It might seem like an odd question, but it's not. Jews and Christians give different answers.

這可能看起來像個古怪的問題，其實不然。猶太人和基督徒給了不同的答案

The reason is that what we know as "The Ten Commandments" is, in the original Hebrew,

原因是我們所知道的＂十誡＂在原希伯來語是

"The Ten Statements." And since the Hebrew is the original, we begin with the first statement,

"十項聲明＂。而既然希伯來語是原版，我們從第一個聲明開始，

which all religions agree, is: "I am the Lord your God who took you out of the land of Egypt,

也就是所有教派同意的，＂我是耶和華你的 神，曾將你從埃及地

out of the house of bondage." This statement is so important

為奴之家領出。＂這項聲明重要到

that none of the other commandments make sense without it.

沒有它則其他的誡條都沒道理

First, it asserts that God is giving these commandments.

首先，它聲稱上帝授予這些誡條

Not Moses and not any other human being.

不是摩西，也不是任何其他人

Second, God is the One who delivered you from slavery. Again, no human being did this,

第二，上帝是將你從奴隸身分中解放的那位。再次表明，不是人做了這件事

not even Moses. Therefore you have an obligation to me, God.

甚至不是摩西。因此你對我 上帝有義務

And what is that obligation? That you live by the following nine commandments.

而那個義務是什麼？就是你遵循接下來的九條誡律過生活

This is the beginning of what is known as ethical monotheism, the greatest world-changing

這是我們所知悉的＂道德一神論＂開端，最改變世界的

innovation of the Hebrew Bible. It means two things. Ethical monotheism means that the

希伯來語聖經革新。它代表兩件事。道德一神論表示

one God -- that's monotheism -- is the source of ethics, of morality. Morality, an objective

獨一的神－就是一神論－是道德、倫理的根源。倫理，一個客觀的

code of right and wrong, does not emanate from human opinion; it emanates from God,

是非規則，並非發源自人的見解；倫理源自於上帝

and therefore transcends human opinion. The other meaning of ethical monotheism is that

而因此超越了人的主張。另一個道德一神論的涵義是

what God most wants from us is that we treat other human beings morally.

上帝最想從我們身上得到的，是我們道德地對待其他人

None of the Ten Commandments concern what humans must do "for" God;

十誡中沒有半條涉及人＂為了＂上帝必須做什麼；

pre-Ten Commandments religions all believed that people must do a lot "for" their gods

在十誡以前的宗教全都相信，人必須＂為了＂他們的神做很多事

-- for example, feed them and even sacrifice people to them.

例如，以食物供奉神，甚至將人作為牲祭獻給神

But now, thanks to the Ten Commandments, mankind learned that what God wants is that we be

但現在，幸虧有了十誡，人類知道上帝想要的是我們

good to our fellow human beings. Even the commandments concerning not having false gods

善待我們的人類同伴。即便關於不要有假神

and not carrying God's name in vain are ultimately about morality.

也不要枉費背負上帝之名的誡律，最終關乎道德倫理。

The thing we can do "for" God is to treat all his other children decently.

我們可以＂為了＂神做的事，是正直地對待祂其他所有的孩子

Every parent can relate to this. Parents -- or at least healthy parents --

每個家長都能認同這個觀念。父母－或至少健康的父母－

have indescribable joy when they see their children act lovingly toward one another

在看見他們的孩子充滿愛地對待其他人時，會產生難以言喻的喜悅

and indescribable pain when they see their children hurt one another.

和在看見他們的孩子互相傷害時，會有難以言喻的痛楚

So, too, God, who is likened to our father in heaven, cares most about how we treat other

所以同樣地，上帝，就像我們在天堂的父的那位神，最關心我們如何對待其他人

human beings, all of whom are His children.

所有人都是祂的孩子

The third critical teaching of the First Statement -- "I am the Lord your God who took you of

第三個關於第一條聲明－＂我是耶和華你的 神，曾將你從埃及地為奴之家領出來＂－的關鍵教導

Egypt, out of the House of bondage" -- is the importance, and the meaning, of freedom.

是自由的重要性和意義

Note that God is not saying in this introduction to the Ten Commandments that He created the world.

注意到上帝並不是在十誡的引言表明祂創造世界

It surely would have made a lot of sense for God to introduce the Ten Commandments

若神以＂我是耶和華你的 神，是創造世界的主＂作為十誡的引言

with the statement, "I am the Lord your God who created the world." That is, after all,

肯定顯得很有道理。那樣畢竟

pretty impressive, and would make sense: "I created the world: You better listen to Me."

相當令人印象深刻，且能說得通：＂我創造世界：你最好聽我的＂

But no, the one thing God declares is that He took the Children of Israel out of slavery

但不是，上帝聲稱的是，祂將以色列子民自奴役中解放

and into freedom. That's how much God hates slavery and how important God considers freedom.

進入自由。那就顯明上帝厭惡奴役的程度，和上帝認為自由的重要程度

The Founders of America based their entire view of America on this belief -- that God

美國的建立者構築他們對美國的觀點在這個信念上－－

wants us to be free. That is why the most iconic symbol of the American Revolution,

神希望我們自由。這就是為什麼美國獨立革命最具代表性的象徵，

the Liberty Bell, has only one sentence inscribed on it -- a verse from the Hebrew Bible:

自由鐘（獨立鐘），表面只刻了一個句子－－一節出自希伯來語聖經的經文

"Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof."

＂在遍地給一切的居民宣告自由＂

But there is one other equally important lesson about freedom imparted by the opening statement

但也有一個同樣重要、關於自由的教訓，由十誡的開場陳述透露：

of the Ten Commandments: what freedom means. The Giver of the Ten Commandments is, in effect, saying:

自由的要義。十誡的給予者實際上就是說

I took you out of slavery and into freedom, and these Ten Commandments are the

＂我帶你離開奴役、進入自由，而這十誡就是

way to make a free society. You cannot be a free people if you do whatever you want."

建立一個自由社會的方法。老是隨心所欲地行事，是無法成為自由人的。

Freedom comes from moral self-control. There is no other way to achieve it.

自由來自道德的自我控制。沒有其他途徑可以實現自由

And fourth and finally, by telling us that He liberated the Hebrew slaves, God made clear

第四點，也是最後一點，神藉由告訴我們，祂使希伯來奴隸獲得自由，上帝清楚表明

that He cares deeply about human beings. It is impressive to create the world.

祂深深地關切人類。創立世界固然令人印象深刻

But what most matters is not only that there is a Creator, but that the Creator cares about His creation.

但最重要的是，這世界不僅是有一位造物主，且這位造物主關心祂的受造物

All of that is in the one statement with which the Ten Commandments begins.

所有的內涵都包含在這一條戒律中，也是十誡的起點

I'm Dennis Prager.

我是Dennis Prager