SECTION A
甲部

1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。

2. I am so glad you tuned in to listen to the rest of the story from the Book of Ruth,
很高兴，你能够收听有关路得记的信息，

3. because I left you last time halfway through the message;
在上一次的信息中，我还没有讲完就停了下来；

4. and I deliberately left it there, because I want you to tune in tonight.
这样，就可以让你继续收听今天的节目了。

5. I want to tell you about the consequences of shortcuts;
今天我要告诉你走捷径有哪些后果；

6. and, when I left you the last time, I told you that shortcuts sometimes take a long time for the consequences to appear.
在上次节目结束前我讲到，有时候要经过一段长的时间才能看到走捷径的后果。

7. Do you know how long it took for the consequences of Elimelech’s decision to appear?
你知不知道经过了多长时间，以利米勒的选择所带来的后果才出现吗？

8. You will find it in the Book of Ruth, Chapter 1, verse 4.
读一读路得记1章4节，你就知道了。
圣经说：这两个儿子娶了摩押女子为妻，一个名叫俄珥巴，一个名叫路得，在那里住了约有十年。

9. It says they lived there about ten years.
圣经记载，他们在那里住了十年。

10. It took ten years from the time they’ve sinned to the time they reap the consequences.
从他们犯罪直到收割罪的恶果，整整有十年的时间。

11. Oh, yes, God is very, very, very patient.
哦，神实在是非常、非常地忍耐。

12. God waits and waits and waits;
神对他们一等再等。

13. and He may be waiting for you come back from your Moab.
也许，祂今天正等着你从你的摩押地转回。

14. Are you comfortable in your Moab?
你在你的摩押地觉得很舒服吗？

15. Have you thought that God has forgotten about you in your spiritual Moab?
你是不是认为，在你灵性上的摩押地那里，神已经忘记你了吗？

16. Let me ask you first, what is your Moab?
我要问你，你的摩押是什么呢？

17. Your Moab may be a relationship that is not honoring to God.
也许你的摩押就是：不荣耀神的一段关系。

18. Your Moab may be a friendship that is dragging you down spiritually.
也许你的摩押是：与世俗为友，这种关系拖累你的灵性往下沉。

19. Your Moab may be a distrust in God’s promises.
也许你的摩押是：你不信任神的应许。

20. Your Moab may be the placing of your emotions and feelings above the Word of God.
也许你的摩押是：把你的情绪和感觉摆在神的话语之上。

21. Your Moab may be an unfaithfulness to God with your money.
也许你的摩押就是：在金钱上，你对神不忠心。

22. Your Moab may be a complete self-absorption.
也许你的摩押是：完全以自我为中心。

23. Whatever your Moab is, don’t stay there,
无论你的摩押是什么，都不要停留在那里，

24. because God’s patience may wait for ten years, but not forever.
因为神的耐心也许会长达十年，但不会是永远的。

25. Let me tell you a few things about Moab.
我来告诉你一点关于摩押的事情。

26. Moab has a way of turning a short stay into a permanent one.
摩押具有一种影响力，人一旦沾边，就很难摆脱。

27. Moab has a way of saying, “It’s okay. You can do it only once...”
摩押说：“没关系，你只不过做一次而已……”

28. but, before you know it, you are in the clutches of Moab.
但是，在你能醒觉之前，你已经被摩押缠住了。

29. Moab has a way of saying, “There is plenty of time in the future to live the consecrated life...”
摩押说：“将来，你还有很多时间过圣洁的生活。”

30. then, you’ll find the time has gone.
但很快你就发觉，为时已晚。

31. Elimelech and Naomi and their children intended to be there just for a short period of time during the time of famine;
以利米勒、拿俄米和他们的孩子们在遭遇饥荒的时候，本打算在摩押地暂居的。

32. but it always turned out to be much longer than they intended.
但是，实际上花费的时间，远远比他们打算逗留的时间要长得多了。

33. When you convince yourself that you will only get out of the will of God just for a short period of time,
当你对自己说，我只是暂时违背神的心意一会儿，

34. believe me when I tell you, you will stay there longer.
请相信我，你逗留的时间一定比你预计的要长得多。

35. Ruth, Chapter 1, verse 5,
在路得记1章5节，
圣经说：玛伦和基连二人也死了，剩下拿俄米没有丈夫，也没有儿子。

36. tells us that the father died and the two boys died in rapid succession.
圣经告诉我们：做父亲的、和两个儿子都相继去世。

37. Now, I want you to put yourself in Naomi’s place.
请你为拿俄米设身处地的想一想。

38. She went with her husband and two sons to this “utopia”;
她跟着丈夫和两个儿子来到这片他们心目中的乐土。

39. but, then, she loses her husband and two sons.
可是，她却失去了自己的丈夫和两个儿子。

40. It’s impossible to put yourself in her place,
你根本无法想象拿俄米此时的心情，

41. because a widow without any male family member to provide for her in those days were terrible times.
因为，在那个年代，一个寡妇孤零零地，没有男性的亲属来养活她，是一件很可悲的事。

