< 箴言 1 >

1 以色列王達味之子撒羅滿的箴言:
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
2 是為教人學習智慧和規律,叫人明瞭哲言,
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
3 接受明智的教訓--仁義、公平和正直,
To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 使無知者獲得聰明,使年少者獲得知識和慎重,
To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 使智慧者聽了,增加學識;使明達人聽了,汲取智謀,
A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
6 好能明瞭箴言和譬喻,明瞭智者的言論和他們的隱語。
To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 敬畏上主是智慧的肇基;只有愚昧人蔑視智慧和規律。
The fear of Yhwh is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 我兒,你應聽你父親的教訓,不要拒絕你母親的指教,
My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
9 因為這就是你頭上的冠冕,你頸上的珠鏈。
For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
10 我兒,如果惡人勾引你,你不要聽從;
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
11 如果他們說:「來跟我們去暗算某人,無故地陷害無辜。
If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
12 我們要像陰府一樣活活地吞下他們,把他們整個吞下去,有如墮入深坑裏的人; (Sheol h7585)
Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: (Sheol h7585)
13 這樣,我們必獲得各種珍寶,以贓物充滿我們的房屋。
We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 你將與我們平分秋色,我們將共有同一錢囊。」
Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
15 我兒,你不要與他們同流合污,該使你的腳遠離他們的道路,
My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:
16 因為他們雙腳趨向兇惡,急於傾流人血。
For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 在一切飛鳥眼前,張設羅網,盡屬徒然。
Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18 其實,他們不外是自流己血,自害己命。
And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.
19 這就是謀財害命者的末路:他必要送掉自己的性命。
So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
20 智慧在街上吶喊,在通衢發出呼聲;
Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
21 在熱鬧的街頭呼喚,在城門和市區發表言論:「
She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
22 無知的人,你們喜愛無知;輕狂的人,你們樂意輕狂;愚昧的人,你們憎恨知識,要到何時呢﹖
How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23 你們應回心聽我的勸告。看,我要向你們傾吐我的心意,使你們瞭解我的言詞。
Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
24 但是,我呼喚了,你們竟予以拒絕;我伸出了手,誰也沒有理會。
Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 你們既蔑視了我的勸告,沒有接受我的忠言;
But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 因此,你們遭遇不幸時,我也付之一笑;災難臨到你們身上時,我也一笑置之。
I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
27 當災難如暴風似的襲擊你們,禍害如旋風似的捲去你們,困苦憂患來侵襲你們時,我也置之不顧。
When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
28 那時,他們呼求我,我必不答應:他們尋找我,必尋不著我;
Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 因為他們憎恨知識,沒有揀選敬畏上主,
For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Yhwh:
30 沒有接受我的勸告,且輕視了我的一切規諫。
They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 所以他們必要自食其果,飽嘗獨斷獨行的滋味。
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 的確,無知者的執迷不悟殺害了自己;愚昧人的漠不關心斷送了自己。
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 但是,那聽從我的,必得安居,不怕災禍,安享太平。
But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

< 箴言 1 >