登天梯

  亲爱的小文:
  你注意到警察局里消防车上的云梯(ladder)了吗?那种梯子升起来很高,可高出一百英尺。美国underworldslang把ladder叫做Jacob,你知道是谁吗?
  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就是现在以色列(Israel)人的老老老老老老老老老老……老祖宗。
  Messofpottage就是“因小失大”、“得不偿失”、“划不来”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,所以美国黑社会的thievesLatin(盗贼的隐语,切口)就把梯子叫Jacob。
  植物里头花葱属(polemoniums)中的一种就叫Jacobsladder,因为它们有ladderlikeleaves。
  爸爸
  一九七五年十一月一日

《坐牢家爸爸给女儿的八十封信》