绝了它，坚持称其为虚假，背离神圣的启示，并讥笑信仰的号召。因此，他们被告知要留意那必定会降临到他们身上的真实消息，那关于他们曾经嘲笑之事的消息。这是一种笼统的警告，没有说明其性质与时间。于是，他们处于悬念之中，等待着，每时每刻都在期待，会降临到他们身上那种未具体说明的刑罚。

The truth has come to them from the Creator of the heavens and the earth, who has brought into being darkness and light and created man out of clay. It is He alone who is God in the heavens and on earth, and who has full knowledge of all that people keep secret or do openly, as well as all that they earn. What has come to them from Him is the truth, and they have rejected it, insisting on describing it as false, turning away from Divine revelations and deriding the call to faith. Hence, they are told to watch for the true information which is certain to come to them concerning that which they used to scorn. This is a general threat given without any details of its nature or timing. Thus, they are kept in suspense, waiting, expecting at every moment to receive what they are threatened with of unspecified suffering.

这一章接着描述了顽固拒绝的本质，为我们勾勒出一类非常奇特的人，他们在每个时代、每个群体中都能遇到。

The sūrah goes on to describe the nature of obstinate rejection, delineating for us a very strange type of people whom we meet in every age and every community.

这些人否认的是如此明显、无可置疑的事实。《古兰经》以其独特的风格描绘了这类人，只用寥寥数语，便将其生动地呈现在我们眼前："即使我把一部写在纸上的经典降给你，他们亲手摸着它，不信道的人仍然会说：'这无非是明显的魔术。'"（第7节）

These are people who deny what is so clear and undeniable. The Qur’ān depicts this type of people in its own inimitable style, using only a few words to bring it to life in front of our eyes: “Even if We had sent down to you a book written on paper, and they had touched it with their own hands, surely the unbelievers would still say: ‘This is nothing but plain sorcery’.” (Verse 7)

是什么使他们背离神的启示，并不是缺乏其真实性的有力而明确的证据。他们只是无理地固执己见。

What causes them to turn away from God’s revelations is not the lack of strong and clear evidence of their truthfulness. They are only being unreasonably stubborn.

他们的否认坚定不移，仿佛那是一项原则问题。这种态度使他们无法考虑任何证据或证明。即便真主选择不借启示、而是将《古兰经》降给他的使者，并将其写在纸上，让他们能够触摸和看见这张纸，甚至他们亲手摸过这张纸，他们仍会拒绝自己的双手和双眼所提供的证据。

Their denial is firmly held as though it was a matter of principle. Such an attitude allows no consideration of any evidence or proof. Had God chosen to send down the Qur’ān to His Messenger by means other than revelation, which they cannot see, and put it on paper which they can feel and see, and had they touched this paper with their own hands, they would still reject the evidence of their own hands and eyes.

他们会斩钉截铁地说："这不过是明显的巫术。"（第7节）

They would emphatically claim: “This is nothing but plain sorcery.” (Verse 7)

这是一幅性质极其可鄙的图像，足以激起强烈的敌意。对于这样的性质，不存在争论或学术讨论的余地。

This is an image of a singularly contemptible nature, one which invites strong hostility. With such a nature there is no room for argument or scholarly discussion.

然而,这样的人在每个社群、每个时代都能遇到。以这种方式描绘他们的本性,有不止一层作用:它把他们怀有的恶意以其真实面目呈现给拒绝者自己看,就像有人把镜子举到一个面容丑陋的人面前,使他看清自己,从而收敛他的傲慢态度。它也使信士们更有动力坚定地恪守真理,不受他们周围普遍否认和拒绝的氛围所影响。因此,他们在面对压迫和迫害时会更加坚韧。

Yet we meet such people in all communities and across all generations. Depicting their nature in this way serves more than one purpose: it delineates to the rejecters themselves their spiteful attitude in its true colours, just like one who lifts the mirror in front of a person with an ugly face so that he can see himself and put a stop to his overbearing behaviour. It also gives the believers an added incentive to adhere strongly to the truth, uninfluenced by the general atmosphere of denial and rejection they see around them. They are, thus, more resilient in the face of oppression and persecution.

第二个问题是，阿拉伯人知道天使的存在，并要求真主派遣一位天使来辅佐他的使者，并证实他所传信息的真实性。然而，他们对这类被造物的本质一无所知，即

The second issue was that the Arabs knew about the angels and requested that God should send down an angel to support His Messenger and confirm the truth of his message. They knew nothing, however, of the nature of this type of creation, i.e.

