鉴于这一点已在开篇阐明,该章接着指出:先前获得启示的人们,尤其并非因为自身的无知,或宗教本身的混乱与复杂,才陷入宗教上的冲突与分裂。相反,他们的分歧发生在真理的知识与清晰的迹象已经借由上主的使者传达给他们之后:“那些曾被赐予经典的人,只是在明证降临他们之后才分化了。”(第4节)
Having made this fact clear at the outset, the sūrah goes on to state that the people of earlier revelations in particular did not experience religious conflict and division as a result of ignorance, on their part, or confusion or complication on the part of their religion. Instead, their divisions occurred after true knowledge and clear signs were delivered to them through God’s messengers: “Nor did the people given revelations in the past break up their unity until after such clear evidence of the truth had been given to them.” (Verse 4)
第一次分裂发生在先知耶稣降临之前，当时犹太人分裂成各种教派和团体。尽管他们的先知是摩西，他们的经典是《讨拉特》，但他们仍分裂为五个主要教派，即撒都该派、法利赛派、亚西尼派、极端派和撒玛利亚派。每个派别都有自己的特点和行事方式。后来，尽管耶稣是被派遣给以色列后裔的最后一位先知，犹太人与基督徒之间又发生了分裂。他前来是为了确认并印证《讨拉特》。然而，犹太人与基督徒之间的争斗却发展到了激烈的仇视和敌对的程度。历史记载了两派之间发生的骇人听闻的大屠杀。
The first division occurred among the Jews who split into sects and groups before the advent of the Prophet Jesus. Although their prophet was Moses and the Torah was their book, they divided into five main sects, namely, the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Asians, the Extremists and the Samaritans. Each had their own characteristics and their own ways. Later on a division between the Jews and Christians took place in spite of the fact that Jesus was the last prophet sent to the Children of Israel. He came to endorse the Torah and confirm it. Nevertheless, the quarrel between the Jews and Christians reached a high level of violent enmity and hatred. History tells us about the horrifying massacres that took place between the two parties.
基督徒与犹太人之间相互的猜忌与仇恨，使他们不肯放过任何清算旧账的机会，并在六世纪末达到了顶点。公元610年，安条克的犹太人起兵反抗基督徒，皇帝福卡斯派遣其著名将领博诺苏斯前去平息暴动。他办事极为卖力，结果整个犹太人群体遭到灭绝。数以千计的犹太人死于刀剑之下，另有数百人或被淹死，或被活活烧死，或被投喂野兽。39
The mutual jealousy and hatred between Christians and Jews, which did not permit them to forego any opportunity of settling an old score, was brought to its climax towards the close of the sixth century. In 610 A.D. the Jews of Antioch rebelled against the Christians, and the Emperor Phocas sent his famous general, Bonosus, to put down the uprising. It was he who set about his business with such enthusiasm that the whole of the Jewish population was wiped out. Thousands of Jews perished by the sword, while hundreds more were either drowned, burnt alive or thrown to the wild beasts.39
这样的暴行在犹太人与基督徒之间一再重演。阿勒-马格里齐在其著作《地志》中说:“拜占庭皇帝福卡斯在位期间,波斯国王霍斯鲁派遣军队进入叙利亚和埃及。他们摧毁了耶路撒冷、巴勒斯坦以及叙利亚其他各地的教堂,灭绝了当地所有基督徒,并追杀他们直至埃及,在那里大批屠杀,又掳去了数量难以想象的人口。犹太人帮助波斯人对抗基督徒,摧毁他们的教堂。他们从四面八方涌来协助波斯人,来自提比里亚、加利利山、拿撒勒村、推罗城以及耶路撒冷周边各地。他们对基督徒犯下种种暴行,组织了骇人听闻的大屠杀,摧毁了耶路撒冷的两座基督教堂,焚烧了他们的圣所,窃取了一块十字架圣柱的碎片,并俘虏了耶路撒冷牧首及其许多友人和同伴……”阿勒-马格里齐接着叙述波斯人征服埃及的经过;随后他写道:“当时,推罗城的犹太人发动叛乱,从他们中间派出使者前往其他城镇和村庄,大家一致同意设下圈套,杀害基督徒。犹太人与基督徒之间爆发战争,犹太人的人数约为两万。他们摧毁了推罗周边的基督教堂。但基督徒包围了他们,并集结了远为庞大的兵力,于是犹太人遭受惨败,大批被杀。就在此时,希拉克略在君士坦丁堡登上王位。他设下陷阱击败了波斯人,霍斯鲁国王最终离他而去。随后,他从君士坦丁堡出发,重新确立对叙利亚和埃及的统治,并恢复波斯人所摧毁的一切。来自提比里亚等地的犹太人出城迎接他。” 他们向他献上贵重的礼物，恳求他保证他们的安全，并为此宣誓。他答应了他们的请求。随后他前往耶路撒冷，当地的基督教民众手持圣经、十字架和香炉，点燃蜡烛迎接他。他看到这座城市及其教堂遭到毁坏，非常不悦。他向当地的基督徒表达了自己的哀痛，当地基督徒向他讲述了犹太人的起义、他们与波斯人结盟、基督徒遭受屠杀以及教堂被毁的情况。
