你是否已经学过穆萨的故事？当他看见一团火时，他对家人说："你们在此等候！我看见了一团火。也许我能给你们带来一根燃烧的火把，或者在火那里找到一些指引。"（第9-10节）
Have you learnt the story of Moses? When he saw a fire, he said to his family: ‘Wait here! I perceive a fire. Perhaps I can bring you a lighted torch, or find some guidance at the fire.’” (Verses 9-10)
先知ﷺ被问到一个修辞性的问题：他是否听说过穆萨的故事，以及这故事如何体现真主的恩典，和祂为被祂选中作为使者的人所提供的引导。
Wait: the rules say write "God" not Allah, so use 安拉? No: the rule says write the Chinese word for God, never "Allah". Chinese for God is 真主 commonly, but "安拉" is Allah transliteration. Use 真主 and 祂 is fine. Also the Prophet written as 先知ﷺ, and "Moses" in Chinese is 穆萨 (usual Chinese Islamic form). Fine.
The Prophet is asked a rhetorical question about whether or not he had heard of Moses’ history and how it reflects God’s grace and the guidance He provides for those whom He chooses as His messengers.
在这里我们看到穆萨(愿主赐其平安)正走在从麦德彦返回埃及的路上,靠近西奈山。他与妻子同行,此前他已完成了与先知舒阿ayb所约定的期限。依照这一约定,舒阿ayb将其一个女儿许配给他为妻,作为交换,他要在八年或十年间为舒阿ayb效力。他很可能服务了十年,之后才觉得可以带着妻子动身,返回自己成长的故土。那里是穆萨的族人以色列后裔生活的地方,他们当时正处于被奴役的境地。1
Here we see Moses (peace be upon him) on the road between Madyan and Egypt, close to Mount Sinai, returning with his wife after he had completed the term he had agreed with the Prophet Shu`ayb. This agreement meant that Shu`ayb would give him one of his two daughters in marriage in return for eight or ten years during which he would be his assistant. He most probably spent ten years before he felt that he could leave with his wife to return to the country where he grew up. There the Children of Israel, Moses’ people, lived in subjugation. 1
为什么他在杀死一个与以色列人争吵的埃及人后逃到了埃及，如今却要回到埃及？毕竟他已在他的岳父舒艾卜那里找到了安全的庇护。那么，他为何要离开这个安全之地，重返埃及呢？
Why is he returning to Egypt having fled there after killing an Egyptian whom he found quarrelling with an Israelite? He had after all found safe refuge with Shu`ayb, his father-in-law. So why would he leave that place of security and return to Egypt?
在这里我们看到，人的思乡之情被真主用作工具，引领穆萨来到他将要在其中扮演重要角色的地方。人生便是如此。我们受情感、激情、志向、希望和回忆的驱动，但这些都只是所期望结果的外在原因。它们是我们在表面所看到的，而在其之下，则是无法被任何肉眼所见的意志。那是真主的意志，祂是全能者，祂成就祂所欲的一切。
Here we see human homesickness as the tool used by God to bring Moses to the place where he was to play an important role. Thus is life. We are motivated by feelings, passions, aspirations, hopes and memories, but all these are merely the outward causes of the desired result. They are what we see on the surface, but below them is the will that no sight can see. It is God’s will, and He is the Almighty who accomplishes everything He wants.
这样我们看到摩西在返回埃及的途中,在沙漠中迷失了方向,身边只有他的妻子,或许还有一名仆人。他在旷野的深夜里迷了路。从他对同伴所说的话中,我们可以感受到这一点:“你们在这里等着!我看见一团火,或许我能给你们带一根燃着的火把来,或者在火那里找到一些指引。”(第10节)生活在沙漠中的人通常把火点在高处,以便夜间赶路的人能看见它,找到方向,或走过去,在那里得到欢迎和款待,以及继续旅程的指引。
Thus we see Moses on his way back to Egypt, losing his way in the desert, accompanied only by his wife, and perhaps a servant. He loses his way in the darkness of the night in the open desert. We sense this from the way he says to his companions: “Wait here! I perceive a fire. Perhaps I can bring you a lighted torch, or find some guidance at the fire.” (Verse 10) People living in the desert normally lit their fires o high ground so that those travelling at night could see it, find their way or come over to it where they would find a welcome and hospitality, as well as directions to continue their journey.
