历史不断向前推进，本章进入了另一个阶段。我们现在面对的是阿德族人，他们是先知呼德所被派遣的对象。
History moves along and the sūrah moves on to another stage. We are now face to face with the people of `Ād, to whom the Prophet Had was sent.
而对于阿德人，我们派去了他们的兄弟胡德。他说："我的族人啊，你们应当崇拜独一的真主，除他以外，你们没有别的神明。你们难道不敬畏吗？"他族中不信道的权贵说："我们看你显然是愚昧的人，我们确信你是说谎的人。"他说："我的族人啊，我并不愚昧，但我是全世界的主所派遣的使者。我向你们传达我主的启示，并为你们进行真诚的劝告。你们难道以为，你们的主借你们中的一个人向你们传达教诫，好使他警告你们，是一件奇怪的事吗？你们应当记住，他使你们继承了努哈的族人，并在体格上使你们比别人更加魁梧。你们应当记住真主的恩惠，以便你们得以成功。"他们说："你来到我们这里，是要我们独一地崇拜真主，并舍弃我们祖先所崇拜的东西吗？如果你是诚实的人，那就把你威胁我们的事降临吧！"他说："你们已经遭受了主的惩罚与谴责。你们是在与我争论那些你们和你们祖先所起的名字吗？真主并没有为此降示任何证据。那么，你们等待吧，我也和你们一同等待。"于是，我凭借恩典拯救了他和与他同在的人，并且消灭了那些否认我的启示、不信道的人，一个不留。（第65-72节）
And to `Ād [We sent] their brother Hūd. He said: “My people, worship God alone, you have no deity other than Him. Will you not, then, be God-fearing.’” Said the great ones among his people who disbelieved: “We clearly see that you are weakminded, and, truly, we think that you are a liar.” Said [Hūd]: “Weak-minded I am not, my people’, he said: “I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds. I am delivering to you my Lord’s messages and giving you sincere and honest counsel. Do you think it strange that a reminder from your Lord should come to you through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn you? Do but remember that He has made you successors of Noah’s people, and given you a larger stature than other people. Remember, then, God’s favours so that you may attain success.” They answered: `Have you come to tell us to worship God alone, and give up what our forefathers used to worship? Bring about, then, whatever you are threatening us with, if you are a man of truth.” Said [Hūd]: “You are already beset by loathsome evil and by your Lord’s condemnation. Are you arguing with me about some names you and your forefathers have invented, and for which God has given no warrant? Wait, then, if you will. I too am waiting.” So, by Our grace, We saved him together with all those who stood by him, and We wiped out the last remnant of those who denied Our revelations and would not believe. (Verses 65-72)
这是同一个信息、同一场对话，也是同样的结局。真主的律法适用于所有时代的所有人。阿德人是努哈的后裔，也是与他一同在方舟上得救之人的后代。有些记载说，他们的人数只有十三人。
It is the same message, the same dialogue and the same end. God’s law applies to all people in all generations. The people of `Ād were descendants of Noah and those who survived with him in the ark. Some reports put their number at only thirteen.
毫无疑问,那些在方舟中获救的信士的后裔,遵循了先知努哈(愿主福安之)所传布的信仰,这信仰以完全顺服真主为基础。他们必定唯独崇拜真主,不承认除他以外的任何神明,并相信他是全世界的主。这正是努哈对他们所讲的。随后,时光流逝,他们的后裔迁徙并定居于世界各地。撒旦持续试图引导他们偏离神圣的指引,并利用他们的欲望,尤其是对财富和享乐的欲望。
There is no doubt that the descendants of those believers, saved in the ark, followed the faith preached by the Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) which is based on complete submission to God. They definitely worshipped God alone, acknowledging no deity other than Him and believing that He is the Lord of all the worlds. That was what Noah told them. Then with the passage of time, their descendants travelled and settled in different parts of the world. Satan continued to try to lead them away from divine guidance, and exploited their desires, particularly for wealth and enjoyment.
因此他们背弃了真主的律法。那些阿德族人觉得，他们所派去的先知竟然号召他们只崇拜真主，实在是一件奇怪的事。
Thus they abandoned God’s law. Those people of `Ād found it strange that the Prophet sent to them should call on them to worship God alone.
