第七条诫

批注：偷盗并不只是实质上抢劫他人的财物，也包括占他人便宜。路德非常关心所有不公不义的商业操作。他的见解至今仍然明确地挑战我们，因为我们生活在一个自由市场经济建构的文化中，大家普遍认为，收取任何价格都不过分，都是符合道德规范的。另一方面，路德指出，工人也是藉着偷懒从他们雇主手中偷窃，虽然领了一整天的薪水却没有做够一天的工。虽然路德是在500年前写下了这些话，但是他针对第七条诫命的解释放在今天仍然非常适用。这个论述也指出了圣经中有关两个国度的区别。例如，在此讨论的末尾，路德明智地提到：教会的职责是谴责罪，并教导上帝的圣道。至于阻止任何违法乱纪之事，则是政府的职责。身为属灵机构的教会，不能管理社会，或是制定有关社会方面的法律，因为这完全是属于政府的职责。

222你不可偷盗。

223在有关个人及其配偶的诫命之后，接下来就是关于属世财产的诫命了。这是因为上帝希望我们的财产也受到保护。祂命令：没有人可抢夺或是使其邻舍的财产受到任何的损失。224因为偷盗，就是以不正当的手段获取他人的财产；简言之，这种不法手段包括在各种形式的交易中占邻舍的便宜。现在，这确实已是一种普遍的恶习，可是人们却一点也不重视，以致到了难以控制的地步。所以，纵使我们能把那些躲藏起来的贼都送上绞刑台上吊死，但是这个世界还是很快就会被破坏。刽子手和绞刑台甚至都不够。正如我们先前所说的，因为“偷盗”不仅只是将邻舍的钱箱和口袋里的钱洗劫一空而已，它也意味着在市场、商店、摊位、酒窖、工厂，总之在一切买卖进行中，或是在以货物或劳力换取金钱的过程中，窃取他人的财产。

225让我用更明确的解释向大家说明，如此你们就会明白我们是何等敬虔了（反讽）。举例来说，若是婢女男仆在主人家中没有忠实地做家务而造成损失，或是他可以阻止损失却允许它发生，他就是以怠惰、懒散或是仇视的态度破坏和忽视那些交托在他手中的事物，致使男女主人生气与伤心。无论他蓄意以何种方式造成（在此我不讨论那些因错误或非主观意愿而发生的事情），他可以在一年内窃取三十或是四十多的弗罗林（约60-80先令）。倘若另一个仆人偷偷地拿走这么多的钱或是将这些钱转移，他必被吊死。但即使你知道这是重大的偷窃，却仍表现得更加傲慢无礼，也没有人敢称你是贼。

226对于机械工、一般工人与其他打零工的人，我也同样会这么说。这些人全都顺着自己的邪恶思想，无止尽地以高价勒索他人，但在自己的本分上却是怠惰与不忠。事实上，这些行为都比窃贼更糟糕，因为我们还可以将门上锁防窃贼，而且一旦他们被抓到之后，我们还能依法处置他们，使其不再犯这罪。但是对于不忠的工人，完全无法防备。甚至没有人敢瞪他们一眼，或是指控他们偷盗。大家可能宁愿让自己的钱包损失十倍的钱财了事，因为这些人是我们的邻居、好朋友、或是自己的仆人，这些人是我们所依赖和期许<能够忠心且勤奋地在岗位上善尽其责>，然而却是欺骗我们最甚的。

227再者，这样的作法也在市场与一般的交易中，以极快的速度和劲头扩散。有人公开地以坏掉的货物，虚假的量尺、法码和钱币，或以狡猾和怪异的理财手段欺骗他人〔箴言20：10〕，又或者以巧妙的骗术强占他人便宜。同样的，也有人在买卖中向他人漫天要价，或是贪婪地讨价还价、恨不得从他人身上剥一层皮、并使其蒙受损失和痛苦。谁能重复或想出这些作法呢？228总而言之，偷盗是这世上最普遍的交易手段，也是最大的工会组织。倘若我们从生活的各个层面来看这世界，它就是个充满大盗贼子的庞大买卖摊子。