…只有真主知晓的事情。因此，他们对这些受造物，以及它们与其主之间的关系，还有它们与大地及其居民之间的关系，各自形成了随意的想象。《古兰经》提到了阿拉伯人关于天使的种种错误观念，以及异教民族的传说，并指出了其中的错误，以便任何蒙受引导而接受伊斯兰信仰的人，能够修正他们关于宇宙及其受造物的观念。

the angels, which is known only to God. Hence, they formulated their own arbitrary conceptions of these creatures and the sort of relationship which existed between them and their Lord on the one hand, and with the earth and its inhabitants on the other. The Qur’ān refers to the Arabian misconceptions about the angels and the legends of pagan nations. It points out their errors so that anyone who is guided to accept the Islamic faith will revise their concepts about the universe and its creatures.

因此,伊斯兰教提供了一种方法,使人的理智、情感、心灵和良知走上正道,并纠正各种状况与习俗。《古兰经》指出,阿拉伯人在伊斯兰教出现之前形成的一个错误观念是:他们相信天使是真主的女儿。真主至圣无比,远超于人们加诸于祂的一切!因此,他们认为天使能够为他们向真主代求,而且其代求从不被拒绝。据信,一些较为重要的偶像即是天使的象征。

As such, Islam provides a method to set man’s reason, feelings, heart and conscience on the right course and to rectify both situations and practices. One of the Arabs’ ill- conceived concepts, identified in the Qur’ān as having been formulated in their pre- Islamic days, was their belief that the angels were God’s daughters. Limitless is He in His glory and sublimely exalted above anything that people may ascribe to Him! As such, they believed angels were able to intercede with God and their intercession was never refused. It is thought that some of the more important idols were symbols of angels.

《古兰经》多次驳斥了阿拉伯人所持有的第一个错误观念。

The Qur’ān refutes on several occasions the first erroneous concept the Arabs held.

例如，在第53章《星星》中，我们读到：“你们是否想过拉特、欧撒和玛納特——这第三个偶像呢？你们自己要男孩，却把女孩归给祂，这样的分配实在不公！这些偶像不过是你们和你们祖先捏造的空名，真主并未为此降下任何凭据。那些崇拜它们的人，只是跟随臆测和自己的私欲，尽管来自他们主的正道确已降临到他们面前。人难道以为，凡他所希望的都归他所有吗？其实，今世与后世都只属于真主。天上虽有许多天使，他们的说情也毫无用处，除非真主允许他为祂所欲者代求，并且祂所喜悦的人。那些不真信后世的人，才把天使称为女性；他们对此毫无知识，只是跟随臆测，而臆测绝不能取代真理。”（53：19-28）

For example, in Sūrah 53, The Star, we read: “Have you ever considered al-Lāt and al- `Uzzā as well as Manāt, the third of this tirade? Why for yourselves would you choose only male offspring, whereas to Him you assign female: that is indeed an unfair division! These [idols] are nothing but empty names which you have invented, you and your forefathers, for which God has bestowed no warrant from on high. They who worship them follow nothing but surmise and their own wishful thinking, although right guidance has indeed come to them from their Lord. Does man imagine that it is his due to have all that he might wish for, despite the fact that both the life to come and this present life belong to God alone? For, however many angels there be in the heavens, their intercession can be of no avail to anyone, except after God has given leave [to intercede] for whomever He wills and with whom He is well- pleased. It is only such as do not really believe in the life to come that regard the angels as female beings; and since they have no knowledge of that at all, they follow nothing but surmise: yet never can surmise take the place of truth.” (53: 19-28)

第三个问题涉及伊斯兰哲学的本质，尤其是关于我们周围所见的世界，以及超出我们感知范围的那些世界。伊斯兰教教导其信徒对这些世界形成一种特定的理解，并以恰当的方式去对待它们。其中之一便是我们所信仰的天使世界。信仰天使是伊斯兰信仰的一个基本组成部分，它要求每位穆斯林信仰真主、祂的天使、经典、使者、末日和前定。信仰不可见的世界，对人的生命而言是一次巨大的转变，它帮助人摆脱有限而狭隘的物质存在，去感知一个超越此世的世界的存在。

The third issue raised in these verses is that of the nature of Islamic philosophy, particularly with regard to the world we see all around us and the worlds which lay beyond our perception. Islam teaches its followers to formulate a particular understanding of these worlds and a proper approach to them. One of these is the world of angels in whom we believe. Believing in the angels is an essential component of Islamic faith which requires every Muslim to believe in God, His angels, books, messengers, the Last Day and destiny, believe in an imperceptible world represents a great departure in man’s life, helping him to break out of his limited and narrow physical existence and to perceive the existence of a world beyond.