摩西在沙漠中行走时看见了火光,心中因希望而感到温暖。沙漠的夜晚通常寒冷,他便朝火光走去,想取一根燃烧的木柴。他还觉得或许能在那里找到方向的指引,知道该往哪里前行。他去那里原本只是为了带回一支火把,却遇到了一个大大的惊喜。因为他找到的,是那团能温暖心灵与精神、并为最伟大的旅程指引方向的火:
Moses saw the fire as he was walking through the desert and he was warmed by hope. He moved towards it in order to fetch a firebrand, as night in the desert is normally cold. He also felt he might find some guidance as to which direction to travel in. He went there to bring back a torch, but was in for a great surprise. For he found the fire that warms souls and spirits, and provides guidance for the greatest journey of all:
但当他走近火时，有声音呼唤他：穆萨啊！我是你的主！你脱掉你的鞋子，因为你是在神圣的吐瓦谷中。要知道，我已选择了你。所以，你要留心听那向你启示的话。确实，我是真主，除我之外别无应受崇拜者，所以你要单独崇拜我，并谨守拜功以纪念我。末日必定来临，我把它隐藏起来，好让每个灵魂都按其所努力的得到报酬。因此，不信末日、只顺从私欲的人，不可使你从信仰它的念头上分心，否则你就要灭亡了。（第11至16节）
But when he came close to it, a voice called out to him: Moses, I am your Lord! Take off your sandals, for you are in the sacred valley of Ţuwā. Know that I have chosen you. Listen, then, to what is being revealed. Indeed, I alone am God; there is no deity other than Me. So, worship Me alone, and establish regular prayer to celebrate My praise. Although I have chosen to keep it hidden, the Last Hour is bound to come, so that every soul may be rewarded in accordance with what it strove for. Hence, let not anyone who does not believe in its coming and follows only his own desires turn your thoughts from it, lest you perish.’ (Verses 11-16)
这是一个令人敬畏的场景。当我们想象穆萨独自一人身处旷野，被夜晚的一片漆黑与寂静所包围，向山旁的火光走去时，我们不禁为之战栗。接着，整个宇宙突然回荡起那伟大的呼唤。
This is an awe-inspiring scene. We shudder as we imagine Moses alone in the open desert, engulfed in the complete darkness and silence of the night, making his way towards the fire by the side of the mountain. Then suddenly, the whole universe echoes the great address:
“穆萨啊，我就是你的主！你脱掉你的鞋子，因为你是在圣谷图瓦之中。我已拣选了你，你应当谛听所启示的。”（第12-13节）
“Moses, I am your Lord! Take off your sandals, for you are in the sacred valley of Ţuwā. Know that I have chosen you. Listen, then, to what is being revealed.” (Verses 12-13)
这个渺小、微不足道的微粒——人类，此刻面对着那无人能够想象的伟大威严。与这样的威严相比，天地也显得微不足道。然而，这个人却从至高之处接受了神圣的启示。
That small, insignificant particle that is a human being is here faced with that great majesty which no human can envisage. Compared with such majesty, the heavens and earth shrink into insignificance. Nevertheless, that human being received a divine address from on high.
“怎么做到的？我们只会说：靠真主的恩典！还能怎样？就在那一刻，以穆萨代表的全人类得到了提升。”
Note: the original's "God" is rendered as 真主 (Simplified Chinese for God), and the honorific "(peace be upon him)" is written as a phrase in the original, so it is translated as 穆萨 with the honorific omitted here in favor of the Chinese convention for prophets' names, as the rules specify no ﷺ for prophets other than the Prophet Muhammad.
How? We only say: by God’s grace! How else? At that moment, all humanity, represented by Moses (peace be upon him), is elevated.
对一个人来说，哪怕只领受这份恩典一瞬间，也就足够了。整个人类因为拥有以某种方式承受这种交流的能力，便已蒙受尊荣。然而它是如何发生的？我们并不知道。判断不是人类心智的职能。我们所能做的，只是怀着赞叹去观看，并相信我们所见。
It is sufficient for a human being to receive this grace for one moment. Humanity as a whole is honoured by simply having the ability to sustain such a communication in some way. Yet how does it occur? We do not know. It is not the function of the human mind to judge. All that we can do is to look on in admiration and believe what we see.