229因此，有些人也被称为是斯文大盗，或土地和公路大盗，却不称他们是窃贼和小偷。因为这些人虽是以诈骗夺取他人钱财，却能安坐家中，且被人称为贵族与可敬和虔诚的公民。他们用一种看似良好的方式抢夺和窃取他人的钱财。

230是的，若我们要开始抨击那些拥有权势又与君王贵族为伍的众贼首的话，我们在此就暂且不谈那些个别的小窃贼。因为这些大盗贼每天不仅抢夺一两个城市而已，而是抢劫整个德意志。确实，这些以盗窃方式强夺世上所有财富，并且拥有此财富直到如今的众贼之首与保护者，就是罗马当局的圣座和他的随从们，我们应当如何处置他们呢？

231简单的说，这世界就是这样：那些敢公开偷盗和抢劫的人，总是来去自由并被保护，而且不被任何人打扰，甚至还要求人人都当尊重他。另一方面，那些小窃贼一旦犯了罪，就必要承受羞辱与刑罚，好使先前所提及的那些大盗们显得敬虔与尊贵。但是这些公开行窃的大盗贼应当知道：在上帝看来，他们才是最坏的抢匪。祂必要依他们应受的惩罚他们。

232既然这条诫命如前所述，其影响是如此的广泛，因此有其必要将这诫命仔细地教导给一般大众并解释清楚，务必使他们不再继续沉溺于自我的贪婪与安稳中，但要常常将上帝的忿怒显明在他们的眼前，并不断灌输给他们。然而我们无须对基督徒教导这道理，因为这主要是对那些恶棍和坏人而言，而且若是法官、狱卒或行刑者能教导他们的话，那是再合适不过了。233所以，但愿每个人都知道自己当尽的职责，以免招致上帝的不悦，亦即：人不可伤害他的邻舍，不可剥夺任何对邻舍有益的事，也不可在任何的买卖与交易中，做出任何不诚实的犯罪行为或是对邻舍怀恨在心；却必须忠实地保护邻舍的财产，并使其利益获得安全与增长。若一个人是靠工作而从邻舍那儿得到金钱、酬劳以及生计所需，这教导对他来说就特别的真实适用。

234人若贪婪地鄙视这条诫命，他或许真的可以逃脱刽子手这一关，但是他必定无法逃避上帝的忿怒与刑罚〔加拉太书6：7-8；帖撒罗尼迦前书5：3〕。他长久无视诫命且妄自尊大，他仍然不过是个行窃的流浪汉和乞丐罢了。除此之外，他也必会遭受各样的灾难与不幸。所以你们这些作仆人的，本当有责任保护你们主人的财产，235但是你们却选择走邪恶的道路。你们靠着这份工作填饱自己的肚腹，但是你们却像小偷一般领取酬劳，还要众人敬重你们。况且你们当中甚至还有许多人对待自己的主人极为无礼，且不愿帮助或服侍他们，保护他们免受损失。

236但是你们当想想：你们从这当中会得到些什么呢？当你拥有自己的财产又建立起自己家室的时候（这些上帝必会以一切的灾难来阻止你），你早先所犯的那些恶，必会再度出现在你自己家中。而且你会发现，当初你若讹诈他人一分钱或使他人损失一分钱，如今你必要以三十倍的价钱来偿还。

237这些也会是那些工匠和打零工之人的境况。现今我们不得不聆听且忍受他们那种令人无法容忍的敌意，好像他们虽然是被雇佣的但却特别需要尊崇，而且每个人还必须照他们所要求的价钱支付给他们。238就让他们继续有恃无恐地为所欲为吧！上帝必不会忘记祂所订定的诫命。祂必会照这些人所做的回报他们。而且，上帝必会以枯干的绞架而不是青绿的绞架吊死他们。所以他们的一生必不会兴旺，亦毫无所获。239确实，倘若这块土地上有一个井然有序的政府，这样的贪婪必会被制止而不致发生。好比古代罗马人的作法：他们迅速及时地削掉此类为非作歹之人的头颅，并且以此警戒他人。

