《圣经》典故之三十二：灰色的马

The pale horse 灰马 ， 指死亡。

出自《新约·启示录》（Revelation 6:8） So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. 我就观看，见有一匹灰马，骑在马上的，名字叫死。阴府也随着他。有权柄赐给他们，可以用刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫、野兽，杀害地上四分之一的人。

与“黑马”不同，灰马代表着“死亡”。当然，《圣经》文中灰马是死神的坐骑，死神骑着它来索命，所以理所当然地灰马成为死亡的代称。这一意象在东方文化语境几乎不存在，所以，我们看起来也会感觉很陌生。