< 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:
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the revelation: the man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
“Surely I am the most ignorant man, and don’t have a man’s understanding.
I have not learnt wisdom, neither do I have the 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 up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if 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。
Don’t you add to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.
“Two things I have asked of you. Don’t deny 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,
Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
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。
lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonour 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。
“Don’t slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.
There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn’t bless their mother.
There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, yet are not washed from their filthiness.
There is a generation, oh how lofty are their eyes! Their eyelids are lifted up.
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 like swords, and their jaws like knives, to devour the poor from the earth, and the needy from amongst 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, give.’ “There are three things that are never satisfied; four that don’t say, ‘Enough!’:
16 即陰府、荒胎、總飲不足水的地,和總不說「夠了」的火。 (Sheol )
Sheol, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water, and the fire that doesn’t say, ‘Enough!’ (Sheol )
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。
“The eye that mocks at his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, the young eagles shall eat 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 which are too amazing for me, four which I don’t 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 air, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the 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。」
“So is the way of an adulterous woman: 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:
“For three things the earth trembles, and under four, it can’t bear up:
For a servant when he is king, a fool when he is filled with food,
for an unloved woman when she is married, and a servant who is heir to her mistress.
“There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise:
The ants are not a strong people, yet they provide their food in the summer.
The hyraxes are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks.
The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
You can catch a lizard with your hands, yet it is in kings’ palaces.
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 which are stately in their march, four which are stately in going:
The lion, which is mightiest amongst animals, and doesn’t turn away for any;
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。
the greyhound; the male goat; and the king against whom there is no rising up.
32 你一時糊塗,高舉了自己,當你反省時,應以手掩口;
“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought 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 produces butter, and the wringing of the nose produces blood, so the forcing of wrath produces strife.”