“以及致`Ād人[我派遣]他们的兄弟胡德。他说：‘我的民众啊，你们只崇拜真主，你们除他以外没有任何应受崇拜的主宰。你们难道不敬畏吗？’”（第65节）这与努哈此前对他的民众所说的完全相同，他们拒绝接受，并遭受了众所周知的命运。真主赋予了`Ād人权势，但该章在此并未提及他们居住在何处；不过我们从另一章得知，他们定居在al-Aĥqāf，那指的是靠近也门边境、位于Yamāmah与Ĥadramawt之间的高大沙丘。他们与努哈的民众遵循同样的模式：拒绝警告，也不愿反思那些先前之人所遭遇的事。因此，胡德在对他们的讲话中补充了这句话：“你们难道不敬畏吗？”（第65节）这暗含着对他们态度的强烈批评，因为他们不敬畏真主，也不担心可怕的命运。
“And to `Ād [We sent] their brother Hūd. He said: ‘My people, worship God alone, you have no deity other than Him. Will you not, then, be God-fearing.’” (Verse 65) This is exactly what Noah said to his people earlier, and they refused to accept it and suffered their well-known destiny. God has given power to the people of `Ād, but the sūrah does not mention here where they lived, although we learn from another sūrah that they were settled at al-Aĥqāf, which is a reference to the high sand dunes close to the Yemen border between Yamāmah and Ĥadramawt. They followed the same pattern as Noah’s people, rejected the warnings, and refused to reflect on what happened to those who went along before them. Therefore, Mild adds in his address to them this sentence: “Will you not, then, be God-fearing.” (Verse 65) This implies a strong criticism of their attitude as they show no fear of God and no worry about a terrible destiny.
他族中的长者和首领们无法忍受：竟有族人中的一个人来召唤他们遵从神圣的指引，并斥责他们不敬畏真主。他们觉得他的态度颇为放肆，越了界限，对他们毫无敬意。于是，他们开始指责他们的先知愚蠢且说谎，对他毫不尊重。他们在没有认真思考、审议，也没有可靠证据的情况下，便提出了指控：“他族中不信道的显贵说：‘我们确实看出你头脑糊涂，我们实在认为你是个说谎的人。’”（第66节）但他坚定地回答道：“‘我的族人啊，我并没有头脑糊涂，’他说："
The elders and the chiefs of his people found it too much that one from among them should call on them to follow divine guidance and denounce them for not fearing God. They found his attitude rather impudent, exceeding the limits and showing them little respect. Hence, they started to accuse their Prophet with being both foolish and a liar, paying him no respect. Without proper reflection, deliberation or sound evidence, they made their accusations: “Said the great ones among his people who disbelieved: ‘We clearly see that you are weak-minded, and, truly, we think that you are a liar.’” (Verse 66) But he replied decisively: “’ Weak-minded I am not, my people’, he said:
「我是来自众世界之主的使者，我向你们传达我主的讯息，并给予你们真诚而诚实的劝告。」（第67-68节）
`I am a Messenger from the Lord of all the worlds. I am delivering to you my Lord’s messages and giving you sincere and honest counsel.” (Verses 67-68)
他否认自己愚蠢或头脑简单，这既体现了朴素，也体现了诚实，正如努哈否认自己曾经迷失一样。同样，与努哈一样，呼德向他们解释了他所传讯息的来源与目的，并说明他在向他们传达时，是在给予他们真诚的忠告，并确保传达的诚实无误。他以忠告者的慈悲，以可信之人特有的诚实，对他们说了这一切。然而，和努哈的族人一样，他们惊讶于他竟被选为真主的使者，也惊讶于托付给他的讯息。因此，我们看到呼德对他们说出了努哈此前说过的同样的话，仿佛这两个人拥有同一个灵魂："你们是否以为奇怪，主的教诲竟通过你们中间的一个人降临到你们身上，以便他警告你们？"（第69节）
His denial of being foolish or weak-minded combines simplicity with truthfulness, just in the same way as Noah denied that he was in error. Also like Noah before him, Hūd explains to them the source and goal of his message and that as he delivers it to them, he is giving them sound advice and ensuring honesty in its delivery. He says all that to them with the compassion of a person giving advice, and the truthfulness which is the mark of a trustworthy person. But like Noah’s people before them, they wondered that he should be chosen as God’s messenger, and at the message entrusted to him. Thus, we find Hūd saying to them the same words Noah had said before him, as if the two persons had one soul: “Do you think it strange that a reminder from your Lord should come to you through a man from among yourselves, so that he might warn you?” (Verse 69)
他接着又补充了一句与他们自身处境相关的话——他们是努哈民的继承者，并且被赐予了比其他民族更强大的体格，这与他们所在的山区地理环境正相契合："你们应当记住，祂使你们继承了努哈的民族，并在体格上赐予你们比其他人更大的优势。所以你们应当记念真主的恩惠，好让你们得以成功。"（第69节）他们所获得的一切，本应使他们心怀感恩，并使他们警惕自负与傲慢，以免遭受与先前各民族同样的命运。
He then adds something relevant to their own situation as the successors of the people of Noah and the fact that they had been given greater strength and larger stature which fits with their mountainous area: “Do but remember that He has made you successors of Noah’s people, and given you a larger stature than other people. Remember, then, God’s favours so that you may attain success.” (Verse 69) All that they have been given should have made them grateful and should have warned them against being cocky and conceited so that they would not suffer the same fate as earlier nations.
