< 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 be guarantor for your friend, if you have stricken your hand 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,
You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth.
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 now, my son, and deliver yourself, when you are come into the hand of your friend; go, humble yourself, and make sure your friend.
4 不要合上眼睛睡覺,也不要垂下眼瞼假寐,
Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 應急速解救自己,如羚羊掙脫羅網,飛鳥逃脫獵人的圈套。
Deliver yourself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
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 sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 牠沒有領袖,沒有監督,沒有君王,
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 但在夏天卻知準備食糧,在秋收時積貯養料。
Provides her food in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 懶漢,你要睡到幾時,你幾時纔睡醒﹖「
How long will you sleep, O sluggard? when will you arise out of your sleep?
10 再睡片刻,再假寐片刻,再抱臂躺臥片刻! 」
Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 這樣貧窮就要如同竊賊,困乏也要如同武士,向你侵襲。
So shall your poverty come as one that travels, and your lack as an armed man.
12 無賴與惡徒,行事滿口欺詐;
A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth.
13 他以眼傳神,以腳示意,以手指東畫西。
He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers;
14 他存心不良,常蓄意惹事生非。
Perverseness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.
15 為此,他的喪亡必突然來臨,霎時間全被毀滅,無法挽救。
Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 上主憎恨的事,共有六件,連他心裏最厭惡的事,共有七件:
These six things does the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 傲慢的眼睛,撒謊的舌頭,流無i辜者血的手,
A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 策劃陰謀的心,疾趨行惡的腳,
An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 說謊的假見證,和在兄弟間搬弄事非的人。
A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren.
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 your father's commandment, and forsake not the law of your mother:
21 應將二者常刻在你心中,繫在你的頸項上。
Bind them continually upon your heart, and tie them about 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。
When you go, it shall lead you; when you sleep, it shall keep you; and when you awake, it shall 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 commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 使你遠避惡意的女人,離開淫婦阿諛的言詞,
To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
25 不讓你的心貪戀她的美色,不讓她的秋波迷惑你,
Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids.
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 by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.
27 人豈能懷中藏火,而不燒毀自己的衣服﹖
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 人豈能在火炭上行走,而不灼傷自己的腳﹖
Can one go upon hot 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 he that goes in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever touches her shall not be innocent.
30 盜賊若因饑餓行竊以果腹,人都不鄙視他;
Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is 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 be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.
32 與婦人通姦的人,實屬愚眛,他這樣做,卻是毀滅自己。
But whoso commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul.
33 他必遭受可恥的打擊,並且他的恥辱,永不得拭去,
A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.
34 因為妒火能激怒男人,使他在報復時,決不留情;
For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
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 regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.

< 箴言 6 >