因此,人并不局限于狭隘的物质感知世界。事实上,对人的感知加以这样的限制,就是把人的感知拉向倒退。一些自称进步的唯物主义学说正是主张这种观点。关于这一主题的更充分论述,我们将在解读本章第59节时再作阐述。此处,我们仅就那些属于人类感官之外世界的天使加以讨论。

Thus, man is not limited to the narrow world of physical perception. Indeed, to impose such a limitation is to force human perception backwards. This is advocated by some materialistic doctrines which claim to be progressive. Fuller treatment of this subject follows later on, when we comment on Verse 59 of this sūrah. Here, we limit our discussion to the angels who are part of the world which lies beyond our human senses.

《古兰经》告诉我们天使的一些品质和属性。这些足以让我们形成关于天使以及我们与天使之关系的正确概念。天使是真主创造的一类造物，他们完全顺服真主，始终毫不迟疑地服从祂。他们与真主亲近，但我们并不知道这里所指的亲近是何种性质。"他们说：'至仁主已取了一个儿子！'赞颂祂超绝万物！不，他们只是蒙受尊荣的仆人。他们不先于祂开口，只依祂的命令行事。祂知道他们面前和身后的一切。他们只为那些已蒙祂喜悦接纳的人说情，因为他们自己也敬畏祂。"（21：26-28）"在祂那里的（天使），从不骄傲而不崇拜祂，也从不厌倦。他们昼夜颂扬祂的超绝荣耀，从不懈怠。"（21：19-20）

The Qur’ān tells us about some of the qualities and attributes of the angels. These are sufficient for us to formulate a proper concept of them and of our relationship with them. They are a species of God’s creation who submit themselves totally to God and who obey Him all the time without hesitation. They are near to God although we do not know what sort of proximity is meant here. “They say: ‘The Most Gracious has taken to Himself a son!’ Limitless is He in His glory! No; they are but His honoured servants. They do not speak until He has spoken, and they act at His behest. He knows all that lies before them and all behind them. They do not intercede for any but those whom He has already graced with His goodly acceptance, since they themselves stand in reverent awe of Him.” (21: 26-8) “Those that are with Him are never too proud to worship Him and never grow weary of that. They extol His limitless glory by night and day, without ever flagging.” (21: 19-20)

以使不信道者受辱并感到痛苦的方式。

manner which afflicts and humiliates the unbelievers.

天使与人类的关系，自人类始祖亚当被创造之时起便已存在。这种关系贯穿人的一生，直至后世。

The angels have also had a relationship with human beings ever since the creation of Adam, the first man. This relationship extends throughout life until the hereafter.

《古兰经》中有许多提及这种关系的经文。

References to this relationship abound in the Qur’ān.

因此，存在着一个广阔的领域，人类的生命在其中与至高的天使社会的生命相联系。它为人们提供了一种更宽广的视野，让人们更深刻地理解这个宇宙，并使人能够在一个更为广阔的世界中感受自身的存在以及自己的行为与反应。如此一来，我们在世间所见证的一切，便与这个世界及其之外的世界紧密相连。

There is, then, a wide expanse in which human life is linked to the life of the supreme society of angels. It provides a broader vision and understanding of this universe and enables man to feel his existence, his actions and reactions in a much wider world. In this way what we witness in our world is closely related to the world and beyond.

那些想要剥夺人类这个世界，以及人类感知之外那广阔境界的人，所图谋的无非是邪恶。他们想把人禁锢在狭隘的物质世界之中，从而迫使人堕入动物的境地。

Those who wish to deprive man of this world, and of the expanse of the realm that lies beyond our human perception, have nothing but evil in store. They want to confine man to the narrow, material world, thus forcing him into the animal world.

真主赐予人以领悟的能力，使他能够理解任何动物都无法理解的事物，让他生活在更广阔的知识与情感境界之中，赋予他用心与智慧观察这个世界的便利，并帮助他在走向这片不断扩展的光明时净化自己。

God has given man the ability of conception, which enables him to understand what no animal can understand, allowing him to live in a wider realm of knowledge and feeling, giving him the facility to look at this world through his heart and mind, and helping him to purify himself as he moves towards this spreading light.

在伊斯兰教之前的蒙昧时期，阿拉伯人持有各种各样的错误观念，但他们仍然比今天那些否定整个后世观念、嘲笑相信不可见世界的唯物主义倡导者更有见识。这些人认为相信不可见的世界是天真幼稚、不科学的。他们把两者视为互不相容。我们将在评注第59节时讨论他们的主张，这些主张既无科学依据，也无宗教根据。这里我们只简要谈谈天使。

In their pre-Islamic days, the Arabs held all sorts of misconceptions, but they were nevertheless better placed than the advocates of today’s materialism who deride the whole idea of a world beyond. These describe believing in an imperceptible world as naive, unscientific. They consider the two mutually exclusive. We will discuss their claims, which are devoid of any scientific or religious substance when we comment on Verse 59. Here we are only speaking briefly about the angels.