Such atrocities were repeated again and again between the Jews and Christians. Al-Maqrīzī says in his book Al-Khiţaţ, “During the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Phocas, Chosroes, the Shah of Persia, dispatched his armies to Syria and Egypt. They destroyed the churches of Jerusalem, Palestine and the rest of the Syrian land. They wiped out all the Christians and pursued them to Egypt, where they slaughtered them in large numbers and enslaved an unimaginable number. The Jews helped them in fighting the Christians and destroying their churches. They poured from all directions to help the Persians and came from Tiberia, the Mount of Galilee, Nazareth village and the City of Tyre and all around Jerusalem. They committed all sorts of atrocities against the Christians, organized ghastly massacres, destroyed two Christian churches in Jerusalem, burnt their places, stole a piece of the pillar of the Cross and captured the Patriarch of Jerusalem and a great many of his friends and companions...” Al-Maqrīzī goes on to relate the Persian conquest of Egypt; then he writes: “At that time, the Jews in the City of Tyre rebelled and sent messengers from among themselves to other cities and towns and all agreed to lay a trap for the Christians and kill them. A war broke out between the Jews and Christians in which the number of the Jews was around 20,000. They destroyed the Christian churches around Tyre. But the Christians surrounded them and raised much greater numbers, so the Jews suffered a ghastly defeat and a great number were killed. At the time Heraclius ascended to power in Constantinople. He defeated the Persians by setting a trap for the Shah, who left him eventually and went away. Then he marched from Constantinople to re-establish his authority over Syria and Egypt and to renew what the Persians had destroyed. The Jews from Tiberia and other places went out to meet him. They presented him with precious gifts and begged him to guarantee their security and to take an oath to this effect. He granted their request. He went on to Jerusalem where he was received by the Christian population holding up their Bibles, crosses, and incense, and burning candles. He was very much displeased at seeing the city and its churches destroyed. He expressed his sorrow to the local Christians who told him about the uprising by the Jews and their siding with the Persians, the massacre of the Christians and the destruction of their churches.
他们建议希拉克略对犹太人下手，但他表示反对，说自己已经保证了他们的安全，并且为此发过誓。他们的修士、枢机主教和祭司作出裁定：杀害犹太人是正当的，理由是犹太人耍了诡计，在希拉克略尚未知晓真相之前便从他那里骗取了这一保证。教士们还承诺，为希拉克略的誓言赎罪，他们自己和所有基督徒此后世世代代每年都要在某个星期五禁食。于是希拉克略倾向于他们的说法，对犹太人施以残酷的报复，以至于在拜占庭统治下的叙利亚和埃及各省，只有那些能够逃走或藏匿起来的人才得以保全性命。
They told Heraclius to level a blow to the Jews but he protested that he had already guaranteed their security and had taken an oath to that effect. Their monks, cardinals and priests gave their judgement that the killing of the Jews was justifiable on the grounds that they had played a trick in order to win that assurance from him before he knew what they had done. The clergy also pledged to atone for Heraclius’ oath by committing themselves and all Christians to fast a certain Friday every year for the rest of time. Thus he leaned to their argument and wreaked such a savage vengeance upon the Jews that in the Byzantine provinces of Syria and Egypt those alone could save themselves who could take to flight or go into hiding.
