（这是我在澳洲的挚友写的文章，是基督教的视角和诠释，这些观点影响了西方世界很多人的婚姻观，我翻译出来，与有兴趣的朋友们分享。如读者信仰或观点不同，请勿对号入座.)
写作背景：圣经列王纪上第11章
When we meet together for our memorial meeting it causes us to think of the glorious time when we will be the bride of Christ. Like a young virgin marrying her long waited for groom, so it will be with us meeting Christ at his return, and being with him for eternity. The believers being likened to a bride on her wedding day is a common metaphor in the Bible, for example in Revelation 19:7-8:
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine, linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints”
当我们在主日相聚时，我们会想到未来信徒作为基督新娘的荣耀时刻。就像一个年轻童女嫁给她等待已久的新郎一样，我们在基督复临时要和他相会，和他永远同在一起。信徒被比作在新婚那一天的新娘，这是圣经里常用的比喻，例如启示录19:7-8中说：“我们要欢喜快乐，将荣耀归给他。因为羔羊婚娶的时候到了，新妇也自己预备好了。就蒙恩得穿光明洁白的细麻衣，这细麻衣就是圣徒所行的义”。
Now is our time when we are making ourselves ready for the marriage of the Lamb. A marriage is a well thought out arrangement and every detail is carefully arranged. When a date is set for a marriage the betrothed couple feel excited and eagerly anticipate their wedding day. Now as we prepare for the marriage of the Lamb, we should be eagerly anticipating that day, and preparing to meet our bridegroom. Figuratively speaking, we were given white garments at our baptism and we want to keep them unspotted from the world (James 1:27).
现在，是我们预备好自己迎接羔羊的筵席的时候。婚姻是经过深思熟虑，每个细节都仔细安排好的。结婚的日子选定的时候，订婚的情侣会激动，热烈地渴望结婚的大日子。现在，基督徒在为羔羊的婚宴做预备的时候，也应该热切地期盼那一天，准备好见教会的新郎。从象征意义上来说，我们在受洗的时候穿上了白衣，并希望这衣服不沾染世俗（雅各书1:27）。
While we wait for our bridegroom to come to the wedding we obviously want to remain faithful to him. If we have false idols in our hearts we are committing spiritual adultery. Paul warned the Corinthians about this in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 2 and 3:
“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy:for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lets by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ”.
在我们等待新郎来婚宴的时候，显然，我们想要对他保持忠贞。如果我们心里有异教偶像，从圣经的角度讲，就犯了属灵的奸淫。保罗在哥林多后书11:2-3里警告了哥林多人这一点：“我为你们起的愤恨，原是神那样的愤恨。因为我曾把你们许配一个丈夫，要把你们如同贞洁的童女，献给基督。我只怕你们的心或偏于邪，失去那向基督所存纯一清洁的心，就像蛇用诡诈诱惑了夏娃一样”。
The serpent told a lie to Eve which led her to sin, which caused her to be expelled from the garden in Eden. Eve knew what God had said, but chose to disobey God as it was more appealing to her. If we believe the lies of the serpent we too may find that there isn’t a place for us in the Kingdom. We must have the word of God constantly in our mind and do only what it requires of us. The serpent which tells us lies may take many forms, it may be the media, other people, or even our own heart which tells us things which are not in accordance with the word of God.
蛇对夏娃撒了谎，导致她犯罪，以至她被逐出伊甸园。夏娃明白神所说的话，但她选择违背神，因为蛇的谎言更吸引她。如果我们相信蛇的谎言，我们会发现神国里最终没有我们的位置。我们必须一直把神的道存在心里，做这道要求我们做的事情。说谎言的蛇可能以很多种形式存在我们的生活中，可能是媒体，是其他人，甚至是我们自己的内心都会告诉我们不符合神的话语的东西。
Today we read about the downfall of one of the wisest men who have ever lived, King Solomon. The chapter we read, 1Kings chapter 11 is very sad because Solomon could have established the Kingdom of Israel as God’s Kingdom, but instead he did not do what God commanded him.