240另外，那些将公共自由市场变为勒索陷阱和贼窝的人〔路加福音19：46〕也必不再兴旺，因为他们每天敲诈穷苦人，又不断哄抬物价以加重人的负担。每个人都随自己一时的兴致利用市场，甚至傲慢无礼还不断吹嘘，好像随意贩卖高价货物是他本该享受的特权和待遇，而且对此现象没有人敢批评一句。241我们会在旁观看，且让这些人继续行欺诈、偷窃和囤积等恶事。242但是，我们相信上帝必要如此行：在他们敲诈搜刮多年之后，上帝必会对他们所获得的一切宣告这样的祝福：你们收聚在谷仓内的谷物、地窖中的酒，以及在畜栏内的牲畜，都必毁灭〔路加福音12：16-21〕。的确，无论你在何处欺诈或是高价讹诈他人，即便只是一分钱，你整个财富都必将腐朽毁坏，你必永远不得享用它〔马太福音6：19；雅各书5：1-3〕。

243事实上，每一天在我们眼前，我们都看见并经验到这样的事不断在发生。然而，偷来的或是以不诚实手段获取的财富是不可能使人兴旺的。看哪！有多少人日夜不停地搜刮剥削他人，可是一点也不能使财富增多。而且，他们积攒这么多的钱财，他们必会遭受许多的灾难与不幸，致使他们不能快乐地享受它或是将其留给他们的儿女。244再者，既然无人在意这事，而这事的发生又好像与我们无关似的，上帝必会以不同的方式惩罚我们，且以课征各种税收来教导我们何谓正当的行为。或者祂会派遣一军营的士兵突袭我们，一个小时之内，他们必要将我们的钱箱洗劫一空，只要我们尚有一分钱留下，他们就绝不罢手。此外，他们将焚烧和摧毁我们的家园和房子，又凌辱杀害我们的妻子儿女，作为对我们的“感谢”。

245简言之，无论你从他人那儿偷走多少，就会有同样多的钱财从你这儿被偷走。若有人以暴力和不正当的手段抢劫和夺取他人的财物，这人也会受到其他人以同样的方式对待。因为上帝是这方面的专家。既然大家互相抢劫与偷盗，上帝就藉着一个窃贼来惩罚另一个。否则，我们要到哪里去找足够的绞刑架与吊绳呢？

246若有人愿意接受教导，就要让他知道这是上帝的诫命，而且不能将此诫命视为笑话。就算你们鄙视、欺诈、偷窃和抢劫我们，我们还是会设法容忍你们的傲慢以及你们带给我们的痛苦，并且照着主祷文所教导的赦免并怜悯你们〔马太福音6：12〕。因为我们知道敬虔者必不致缺乏〔诗篇37：25〕，而且你们必伤害自己甚于伤害他人。

247当留意：必有穷人到你这里来（如今这样的人非常多）。他只能以每日极其微薄的工资购买生活所需，以维持生活。倘若你以恶劣的态度对待他，就好像每个人都得靠着你的恩惠度日一样，你欺诈搜刮他，连他的骨头都想啃，或你本该帮助他，免费给予他所需的，但你却以傲慢自大的态度拒绝他，他就会带着痛苦与悲伤离去。因为他没有什么人可以诉苦，他必要向上主祷告与呼求〔诗篇20：6；146：8-9〕。我再说一次：要留意这事，就好像提防魔鬼一样。因为这样的哀求声绝非随意的玩笑，而且，它的重量只会证明你和全世界绝对担当不起。这呼求声必会达于上帝，因祂眷顾那些穷苦与心灵悲伤的人，祂也必会为他们申冤〔以赛亚书61：1-3〕。但是你若鄙视这哀求声且自以为大，你将会看到独一上帝在你身上所要做的事。倘若你因你所做之事而成功和兴旺，你大可在世人面前称上帝和我是说谎者。

