English, Literature, and the Bible

2023年5月3日星期三

There are many who say

6There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!”
7You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound (富足). (Psalms 4.6-7).

有許多人說：誰能指示我們什麼好處？耶和華啊，求你仰起臉來，光照我們。你使我心裡快樂，勝過那豐收五穀新酒的人。（詩篇4.6-7）

David declares that he is satisfied with God's favor and does not value the things that other people crave. This contrast between David's desires and the desires of the world. The faithful view earthly possessions as insignificant; they find their rest solely in God and consider nothing more precious than knowing that they have God's favor. The light of God's countenance denotes his favor and love. It is a request for God to show his loving-kindness towards them; it seems to be a plea for God to turn His attention to them. On the contrary, without God's love, grace, and mercy, they would be lost in darkness.

Furthermore, David expressed that he found greater contentment in the loving countenance of God shining upon him, than enjoy all earthly good things. In other words, his happiness was not dependent on earthly possessions but on his relationship with God.

I ask myself: Where does my joy come from? Where do I find contentment?

09 Taroko National Park: Millions of Years in the Making Remembering the Dead at Tomb Sweeping Festival

09 Taroko National Park: Millions of Years in the Making

Remembering the Dead at Tomb Sweeping Festival

captivate	pregnant	available	erode
sample	erosion	found	a bunch of
superstitions	finding	afterlife

1. There are about women visiting cemeteries. She’ll pay her respects from home this year.

2. With the amazing sights and abundance of plant and animal life there, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular.

3. At the same time, rainwater and rivers large amounts of rock, creating deeper valleys.

4. Along the trail, visitors can local foods at 5D Cabin, a former Truku settlement.

5. Buluowan also has cottages captivate for guests interested in an overnight stay.

6. These small holes in the rock have been carved into interesting shapes by millions of years of .

7. It’s a great example of nature’s power to transform the environment and people.

8. Mom: I’ve got flowers and some incense. We burn paper money by the tomb to give our ancestor a large fortune in the .

2023年5月2日星期二

O LORD, how many are my foes

O LORD, how many are my foes (敵人)!
Many are rising against me;
2many are saying of my soul,
“There is no salvation (拯救) for him in God.”

耶和花啊，我的敵人和其加增；有許多人起來攻擊我。有許多人議論我說：他得不著神的幫助。

3But you, O LORD, are a shield(盾牌) about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4I cried aloud to the LORD,
and he answered me from his holy hill.

但你--耶和華是我四圍的盾牌，是我的榮耀，又是叫我抬起頭來的。我用我的聲音求告耶和華，他就從他的聖山上應允我。

5I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the LORD sustained(支撐) me.
6I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.

Why do the nations rage

Why do the nations rage (狂怒)
and the peoples (許多人民) plot (密謀) in vain (徒勞)?
2The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed (受膏者), saying,
3“Let us burst (破裂) their bonds apart
and cast away(擺脫) their cords (繩索) from us.”

外邦為什麼爭鬧？萬民為什麼謀算虛妄的事？世上的君王一齊起來。臣宰一同商議，要敵擋耶和華並他的受膏者，說：我們要掙開他們的綑綁，脫去他們的繩索。

4He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision(嘲笑).
5Then he will speak to them in his wrath (憤怒),
and terrify (使害怕)them in his fury (狂怒), saying,
6“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”

那坐在天上的必發笑，主必嗤笑他們。那時，他要在怒中責備他們，在烈怒中驚嚇他們，說：我已經立我的君在錫安--我的聖山上了。

2023年4月30日星期日

230430-恩典。林老師特地送來的

2023年4月28日星期五

Therefore the wicked will not

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment (審判), nor sinners in the congregation (集會) of the righteous(the+形容詞＝名詞，義人); for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish (毀滅，死亡). (Psalms 1. 5-6, Bible)

因此，當審判的時候，惡人必站立不住；罪人在義人的會中也是如此。因為耶和華知道義人的道路；惡人的道路卻必滅亡。（詩篇2章5-6節，聖經）

There is indeed the assembly of the righteous, and it is indeed true that God executes judgment by making a distinction between the righteous and the wicked. According to all outward appearance, godly people may suffer because of the wicked, but it tells us that God knows the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked will perish.

He is like a tree planted

He is like a tree planted (栽種) by streams (溪流) of water that yields (結出) its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither (枯萎). In all that he does, he prospers (成功，繁榮). The wicked are not so, but are like chaff (穀殼) that the wind drives away. (Psalms 1. 1-2, Bible)

他要像一棵樹栽在溪水旁，按時候結果子，也子也不枯乾。凡他所做的盡都順利。惡人並不是這樣，乃像糠秕被風吹散。（詩篇1篇3-4節，聖經）

Those who are so delighted with God's instructions have their roots in the ground by streams of water; they are like trees planted in the situation well watered. Thus, they do not wither, bringing forth their fruits in season. This is a vivid metaphor that shows the prosperity of those who love God. However, the ungodly shall be like chaff. With the blast of God's wrath, they will be driven here and there, even though they appear to great advantage now.

Blessed is the man

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel (建議、勸告）of the wicked (the + 形容詞＝名詞，惡人）, nor stands in the way of sinners（罪人）, nor sits in the seat of scoffers（嘲笑者）; but his delight （欣喜）is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates (沈思）day and night. (Psalms 1. 1-2, Bible)

不從惡人的計謀，不站罪人的道路，不做褻慢人的座位，唯喜愛耶和華的律法，晝夜思想，這人便為有福！(詩篇1章1-2節，聖經）

It is impossible for anyone who loves God's words has not first separated (分別) himself from the wicked, sinners, and scoffers. In other words, those who are blessed must endeavor （努力） utterly to shun（避開） the life of the ungodly. Those who really are so delighted with God's instructions and meditate on them day and night are blessed.