登天梯

登天梯

親愛的小文:

你注意到警察局裡消防車上的雲梯(ladder)了嗎?那種梯子升起來很高,可高出一百英尺。美國underworldslang把ladder叫做Jacob,你知道是誰嗎?

JacobwasthesonofIsaac,andthefatherofthe12sonswhofoundedtheTwelveTribesofIsrael,accordingtotheOldTestament.HeboughthisolderbrotherEsausbirthrightwithabowlofsavorystew(「messofpottage」).Later,JacobenforcedhisclaimbypretendingtohisblindandagedfatherthathehimselfwasEsau.Thus,heobtainedfromIsaacthewordsofblessingIsaachadmeantforEsau.EsauwassoangrythatJacobfledforhislife.

OnthewaytohisuncleLaban,JacobsleptataplacecalledBethel,wherehedreamedofawonderfulladderbetweenheavenandearth.Inthedream,Godpromisedtoprotectandblesshimwhilehewasawayfromhome.Muchencouraged,JacobwentontoLabanshome.TherehefellonlovewithLabansdaughter,Rachel.ButLabanforcedJacobtomarryhidolderdaughter.Leah,beforehecouldhaveRachelforhiswife.Afterworking20yearsforLaban,Jacobleftforhome.

Ontheway,JacobprayedallnightuntilGodreassuredhimthatEsauwouldsparehislife.Esaumethimwithforgiveness,andtheypartedgoodfriends.JacobspenthislastyearsinEgypt,wherehissonJosephbroughthimtolive.

EsauwasthesonofIsaacandRebecca,andtwinbrotherofJacobintheBible.HeisamaincharacterinmanystoriesfoundinGenesis25-33.ThebestknownareJacobscheatinghimoutofhisbirthrightfora「messofpottage」(Gen.25:27-34),andthelossofhisblessingthroughtheplottingofhismotherandbrother(Gen.27).EsauwasreconciledtoJacobafterthelattersreturntoPalestine20yearslater.

BiblicalhistoryregardsEsauasthefounderoftheEdomitenation.

Jacob就是現在以色列(Israel)人的老老老老老老老老老老……老祖宗。

Messofpottage就是「因小失大」、「得不償失」、「划不來」的意思。

AJacobsladderisaladdermadeofropeorcable,usuallywithwoodenrungs.Itisdroppedoverthesideofashiptoenablepeopletoascendfromordescendtosmallboatsalongside.HarborpilotsusuallycomeaboardviaaJacobsladder.

TheJacobsladdergetsitsnamefromanincidentintheBookofGenesis(28:12).ThepatriarchJacobfallsasleepandtheavision:「Andhedreamed,andbeholdaladdersetupontheearth,andhetopofitreachedtoheaven;andbeholdtheangelsofGodascendinganddescendingonit.」

Jacobsladderhasbeenusedinatleasttwootherquiteearthlymeanings.Asmallplantwithaflower-and-leafformationresemblingaladderbearsthisname.InEngland,alsowhatweAmericanscall「runs」inhosierywereformerlycalledJacobsladders.Nowadaystheyaresimplyladders.

Jacobsladder可以登天,所以美國黑社會的thievesLatin(盜賊的隱語,切口)就把梯子叫Jacob。

植物裡頭花蔥屬(polemoniums)中的一種就叫Jacobsladder,因為它們有ladderlikeleaves。

爸爸

一九七五年十一月一日

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