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 become collateral for your neighbour, if you have struck your hands in pledge for 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 trapped by the words of your mouth; you are ensnared 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, since you have come into the hand of your neighbour. Go, humble yourself. Press your plea with 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, 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。
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare 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 chief, overseer, or ruler,
8 但在夏天卻知準備食糧，在秋收時積貯養料。
provides her bread 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, 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! 」
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 your poverty will come as a robber, and your scarcity as an armed man.
12 無賴與惡徒，行事滿口欺詐；
A worthless person, a man of iniquity, is he who walks with a perverse mouth,
13 他以眼傳神，以腳示意，以手指東畫西。
who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who motions with his fingers,
14 他存心不良，常蓄意惹事生非。
in whose heart is perverseness, who devises evil continually, who always 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 his calamity will come suddenly. He will be broken suddenly, and that 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：
There are six things which the LORD hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
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 shed innocent blood,
18 策劃陰謀的心，疾趨行惡的腳，
a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are 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 who utters lies, and he who sows discord amongst 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 your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 應將二者常刻在你心中，繫在你的頸項上。
Bind them continually on your heart. 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。
When you walk, it will lead you. When you sleep, it will watch over you. When you awake, it 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 commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. 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 immoral woman, from the flattery of the wayward wife’s tongue.
25 不讓你的心貪戀她的美色，不讓她的秋波迷惑你，
Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate 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 a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life.
27 人豈能懷中藏火，而不燒毀自己的衣服﹖
Can a man scoop fire into his lap, and his clothes not be burnt?
28 人豈能在火炭上行走，而不灼傷自己的腳﹖
Or can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be scorched?
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 is he who goes in to his neighbour’s wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
30 盜賊若因饑餓行竊以果腹，人都不鄙視他；
Men don’t despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself 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 is found, he shall restore seven times. He shall give all the wealth 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。
He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who 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，
He will get wounds and dishonour. His reproach will 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 arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t 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 won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts.
