箴言 6
1 我兒，你如果為你的朋友作保，或為外人擊掌；
My son, suppose you have pledged to guarantee your neighbor's debt, or you have shaken hands in agreement with a stranger,
2 你如果為你口中說的話所連累，為你口中的言詞所束縛，
then you've trapped yourself by what you promised, you've been caught by what you said.
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，
So this is what you have to do. You need to get out of it, because you've put yourself in that person's power. Go to your neighbor in all humility and ask him to release you from the commitment.
4 不要合上眼睛睡覺，也不要垂下眼瞼假寐，
Don't delay, saying that you'll sleep on it. Don't rest until you've done it.
5 應急速解救自己，如羚羊掙脫羅網，飛鳥逃脫獵人的圈套。
Get out of it like a gazelle escaping from a trap, like a bird from a bird-catcher's net.
6 懶漢，你去看看螞蟻，觀察牠的作風，便可得些智識：
Go and observe the ants, you slacker! Learn from what they do and become wise.
7 牠沒有領袖，沒有監督，沒有君王，
They don't have a leader, an officer, or a ruler,
8 但在夏天卻知準備食糧，在秋收時積貯養料。
yet they work hard during the summer getting their food, gathering what they need during the harvest.
9 懶漢，你要睡到幾時，你幾時纔睡醒﹖「
So how long are you going to lie there, you slacker? When are you going to get up from your sleep?
10 再睡片刻，再假寐片刻，再抱臂躺臥片刻! 」
You may say, “Please, just a little more sleep, a little longer snooze, a little more folding of the arms to rest”—
11 這樣貧窮就要如同竊賊，困乏也要如同武士，向你侵襲。
and poverty will attack you like a robber, destitution like an armed warrior.
12 無賴與惡徒，行事滿口欺詐；
Rebellious and wicked people go around telling lies,
13 他以眼傳神，以腳示意，以手指東畫西。
winking slyly, giving sneaky foot gestures, rudely pointing with their fingers.
14 他存心不良，常蓄意惹事生非。
Their warped minds plot evil schemes; they're always causing trouble.
15 為此，他的喪亡必突然來臨，霎時間全被毀滅，無法挽救。
As a result, disaster falls suddenly on such people; in just a moment they're destroyed without hope of healing.
16 上主憎恨的事，共有六件，連他心裏最厭惡的事，共有七件：
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven things that he absolutely detests:
17 傲慢的眼睛，撒謊的舌頭，流無i辜者血的手，
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that murder the innocent,
18 策劃陰謀的心，疾趨行惡的腳，
a mind that plots evil schemes, feet that hurriedly run to do wrong,
19 說謊的假見證，和在兄弟間搬弄事非的人。
a false witness that speaks lies, those who caused arguments in families.
20 我兒，應堅守你父親的命令，不要放棄你母親的教訓；
My son, pay attention to your father's instruction, and don't reject your mother's teaching.
21 應將二者常刻在你心中，繫在你的頸項上。
Keep them always in mind. Tie them around 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。
They will lead you as you walk along; they will watch over you as you sleep; when you wake up they will 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 instruction is a lamp, and the teaching is a light. The correction that comes from discipline is the way to life.
24 使你遠避惡意的女人，離開淫婦阿諛的言詞，
It will protect you from an evil woman and the seductive words of a prostitute.
25 不讓你的心貪戀她的美色，不讓她的秋波迷惑你，
Don't let your mind lust after her beauty, or let her hypnotize you with her fluttering eyelashes.
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。
You can buy a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery with another man's wife can cost you your life.
27 人豈能懷中藏火，而不燒毀自己的衣服﹖
Can you put fire in your lap and not burn your clothes?
28 人豈能在火炭上行走，而不灼傷自己的腳﹖
Can you walk on hot coals and not scorch your feet?
29 與他人妻子通姦的人就是這樣：凡接近她的，必難免受罰。
It's the same for anyone who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will remain unpunished.
30 盜賊若因饑餓行竊以果腹，人都不鄙視他；
People don't condemn a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he's hungry.
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's caught, he has to pay back seven times what he stole, even if it means handing over everything he has 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。
Any man who commits adultery with a woman has no sense; he who does so destroys himself.
33 他必遭受可恥的打擊，並且他的恥辱，永不得拭去，
He will be wounded and dishonored. His disgrace will never be removed.
34 因為妒火能激怒男人，使他在報復時，決不留情；
For jealousy makes a husband furious, and he won't hold back when he takes revenge.
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 refuses any compensation, and won't be paid off, however big the amount.
