< 箴言 26 >

1 有如夏日下雪,秋收降雨,不合時令;同樣愚昧的人獲得光榮,亦不適宜。
Like snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 有如麻雀逃走,燕子飛去:無端的咒罵,也一去無蹤。
Like a fluttering sparrow, like a darting swallow, so the undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 馬需要皮鞭,驢需要轡頭,愚昧人的脊背需要棍棒。
A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools!
4 回答愚昧人,別照樣愚昧,免得你也像他一樣;
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.
5 回答愚昧人,有時應愚昧,免得他自以為聰明。
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6 派遣愚昧人,去作傳話者,是自斷己足,是自尋苦惱。
One who sends a message by the hand of a fool is cutting off feet and drinking violence.
7 猶如跛子的腳虛懸無力,箴言在愚人口中也是如此。
Like the legs of the lame that hang loose, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
8 將光榮體面授給愚昧人,無異將寶石投在石堆裏。
As one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.
9 箴言在愚人口中,猶如荊棘在醉漢手中。
Like a thorn bush that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.
10 雇用愚人或過路人的人,無異射傷眾人的弓箭手。
As an archer who wounds all, so is he who hires a fool or he who hires those who pass by.
11 愚人一再重複他的愚行,猶如狗再來吃牠嘔吐之物。
As a dog that returns to his vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
12 你是否見過自作聰明的人﹖寄望於愚人必寄望於他更好。
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 懶惰人常說:「路上有猛獅,街市有壯獅。」
The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion roams the streets!”
14 懶人在床榻上輾轉,猶如門扇在樞紐上旋轉。
As the door turns on its hinges, so does the sluggard on his bed.
15 懶人伸手在盤中取食,送到口邊也感到辛苦。
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish. He is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 懶惰人自認為聰明人,遠勝過七個善於應對的人。
The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer with discretion.
17 干涉與己無關的爭端,有如抓過路狗的尾巴。
Like one who grabs a dog’s ears is one who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own.
18 誰騙了人而後說:「我只開玩笑! 」
Like a madman who shoots torches, arrows, and death,
19 猶如狂人投擲火把、利箭和死亡。
is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “Am I not joking?”
20 沒有木柴,火即熄滅;沒有讒言,爭端即息。
For lack of wood a fire goes out. Without gossip, a quarrel dies down.
21 誰惹事生非,挑撥爭端,是在火炭上加炭,火上加柴。
As coals are to hot embers, and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindling strife.
22 進讒者的話,如可口美味,能深深透入肺腑的深處。
The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels, they go down into the innermost parts.
23 口蜜腹劍的人,有如塗上銀的陶器。
Like silver dross on an earthen vessel are the lips of a fervent one with an evil heart.
24 懷恨他人的,善措詞掩飾;但在他心底,卻藏有陰險。
A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart.
25 誰聲調過柔,你不要相信;因在他心中,藏有七種惡。
When his speech is charming, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 仇恨雖可以詭計來掩飾,但在集會中險惡必敗露。
His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 挖掘陷阱的必自陷其中,滾轉石頭的必為石所壓。
Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it. Whoever rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28 撒謊的唇舌,必痛恨真理;諂媚的嘴臉必製造喪亡。
A lying tongue hates those it hurts; and a flattering mouth works ruin.

< 箴言 26 >