主教的仁心(英中对照)

古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事，古德明，香港英语教育作家，他开了一个《征服英语专栏》，在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事，用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。
主教的仁心
in the year 420, during the war between the eastern roman empire and persia, 7000 persians were brought prisoners to amida, where they suffered extreme want.
seeing this, acacius, bishop of amida, assembled his clergy. he observed that as god had said,"i love mercy better than sacrifice," he would be better pleased with the relief of the prisoners than with being served with gold and silver. the clergy agreed. the consecrated vessels were sold, and with the proceeds the prisoners were maintained and, at the conclusion of the war, sent home. the persian monarch was charmed with this humane action. he invited acacius to his capital, where he received him with the utmost reverence, and for his sake conferred many favours on the christians.

公元四二○年,东罗马帝国和波斯战争期间,七千波斯人被俘,送到阿米达。他们缺乏供给,困苦不堪。
阿米达主教阿卡西乌斯见到这情况,召集当地教士,指出上帝曾说「我爱慈悲多于祭品」,因此,救济那些俘虏,比用金器银器供奉上帝,更能使上帝高兴。教士都同意这观点。他们把礼拜用的器皿卖掉,以所得供七千俘虏温饱,并于战争结束后送他们回国。波斯王深受这仁爱感动,邀请阿卡西乌斯到波斯国都,优礼异常,还看他分上,对基督徒多所恩赐。
[附注]售卖东西或举办活动所得金钱,叫 proceeds,必须用复数形式。