42. Naomi is a foreign lady in a foreign land with no support.
拿俄米成了一个没有经济支援的异乡人。

43. Oh, yes, there are consequences to shortcuts;
啊，这就是走捷径所带来的后果；

44. but what I want to talk to you is about the cure to shortcuts.
但是，我要告诉你，这个捷径的后果得到了医治。

45. I can put it in two words:
很简单，两个字：

46. “Go home.”
“回家。”

47. The only cure to spiritual shortcuts is to go home again.
在灵性上走捷径，唯一治疗的方法就是：回家。

48. The only cure to your wandering away from the Lord into Moab is to get up and go home again.
由于离开神的面，而流浪到摩押地，唯一治疗的办法就是：起来，回家。

49. It is true, there is a saying which goes like this: “You can never go home again...”
不错，有一句谚语这么说：“好马不吃回头草……”

50. however, from a spiritual perspective, it is the only way.
然而，从属灵意义上来说，回家是唯一的出路。

51. As the song says, there is no way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
正如一首诗歌所唱的：若要得主里喜乐，只要信靠顺服。

52. Naomi wasn’t just at the bottom of the barrel,
拿俄米不仅仅是山穷水尽了，

53. but the barrel had fallen on her with an overwhelming force.
而且是雪上加霜，让她无法招架。

54. In Ruth, Chapter 1, verses 8 and 9,
在路得记1章8到9节，

那里说：拿俄米对两个儿妇说，你们各人回娘家去吧，愿耶和华恩待你们，像你们恩待已死的人与我一样。

55. it shows us that, in her bitterness, Naomi wanted to go home alone.
圣经告诉我们，在极度痛苦中，拿俄米打算独自回家。

56. She asked her daughters-in-law to go back to their own homes,
她打发她的儿媳们回他们的娘家去。

57. to go back and find husbands.
回去重新嫁人。

58. One of them obeyed.
其中一个听从她的劝告回去了。

59. The other insisted on staying with her mother-in-law.
而另外一个坚持要和婆婆同住。

60. Lovely Ruth.
她就是可爱的路得。

61. Gracious Ruth.
高贵的路得。

62. Loyal Ruth.
忠心的路得。

63. She told her mother-in-law that she would follow her wherever she may go.
她对婆婆说：你往哪里去，我也往哪里去。

64. You know, I’m one of those people who do not condemn Naomi for her bitterness.
你知道吗？我不会责怪拿俄米为自己的遭遇叫苦。

65. In fact, I admire her candor.
事实上，我很钦佩她的坦率。

66. I believe we need to be honest with God about how we feel;
我相信，我们需要坦诚地对神敞开我们的感受；

67. however, let me caution you.
但是，我要提醒你：

68. Before you put all the blame on God, like Naomi did,
在你像拿俄米那样埋怨神之前，

69. find out, first, if you had had a hand in what had happened to you.
要先反省一下，在所发生的事情上，你是否也要负一些责任呢？

70. Sometimes, things happen completely out of our control;
有的时候，事情的发生和演变的确不是我们能控制的；

71. but, many times, they happen as a natural consequence to something we have done.
但是，很多时候，所发生事情是我们的行动所造成的必然后果。

72. Perhaps, we’ve done it long time ago;
也许，是我们很久以前做过的事；

73. but we forget because we have short memories;
但因为我们记性不好，早给忘了。

74. but God doesn’t,
然而，神不会忘记。

75. and Ruth makes an iron-clad commitment to stick by Naomi.
路得誓死要跟定拿俄米。

76. As we will see, God honors this iron-clad commitment and loyalty.
我们发现，神尊重她钢铁般的决心和忠诚。

77. In fact, it was Naomi’s faith that attracted Ruth to that faith.
实际上，是拿俄米的信心深深吸引了路得来信靠神的。

78. It was Naomi’s complete trust in God that made Ruth want to know that God.
拿俄米对神完全的信靠，使路得想要认识这位真神。

79. What led Ruth to the Lord was the testimony of her mother-in-law.
是她婆婆的见证感动路得归向神。

80. Ruth came to know that Naomi’s God must be a faithful God.
路得意识到拿俄米的神一定是一位信实的神。

81. He must be a restoring God.
祂一定是一位医治的神。

82. He must be a forgiving God.
祂一定是一位乐意赦免的神。

83. He must be a God of new beginnings.
祂一定是一位带来新开始的神。

84. He must be a God of a second chance.
祂一定是一位给予悔悟机会的神。

85. Although Naomi was bitter, she never stopped loving.
即使拿俄米心中有很多埋怨，但她没有停止她的爱心。

86. Although Naomi was in deep pain, she never stopped caring.
即使拿俄米陷入深深的痛苦当中，也没有停止她的关怀。

87. How do I know that?
何以见得呢？

88. In Ruth, Chapter 1, verse 9,
读路得记1章9节，

89. you will find Naomi praying for her daughters-in-law.
你就会发现拿俄米为她的儿媳祷告。

90. This is what she said,
她祷告说：

91. “May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the home of another husband.”
“愿耶和华使你们各在新夫家中得平安。”