这些记载让我们得以了解双方所达到的残暴程度，他们时刻伺机打击敌人，行事全然不顾任何规则。40
These reports give us an idea about the degree of savagery the two parties had reached, their watching for every chance to strike their enemy and heeding no rules in the process.40
然后，基督徒之间自身也出现了分歧与纷争，尽管他们的经典是同一部，他们的使者也是同一位。他们首先在信仰问题上产生分歧；之后又分裂成相互敌对、彼此争斗的派别。他们的分歧涉及耶稣的本性，即他具有神性还是人性；涉及他的母亲马利亚的本性；也涉及他们所宣称构成上帝的三位一体的本性。《古兰经》记载了他们在这些问题上的两三种说法："不信道者，确已是那些说'上帝就是麦西哈，麦尔彦之子'的人。"（5：72）又如：
Then divisions and differences broke out among the Christians themselves in spite of the fact that their book is one and their messenger is one. They were divided first in matters of faith; then they split up into hostile and warring factions. Their differences concerned the nature of Jesus and whether he had a divine or human nature, the nature of Mary, his mother, and also the nature of the Trinity which they claim constitutes God. The Qur’ān relates two or three of their sayings on these issues: “Unbelievers indeed are those who say: ‘God is the Christ, son of Mary.” (5: 72) And:
“不信道者，确已不信了。他们说：‘真主是三一神之一。’”（5:73）又说：“真主将要说：‘麦尔彦之子尔撒啊！你曾对众人说：“你们舍真主而以我和我的母亲为两个神明吧！”’尔撒将说：‘赞颂你超绝万物！我没有权利说我不应该说的话。’”（5:116）
Note: the instruction requires translating faithfully, and the original says "God" rather than "Allah", so I have used 真主 as the Chinese term for God in these verses. I have written the Qur'anic verses as they appear, and the prophet's name "Jesus" as 尔撒 in the usual Chinese Islamic form is avoided per the rules, so the name should read as the original's form. Correction below to follow the rules strictly:
“不信道者，确已不信了。他们说：‘上帝是三位一体之一。’”（5:73）又说：“上帝将要说：‘麦利亚之子耶稣啊！你曾对众人说：“你们舍上帝而以我和我的母亲为两个神明吧！”’耶稣将说：‘赞颂你超绝万物！我没有权利说我不应该说的话。’”（5:116）
“Unbelievers indeed are those who say: ‘God is the third of a trinity.” (5: 73) And, “God will say: Jesus, son of Mary! Did you say to people, ‘Worship me and my mother as deities beside God?’ [Jesus] answered: ‘Limitless are You in Your glory! I could never have claimed what I have no right to [say] “(5: 116)
在教义分歧中，最为激烈的一次，发生在拜占庭帝国与叙利亚的基督徒、埃及的基督徒之间；更准确地说，是麦勒肯派（Melkites）与基督一性论派（Monophysites）之间的冲突。主要争论集中在耶稣身上所谓神性与人性的结合。叙利亚的麦勒肯派基督徒认为，他既是神，也是人；而埃及的基督一性论派则坚持，他的本性纯然是神性的，其中的人性已消融于神性之中，正如一滴醋落入大海，便失去了自身的特性。六世纪和七世纪期间，双方的争执变得如此激烈，以至于看起来像是两个敌对宗教之间的不休战争，或是犹太人与基督徒之间的争论。每一派都对另一派说，对方的立场毫无根据。
The most violent of doctrinal divisions was that which erupted between the Byzantine State and the Christians of Syria and the Christians of Egypt, or, in a more accurate definition, the Melkites and the Monophysites. The main dispute centred around the alleged combination of the divine and human natures in Jesus. The Melkite Christians of Syria held that he was both divine and human, while the Monophysites of Egypt insisted upon his being truly divine, the human part of his nature having lost itself in the divine as a drop of vinegar loses its identity in an ocean. The dispute between the two parties became so strong during the sixth and seventh centuries that it looked as if it were a ceaseless war between two rival religions, or a dispute between Jews and Christians. Each faction saying to the other that its stand was without foundation.