248我们已经给予足够的规劝、警告和抗议了。若有人还是不愿听从或相信这条诫命的话，就让他继续行在老路上，直到他从经验中得到教训。然而，我们必须教导少年人，使他们将此诫命铭记在心〔申命记6：7〕，这样他们才会谨慎而不致随从一群老练的不法之徒，且能将自己的眼目专注在上帝的诫命上，免得祂的忿怒与刑罚也临到他们身上。249而我们必须做的，无非就是用上帝的道教导与劝诫众人，至于制止此类公开的贪婪行为，则是君王与政府官员的责任。他们应该用心且鼓足勇气去建立与维持各种买卖和商业行为中的秩序。所以，为了不使穷人承受过重的负担和受压迫，也为了避免在上掌权者承担其他人所犯的罪，他们必须这样做。

250以上所述已足以解释何谓“偷盗”。所以，我们不可过于狭隘地理解这条诫命，却要将其应用在一切与邻舍有关的事上。简言之，如同先前的各条诫命，这条诫命所禁止的乃是：第一，不可藉着任何可能想到的方法，例如阻隔、拦截或扣押我们邻舍的财产和所有物，对他们造成任何的伤害或做不法之事，也不可赞同或者许可此类的伤害；相反的，我们应当介入并预防这等伤害的发生。251第二，上帝命令我们应当改善并增进邻舍的财产。当他们遭受缺乏时，无论他们是朋友还是敌人，我们都应当帮助并施以援手〔马太福音5：42〕。

252现在若有人寻求且渴望行善的话，他将发现在这诫命中他能做的事非常多！而且这些事为上帝全然接受并喜悦。此外，这些善行亦为上帝所嘉许，并要以极大的祝福作为奖赏。因此，我们为邻舍的利益与友谊所做的一切，都将得着丰富的赏赐。所罗门王在箴言19章17节中也是这样教导：“怜悯贫寒人的，就是借给耶和华，他的报偿，耶和华必归还他。”253如此，你就拥有了一位丰富的主，而祂确实能充足地供应你一切所需，并且祂不会允许你在任何事上有所短少或缺乏〔诗篇37：25〕。这样，你就能以一颗喜乐的心享受这一切，而且这一切要比你用不忠实与邪恶的方式所搜刮而来的钱财强上一百倍。现在，凡不渴望这样祝福的人，必会受到足够的忿怒与灾难。

7th Commandment

222 Thou shalt not steal.

223 After your person and spouse temporal property comes next. That also God wishes to have protected, and He has commanded that no one shall subtract from, or curtail, his neighbor’s possessions.

224 For to steal is nothing else than to get possession of another’s property wrongfully, which briefly comprehends all kinds of advantage in all sorts of trade to the disadvantage of our neighbor. Now, this is indeed quite a wide-spread and common vice, but so little regarded and observed that it exceeds all measure, so that if all who are thieves, and yet do not wish to be called such, were to be hanged on gallows, the world would soon be devastated, and there would be a lack both of executioners and gallows. For, as we have just said, to steal is to signify not only to empty our neighbor’s coffer and pockets, but to be grasping in the market, in all stores, booths, wine- and beer- cellars, workshops, and, in short, wherever there is trading or taking and giving of money for merchandise or labor.

225 As, for instance, to explain this somewhat grossly for the common people, that it may be seen how godly we are: When a manservant or maid-servant does not serve faithfully in the house, and does damage, or allows it to be done when it could be prevented, or otherwise ruins and neglects the goods entrusted to him, from indolence, idleness, or malice, to the spite and vexation of master and mistress, and in whatever way this can be done purposely (for I do not speak of what happens from oversight and against one’s will), you can in a year abscond thirty, forty florins, which if another had taken secretly or carried away, he would be hanged with the rope. But here you [while conscious of such a great theft] may even bid defiance and become insolent, and no one dare call you a thief.

226 The same I say also of mechanics, workmen, and day-laborers, who all follow their wanton notions, and never know enough ways to overcharge people, while they are lazy and unfaithful in their work. All these are far worse than sneak-thieves, against whom we can guard with locks and bolts, or who, if apprehended, are treated in such a manner that they will not do the same again. But against these no one can guard, no one dare even look awry at them or accuse them of theft, so that one would ten times rather lose from his purse. For here are my neighbors, good friends, my own servants, from whom I expect good [every faithful and diligent service], who defraud me first of all.

