圣诞节的故事：耶稣的诞生

方晓

Christmas is marked on the 25 December （7 January for Orthodox Christians）.

12月25日是圣诞节（东正教的圣诞节是1月7日）。

Christmas is a Christian holy day that marks the birth of Jesus， the son of God.

圣诞节是基督教的一个神圣节日。因为它标志着耶稣——上帝之子的诞生。

Jesus’ birth， known as the nativity， is described in the New Testament of the Bible.

圣经新约记载了耶稣的出生，即耶稣诞生。

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke give different accounts. It is from them that the nativity story is pieced together.

马太福音和路加福音对耶稣诞生分别作了记载，基于这两者的记载，我们才有了流传到现在的耶稣诞生的故事。

Both accounts tell us that Jesus was born to a woman called Mary who was engaged to Joseph， a carpenter. The Gospels state that Mary was a virgin when she became pregnant.

两个版本的圣经故事都记载了，耶稣的母亲是一位叫作玛丽的女子，她和一位叫约瑟夫的木匠订了婚。约瑟夫声称，玛丽怀孕时还是童贞女。

In Luke’s account Mary was visited by an angel who brought the message that she would give birth to God’s son. According to Matthew’s account， Joseph was visited by an angel who persuaded him to marry Mary rather than send her away or expose her pregnancy.

在路加福音中，有一位天使向瑪丽传达了她将怀上上帝之子的消息。而在马太福音的记录中，天使说服约瑟夫放弃将玛丽驱逐或是将她怀孕的消息公布于众的念头，最终与玛丽结婚。

Matthew tells us about some wise men who followed a star that led them to Jesus’ birthplace and presented him with gifts of gold， frankincense and myrrh. Luke tells how shepherds were led to Bethlehem by an angel.

马太福音中记录了，三位博士在一颗星星的指引下来到耶稣出生的地方，并分别将黄金、乳香和没药（药名，一种植物树脂）作为礼物送给耶稣。路加福音记载的却是一名天使如何将牧羊人指引到伯利恒（耶稣诞生地）。

According to tradition， Joseph and Mary travelled to Bethlehem shortly before Jesus’ birth. Joseph had been ordered to take part in a census in his home town of Bethlehem.

按照传统，约瑟夫和玛丽在耶稣出生前不久来到伯利恒，约瑟夫被责令参加在家乡伯利恒的人口调查。

All Jewish people had to be counted so the Roman Emperor could determine how much money to collect from them in tax. Those who had moved away from their family homes， like Joseph， had to return to have their names entered in the Roman records.

罗马皇帝要清点犹太人的人数，以便确定自己能从这些人那里收到多少税收。像约瑟夫这样从家里迁走的人，必须回到祖籍重新登记。

Joseph and Mary set off on the long， arduous 90-mile journey from Nazareth along the valley of the River Jordan， past Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Mary travelled on a donkey to conserve her energy for the birth.

约瑟夫和玛丽踏上了他们长达90英里的漫长的旅途。他们从拿撒勒出发，沿着约旦谷，经过耶路撒冷来到伯利恒。为了为生育节省体力，玛丽骑着一头驴行走。

But when they arrived in Bethlehem the local inn was already full with people returning for the census. The innkeeper let them stay in the rock cave below his house which was used as a stable for his animals.

但当他们回到伯利恒的时候，他们发现当地的旅馆都住满了回来参加人口调查的人。旅馆的老板让他们住在自己房子下面用来关牲口的石屋里。

It was here， next to the noise and filth of the animals， that Mary gave birth to her son and laid him in a manger.

就在这间石屋里，伴着动物的叫声与排泄物，玛丽将她的孩子生在了马槽里。

（方 晓 摘编）