“当他走近火时，有声音呼唤他：穆萨。”（第11节）原文阿拉伯语中，这一呼唤用的是被动语态，没有说明是谁或什么发出了这一呼唤。英语中我们说“a voice called out”（有声音呼唤）。我们无法确定这一呼唤的来源、方向、形式或性质；也无法确知穆萨是如何听到或接受的。只有一种特定性质的呼唤出现了，而他也依此接受。我们接受这一事件已经发生，而不追问其方式，因为这正是真主成就其大能之事的一部分。
§“穆萨啊，我是你的主！你脱掉你的鞋子，因为你处在神圣的图瓦山谷中。”（第12节）你身处全能之主的面前，所以要脱掉鞋子。你不可穿着鞋子踏入那承载真主临在的山谷。
“你要知道，我已拣选了你。”（第13节）被真主亲自拣选的人，何等尊贵。穆萨毕竟只是众多仆人中的一位，生活在一颗星球上，而这星球不过是一个更大群体中的微小微粒；这一群体本身又只是伟大宇宙中的一个小微粒。这宇宙是在真主意欲其存在时才得以存在的。由此我们便可想见真主对人类的极大关怀。
“When he came close to it, a voice called out to him: Moses.” (Verse 11) The calling out is expressed in the original Arabic text in the passive voice with no reference to who or what made the address. In English we say, ‘a voice called out’. We cannot define the source of this address, its direction, form or nature; nor can we be sure how Moses heard or received it. There was simply an address of a certain nature and it was received accordingly. We accept that this has taken place, without asking how, because that is part of the way in which God accomplishes His business.§ “Moses, I am your Lord! Take off your sandals, for you are in the sacred valley of Ţuwā.” (Verse 12) You are in the presence of God Almighty, so take off your shoes. You must not step with your shoes in the valley over which God’s presence is made. “Know that I have chosen you.” (Verse 13) What honour is granted to the man chosen directly by God. Moses is, after all, merely one servant among the great multitude living on a planet that is no more than a small particle in a much larger group. Yet this group is merely a small particle in the great universe. This universe came into existence when God willed it to exist. We can thus imagine the great care God has taken of man.
当这一宣告——神的尊荣，体现在神拣选摩西作为祂的使者——被宣布时，摩西被要求脱去鞋子，为即将到来的事情做好准备。随后他又被告知要准备好学习："那么，你要静听将要启示你的。"（第13节）
When this announcement of God’s honour, reflected in God’s selection of Moses as His messenger is made, he is asked to prepare for what is coming by taking off his sandals. Then he is told to be ready to learn: “Listen, then, to what is being revealed.” (Verse 13)
这段简短的启示概括了神圣信仰的三个关键方面：信仰真主的独一性，将一切崇拜仅归于祂，以及相信末日的来临。
This brief revelation sums up three crucial aspects of the divine faith: belief in God’s oneness, addressing all worship to Him alone, and belief in the Last Hour.