227 Furthermore, in the market and in common trade likewise, this practise is in full swing and force to the greatest extent, where one openly defrauds another with bad merchandise, false measures, weights, coins, and by nimbleness and queer finances or dexterous tricks takes advantage of him; likewise, when one overcharges a person in a trade and wantonly drives a hard bargain, skins and distresses him. And who can recount or think of all these things?

228 To sum up, this is the commonest craft and the largest guild on earth, and if we regard the world throughout all conditions of life, it is nothing else than a vast, wide stall, full of great thieves.

229 Therefore they are also called swivel-chair robbers, land- and highway-robbers, not pick-locks and sneak-thieves who snatch away the ready cash, but who sit on the chair [at home] and are styled great noblemen, and honorable, pious citizens, and yet rob and steal under a good pretext.

230 Yes, here we might be silent about the trifling individual thieves if we were to attack the great, powerful arch-thieves with whom lords and princes keep company, who daily plunder not only a city or two, but all Germany. Yea, where should we place the head and supreme protector of all thieves, the Holy Chair at Rome with all its retinue, which has grabbed by theft the wealth of all the world, and holds it to this day?

231 This is, in short, the course of the world: whoever can steal and rob openly goes free and secure, unmolested by any one, and even demands that he be honored. Meanwhile the little sneak-thieves, who have once trespassed, must bear the shame and punishment to render the former godly and honorable. But let them know that in the sight of God they are the greatest thieves, and that He will punish them as they are worthy and deserve.

232 Now, since this commandment is so far-reaching [and comprehensive], as just indicated, it is necessary to urge it well and to explain it to the common people, not to let them go on in their wantonness and security, but always to place before their eyes the wrath of God, and inculcate the same. For we have to preach this not to Christians, but chiefly to knaves and scoundrels, to whom it would he more fitting for judges, jailers, or Master Hannes [the executioner] to preach.

233 Therefore let every one know that it is his duty, at the risk of God’s displeasure, not only to do no injury to his neighbor, nor to deprive him of gain, nor to perpetrate any act of unfaithfulness or malice in any bargain or trade, but faithfully to preserve his property for him, to secure and promote his advantage, especially when one accepts money, wages, and one’s livelihood for such service.

234 He now who wantonly despises this may indeed pass along and escape the hangman, but he shall not escape the wrath and punishment of God; and when he has long practised his defiance and arrogance, he shall yet remain a tramp and beggar, and, in addition, have all plagues and misfortune.

235 Now you are going your way [wherever your heart’s pleasure calls you] while you ought to preserve the property of your master and mistress, for which service you fill your crop and maw, take your wages like a thief, have people treat you as a nobleman; for there are many that are even insolent towards their masters and mistresses, and are unwilling to do them a favor or service by which to protect them from loss.

236 But reflect what you will gain when, having come into your own property and being set up in your home (to which God will help with all misfortunes), it [your perfidy] will bob up again and come home to you, and you will find that where you have cheated or done injury to the value of one mite, you will have to pay thirty again.

237 Such shall be the lot also of mechanics and day-laborers of whom we are now obliged to hear and suffer such intolerable maliciousness, as though they were noblemen in another’s possessions, and every one were obliged to give them what they demand.

238 Just let them continue practising their exactions as long as they can; but God will not forget His commandment, and will reward them according as they have served, and will hang them, not upon a green gallows, but upon a dry one, so that all their life they shall neither prosper nor accumulate anything.

239 And indeed, if there were a well-ordered government in the land, such wantonness might soon be checked and prevented, as was the custom in ancient times among the Romans, where such characters were promptly seized by the pate in a way that others took warning.

240 No more shall all the rest prosper who change the open free market into a carrion pit of extortion and a den of robbery, where the poor are daily overcharged, new burdens and high prices are imposed, and every one uses the market according to his caprice, and is even defiant and brags as though it were his fair privilege and right to sell his goods for as high a price as he please, and no one had a right to say a word against it.

