马太福音和马太效应

昨天，我贴了一首弥尔顿十四行诗的翻译。

这首诗第3行里有这样一个短语：

"a talent which is death to hide"。

写成现代英语应该是

"I have a talent, to hide which means death to me"

意思是"我有一种才能，把它隐藏起来，对我就意味着死亡"。但是，这句话并不是字面上那样简单，实际上弥尔顿在这里用了《马太福音》中的一个典故。

为了把这个典故说清楚，首先要来解释一下talent这个词。

talent在现代英语中表示才能，但是在古代，它是指一种货币单位， 直译为"塔兰特"，使用于古代希腊、罗马和中东。《圣经》中用到talent的地方，都是指货币单位。从这里也可以推测talent的现代涵义是古代涵义的引申。

《马太福音》第25节的第14～30句，是一个非常著名的故事。主人出门，给了三个仆人三笔钱。甲和乙都去做买卖了，都赚了。丙把那笔钱埋在地里。主人回家后，见到甲和乙赚钱，非常高兴，给了他们更多的钱。见了丙没有赚钱，非常生气，夺过他所有的钱，并把他关在门外的黑暗里。这也就是弥尔顿所说的"a talent which is death to hide"的意思，显然弥尔顿在这里用了双关，talent既指才能，又指上帝的赐予。

我把原文抄录如下：

25:14 天国又好比一个人要往外国去，就叫了仆人来，把他的家业交给他们。

25:15 按着各人的才干，给他们银子。一个给了五千，一个给了二千，一个给了一千。就往外国去了。

25:16 那领五千的，随即拿去做买卖，另外赚了五千。

25:17 那领二千的，也照样另赚了二千。

25:18 但那领一千的，去掘开地，把主人的银子埋藏了。

25:19 过了许久，那些仆人的主人来了，和他们算账。

25:20 那领五千银子的，又带着那另外的五千来，说，主阿，你交给我五千银子，请看，我又赚了五千。

25:21 主人说，好，你这又良善又忠心的仆人。你在不多的事上有忠心，我要把许多事派你管理。可以进来享受你主人的快乐。

25:22 那领二千的也来说，主阿，你交给我二千银子，请看，我又赚了二千。

25:23 主人说，好，你这又良善又忠心的仆人。你在不多的事上有忠心，我要把许多事派你管理。可以进来享受你主人的快乐。

25:24 那领一千的，也来说，主阿，我知道你是忍心的人，没有种的地方要收割，没有散的地方要聚敛。

25:25 我就害怕，去把你的一千银子埋藏在地里。请看，你的原银子在这里。

25:26 主人回答说，你这又恶又懒的仆人，你既知道我没有种的地方要收割，没有散的地方要聚敛。

25:27 就当把我的银子放给兑换银钱的人，到我来的时候，可以连本带利收回。

25:28 夺过他这一千来，给那有一万的。

25:29 因为凡有的，还要加给他，叫他有余。没有的，连他所有的，也要夺过来。

25:30 把这无用的仆人，丢在外面黑暗里。在那里必要哀哭切齿了。

下面是英语原文。

25:14 For it is as when a man, about to take a journey, got his servants together, and gave them his property.
25:15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to everyone as he was able; and he went on his journey.
25:16 Straight away he who had been given the five talents went and did trade with them, and made five more.
25:17 In the same way he who had been given the two got two more.
25:18 But he who was given the one went away and put it in a hole in the earth, and kept his lord's money in a secret place.
25:19 Now after a long time the lord of those servants comes, and makes up his account with them.
25:20 And he who had the five talents came with his other five talents, saying, Lord, you gave into my care five talents: see, I have got five more.
25:21 His lord said to him, Well done, good and true servant: you have been true in a small thing, I will give you control over great things: take your part in the joy of your lord.
25:22 And he who had the two talents came and said, Lord, you gave into my care two talents: see, I have got two more.
25:23 His lord said to him, Well done, good and true servant: you have been true in a small thing, I will give you control over great things: take your part in the joy of your lord.
25:24 And he who had had the one talent came and said, Lord, I had knowledge that you are a hard man, getting in grain where you have not put seed, and making profits for which you have done no work:
25:25 And I was in fear, and went away, and put your talent in the earth: here is what is yours.
25:26 But his lord in answer said to him, You are a bad and unready servant; if you had knowledge that I get in grain where I did not put seed, and make profits for which I have done no work,
25:27 Why, then, did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I would have got back what is mine with interest?
25:28 Take away, then, his talent and give it to him who has the ten talents.
25:29 For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have more: but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
25:30 And put out the servant who is of no profit into the outer dark: there will be weeping and cries of sorrow.

请注意我标黑体的第29句。这句话就是"马太效应"这个名词的出处。

马太效应＝富人愈富，穷人愈穷。

我记得好像是一个美国政治家（记者？）说过："我要做的就是使富人难于更富有，穷人难于更贫穷。"