今天，我们读到历史上最有智慧的一个人的失败，他是所罗门王。我们读到的这一章，列王纪上第11章是很悲伤的一章，因为所罗门王本可以把以色列建立成神的国，但反之，他没有按神的要求行事。
The chapter begins with the words“But king Solomon loved many strange women”. The first mistake Solomon made was taking other wives beside the daughter of Pharaoh (who was a proselyte to the true worship of Yahweh). Although it was the custom of the day for a ruler to take many wives, it is not what God intended for the human race.
这一章以“所罗门王在法老的女儿之外，又宠爱许多外邦女子”开篇。所罗门王犯下的第一个错误是娶了除法老的女儿（她改变皈依真正地敬拜耶和华）以外的众多外邦女子。尽管当时的传统是：统治者会娶多个妻子，但这并不是神为人类的安排。
The King of Israel was expressly commanded not to take many wives in Deuteronomy 17:17:
“Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away”.
申命记17:17里明确命令以色列的王不能娶多个妻子：“他也不可为自己多立妃嫔，恐怕他的心偏邪”。
God knew that the King would stray from following the word of God if he chose more than one wife. It may have been acceptable in his culture, and looked well upon by the world to take lots of wives, but God said that he was not to do it. That should have been the end of the question. God said no.
神知道所罗门王会偏离神的道。如果他娶多个妻子，也许这在当时的文化里是可以的，世界对他拥有众多的妻妾也是赞许的，但神说他不可如此行。这是神的答案。神说不可以。
When God made Adam, he said in Genesis 2 verse 18: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make an help meet for him”. God recognised that the man needed a suitable partner, but he only made one wife. God could have made Adam many wives, but the Divine decree was that he was only to have one wife. Malachi comments on this in Malachi chapter 2 verse 15: “And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth”
神造亚当的时候，创世记2:18这样记载：“耶和华神说，那人独居不好，我要为他造一个配偶帮助他”。神知道男人需要一个合适的伴侣，但他只造了一个妻子。神本可以给亚当造很多妻子，但神的法度是他只能有一个妻子。玛拉基在玛拉基书2:15里如此评论：“虽然神有灵的馀力能造多人，他不是单造一人吗。为何只造一人呢。乃是他愿人得虔诚的后裔。所以当谨守你们的心，谁也不可以诡诈待幼年所娶的妻”。
This also shows that divorce and re-marriage is wrong in the sight of God. Jesus also reinforced this idea in Luke 16 verse 18:“Whosoever putteth away his wife, and married than other, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery”.
这同样表明离婚和再婚在神眼里是错误的。耶稣在路加福音16:18里强调了这个意思：“凡休妻另娶的就是犯奸淫；娶被休之妻的也是犯奸淫”。
Although it is not recorded that Solomon divorced any of his wives, the principal is true that God who has created us, created us to only have one husband or one wife for life, unless our husband or wife dies. This is mentioned many times in the Bible, for example in Romans chapter 7 verse 3: “So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress”.
尽管圣经没有记载所罗门离弃了他任何的妻子，但圣经原则是确切的。神创造人，一生当中只应该有一个丈夫或一个妻子，除非我们的丈夫或妻子去世。这在圣经里被多次提到，例如罗马书7:3：“所以丈夫活着，她若归于别人，便叫淫妇”。
We read of the second aspect of Solomon’s departure from God’s commandment in verses 1 and 2 of 1 Kings 11. The Jews were not to marry wives from the foreign nations, as we read in Deuteronomy chapter 7 verses 2 to 3:
“And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son”.
