一日，我在街上奔走，One day when walking down the street,
事业的重负使我忧心忡忡，On business bent, while thinking hard,
种种烦虑有如阵雨之欲来，About the "hundred cares" which seemed,
胸中乌云密布。Like thunder clouds about to break In torrents.
于是自怜的心对自己说：Self-pity said to me:
“可怜可怜的人啊! 你要做的事太多。"You poor, poor thing, you have too much To do.
你实在太劳苦。Your life is far too hard.
这沉重负担不久会将你压倒。” This heavy load will crush you soon."
内心迅速涌上一阵同情，A swift response of sympathy Welled up within.
灼热的太阳变得更炎热。The burning sun Seemed more intense.
汽车急驶而过，扬起尘土和噪音，The dust and noise, Of puffing motors flying past
喇叭频鸣刺耳，With rasping blast of blowing horn,
更刺激了紧张的神经，Incensed still more the whining nerves,

烦躁、不安、困扰的心，已经到了崩溃的边缘。The fabled last back-breaking straw, To weary, troubled, fretting mind.

 
“哦！是的，它会压碎我的生命，"Ah, yes, it will break and crush my life;
我无法忍受无穷无尽的压力，I cannot bear this constant strain
不断而来的忧虑，Of endless, aggravating cares;
对我真是重压难当。” They are too great for such as I."
我的心安慰自己说：So thus my heart condoled itself,
“安心于不幸吧！” "Enjoying misery,"
忽然听到一个细微的声音清晰地说：when lo! A 11still small voice" distinctly said,
“这不是来压碎你，而是来提升你。” "'Twas sent to lift you─not to crush."
我立刻发现自己的重大错误。I saw at once my great mistake.
我的位置不是在重担下，而是在其上! My place was not beneath the load But on the top!
神的美意不是让我去背负，而是它负载我。God meant it not, That I should carry it. He sent It here to carry me.
神在作出祂的计划前，Full well, He knew my incapacity
就深知我的能力不足，Before the plan was made.
祂看到祂的儿女需要恩典和力量才可侍奉；He saw A child of His in need of grace And power to serve;

 小小树枝的生长需要阳光和雨露，a puny twig, Requiring sun and rain to grow;

有如一个未成形的蛹；An undeveloped chrysalis;

一个对真神缺乏信心的微弱灵魂。A weak soul lacking faith in God.

祂不能不看到这个并比这更深更远，He could not help but see all this And more.

然后以慈爱之心，祂把我灵放在它必须生长的地方，And then, with tender tought He placed it where it had to grow─

否则便会死去。躺在重担之下畏缩不前Or die. To lie and cringe beneath

一个人的重担便意味着死亡；然而敢于奋起超越的人，One's load means death, but life and power,

却会有生命和力量。Await all those who dare to rise above.

我们的重担是我们的翅膀；有它们Our burdens are our wings; on them,

我们能高升到恩典里；We soar to higher realms of grace;

没有它们，我们便永远只有在未成形的信心平原上徘徊，Without them we must roam for aye On planes of undeveloped faith,

（因为信心必须在万难的情况下锻炼成长。） (For faith grows but by exercise, In circumstance impossible).

啊，难懂的天国奥秘，我们以为Oh, paradox of Heaven. The load,

会压倒我们的重担却是用来提升我们到真神面前的双翼。We think will crush was sent to lift us Up to God!

那么，我的灵呀，向上升吧，Then, soul of mine, Climb up!

除了在重担以下的，没有什么会被压倒。for naught can e'er be crushed Save what is underneath the weight.

我们怎样上升，靠什么上升，才能凌驾人生的忧思？How may we climb! By what ascent Will we surmount the carping cares Of life!

在祂的话语里能找到Within His word is found

开启通往祂秘密天梯的钥匙，The key which opens His secret stairs;

和基督单独静处，Alone with Christ, secluded there,

乘驾在我们的重担上，歇息在祂里头。We mount our loads, and rest in Him.

——玛丽.白特菲尔德--- Miss Mary Butterfield.

转自《荒漠甘泉》3月9日