箴言 17
1 設筵滿屋，大家相爭， 不如有塊乾餅，大家相安。
It is better [to eat] a dry piece [of bread] and not have strife/quarrels than to have a big feast in a house where [everyone] is quarreling.
2 僕人辦事聰明，必管轄貽羞之子， 又在眾子中同分產業。
A slave who acts wisely will [some day] be the boss of his master’s disgraceful son and when his master dies, the slave will receive part of his master’s possessions.
3 鼎為煉銀，爐為煉金； 惟有耶和華熬煉人心。
[Workers put] silver and gold in a very hot furnace [to burn out what is impure], and Yahweh [similarly] examines people’s inner beings [to see if they are pure].
4 行惡的，留心聽奸詐之言； 說謊的，側耳聽邪惡之語。
Those who do what is evil pay attention to people who say [MTY] what is evil, and liars pay attention to [other people’s] lies.
5 戲笑窮人的，是辱沒造他的主； 幸災樂禍的，必不免受罰。
Those who make fun of poor [people] insult God, the one who made the poor [people], [and] those who are happy when [someone else has] troubles will certainly be punished [LIT] [by God].
6 子孫為老人的冠冕； 父親是兒女的榮耀。
Old [people] are [usually] proud of [MET] their grandchildren, [just like] children are [usually] proud of their parents.
7 愚頑人說美言本不相宜， 何況君王說謊話呢？
Fine/Eloquent speech is not suitable for foolish people to say, just like lies are not suitable for rulers [to say].
8 賄賂在餽送的人眼中看為寶玉， 隨處運動都得順利。
People think that a bribe is like a magic stone [to persuade someone to do what they want him to do]; they think that because of the bribe, that person will do whatever they want him to do.
9 遮掩人過的，尋求人愛； 屢次挑錯的，離間密友。
If you want people to like/love you, forgive them for the wrong things that they do to you. If you continue to remind them about those wrong things, they will no longer be your friends.
10 一句責備話深入聰明人的心， 強如責打愚昧人一百下。
Rebuking people who have good sense will accomplish more for them than hitting them 100 times [with a stick].
11 惡人只尋背叛， 所以必有嚴厲的使者奉差攻擊他。
[Because] wicked people are always trying to cause trouble, someone will be sent to severely punish them.
12 寧可遇見丟崽子的母熊， 不可遇見正行愚妄的愚昧人。
A mother bear whose cubs have been taken away from her is dangerous, but it is more dangerous to confront a foolish person who is doing something foolish.
13 以惡報善的， 禍患必不離他的家。
If someone does something evil in return for something good being done to him, evil/trouble will never leave that person’s family.
14 紛爭的起頭如水放開， 所以，在爭鬧之先必當止息爭競。
Starting a quarrel is like allowing water to start to leak out of a dam; they both need to be stopped before they get worse.
15 定惡人為義的，定義人為惡的， 這都為耶和華所憎惡。
There are two things that Yahweh hates: (Condemning innocent [people]/Saying that people who have done nothing wrong must be punished), and declaring that people who have done wicked things should not be punished.
16 愚昧人既無聰明， 為何手拿價銀買智慧呢？
It is useless to allow foolish people [RHQ] to try to become wise by paying for it, because they do not have enough good sense to become wise.
17 朋友乃時常親愛， 弟兄為患難而生。
Friends love [others] all the time, and relatives are able to help us when we have troubles.
18 在鄰舍面前擊掌作保 乃是無知的人。
[If someone borrows money from another person], it is foolish for you to promise [IDM] that you will pay the money back if that other person is unable to pay back the money that he borrowed.
19 喜愛爭競的，是喜愛過犯； 高立家門的，乃自取敗壞。
Those who like to sin [also] like to cause strife/trouble; [and] those who build fancy doors in their houses [to show that they are very wealthy] (OR, speak proudly) are inviting disaster.
20 心存邪僻的，尋不着好處； 舌弄是非的，陷在禍患中。
Those who (have perverse minds/are always thinking about doing evil things) will not prosper, and disasters will happen to those who always tell lies.
21 生愚昧子的，必自愁苦； 愚頑人的父毫無喜樂。
Children who are foolish [soon] cause their parents to be very sad; their parents will not be joyful at all.
22 喜樂的心乃是良藥； 憂傷的靈使骨枯乾。
Being cheerful is [like swallowing] good medicine; being discouraged/gloomy [all the time will] (drain away your energy/cause you to become weak) [MTY].
23 惡人暗中受賄賂， 為要顛倒判斷。
Wicked people/judges accept bribes that are given to them secretly, and as a result they do not decide matters justly/fairly.
24 明哲人眼前有智慧； 愚昧人眼望地極。
Those who have good sense determine to do what is wise, but foolish people are always thinking about many different things [and never decide what they should do].
25 愚昧子使父親愁煩， 使母親憂苦。
Children who are foolish cause their father to be sad and [also] cause their mother to be very sorrowful.
26 刑罰義人為不善； 責打君子為不義。
It is not right to force someone who has done nothing wrong to pay a fine; it is wrong to punish good/respected people.
27 寡少言語的，有知識； 性情溫良的，有聰明。
Those who have good sense do not talk a lot, and those who (control their tempers/keep themselves from becoming very angry) are [truly] wise.
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。
People [may] think that foolish people who do not say anything are wise; if foolish people (do not say anything/keep their mouths shut), others will think that they are [very] intelligent.