这些是上主的启示的根基，贯穿人类历史始终未曾改变："{我确是真主，除我之外绝无应受崇拜的主宰。故你们当只崇拜我，并谨守拜功，以纪念我。末日必定来临，我有意将其隐藏，使每个灵魂都能按其所努力的而获得报酬。因此，不信末日、只顺从私欲的人，不可让你从对末日的思念中分心，以免你走向毁灭。}"（第14至16节）
These are the foundation of God’s message that remained the same throughout human history: “Indeed, I alone am God; there is no deity other than Me. So, worship Me alone, and establish regular prayer to celebrate My praise. Although I have chosen to keep it hidden, the Last Hour is bound to come, so that every soul may be rewarded in accordance with what it strove for. Hence, let not anyone who does not believe in its coming and follows only his own desires turn your thoughts from it, lest you perish.” (Verses 14-16)
真主的独一性是信仰的基石。在对穆萨（Moses）的讲话中，真主以不同的方式强调了这一点：首先是以带有强烈强调意味的话语："的确，我就是真主。"（第14节）接着明确指出神性只属于祂，不属于其他任何人："除我之外，没有别的主宰。"（第14节）当神性如此确立之后，崇拜便随之而来。崇拜意味着人的一切活动都应以取悦真主为目的。在人类一切活动中，拜功被特别提出："你当为纪念我而谨守拜功。"（第14节）拜功是所有赞颂真主之崇拜形式中最完备、最完美的一种。事实上，它唯一的目的就是如此，它摒弃其他一切。因此，人在拜功中为与真主相接而预备自己。
God’s oneness is the cornerstone of faith. In His address to Moses, God emphasizes it in different forms: first in a statement bearing a strong emphasis, “Indeed, I alone am God.” (Verse 14) Then Godhead is clearly stated as applicable to no one else: “There is no deity other than Me.” (Verse 14) When Godhead is thus established, worship follows. Worship means that every activity should aim to please God. Singled out among all human activity is prayer: “Establish regular prayer to celebrate My praise.” (Verse 14) Prayer is the most complete and perfect of all types of worship celebrating God’s praise. In fact its sole purpose is such. It discards everything else. Thus in prayer we are prepared for contact with God.
末日是按照完全的公正与公平施行报应的时刻。人们想到这一时刻,并确保将其铭记于心。他们在生活中前行,睁大警觉的双眼,唯恐失足。真主明确告知,这末日必定到来:"我本欲隐瞒它,末日必定来临。"(第15节)关于这末日,人们所知的仅限于真主所赐予他们的信息。依照神圣的智慧所决定,这已是他们所需知道的全部。某些事情保持未知,对人类的生活而言是必不可少的。
The Last Hour is the time appointed for administering rewards, in all justice and fairness. People think of this time and make sure that they keep it in mind. They move on in life, looking with watchful eyes, fearing to slip. God makes it clear that this Last Hour is certain to come: “Although I have chosen to keep it hidden, the Last Hour is bound to come.” (Verse 15) What people know about this Last Hour is limited to the information God has given them. This is all that they need to know, as determined by divine wisdom. That something should remain unknown is essential in human life.
因为我们需要有某种未知的事物去追求。以人性的本来面目而言,如果一切都被清楚地揭示出来,行动便会停止,生活也会变得枯燥无味。事实上,我们不断地探寻未知:我们细心观察,怀抱希望与抱负,进行实验和学习,并尽力发掘自身和周围宇宙的潜能。我们思索周遭随处可见的真主的迹象。我们发明创造,生产新事物。当我们想到末日时,它的确切时间仍是未知的,我们却不会忘记它。正因为我们不知道它何时到来,我们才始终保持着对它的觉知,随时准备迎接它的到来。不必说,这只适用于那些保持健全人性的人。而那些扭曲人性的人,注定会堕落和失败:"不信它来临、只顺从自己私欲的人,不要让他把你从它那里转移开,以免你灭亡。"(第16节)
For we need to have something unknown to aspire towards. With human nature as it is, if everything were clearly exposed, activity would cease and life would become sterile. In fact, we continuously seek the unknown: we watch carefully, entertain hopes and aspirations, experiment and learn, and uncover what we can of our own potentials and those of the universe around us. We contemplate God’s signs all around us. We invent and produce new things. When we think of the Last Hour, whose timing remains unknown, we do not lose sight of it. Since we do not know its timing, we remain conscious of it, ready for its arrival. Needless to say, this applies only to those of us who preserve our sound human nature. Those who distort it however are bound to fall and fail: “Let not anyone who does not believe in its coming and follows only his own desires turn your thoughts from it, lest you perish.” (Verse 16)
诚然，追随私欲正是否认末日的根源。健全的人性相信，在这短暂的今生，人类无法达到其应有的至高境界，因为公正在此世并未得到彰显。因此必定有另一个世界，人在那里达到完善，绝对的公正得以施行。
Indeed, pursuing one’s desire is the cause of denying the Last Hour. Sound human nature believes that humanity cannot attain its super status during this present life, where justice is not seen to be done. There must then be another life where man attains perfection and absolute justice is carried out.