< 箴言 17 >

1 乾餅一張而平安共食,勝於滿屋佳餚而互相爭吵。
Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith, than a house full of feasting with strife.
2 聰明的僕人必能管治任性的兒子,且可與弟兄們共分產業。
A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that dealeth shamefully, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
3 鍋煉銀,爐煉金,上主煉人心。
The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the LORD trieth the hearts.
4 奸詐的人,愛聽胡言亂語;說謊的人,輕信是非長短。
A evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; and a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
5 嘲笑窮人的是凌辱他的造主;幸災樂禍的,必不能脫免懲罰。
Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker; and he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
6 孫兒是老人的冠冕,父親是兒女的光榮。
Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
7 優雅的言詞,不適宜於愚人;虛偽的狂語,更不宜於君王。
Overbearing speech becometh not a churl; much less do lying lips a prince.
8 賄賂在饋贈者眼中,有如寶石;不論他要轉向何方,無往不利。
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; whithersoever he turneth, he prospereth.
9 掩飾他人的過錯,可獲得友愛;屢念舊日的過惡,則離間友誼。
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that harpeth on a matter estrangeth a familiar friend.
10 對明智人一句指責,勝過對愚昧人百次杖擊。
A rebuke entereth deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred stripes into a fool.
11 暴徒只求叛亂,但有殘酷使者,奉命前來對付。
A rebellious man seeketh only evil; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 寧願遇見失掉幼子的母熊,不願逢著正在發狂的愚人。
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
13 誰以怨報德,災禍必不離開他的家。
Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 爭論的開端,如水之破堤;在激辯之前,應極加制止。
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off contention, before the quarrel break out.
15 宣判罪人無罪,判定義人有罪:二者同為上主所憎惡。
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are an abomination to the LORD.
16 愚昧的人,既沒有頭腦,手執金錢買智慧,又何益之有﹖
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he hath no understanding?
17 朋友平時常相愛,唯在難中見兄弟。
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
18 常為人擊掌作保,實是個無知之徒。
A man void of understanding is he that striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his neighbour.
19 好爭辯的人,實喜愛罪過;高舉門戶的,必自趨滅亡。
He loveth transgression that loveth strife; he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
20 誰存心欺詐,不會得幸福;誰搬弄是非,必陷於災禍。
He that hath a froward heart findeth no good; and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into evil.
21 生糊塗孩子的,只有悲哀;糊塗人的父親,毫無樂趣。
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; and the father of a churl hath no joy.
22 愉快的心,是良好的治療;神志憂鬱,能使筋骨枯萎。
A merry heart is a good medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
23 惡人在大衣下受賄賂,是為顛倒正義的判詞。
A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the ways of justice.
24 精明的人,常面向智慧;愚者的眼,向地極呆望,
Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25 愚昧的兒子,是他父親的痛苦,是他生母的憂傷。
A foolish son is vexation to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
26 科罰無辜,已屬不當;杖責君子,更屬不義。
To punish also the righteous is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
27 智者必沉默寡言,達人必心神鎮定。
He that spareth his words hath knowledge; and he that husbandeth his spirit is a man of discernment.
28 愚人不發言,亦可充作智者;若謹口慎言,亦可視為哲人。
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed as a man of understanding.

< 箴言 17 >