箴言 24
1 你不要妒忌作惡的人，不要希求與他們共處；
Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not to be with them!
2 因為他們的心靈，只圖謀不軌；他們的嘴唇，只講論是非。
For their heart studieth destruction, And their lips speak mischief.
3 因著智慧，家庭得以興建；因著明智，家庭得以穩定。
Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
4 各種珍奇可愛的寶物，因著智識可儲藏滿室。
Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
5 智慧人勝於壯士，明智人強於勇士；
The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.
6 因為作戰須有智謀，勝利在於謀士眾多。
For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.
7 為愚昧的人，智慧太高妙；他在城門口，只好不開口。
Wisdom is too high for the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
8 籌劃作惡的人，可稱為陰險家。
He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
9 愚人的計謀只是罪惡；狂妄的人為人所憎惡。
The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 你若萎靡不振，到災難的日子，必然氣竭力盡。
If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
11 被帶去受死的人，你應拯救他；行將被殺戮的人，你要挽救他。
Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
12 或許你要說：「看! 我全不知道! 」難道那權衡人心的能不明瞭﹖難道監察你心靈的能不知道﹖他必按每人的作為還報每人。
If thou sayst, “Behold, we knew it not!” Doth not he that weigheth the heart observe it? Yea, he that keepeth thy soul knoweth it. And he will render to every man according to his works.
13 我兒，你要吃蜜，因為蜜好；蜂房的蜜，香甜可口。
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, And the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste;
14 對你的靈魂，智慧也是這樣：你找得了她，必有好前途；你所希望的，決不會落空。
So learn thou wisdom for thy soul! When thou hast found it, there shall be a reward, And thy expectation shall not be cut off.
15 惡惡人對義人的家，不要圖謀不軌；對他的住所，不要加以破壞；
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation of the righteous; Spoil not his resting-place!
16 因為義人雖七次跌倒，仍然要起來；但是惡人一失足，必陷禍患中。
For though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 你的仇人跌倒，且不要高興；他若失足摔倒，且不要心喜；
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
18 免得上主看見而不快，因而撤消對他的忿怒。
Lest the LORD see, and it displease him, And he turn away his anger from him.
19 對作惡的人，你不要動怒；對乖戾之徒，也不必嫉妒；
Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou envious of the wicked;
20 因為惡人終沒有好前途，惡人的燈必要熄滅。
For there shall be no posterity to the evil man; The lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 我兒，上主和君王，你都要敬畏；對他們二者，皆不可觸怒；
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king; And mingle not with them that are given to change!
22 因為他們的懲罰可突然而至；他們的摧殘，有誰能知曉﹖
For their calamity shall rise up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
23 以下是智者的箴言：在判案時，顧及情面，決不公平。
These also are words of the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 誰對惡人說：「你是正義的。」人民必罵他，百姓必恨他。
He that saith to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
25 按公道加罰的，必事事順遂；美好的祝福，必臨於其身。
But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
26 應答適宜的人，宛如與人接吻。
He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
27 你要先在外經營好事業，在田間將工作準備停當，然後纔可建立你的家室。
Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst build thy house.
28 不要輕易作證，反對你的近人；也不要以你的口舌，欺騙他人。
Be not a witness without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not with thy lips.
29 不可說：「人怎樣待我，我怎樣待人；照人之所行，我向他還報。」
Say not, “As he hath done to me, So will I do to him; I will render to the man according to his doings.”
30 我走過懶惰人的田地，經過愚昧人的葡萄園：
I passed by the field of the slothful, And by the vineyard of the man void of understanding,
31 看，到處是荊棘，滿地是蒺黎，石牆也倒了!
And, lo! it was all overgrown with thorns, And the face thereof was covered with nettles, And the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 我看了，便心下自思；我見了，取得了教訓：「
Then I saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. and received instruction.
33 再睡片刻，再假寐片刻，再抱臂躺臥片刻」──
“A little sleep, a little slumber! A little folding of the hands to rest!”
34 這樣，貧窮就要如同竊賊，困乏也要如同武士，向你侵襲。
So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
