I love to listen to Christmas carols, old ones and new ones. One of my favorite (favourite in British English) is "Mary's Boy Child". Many well-known singers have recorded this song but the version I like best is by the group Boney M. I hum it all the time during the Christmas season. The word "hum" has several meanings but used this way it means to sing with closed lips. I often hum to myself while listening to my iPod on the MTR. The phrase "Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men" originated from the Bible but that is not the exact way it was written in the Bible. The phrase, using different words, was used by the angels to tell of the birth of Jesus.
The modern meaning of the phrase is also a little bit different from the original meaning in the Bible. Nowadays, the saying "Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men" has a much simpler meaning. Peace on Earth means to have peace in the world. Goodwill toward men means being good and kind to each other. Many people nowadays consider it politically incorrect to use the word "men" to include both men and women. I think the saying should be changed to "Goodwill toward everyone". Hong Kong has gone through a terrible time with Occupy Central. People are not good and kind to each other anymore. Even families quarrel over Occupy Central. I hope this Christmas Hong Kong people will remember the saying: "Peace on Earth, goodwill toward everyone". Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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聖誕已經臨近（nigh）了。我相信你們許多人都對nigh這個字很陌生。它現在已經很少用到，意思是接近、臨近。Christmas is nigh即是聖誕臨近了。每年當聖誕臨近（nigh），我總想到這句俗語：「願地上有平安，眾人彼此友好相待。」（Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men）。你們大部份人應該都已聽過或看過這句俗語，許多聖誕頌歌（carols）和聖誕卡都有這句說話。Carol就是聖誕頌歌。當聖誕臨近（nigh）時，我總是喜歡暗自輕哼着（hum）聖誕歌。事實上，我在寫這篇專欄時，也正輕哼着（humming）一首聖誕歌呢。
我喜歡聽聖誕歌，新的舊的都喜歡。我其中一首至愛是《馬利亞的嬰孩》。許多知名的歌手都曾錄唱此歌，但我最喜歡的是Boney M這隊組合的版本。在聖誕節期間，我終日都在暗自輕哼着（hum）它。 Hum這個字有幾個意思，這裏的意思是合着嘴唇哼歌。我在港鐵聽着iPod 時，就不時會暗暗哼着歌（hum）。片語「Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men」來自聖經，但這不是聖經的原句。眾天使用這句片語述說耶穌的降生。
這句片語的現代意思也跟聖經的原意有點分別。今天，俗語「Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men」有着更為簡單的意思。Peace on Earth意即讓地上有平安，goodwill toward men則解作彼此以善相待。今天，許多人會認為用「men」這個字去包括男人和女人是政治不正確的。我認為這句俗語應改成「Goodwill toward everyone」。香港剛經歷了佔中的艱難時期。人們不再友善相待，甚至有些家庭亦因着佔中而爭拗不斷。我希望在這個聖誕節，港人會記起這句俗語：「Peace on Earth, goodwill toward everyone」。祝聖誕快樂，新年進步！
中譯:七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
Source: http://news.stheadline.com/dailynews/headline_news_detail_columnist.asp?id=313673§ion_name=wtt&kw=126