箴言 6
1 我兒，你如果為你的朋友作保，或為外人擊掌；
My son, if you have made yourself responsible for your neighbour, or given your word for another,
2 你如果為你口中說的話所連累，為你口中的言詞所束縛，
You are taken as in a net by the words of your mouth, the sayings of your lips have overcome you.
3 那麼，我兒，你既然已陷在你友人的手中，你就該逃脫，該這樣做：火速前去，央求你的友人，
Do this, my son, and make yourself free, because you have come into the power of your neighbour; go without waiting, and make a strong request to your neighbour.
4 不要合上眼睛睡覺，也不要垂下眼瞼假寐，
Give no sleep to your eyes, or rest to them;
5 應急速解救自己，如羚羊掙脫羅網，飛鳥逃脫獵人的圈套。
Make yourself free, like the roe from the hand of the archer, and the bird from him who puts a net for her.
6 懶漢，你去看看螞蟻，觀察牠的作風，便可得些智識：
Go to the ant, you hater of work; give thought to her ways and be wise:
7 牠沒有領袖，沒有監督，沒有君王，
Having no chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 但在夏天卻知準備食糧，在秋收時積貯養料。
She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
9 懶漢，你要睡到幾時，你幾時纔睡醒﹖「
How long will you be sleeping, O hater of work? when will you get up from your sleep?
10 再睡片刻，再假寐片刻，再抱臂躺臥片刻! 」
A little sleep, a little rest, a little folding of the hands in sleep:
11 這樣貧窮就要如同竊賊，困乏也要如同武士，向你侵襲。
Then loss will come on you like an outlaw, and your need like an armed man
12 無賴與惡徒，行事滿口欺詐；
A good-for-nothing man is an evil-doer; he goes on his way causing trouble with false words;
13 他以眼傳神，以腳示意，以手指東畫西。
Making signs with his eyes, rubbing with his feet, and giving news with his fingers;
14 他存心不良，常蓄意惹事生非。
His mind is ever designing evil: he lets loose violent acts.
15 為此，他的喪亡必突然來臨，霎時間全被毀滅，無法挽救。
For this cause his downfall will be sudden; quickly he will be broken, and there will be no help for him.
16 上主憎恨的事，共有六件，連他心裏最厭惡的事，共有七件：
Six things are hated by the Lord; seven things are disgusting to him:
17 傲慢的眼睛，撒謊的舌頭，流無i辜者血的手，
Eyes of pride, a false tongue, hands which take life without cause;
18 策劃陰謀的心，疾趨行惡的腳，
A heart full of evil designs, feet which are quick in running after sin;
19 說謊的假見證，和在兄弟間搬弄事非的人。
A false witness, breathing out untrue words, and one who lets loose violent acts among brothers.
20 我兒，應堅守你父親的命令，不要放棄你母親的教訓；
My son, keep the rule of your father, and have in memory the teaching of your mother:
21 應將二者常刻在你心中，繫在你的頸項上。
Keep them ever folded in your heart, and have them hanging round your neck.
22 她們在你行路時引領你，在你躺臥時看護你；在你醒來時與你交談。
In your walking, it will be your guide; when you are sleeping, it will keep watch over you; when you are awake, it will have talk with you.
23 因為父命是盞燈，母教是光明，嚴格的勸告是生命的道路，
For the rule is a light, and the teaching a shining light; and the guiding words of training are the way of life.
24 使你遠避惡意的女人，離開淫婦阿諛的言詞，
They will keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the strange woman.
25 不讓你的心貪戀她的美色，不讓她的秋波迷惑你，
Let not your heart's desire go after her fair body; let not her eyes take you prisoner.
26 因為娼妓所求的只是一塊餅，有夫之婦卻獵取寶貴的生命。
For a loose woman is looking for a cake of bread, but another man's wife goes after one's very life.
27 人豈能懷中藏火，而不燒毀自己的衣服﹖
May a man take fire to his breast without burning his clothing?
28 人豈能在火炭上行走，而不灼傷自己的腳﹖
Or may one go on lighted coals, and his feet not be burned?
29 與他人妻子通姦的人就是這樣：凡接近她的，必難免受罰。
So it is with him who goes in to his neighbour's wife; he who has anything to do with her will not go free from punishment.
30 盜賊若因饑餓行竊以果腹，人都不鄙視他；
Men do not have a low opinion of a thief who takes food when he is in need of it:
31 但若被擒獲了，他仍須七倍償還，交出家中所有的財物。
But if he is taken in the act he will have to give back seven times as much, giving up all his property which is in his house.
32 與婦人通姦的人，實屬愚眛，他這樣做，卻是毀滅自己。
He who takes another man's wife is without all sense: he who does it is the cause of destruction to his soul.
33 他必遭受可恥的打擊，並且他的恥辱，永不得拭去，
Wounds will be his and loss of honour, and his shame may not be washed away.
34 因為妒火能激怒男人，使他在報復時，決不留情；
For bitter is the wrath of an angry husband; in the day of punishment he will have no mercy.
35 任何的賠償，他都不理睬；即便你多送禮品，他也不肯罷休。
He will not take any payment; and he will not make peace with you though your money offerings are increased.
