登天梯
3个月前 作者： 李敖
亲爱的小文：
你注意到警察局里消防车上的云梯dder）了吗？那种梯子升起来很高，可高出一百英尺。美国underworldngdder叫做Jacob，你知道是谁吗？
JacobwasthesonofIsaac,andthefatherofthe12sonswhofoundedtheTwelveTribesofIsrael,ordingtotheOldTestament.HeboughthisolderbrotherEsausbirthrightwithabowlofsavorystew（“messofpottage”）.Later,JacobenforcedhisimbypretendingtohisblindandagedfatherthathehimselfwasEsau.Thus,heobtainedfromIsaacthewordsofblessingIsaachadmeantforEsau.EsauwassoangrythatJacobfledforhislife.
OnthewaytohisuncleLaban,JacobsleptatacecalledBethel,wherehedreamedofawonderfudderbetweenheavenandearth.Inthedream,Godpromisedtoprotectandblesshimwhilehewasawayfromhome.Muchencouraged,JacobwentontoLabanshome.TherehefellonlovewithLabansdaughter,Rachel.ButLabanforcedJacobtomarryhidolderdaughter.Leah,beforehecouldhaveRachelforhiswife.Afterworking20yearsforLaban,Jacobleftforhome.
Ontheway,JacobprayedallnightuntilGodreassuredhimthatEsauwouldsparehislife.Esaumethimwithforgiveness,andtheypartedgoodfriends.JacobspenthistyearsinEgypt,wherehissonJosephbroughthimtolive.
EsauwasthesonofIsaacandReba,andtwinbrotherofJacobintheBible.HeisamaincharacterinmanystoriesfoundinGenesis25-33.ThebestknownareJacobscheatinghimoutofhisbirthrightfora“messofpottage”（Gen.25：27-34）,andthelossofhisblessingthroughtheplottingofhismotherandbrother（Gen.27）.EsauwasreconciledtoJacobafterthttersreturntoPalestine20yearter.
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。
AJacobdderisddermadeofropeorcable,usuallywithwoodenrungs.Itisdroppedoverthesideofashiptoenablepeopletoascendfromordescendtosmallboatsalongside.HarborpilotsusualleaboardviaaJacobdder.
TheJacobddergetsitsnamefromanincidentintheBookofGenesis（28：12）.ThepatriarchJacobfallsasleepandtheavision：“Andhedreamed,andbeholdddersetupontheearth,andhetopofitreachedtoheaven；andbeholdtheangelsofGodascendinganddescendingonit.”
Jacobdderhasbeenusedinatleasttwootherquiteearthlymeanings.Asmallntwithaflower-and-leafformationresemblingdderbearsthisname.InEnnd,alsowhatweAmericanscall“runs”inhosierywereformerlycalledJacobdders.Nowadaystheyaresimpldders.
Jacobdder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Jacobdder，因为它们dderlikeleaves。
爸爸
一九七五年十一月一日
