頌詩譯選

傳揚福音

凌風 譯

主呼召我出去工作趁着白天；
警告可憐的靈魂轉回切莫遲延：
決心儘快去傳播主的道，
隨學隨教導同安波羅修一般。
時時想到我不能活得長久，
心中火熱為得人靈魂爭戰。
我講道，不確知是否能再講，
像將亡的人傳給將亡的人！
啊，傳道者該如何切望得人悔改，
誰知道教堂與墓園原是比鄰？
看到人在傳講，在聽，在死亡，
轉眼從時間進入無盡的永恆！

　　貝克斯特（Richard Baxter, 1615-1691），英國清教徒教牧及作家。
　　曾任克倫威爾軍牧。英王查理二世復辟後，曾因非國教立場而數次入獄。

Preaching the Gospel

This called me out to work while it was day;
And warn poor souls to turn without delay:
Resolving speedily thy Word to preach,
With Ambrose I at once did learn and teach.
Still thinking I had little time to live,
My fervent heart to win men's souls did strive.
I preach as never sure to preach again,
And as a dying man to dying men!
O how should preachers men's repenting crave
Who see how near the Church is to the grave?
And see that while we preach and hear, we die,
Rapt by swift time to vast eternity!

Richard Baxter, 1615-1691
English author, hymn writer, & preacher