< 箴言 17 >
1 設筵滿屋,大家相爭, 不如有塊乾餅,大家相安。
Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife.
2 僕人辦事聰明,必管轄貽羞之子, 又在眾子中同分產業。
A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but YHWH trieth the hearts.
4 行惡的,留心聽奸詐之言; 說謊的,側耳聽邪惡之語。
A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.
5 戲笑窮人的,是辱沒造他的主; 幸災樂禍的,必不免受罰。
Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.
8 賄賂在餽送的人眼中看為寶玉, 隨處運動都得順利。
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.
9 遮掩人過的,尋求人愛; 屢次挑錯的,離間密友。
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
10 一句責備話深入聰明人的心, 強如責打愚昧人一百下。
A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
11 惡人只尋背叛, 所以必有嚴厲的使者奉差攻擊他。
An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
12 寧可遇見丟崽子的母熊, 不可遇見正行愚妄的愚昧人。
Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
14 紛爭的起頭如水放開, 所以,在爭鬧之先必當止息爭競。
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
15 定惡人為義的,定義人為惡的, 這都為耶和華所憎惡。
He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to YHWH.
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
19 喜愛爭競的,是喜愛過犯; 高立家門的,乃自取敗壞。
He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
20 心存邪僻的,尋不着好處; 舌弄是非的,陷在禍患中。
He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
21 生愚昧子的,必自愁苦; 愚頑人的父毫無喜樂。
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.
Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for equity.
He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.
28 愚昧人若靜默不言也可算為智慧; 閉口不說也可算為聰明。
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.