革玛拉问:我可以把次序倒过来,上半日祷告、下半日料理会众的事吗?革玛拉答:别这样想,因经上写着:「凡为以色列神言语战兢的,都因这被掳归回之人所犯的罪,聚集到我这里来;我就惊惧忧闷而坐,直到献晚祭的时候」(以斯拉记 9:4),下一节又写着:「献晚祭的时候我起来,心中愁苦,穿着撕裂的衣袍,双膝跪下向耶和华我的神举手」(以斯拉记 9:5)——可见先当料理会众的事,然后才祷告。
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革玛拉问:我可以把事情的次序倒过来,使上半日用来祷告,下半日专注于会众的事。
The Gemara asks: I can reverse the order of events, so that the first half of the day is spent in prayer while the second half is focused on the concerns of the community.
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革玛拉答:别让你心里这样想,因为在别处写着:「凡为以色列神言语战兢的,都因这被掳归回之人所犯的罪,聚集到我这里来;我就惊惧忧闷而坐,直到献晚祭的时候」(以斯拉记 9:4)。
The Gemara answers: It should not enter your mind to say that, as it is written elsewhere: “Then were assembled to me everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel due to the faithlessness of them of the captivity and I sat appalled until the evening offering” (Ezra 9:4).
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而在下一节写着:「献晚祭的时候我起来,心中愁苦,穿着撕裂的衣袍,双膝跪下向耶和华我的神举手」(以斯拉记 9:5)。
And it is written in the next verse: “And at the meal-offering I arose from my fast, even with my garment and my mantle rent; and I fell on my knees and I spread out my hands to the Lord” (Ezra 9:5).
以斯拉记 9:5 照和合本;英译作「从禁食中起来」,原文 תַּעֲנִית 兼有「禁食 / 愁苦」之义,和合本作「心中愁苦」。
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这两节经表明:人必须先料理会众的事,然后才从事祷告。
These verses indicate that first one must deal with the issues of the community, and only afterward engage in prayer.