我们不禁要问：那些自称只相信“科学”理性主义的人，科学究竟向他们揭示了什么，以至于他们断然否认天使的存在，把自己置于信仰之外？科学不能排除地球以外的其他行星或恒星上存在另一种生命的可能，那些星球在本质、条件和大气层上都与地球不同。既然他们没有任何一项证据能够证明这些世界不存在，他们又怎能否认这样的世界存在呢？

这段经文的结尾提到了那些嘲笑真主使者者所遭遇的结局。新的不信者被召唤去反思那些先于他们的人的命运。他们被告知要走遍大地，亲眼看看先前不信者的下场，因为这会告诉他们那永不落空的真主之法：“在你之前，确实已有使者遭受嘲笑，但那些讥笑他们的人，最终被他们所嘲笑的事物所吞没。”（第10节）

This passage concludes with a reference to what happened to those who derided God’s messengers. The new rejecters of the faith are called upon to reflect on the fate of those who preceded them. They are told to travel all over the earth to see for themselves the fate of earlier unbelievers, because that tells them of God’s law which never fails: “Indeed other messengers have been derided before your time, but those who scoffed at them were eventually overwhelmed by the very thing they have derided.” (Verse 10)

在表明他们的态度是顽固拒绝、他们的建议显示出彻底的无知，并确立了真主不采纳他们的建议乃是其慈悯与宽容的体现之后，本章转而提及前代使者所遭受的对待。这种提及有双重目的。首先，它给予先知以慰藉，因为他正遭受着他们顽固拒斥真理的冲击。它向他保证，真主必定会惩罚那些嘲讽和戏弄真主使者的人。它告诉他，这种拒斥并非新近才出现的现象。

Having shown their attitude as stubborn rejection and their suggestions as marks of total ignorance, and having established that God’s refusal to act on their suggestions is an aspect of His mercy and forbearance, the surah refers to the treatment received by earlier messengers. Such reference has a dual purpose. It firstly provides some solace to the Prophet who was at the receiving end of their obstinate rejection of the truth. It reassures him that God will certainly punish those who deride and scoff at His messengers. It tells him that such rejection is not a new phenomenon.

先前的使者也曾遭受其民族类似的对待，但嘲笑他们的人不久便遭受了神的惩罚。最终的胜利属于真理。

Earlier messengers received similar treatment from their peoples, but those who scoffed at them were soon to suffer God’s punishment. Ultimate victory belongs to the Truth.

其次,它提醒那些拒绝先知信息的阿拉伯人,想想他们先前同类的命运。如果他们坚持嘲笑和拒绝,也将面临类似的结局。神的惩罚毁灭了先前那些强大得多、享有更多财富的世代。因此,这一提及猛烈地震撼着他们的内心。

Secondly, it reminds the Arabs who rejected the Prophet’s message of the fate of their earlier counterparts. A similar fate awaits them if they persist in their ridicule and rejection. God’s punishment destroyed earlier generations who were much more powerful and who enjoyed greater wealth. This reference, then, shakes their hearts violently.

让我们在此稍作反思这段古兰经的训谕:"你说:你们当周游大地,考察否认真理者的结局如何。"(第11节)为了单纯地反思、从过去的事件以及一代代相传的历史中吸取教训而周游大地,这对阿拉伯人来说是前所未有的。这表明,他们的无知水平与伊斯兰将他们带到的更高水平的智慧、知识与反思之间,存在着何等巨大的鸿沟。他们过去旅行是为了经商和谋生,为求知和吸取教训而旅行是闻所未闻的。这种全新的伊斯兰方法牵着他们的手,将他们从愚昧的深渊中提升出来,并循序引导他们走上不久之后将要抵达的崇高巅峰。

Let us reflect a little here on this Qur’ānic directive: “Say: Go all over the earth and see what was the fate of those who denied the truth.” (Verse 11) To travel all over the earth for the simple objective of reflection and drawing lessons on the basis of past events and on history told by one generation to the next was something totally new to the Arabs. It shows how great was the gulf between their level of ignorance and the much higher level of intelligence, knowledge and reflection to which Islam carried them. They used to travel for trade and to earn their living. Travelling to gain knowledge and draw lessons was unheard of. This new Islamic method took them by the hand, elevating them from the depths of their ignorance and gently coaxing them along the road to the high zenith they were soon to achieve.