The Bible

 

弥迦书 2

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1 祸哉,那些在上图谋罪孽、造作奸恶的!天一发亮,因有能力就行出来了。

2 他们贪图田地就占据,贪图房屋便夺取;他们欺压,霸占房屋和产业。

3 所以耶和华如此:我筹划灾祸降与这族;这祸在你们的颈项上不能解脱;你们也不能昂首而行,因为这时势是恶的。

4 到那日,必有人向你们提起悲惨的哀歌,讥刺我们全然败落了!耶和华将我们的分转归别人,何竟使这分离开我们?他将我们的田地分给悖逆的人。

5 所以在耶和华的会中,你必没有人拈阄拉准

6 他们(或译:假先知):你们不可预言;不可向这些人预言,不住地羞辱我们

7 雅各家啊,岂可耶和华的心不忍耐麽(或译:心肠狭窄麽)?这些事是他所行的麽?我─耶和华的言语岂不是与行动正直的人有益麽?

8 然而,近来我的民兴起如仇敌,从那些安然经过不愿打仗之人身上剥去外衣。

9 你们将我民中的妇人从安乐家中赶出,又将我的荣耀从她们的小孩子尽行夺去。

10 你们起来去罢!这不是你们安息之所;因为污秽使人(或译:地)毁灭,而且大大毁灭。

11 若有心存虚假,用谎言说:我要向你们预言得清酒和浓酒。那就必作这民的先知。

12 雅各家啊,我必要聚集你们,必要招聚以色列剩下的人,安置在一处,如波斯拉的,又如草场上的羊群;因为人数众多就必大大喧哗。

13 的(或译:破城的)在他们前面上去;他们直闯过城,从城出去。他们的王在前面行;耶和华引导他们。

   

The Bible

 

哈巴谷书 2:6

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6 这些国的民岂不都要提起诗歌并俗语讥刺他:祸哉!迦勒底人,你增添不属自己的财物,多多取人的当头,要到几时为止呢?

Commentary

 

Flint

  
Flintstone dagger, 2900 BC. Found in Allensbach, Germany in 2003, amongst the remains of a pile dwelling near Lake Constance. Current location: Archäologisches Landesmuseum Konstanz, Germany

Stones in general represent true ideas. Flint is a kind of stone that can be chipped to form extremely sharp edges. To keep the metaphor going we would want flint to be truth that "comes to a point", and in a way that's exactly what it is. According to the Writings, flint represents the "truths of faith" the rules we learn about how to be good people and serve others so that we can apply them as they arise in life. These are relatively black-and-white concepts ("Thou shalt not murder") that help us identify evil desires and arm ourselves against them. This is why flint knives were (and in some cases still are) used for circumcision, which represents purification from our most base love of self and love of the world -- something that must be accomplished by truths of faith.