我们从列王纪上11:1-2里看到所罗门离弃神的诫命的第二层意思。犹太人不能娶外邦女子，正如我们在申命记7:2-3里看到的：“耶和华你神将他们交给你击杀，那时你要把他们灭绝净尽，不可与他们立约，也不可怜恤他们。不可与他们结亲。不可将你的女儿嫁他们的儿子，也不可叫你的儿子娶他们的女儿”。
When the Israelites returned from Babylon they again forsook the commandment in marrying foreign wives, and Nehemiah told them about the example of Solomon in Nehemiah 13:26:“Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin”.
以色列百姓从巴比伦回归时再次背弃了不能娶外邦女子的诫命，尼希米在尼希米记13:26里告诉了他们所罗门的例子：“我又说，以色列王所罗门不是在这样的事上犯罪吗。在多国中并没有一王像他，且蒙他神所爱，神立他作以色列全国的王。然而连他也被外邦女子引诱犯罪”。
Nehemiah points out to the Jews who had married foreign wives, that even Solomon was caused to sin by marrying foreigners. It is very sad to read of such a great man like Solomon, who we read was beloved of his God, falling so badly for marrying foreign wives. Perhaps Solomon thought he would teach them the Truth, but instead we read inverse 4 that“his wives turned away his heart after other gods”.
尼希米指出娶了外邦女子的犹太人，甚至是所罗门都因为娶外邦女子而犯罪。看到像所罗门如此伟大的一个人，被神所爱，却堕落地如此严重，娶了外邦女子，这是非常痛心的。也许所罗门认为他能够教导她们真理，而反之我们在第4节看到“他的妃嫔诱惑他的心去随从别神”。
Solomon was the wisest man who has ever lived, besides the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet we don’t read that he could teach even one of his foreign wives about the God whom he worshipped, the God of Israel, but instead his wives taught him about their foreign gods.
所罗门是史上除了主耶稣基督以外最有智慧的人，然而我们没有看到他教导了任何一个外邦妻子他所敬拜的神，以色列的神，反之是他的妻子向他介绍了她们国家异教的神。
The lesson for us is very clear, if such a man like Solomon made such a mistake why would we think that we could have a different outcome if we either marry more than one husband or wife in our lifetime, or marry someone who is not a baptised believer of the God of Israel?
给我们的教训非常清楚：如果就连像所罗门这样的人都犯了这样的错误，我们凭什么认为如果我们也有一个以上的丈夫或妻子，或者跟一个没有受洗信以色列的神的人结婚，我们的结局就会不同呢？
The New Testament also clearly saysthat marriage for believers must be to other believers. For example: “She is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord” 1Corinthians 7:39 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkenss? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” 2 Corinthians 6:14-15
新约同样清楚地说到信徒的婚姻必须和另一个信徒结合。例如：“妻子就可以自由，随意再嫁。只是要嫁这在主里面的人”（哥林多前书7:39）。
“你们和不信的原不相配，不要同负一轭。义和不义有什么相交呢。光明和黑暗有什么相通呢。基督和彼列（彼列就是撒但的别名）有什么相和呢。信主的和不信主的有什么相干呢？”（哥林多后书6:14-15）
Marriage is such an important event that changes our life forever. It is imperative in our battle against sin and the gods of this world that our partner in marriage is walking with us towards the Kingdom. Amos writes:“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos:3
婚姻是非常重大的事情，它永远地改变我们的生命。在我们与罪和这个世界多神的斗争中，我们的婚姻伴侣与我们一同走向神国是必须的。阿摩司写道：“二人若不同心，岂能同行呢”（阿摩司书3:3）。
Although it is important that our wife or husband is a believer, if we were already married when we came into the Truth weare commanded not to divorce our wife or husband, but we should do our utmost to convert them by our way of life. Paul says: “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband”
1 Corinthians 7:10
虽然我们的妻子或丈夫是信徒这一点很重要，但如果在我们信仰真理时就已经结婚了的话，神的诫命是我们不要离开自己的妻子或丈夫，而是应该尽一切的努力用我们的生活方式让他们转变。保罗说：“至于那已经嫁娶的，我吩咐他们，其实不是我吩咐，乃是主吩咐，说，妻子不可离开丈夫”（哥林多前书7:10）。
And Peter says:“Likewise ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives” 1 Peter 3:1
彼得说：“你们作妻子的，要顺服自己的丈夫。这样，若有不信从道理的丈夫，他们虽然不听道，也可以因妻子的品行被感化过来”（彼得前书3:1）。
This is because divorce is fundamentally wrong. Jesus said that the marriage between a man and woman is joined together by God in Matthew chapter 19 verse 6:“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder”.