他们并未与真主立下约定，要求中止祂所设立的自然法则——那是祂为地上生命所作的安排。记念真主的恩惠，会激发人们的感恩之心；而要感谢真主的赐予，就必须勤勉地维护和保持那些促成这些恩惠的条件。
They had not made a covenant with God to suspend the laws of nature He had set in operation, in accordance with His design for life on earth. To remember God’s favours encourages gratitude for them, and to be grateful for God’s blessings requires that what has led to them should be assiduously maintained and preserved.
只有这样,我们才能确保今世的繁荣,以及后世的幸福。
Only in this way can we ensure prosperity in this life as well as in the life to come.
然而,当人的天性偏离正道时,它便不再思考、反省,也不再留心警告。那些长老的行为最为傲慢。他们中止了辩论,招致了真主的惩罚;他们对真诚、诚恳的劝告表现出厌倦,对真主使者严肃的警告几乎置若罔闻。他们的回答表明,他们几乎无法容忍先知对他们说话的方式。他们甚至不愿加以考虑:"他们说:'你来是要我们只崇拜真主,舍弃我们祖先所崇拜的吗?'"(第70节)
However, when human nature deviates, it ceases to think, reflect and heed warnings. Those elders behaved in the most arrogant of manners. They stopped the argument and precipitated God’s punishment, showing boredom with sincere, honest advice and paying little heed to God’s messenger’s serious warning. Their answer shows that they can hardly tolerate the manner their Prophet spoke to them in. They do not want to even consider it: “They answered: ‘Have you come to tell us to worship God alone, and give up what our forefathers used to worship?’” (Verse 70)
这是一幅令人沮丧的景象:熟悉的传统对人心与人的思想施加着蒙蔽性的压力。这种压力剥夺了人最基本的人性品质之一,即思考、反省和选择自己信仰的自由。于是,人沦为习俗与传统的奴隶,也沦为自己和他人欲望的奴隶。知识的每一扇窗都被关闭,希望的每一缕光都被遮蔽。那些人自己加速了自己的毁灭,因为他们不愿正视真理,也不愿反思自己谬误的荒唐。他们对那位真诚劝告的先知说:“如果你是说实话的人,那就把你用来威胁我们的东西降下来吧。”(第70节)
This is a depressing scene of how familiar traditions exercise a blinding pressure over hearts and minds. This pressure deprives man of one of the most basic of his human qualities: that is, the freedom to think, reflect and choose his beliefs. Thus, man is enslaved by custom and tradition and by what his own and other people’s desires impose on him. Every window of knowledge and every light of hope is closed. Those people precipitated their own doom because they did not wish to face the truth or to reflect on the absurdity of their falsehood. They said to their Prophet who gave honest advice: “Bring about, then, whatever you are threatening us with, if you are a man of truth.” (Verse 70)
先知的回答迅速而坚决，他说："你们已经陷入了可憎的恶行和你们主的谴责之中。你们是在与我争论那些你们和你们祖先所杜撰的名称吗？真主并未为此降下任何凭据。"
The Prophet’s answer was quick and decisive, as he said: “You are already beset by loathsome evil and by your Lord’s condemnation. Are you arguing with me about some names you and your forefathers have invented, and for which God has given no warrant?
