提摩太前書 5
1 不要嚴責老年人，但要他勸他如勸父親；勸青年人如勸弟兄；
Don't rebuke a man who is older than you. Instead, encourage him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers,
2 勸老婦如勸母親；以完全的心，勸青年女子如勸姊妺。
older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with the highest standards of decency.
3 要敬重寡婦，即那些真正做寡婦的，
Help widows who don't have a family.
4 假使寡婦有兒子或孫子，她們就應學著孝敬本家人，報答祖先，因為這是天主所喜悅的事。
For the Christian responsibility of a widow's children or grandchildren is to do their duty for their own family, and repay their parents by helping them out. This is what pleases God.
5 那真正做寡婦的，孤獨無依，已寄望於天主，黑夜白日常在懇求和祈禱；
Now a real widow, having no family, alone and without support, puts her hope in God and prays for help night and day.
6 但那任性縱慾的寡婦雖生猶死。
But a widow who concentrates on pleasing herself is already dead, even though she's still physically alive.
7 你要拿這些話去勸戒，使她們無可指摘。
Give people these instructions so that they will be above criticism.
8 如有人不照顧自己的戚族，尤其不照顧自己的家人，即是背棄信德，比不信的人更壞。
But those who don't look after their relatives, especially their own family, have denied their beliefs, and are worse than those who don't believe.
9 錄用一個寡婦，年紀不要少過六十歲，且要只做過一個丈夫的妻子，
Only widows over sixty who have been faithful to their husbands should be put on the list.
10 又必須有行善的聲望，教育過兒女，或款待過旅客，洗過聖徒的腳，賙濟過遭難的人，勤行過各種善工。
The widow should have a reputation for doing good. Did she bring up children properly? Has she been hospitable? Has she washed the feet of church members? Has she helped those who were in trouble? Has she really tried to do good in every way?
11 至於年輕的寡婦，你要拒絕錄用，因為她們情慾衝動違背基督的時候，更想再嫁，
Don't take on widows who are younger, because when their physical desires make them want to re-marry they abandon their dedication to Christ.
12 這樣必招致懲罰，因為她們擯棄了起初的信誓；
In this they are guilty of breaking their previous commitment.
13 同時她們又游手好閒，習慣串門踏戶；不但游手好閒而且還饒舌不休，好管閒事，說些不當說的話。
They also get used to a lazy life, just visiting each other in their homes. Not only lazy, but they gossip and meddle, talking about things they shouldn't.
14 所以失要年輕的寡婦再嫁，生兒育女，治理家務，不給敵以誹謗的任何藉口，
So my best advice is that younger widows marry and have children and take care of the home. That way there's no opportunity for criticism from the Enemy.
15 因為有些已轉身隨從了撒殫。
However, some have already gone the way of Satan.
16 女信徒家中有寡婦，就應供養她們，不可加重教會的負擔，為使教會能供養那些真正的寡婦。
Any Christian woman who has widows in the family should help them, so that the church is not burdened with the responsibility, and can help those widows who are truly in need.
17 那些善於督的長老，首先那些出力講道和施教的人堪受加倍的敬奉
Elders who direct the church well should be seen as doubly valuable, particularly those who work in speaking the Word and in teaching.
18 因為經上記載：『牛在打場的時候，不可籠住牠的嘴；』又說：「工人自當有他的工資。』
As Scripture says, “Don't muzzle the ox when it's threshing out the grain.” Also, “The worker deserves to be paid.”
19 反對長老的控告，除非有兩三證個人，你不可受理。
Don't entertain any accusation against an elder unless two or three witnesses support it.
20 犯罪的人，你要在眾人前加以責斥，為叫其餘的人有所警愓。
Censure those who sin in front of everyone as a warning to others as well.
21 我在天主於基督耶穌，以及蒙選的天使前懇事求你，要遵守這些話，不可存成見，做事也不可有偏心。
Before God and Christ Jesus, and the holy angels, I instruct you to follow these instructions without bias. Don't do anything from an attitude of favoritism.
22 不可輕易給人覆手：不可在別人的罪上有分子，務要守身清白。
Don't be in a hurry to lay hands on anyone; and don't get involved in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 至於你，你以後不要單喝清水，為了你的胃病和你屢次生病，卻要用點酒。
Don't just drink water, but use a little bit of wine because of your bad stomach—you're sick so often!
24 有些人的罪過，在受審以前便是顯明的，但是有些人的罪過只在受審以後；
The sins of some people are really obvious, and they are clearly guilty, but the sins of others are not seen until later.
25 同樣，善工也是顯明的；既使不明顯，也不能隱瞞住。
Similarly some good works are obvious, and even those that are hidden won't be for long.