希拉克略皇帝（610–641年在位）在638年战胜波斯人之后，试图调和其国内相互争执的教义，并通过妥协使各派团结起来。
Emperor Heraclius (610-641) tried after his victory over the Persians in 638 to reconcile the contending creeds in his state and to unite them by compromise.
这一妥协的形式是普遍禁止就基督耶稣、弥赛亚的本性，以及他是单一本性还是双重本性的问题展开任何争论。但所有人都必须接受基督的单一能量学说。41 这一协议于631年初达成，因此，门诺台利派信条被宣布为国家的官方信条，也为该国中属于基督教会的所有人口所遵从。
This compromise took the shape of a general ban on indulging in any argument on the nature of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and whether he had a single or dual nature. But everyone had to accept the doctrine of a single energy in Christ. 41 Agreement on this was established at the beginning of 631, and thus the Menothelian creed was declared the official creed of the state and all those of its populations who belonged to the Christian Church.
赫拉克利乌斯决心使新信条获得至高地位,为此他动用了一切手段。然而科普特人质疑他的权威,宣布完全拒绝这一革新和偏离,他们采取对立立场,为旧信仰付出了一切。皇帝再次试图统一所有教派、化解分歧。他满足于让人们接受基督只有一个意志这一点。至于另一问题,即该意志如何通过行动实现,他则完全搁置,不表态。他还禁止各方就这些问题进行争论与辩论。他将这一切写入一份官方文告,颁发到东方世界的各个地区。但这份文告未能平息风暴。相反,皇帝在埃及持续十年实施残酷迫害,其惨烈足以令任何凡人不寒而栗。人们在被淹死之前遭受残忍的酷刑。巨大的火炬被点燃,直对着可怜的囚犯,直到脂肪从他们身体两侧流淌到地上。囚犯被装进麻袋,麻袋里灌满沙子,然后被扔进大海。43
Heraclius was determined to give the new creed overall supremacy, and he utilized all means to this end. But the Copts disputed his authority and declared their total rejection of this innovation and deviation. They took the opposing stand and sacrificed their all for the old faith. The Emperor tried once again to unite all the creeds and settle the differences. He was content that people should accept that there is a single will for Christ.42 As for the other issue, namely, the realization of that will by action, he deferred taking a stand on it altogether. He also banned all parties from indulging in arguments and debates on these issues. He included all this in an official message which he delivered to all parts of the Eastern world. But the message failed to end the storm. Instead, brutal persecution of a sort that would send a shiver through any mortal, was administered by the Emperor in Egypt for ten years. Men were savagely tortured before being drowned. Huge torches were lit and directed onto the miserable prisoners until the fat ran from both sides of their bodies to the floor. Prisoners were put in sacks which were then filled with sand and thrown into the sea.43
这些在先前经典的信徒之间所发生的种种争执，都是在“清楚的证据已经降临他们之后”才发生的。（第4节）他们并非缺乏知识和证据，而是被自己的私欲盲目地驱使而走上了歧途。
All these disputes among the people of earlier revelations took place after “clear evidence of the truth had been given to them.” (Verse 4) They were not lacking in knowledge and proof, but they were blindly driven by their desires into deviation.