这是因为离婚从根本上就是错的。耶稣在马太福音19:6里说男人和女人之间的婚姻是神设定的：“既然如此，夫妻不再是两个人，乃是一体的了。所以神所配合的，人不可分开”。
Having said this, it is true that there may be cases, such as with domestic violence when a couple cannot stay together. God knows our individual circumstances.
话虽如此，也确实有一些案例，比如家暴，那么夫妻双方不能待在一起。神知道我们个人的情况。
Nevertheless, if we have children it is important that they are brought up in a 2 parent household with their biological mother and father, if at all possible. This is what God intended in marriage,that a godly seed will be produced. We read this in Malachi chapter 2 verses 15 and 16:“That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the LORD the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away…”
无论如何，如果我们有孩子，重要的是尽一切可能，让他们在自己的亲生父母的家里长大。这是神在婚姻中的目的，为了培养虔诚的后嗣。我们在玛拉基书2:15-16里看到这一点：“虽然神有灵的馀力能造多人，他不是单造一人吗。为何只造一人呢。乃是他愿人得虔诚的后裔。所以当谨守你们的心，谁也不可以诡诈待幼年所娶的妻。耶和华以色列的神说，休妻的事，和以强暴待妻的人，都是我所恨恶的…”。
We read of the devastatingimpactSolomon’s foreign wives had on him in 1 Kings chapter 11. In verse 9 wereadthat“the LORD was angry with Solomon,because his heart was turnedfrom the LORD God of Israel”.In verse 11 weread that God‘will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant”.
我们在列王纪上第11章里看到所罗门的外邦妻子对他毁灭性的影响。在第9节里，我们看到“耶和华向所罗门发怒，因为他的心偏离向他两次显现的耶和华以色列的神”。第11节里，我们看到神“必将你的国夺回，赐给你的臣子”。
Solomon was deemed unfit to be King over the Kingdom of Israel because his wives turned his heart to the gods of the nations. Solomon was given so much by God, but he turned away from the God of Israel. It seems Solomon repented in his old age when he wrote Ecclesiastes,and we pray that he will be in the Kingdom.
所罗门被认定不适合作以色列的王，因为他的妻子们让他的心向着外邦的神。神赐给了所罗门如此多的东西，但他却转而背离以色列的神，似乎所罗门在他晚年写传道书的时候悔改了，我们祈求他会得进神国。
When Paul wrote the 11thchapter ofHebrews he wrote of many examples of faith displayed in the OldTestament.Hebrews chapter 11 is sometimes called the “roll call of faith”. ButcuriouslySolomon’s name does not appear in this chapter.
保罗在写希伯来书第11章时，写下了很多旧约中充满信心的人的例子。这一章通常被称为“信心的伟人”之章。但很奇妙的是，所罗门的名字不在这一章里。
Let us now go forward to the Kingdom with the words of Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1 in our minds:“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us”.
现在，让我们心里记着希伯来书12:1的话进入神国：“我们既有这许多的见证人，如同云彩围着我们，就当放下各样的重担，脱去容易缠累我们的罪，存心忍耐，奔那摆在我们前头的路程”。
We read in Hebrews chapter 11 of men andwomen of faith who gave glory to God in their lives by their faith. They wereactive in their lives in doing what God required of them. If we are going to bein the Kingdom, it is essential we follow their example and live our lives bythe faith of God.