241 We will indeed look on and let these people skin, pinch, and hoard,

242 but we will trust in God,-who will, however, do this of His own accord,-that, after you have been skinning and scraping for a long time, He will pronounce such a blessing on your gains that your grain in the garner, your beer in the cellar, your cattle in the stalls shall perish; yea, where you have cheated and overcharged any one to the amount of a florin, your entire pile shall be consumed with rust, so that you shall never enjoy it.

243 And indeed, we see and experience this being fulfilled daily before our eyes, that no stolen or dishonestly acquired possession thrives. How many there are who rake and scrape day and night, and yet grow not a farthing richer! And though they gather much, they must suffer so many plagues and misfortunes that they cannot relish it with cheerfulness nor transmit it to their children.

244 But as no one minds it, and we go on as though it did not concern us, God must visit us in a different way and teach us manners by imposing one taxation after another, or billeting a troop of soldiers upon us, who in one hour empty our coffers and purses, and do not quit as long as we have a farthing left, and in addition, by way of thanks, burn and devastate house and home, and outrage and kill wife and children.

245 And, in short, if you steal much, depend upon it that again as much will be stolen from you; and he who robs and acquires with violence and wrong will submit to one who shall deal after the same fashion with him. For God is master of this art, that since every one robs and steals from the other, He punishes one thief by means of another. Else where should we find enough gallows and ropes?

246 Now, whoever is willing to be instructed, let him know that this is the commandment of God, and that it must not be treated as a jest. For although you despise us, defraud, steal, and rob, we will indeed manage to endure your haughtiness, suffer, and, according to the Lord’s Prayer, forgive and show pity; for we know that the godly shall nevertheless have enough, and you injure yourself more than another.

247 But beware of this: When the poor man comes to you (of whom there are so many now) who must buy with the penny of his daily wages and live upon it, and you are harsh to him, as though every one lived by your favor, and you skin and scrape to the bone, and, besides, with pride and haughtiness turn him off to whom you ought to give for nothing, he will go away wretched and sorrowful, and since he can complain to no one, he will cry and call to heaven, then beware (I say again) as of the devil himself. For such groaning and calling will be no jest, but will have a weight that will prove too heavy for you and all the world. For it will reach Him who takes care of the poor sorrowful hearts, and will not allow them to go unavenged. But if you despise this and become defiant, see whom you have brought upon you: if you succeed and prosper, you may before all the world call God and me a liar.

248 We have exhorted, warned, and protested enough; he who will not heed or believe it may go on until he learns this by experience. Yet it must be impressed upon the young that they may be careful not to follow the old lawless crowd, but keep their eyes fixed upon God’s commandment, lest His wrath and punishment come upon them too.

249 It behooves us to do no more than to instruct and reprove with God’s Word; but to check such open wantonness there is need of the princes and government, who themselves would have eyes and the courage to establish and maintain order in all manner of trade and commerce, lest the poor be burdened and oppressed nor they themselves be loaded with other men’s sins.

250 Let this suffice as an explanation of what stealing is, that it be not taken too narrowly, but made to extend as far as we have to do with our neighbors. And briefly, in a summary, as in the former commandments, it is herewith forbidden, in the first place, to do our neighbor any injury or wrong (in whatever manner supposable, by curtailing, forestalling, and withholding his possessions and property), or even to consent or allow such a thing, but to interpose and prevent it.

251 And, on the other hand, it is commanded that we advance and improve his possessions, and in case he suffers want, that we help, communicate, and lend both to friends and foes.

252 Whoever now seeks and desires good works will find here more than enough such as are heartily acceptable and pleasing to God, and in addition are favored and crowned with excellent blessings, that we are to be richly compensated for all that we do for our neighbor’s good and from friendship; as King Solomon also teaches Prov. 19:17: He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again. Here, then, you have

253 a rich Lord, who is certainly sufficient for you, and who will not suffer you to come short in anything or to want; thus you can with a joyful conscience enjoy a hundred times more than you could scrape together with unfaithfulness and wrong. Now, whoever does not desire the blessing will find wrath and misfortune enough.