S-1.V:The Ladder Ends

1. 1Prayer is a way to true humility. 2And here again it rises slowly up, and grows in strength and love and holiness. 3Let it but leave the ground where it begins to rise to God, and true humility will come at last to grace the mind that thought it was alone and stood against the world. 4Humility brings peace because it does not claim that you must rule the universe, nor judge all things as you would have them be. 5All little gods it gladly lays aside, not in resentment, but in honesty and recognition that they do not serve.

2. 1Illusions and humility have goals so far apart they cannot coexist, nor share a dwelling place where they can meet. 2Where one has come the other disappears. 3The truly humble have no goal but God because they need no idols, and defense no longer serves a purpose. 4Enemies are useless now, because humility does not oppose. 5It does not hide in shame because it is content with what it is, knowing creation is the Will of God. 6Its selflessness is Self, and this it sees in every meeting, where it gladly joins with every Son of God, whose purity it recognizes that it shares with him.

3. 1Now prayer is lifted from the world of things, of bodies, and of gods of every kind, and you can rest in holiness at last. 2Humility has come to teach you how to understand your glory as God’s Son, and recognize the arrogance of sin. 3A dream has veiled the face of Christ from you. 4Now can you look upon His sinlessness. 5High has the ladder risen. 6You have come almost to Heaven. 7There is little more to learn before the journey is complete. 8Now can you say to everyone who comes to join in prayer with you:

9I cannot go without you, for you are a part of me.

10And so he is in truth. 11Now can you pray only for what you truly share with him. 12For you have understood he never left, and you, who seemed alone, are one with him.

4. 1The ladder ends with this, for learning is no longer needed. 2Now you stand before the gate of Heaven, and your brother stands beside you there. 3The lawns are deep and still, for here the place appointed for the time when you should come has waited long for you. 4Here will time end forever. 5At this gate eternity itself will join with you. 6Prayer has become what it was meant to be, for you have recognized the Christ in you.

1. 祈祷乃是通向真谦逊的途径。
它必会由此基础缓缓攀升，在爱与神圣的力量下逐渐茁壮。
愿它由尘世中拔地而起，向上主飞奔；真谦逊最后必会来临，祝福那些自以为孤独地面对世界挑战的心灵。
谦逊带给人平安，因为它从不要求你以统治宇宙为己任，也不会用你的管窥之见来评论万物。
它乐于放下形形色色的偶像神明，诚心诚意而且无怨无悔，因为他已看清了那些偶像一无所用。
2. 幻相与谦逊的目标泾渭分明，且势不两立，你不可能在它们之间找到任何交会点。
其中一个出现，另一个就会消失。
真正谦逊的人，除了上主以外，没有其他目标，因为他们不再需要偶像，防卫措施也变得英雄无用武之地。
敌人如今已经没有存在的必要，因为谦逊从不与人对立。
它不必藏身于愧疚之后，因为它知道自己是由上主旨意中创造出来的，故能安身立命于自己的真相。
它的“无我”便是它的“真我”或“自性”，当它欣然与每一位上主之子结合时，便会在此交会中看见这个自性，且认出自己与对方共有的纯洁本性。
3. 如今，祈祷终于提升到物质、身体以及种种偶像之上了，你终于得以安息于神圣之境了。
谦逊会让你看到上主之子的荣耀以及罪的傲慢。
你的梦境有如一道面纱，遮蔽了基督的圣容。
如今，你总算能仰望祂的清白无罪了。
祈祷之梯愈升愈高。
天堂几乎一蹴可几了。
还差那么一点点，你的学习旅程就告完成。
此刻，你不妨向每一位愿与你在祈祷中结合的人说：
没有你，我无法前行，因为你是我的一部分。
在真相中，他确实如此。
如今，你只会祈求能与他真正共享之物。
因你已了解，他从未离开过你，看来好似落单的你，其实与他共享同一生命。
4. 这就是祈祷之梯的尽头，它已超越了有修有学的层次。
如今，你立于天堂门前，而你的弟兄正站在你身边。
碧草如茵，既深且静，这儿是你注定如期抵达的终点，它已等候你多时了。
时间到此结束。
永恒会在门口与你相会。
祈祷恢复了它原有的功能，只因你已认出了自己心内的基督。
1.祈禱可以通往真正的謙遜。
同樣的，它會緩緩攀升，且變得愈來愈有力量、愛、與神聖性。
只要讓它離開地面，開始昇往上主，真正的謙遜就終會前來賜下恩典，好讓心靈不再自認孤獨，且與世界為敵。
謙遜會帶來平安，因為它從不宣稱你必須統治宇宙，或以你高興的方式判斷萬物。
它會欣然放下所有的渺小神祇，卻不抱有怨恨，而是誠實地認清他們並無作用。
2.幻相與謙遜既無法共存，也無法共享一個能彼此會面的居所，因為二者的目標南轅北轍。
一方倘使出現，另一方就會消失。
真正謙遜的人只以上主為目標，因為他們無需偶像，防衛也無任何用途。
如今，敵人已一無所用，因為謙遜並不與人對立。
它不在羞愧裡躲藏，因為它知道創造乃是上主的旨意，所以也滿足於自己的真面目。
它的無我即是自性，而它會在一切會晤中見到這點，因為它會欣然與每一位上主之子結合，從而認清他們的純潔自己也有一份。
3.如今，祈禱已超脫了世間物、形體、及種種神明，而你終於能在神聖性裡安歇。
謙遜已前來教導你了解作為上主之子的榮光，並認清罪的傲慢。
夢境遮掩了基督面容，使你不得而見。
如今你已能著眼於祂的純潔無罪。
階梯愈升愈高。
你就快抵達天堂了。
旅程結束前，已沒有什麼好學的了。
如今，你已能對每一位前來一同祈禱的弟兄說：
少了你，我無法前進，因為你是我的一部分。
而事實正是如此。
如今，你只能祈求你們倆確實一體共享之物。
因為你已明白他不曾離開，而你雖看似孤獨，卻與他一體。
4.階梯在此終結，因為你已無需學習。
如今你站在了天堂門口，身旁站著你的弟兄。
那草坪既深且靜，因為上天指定了你將到來的時日，而此處也已候你多時。
時間將會在此永遠終結。
永恆則會親自在天堂的門口與你們結合。
祈禱成了它該有的模樣，因為你認出了你內的基督。