第67章 一個故事 A Story(第2/9 頁)

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他講得非常激動，說他們的邪惡習性不會被消除，火焰也不會熄滅，他們永遠都得不到安息。

he spoke very excitedly, saying that their evil propensities would not be destroyed, nor would the fire be extinguished, and they should never find rest.

這聽起來太可怕了，而且他說得如此斬釘截鐵；他把地獄描述成一個悲慘的洞穴，世間所有的垃圾都聚集在那裡。

that was terrible to hear, and he said it in such a tone of conviction; he described hell to them as a miserable hole where all the refuse of the world gathers.

在熾熱燃燒的硫磺火焰旁沒有空氣，他們腳下也沒有地面；他們這些惡人越陷越深，永恆的寂靜包圍著他們！聽到這一切太可怕了，因為牧師是發自內心在講，教堂裡所有的人都嚇壞了。

there was no air beside the hot burning sulphur flame, and there was no ground under their feet; they, the wicked ones, sank deeper and deeper, while eternal silence surrounded them! It was dreadful to hear all that, for the preacher spoke from his heart, and all the people in the church were terrified.

與此同時，鳥兒在外面歡快地歌唱，陽光溫暖而美好地照耀著，彷彿每一朵小花都說：“上帝啊，您對我們所有人的慈愛真是無邊無際。” 的確，外面的景象和牧師的佈道內容完全不同。

meanwhile, the birds sang merrily outside, and the sun was shining so beautifully warm, it seemed as though every little flower said: “God, thy kindness towards us all is without limits.” Indeed, outside it was not at all like the pastor’s sermon.

就在同一天晚上，上床睡覺時，牧師注意到他的妻子靜靜地坐在那裡，若有所思。

the same evening, upon going to bed, the pastor noticed his wife sitting there quiet and pensive.

“你怎麼了？” 他問她。

“what is the matter with you?” he asked her.

“嗯，我的問題是，” 她說，“我無法集中思緒，也不明白你今天在教堂裡說的那些話的意思 —— 說有那麼多惡人，而且他們應該永遠受煎熬。唉！永遠 —— 那是多久啊！我只是一個