< 箴言 30 >

1 瑪薩人雅刻之子阿古爾的格言,即他給依提耳、給依提耳和烏加耳的斷語:
These are the words of Agur son of Jakeh—the burden that this man declared to Ithiel: “I am weary, O God, and worn out.
2 我比誰都愚蠢,沒有人的才智。
Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man.
3 我從來沒有學得智慧,致能通曉聖者的知識。
I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
4 誰曾上升過天而又降下﹖誰能將風收集在手中﹖誰能將水聚集在大衣內﹖誰為這大地立定了邊界﹖他叫什麼名字﹖其子姓甚名誰﹖你知道嗎﹖
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son— surely you know!
5 天主的每一句話,都是經火精煉的;凡托庇於他的人,他必要作其護盾。
Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.
6 對他所說的話,不可加添什麼;免得他指責你,證明你在說謊。
Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7 我求你兩件事,在我未死以前,請不要拒絕我:
Two things I ask of You— do not refuse me before I die:
8 令虛偽和欺詐遠離我,貧乏或富裕勿賜與我,只供予我必需的食糧,
Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread that is my portion.
9 免得我吃飽了,背叛你說:「誰是上主﹖」或是過於貧乏,因而行竊,加辱我天主的名。
Otherwise, I may have too much and deny You, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, profaning the name of my God.
10 別在主人前,誹謗他的奴僕,怕他咒罵你,你就不免受罰。
Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
11 有一種人,咒罵父親;自己母親,也不祝福。
There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
12 有一種人,自視清高;自身污穢,卻不洗滌。
There is a generation of those who are pure in their own eyes and yet unwashed of their filth.
13 有一種人,眼睛傲慢,目空一切。
There is a generation—how haughty are their eyes and pretentious are their glances—
14 有一種人,牙如利劍,齒如快刀,地上弱小,人間貧民,吞食一空。
there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.
15 水蛭有兩個女兒,常說「給我! 給我! 」不知足的東西,共有三樣,總不說「夠了」的,共有四樣:
The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16 即陰府、荒胎、總飲不足水的地,和總不說「夠了」的火。 (Sheol h7585)
Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol h7585)
17 誰嘲笑父親,或輕視年老的母親,願他的眼睛,被谷中的烏鴉啄去,為小鷹所食。
As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.
18 令我稱奇的事,共有三樣,連我不明瞭的,共有四樣:
There are three things too wonderful for me, four that I cannot understand:
19 即鷹在天空飛翔的道,蛇在岩石爬行的道,船在海中航行的道,以及男女交合之道。
the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship at sea, and the way of a man with a maiden.
20 淫婦的作風是這樣:她吃了後,抹抹口說:「我並沒有為非作歹。」
This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done nothing wrong.’
21 使地戰慄的事,共有三樣,連不可容忍的,共有四樣:
Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up:
22 即奴隸為王,愚人飽食,
a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food,
23 醜女出嫁,婢女當家。
an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.
24 地上的小動物中,有四種極其聰明:
Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise:
25 螞蟻是無力的一群,卻在夏日儲備食糧;
The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
26 岩貍是無能的一群,卻在岩石中築巢穴;
the rock badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their homes in the rocks;
27 蝗虫雖然沒有君王,卻知一齊列隊出發;
the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
28 壁虎能用手來捕捉,卻經常出入於皇宮。
and the lizard can be caught in one’s hands, yet it is found in the palaces of kings.
29 舉止昂然之物,共有三樣,連威儀赫赫的,共有四樣:
There are three things that are stately in their stride, and four that are impressive in their walk:
30 即獸中稱雄的獅子,面臨一切從不退縮;
a lion, mighty among beasts, refusing to retreat before anything;
31 獨步雞群中的雄雞,開頭領隊的公山羊,和檢閱人民的君王。
a strutting rooster; a he-goat; and a king with his army around him.
32 你一時糊塗,高舉了自己,當你反省時,應以手掩口;
If you have foolishly exalted yourself or if you have plotted evil, put your hand over your mouth.
33 因為攪動乳汁,可出奶油;用力扭鼻,可流鮮血;激起憤怒,必生爭端。
For as the churning of milk yields butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so the stirring of anger brings forth strife.”

< 箴言 30 >