“那么，你等着吧，我也在等着。”（第71节）
Wait, then, if you will. I too am waiting.” (Verse 71)
因此,他把即将降临到他们身上、他们再也无法躲避的命运告诉了他们。是他的主告诉他,他们必将遭受的苦难,以及神的谴责。他也向他们说明,他们的信仰是荒谬的:"你们是在与我争论你们和你们祖先所捏造的一些名称吗?神从未为此降下任何明证。"(第71节)你们所同神并列的,毫无实在。它们只是你们或你们祖先杜撰的名称。神从未允许崇拜它们。因此,它们既无权能,也无证据来支持其地位。
He thus told them what fate was about to befall them and which they could no longer avoid. It was his Lord who told him of the suffering they would inevitably endure, together with God’s condemnation. He also made it clear to them that their beliefs were absurd: “Are you arguing with me about some names you and your forefathers have invented, and for which God has given no warrant?” (Verse 71) What you have associated with God has no reality. They are mere names invented by you or your forefathers. God has never given any sanction for their worship. Hence, they have no power and no proof to support their status.
《古兰经》中常被反复提及的一句话，意义尤为重大。
A short sentence that is often repeated in the Qur’ān is particularly significant.
上帝说，凡是崇拜除祂以外的任何人或任何事物的行为，"祂从未授予任何权柄"。这段经文阐明了一条根本原则：凡是未经上帝认可的言辞、律法、传统或观念，其作用微乎其微，甚至毫无作用，并且很快就会消逝。人的天性对这些都看得很轻，但当一句话出自上帝时，它便获得了额外的分量，能够深入人心，直抵人的思想深处，因为它的力量源自上帝。
God says, in connection with the worship of anyone or anything other than Him that ‘God has given no warrant’ for such worship. This refers to a fundamental principle which tells us that every word, law, tradition or concept which is not sanctioned by God has little or no effect and will soon disappear. Human nature receives all this lightly, but when a word comes from God, it acquires additional weight, causing it to penetrate right through people’s minds, because it derives its power from God.
无数的理论、学说与观念，曾借助强大的权威而广为传播、备受瞩目。然而，一旦它们与真主的话语相遇，便很快显露出其本来面目：脆弱、空洞，站不住脚。
Numerous are the theories, doctrines and concepts which received a great deal of publicity backed by strong authority. But once they found themselves face to face with God’s word, they soon appeared as they truly are: weak, hollow and insupportable.
凭着真信者的十足信心，呼德对他的族人发出挑战："那你们就等着吧，我也和你们一同等待。"（第71节）正是这种信心，给了信仰的倡导者以力量。他们确信，虚妄虽然可能暂时呈现出物质力量和众多追随者的表象，但它终究是软弱的。信仰的倡导者坚信，他们所倡导的真理所具有的力量与权威，最终必将获胜，因为这力量源自真主的大能。
With all the confidence of a true believer, Hūd challenges his people: “Wait then, if you will. I too am waiting.” (Verse 71) It is this confidence that gives strength to the advocates of faith who are certain that falsehood is truly weak although it may temporarily have the appearance of material power and great following. The advocates of faith are certain that the power and authority of the truth they advocate will eventually triumph because it is derived from God’s power.
在胡德及其族人的故事中，等待的时间并不长：“于是，我以恩典拯救了他和与他同在的信士，并且消灭了那些否认我的迹象、不肯信仰的人的最后残余。”（第72节）这是一场彻底的毁灭，没有一人得救。这一点可以从“消灭最后残余”这一表达中理解。在阿拉伯文原文中，所用的词语指的是商队中走在最后、落在后面不远的那个人。
In the story of Hūd and his people, the waiting is not long: “So, by Our grace, We saved him together with all those who stood by him, and We wiped out the last remnant of those who denied Our revelations and would not believe.” (Verse 72) It is total destruction from which no one is saved. This is understood from the expression, “wiped out the last remnant.” In the Arabic text, the term used signifies the last person in a caravan who moves a short distance behind it.
这样，又一页否认真理的民族历史翻过去了，在所有提醒都被拒绝之后，警告便得到了应验。本章并未详述毁灭是如何发生的，这在其他章中有所说明。因此，我们暂且不讨论此事。
Another page of the history of communities denying the truth is thus turned, with the warning given full effect after all reminders have been rejected. This sūrah does not go into details of how the destruction took place. This is explained in other sūrahs. Therefore, we leave its discussion for now.