我们在希伯来书第11章里读到信心的伟人，用他们的信心在生活里归荣耀给神。他们在自己的生命里积极地做神要求他们做的事情。如果我们要进到神国，那么效仿他们的榜样，用对神的信心活出我们的生命就是至关重要的。
A runner in a race does not compete with extra weights tied to him. He wants to maximise his chances of winning by removing anything which might impede his running to the finishing line. Likewise in our race to the Kingdom we should discard anything which is impeding us spiritually, whether it is friends, a boyfriend or girlfriend who are not believers; television, movies or music which takes our heart away from God; or sport which introduces us to the idols of the world. Let us remove them in our race for eternal life.
一个赛跑者不会在身上负担多余的重量的时候去赛跑。他会通过移除一切阻碍他跑到终点线的方式来让他赢的机会最大化。同样的，在我们进入神国的赛跑中，我们应该摒弃任何在属灵上阻碍我们的东西，不管是朋友，没有信仰的男/女朋友；还是让我们的心思远离神的电视，电影，音乐；又或是让我们认识世界的偶像的体育运动。让我们把这些东西从我们奔向永生的跑道上移除。
Verse 2 of Hebrews chapter 12 says: ‘Lookingunto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”.
In our race to the Kingdom we must have our eyes focussed on the Lord Jesus Christ who has run before us and finished the race. Jesus was able to fully dedicate his life to God even though it meant a horrible and painful death on the cross. He was able to stop his mind of thinking of the shame and pain of the cross by thinking of the joy of the Kingdom. We also must carry our cross now, if that means we must remain single to the Kingdom, that is the cross we must carry. The cross we carry now may be shameful and painful, it may not be what we want to do, but we must carry our cross towards the Kingdom. We can overcome, as Christ overcame by setting our minds towards the joy of the Kingdom.
希伯来书12:2说道：“仰望为我们信心创始成终的耶稣。（或作仰望那将真道创始成终的耶稣）他因那摆在前头的喜乐，就轻看羞辱，忍受了十字架的苦难，便坐在神宝座的右边”。
在我们往神国的道路上，我们必须定睛看着已经跑到我们面前并完成赛程的主耶稣基督。即使这意味着被钉在十字架上可怕而痛苦的死亡，但耶稣还是把自己的一生全部委身于神。他能够通过思考神国的喜悦而停止思考被钉十字架所受的羞辱和痛苦。现在，我们也必须背起自己的十字架，如果这意味着我们必须保持单身直到神国，那么这就是我们必须背负的十字架。我们所背的十字架可能是羞耻和痛苦的，可能不是我们想要的，但我们必须背着自己的十字架进入神国。就像基督能够得胜一样，我们可以通过让自己的思想集中在神国的喜悦中而克服这一切。
Anything we forsake now for the Kingdom will be worth it when we hear the words of Jesus: ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the Lord” Matthew 25:21
任何我们现在为神国而舍弃的东西都是值得的，当我们听到耶稣这样的话时：“好，你这又良善又忠心的仆人。你在不多的事上有忠心，我把许多事派你管理。可以进来享受你主人的快乐”（马太福音25：21）。
We will be rulers in the Kingdom. Solomon was denied the Kingship of Israel for marrying foreign wives, but we pray that we will be accounted faithful and allowed to be kings and priests in the Kingdom (Revelation 5:10).
未来我们将会在神国中掌权。所罗门因为娶外邦女子而被神否认了他在以色列国的王权，但我们祈求自己将会被算为敬虔的人，在神国里作王，作祭司（启示录5:10）。
Our Lord Jesus Christ gave his whole life in the service to his Father. Let us now eat the bread and drink the wine to remember this, and to strive to follow his example, carrying our cross now, but with our eyes firmly fixed on the glory that shall follow.
主耶稣基督把他的整个生命都献给了他的父神。现在让我们掰饼喝酒，纪念这事，并竭力效仿他的榜样，背负自己的十字架，牢牢地定睛看向随之而来的荣耀。