92. Although Naomi now goes back home without her husband or two sons,
虽然如今的拿俄米没有丈夫和儿子伴她回家，

93. she goes home with a faithful daughter-in-law.
但是她有一个忠诚的儿媳与她同行。

94. In Ruth, Chapter 1, verses 19 to 22,
在路得记1章19到22节，

95. we see the two women make the only decision that pleases God.
我们看到这两位女士做出了唯一能够讨神喜悦的决定。

96. They went home.
她们回家去。

97. They made the only decision that could release God’s blessings again.
她们的决定，是让神重新赐福给她们的唯一出路。

98. I want to conclude by telling you a story.
最后，我想告诉你一个故事。

99. There was a godly mother in the United States of America.
在美国，有一个虔诚信主的母亲。

SECTION B
乙部

1. She found herself dealing with a rebellious daughter,
她有一个很反叛的女儿，

2. especially after the father left home.
特别是当父亲离开家出走以后。

3. Finally, the daughter picked up her favorite belongings and left her mother’s home.
终于有一天，这个女儿卷起她所有心爱的东西，离开了母亲。

4. For weeks and months, the mother prayed for her daughter;
这位母亲日复一日地为女儿祷告；

5. but she knew nothing of her daughter’s whereabouts.
可是，她一点儿也不知道女儿的下落。

6. She talked to her daughter’s friends.
她向女儿的朋友打听她的消息。

7. She called everybody she knew;
并且打电话给所有认识的人。

8. but no one would tell her where her daughter was.
但是，没有人告诉她有关女儿下落的消息。

9. One day, a family friend told her that her daughter was living in England as a prostitute,
有一天，一位朋友告诉她说，现在她的女儿住在英国，已经作了妓女。

10. and, the mother sold all that she had and bought a ticket and went to London;
这位母亲卖了她所有的一切，买了一张飞机票去伦敦。

11. and she went from bar to bar with her daughter’s picture,
她带着女儿的照片走遍所有的酒吧，

12. and, she would ask, “Have you seen this girl?”
每到一个地方，她总是问：“你见过这位姑娘吗？”

13. “Have you seen this girl?…”
“你见过这个女孩儿吗？……”

14. and, finally, one of the bartenders said to her
有一天，一位调酒师告诉她，

15. that she comes here occasionally;
这个女孩偶而会来这里；

16. so, the mother hung the daughter’s picture on the wall with the following notice;
于是，母亲把女儿的照片挂在在墙上，并写了几个字；

17. “Please come home again.”
“回家吧。”

18. A few days later, the girl went to that bar with bloodshot eyes, and half-drunk.
几天后，这位女孩带着充满血丝的眼睛，半醉半醒地来到这间酒吧。

19. She noticed her picture on the wall,
她看到自己的照片挂在墙上，

20. and, she asked,
就问道，

21. “Who hung this picture here?
“是谁把照片挂在这里的？

22. Where did this picture come from?”
这张照片怎么会到这里来的？”

23. and the people in the bar said to her, “There was a lady from the United States who was looking for you.”
酒吧的人告诉她：“有一位女士从美国来找你。”

24. Immediately, she knew that this was her mother.
她立刻明白，那就是自己的母亲。

25. She began to sob and sob and sob;
她开始伤心地哭泣；

26. and she realized how far she had come from the arms of her loving mother.
她知道自己远离爱她的母亲太久了。

27. The next day, she sold all of her possessions and returned to her mother.
第二天，她卖了所有的财产，回到了她母亲身边。

28. She went home again.
她回家了。

29. Let me ask you this:
我要问你一个问题：

30. what is your Moab?
你的摩押又是什么呢？

31. Whatever your Moab may be, you can come home again.
无论你的摩押是什么，你都可以回家。

32. You can ask God the Father to accept you through Jesus the Son.
你可以籍着神的儿子耶稣，求神接纳你。

33. He is saying to you, “Come back.
祂正在对你说：“回来吧。

34. I am waiting for you.
我一直在等着你。

35. I am ready to forgive you.”
我等着要赦免你。”

36. Will you turn to him tonight?
你今天就愿意来到祂面前吗？

37. If this is your desire, let me pray with you.
如果你愿意，让我们一同祷告。

38. Heavenly Father,
慈爱的天父，

39. I have run away from home,
我曾经离家出走，

40. but I come back to You in repentance and faith.
如今，带着一颗悔改，信靠的心，我回来了。

41. Accept me for Jesus’ sake.
因着主耶稣，请接纳我吧。

42. Amen.
阿们。