< Proverbs 16 >
1 The plans of the heart belong to man; But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.
內心策劃在於人,應允卻在於上主。
2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; But Jehovah weigheth the spirits.
對自己的行為,人都自覺無瑕;但審察心靈的,卻是上主。
3 Commit thy works unto Jehovah, And thy purposes shall be established.
將你的作為委託於上主,這樣你的計劃必會成功。
4 Jehovah hath made everything for its own end; Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
上主所造的各有其用意,連惡人也有不幸的一日。
5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to Jehovah: [Though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
居心傲慢的,上主必厭惡;這一類的人,逃不掉懲罰。
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for; And by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil.
藉慈善忠誠,可補贖罪過;藉敬畏上主,可避免罪惡。
7 When a man’s ways please Jehovah, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
世人的行徑,若中悅上主,他必使仇敵,再與他和好。
8 Better is a little, with righteousness, Than great revenues with injustice.
收入少而守正義,勝於進款多而行不義。
9 A man’s heart deviseth his way; But Jehovah directeth his steps.
人心裏都策劃自己的行徑;但他的步伐卻由上主支配。
10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.
神明的斷語,出自君王口;他口下判斷,必不致差錯。
11 A just balance and scales are Jehovah’s; All the weights of the bag are his work.
天秤和稱盤,屬上主所有;囊中的法碼,全由他制定。
12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness; For the throne is established by righteousness.
君王最厭惡的是作惡,因為王位賴正義而立。
13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings; And they love him that speaketh right.
正義的唇舌,為君王所喜悅;說話正直者,為君王所愛戴。
14 The wrath of a king is [as] messengers of death; But a wise man will pacify it.
君王的震怒,是死訊的使者;但是智慧人,能平息王怒。
15 In the light of the king’s countenance is life; And his favor is as a cloud of the latter rain.
君王容光煥發,人即可活命;君王的恩澤,有如春雲時雨。
16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver.
獲得智慧,勝於獲得黃金;獲得智慧,勝於獲得白銀。
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.
正直人的行徑遠離邪惡,謹守行為的人必確保生命。
18 Pride [goeth] before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
驕橫是滅亡的先聲,傲慢是隕落的前導。
19 Better it is to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
謙下與貧民共處,勝於與驕傲人分贓。
20 He that giveth heed unto the word shall find good; And whoso trusteth in Jehovah, happy is he.
細聽勸言的,必將受益;信賴上主的,真是有福。
21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent; And the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
有慧心的人,被稱為哲人;溫和的口吻,更具說服力。
22 Understanding is a well-spring of life unto him that hath it; But the correction of fools is [their] folly.
為有智識的人,智識是生命的泉源;然而糊塗愚昧,卻是愚昧人的懲罰。
23 The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips.
智慧人的心,使自己的嘴靈巧,使自己的唇舌,更具說服力。
24 Pleasant words are [as] a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
親切的言語,有如蜂蜜,使心靈愉快,使筋骨舒暢。
25 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.
有些道路,看來正直;走到盡頭,卻是死路。
26 The appetite of the laboring man laboreth for him; For his mouth urgeth him [thereto].
工人的胃口,催他勞作;工人的口腹,迫他工作。
27 A worthless man deviseth mischief; And in his lips there is as a scorching fire.
無賴之徒,圖謀邪惡;他的嘴上,似有火燒。
28 A perverse man scattereth abroad strife; And a whisperer separateth chief friends.
乖戾的人,撒播爭端;告密的人,離間友情。
29 A man of violence enticeth his neighbor, And leadeth him in a way that is not good.
強橫的人,誘惑朋友;引他走入不正之徒。
30 He that shutteth his eyes, [it is] to devise perverse things: He that compresseth his lips bringeth evil to pass.
誰緊閉眼睛,是在策劃陰謀;誰緊咬口唇,邪惡業已完成。
31 The hoary head is a crown of glory; It shall be found in the way of righteousness.
皓首白髮,是尊榮的冠冕;只在正義的道上,方可獲得。
32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city.
有涵養的人,勝於勇士;克服自己的人,勝於克城的人。
33 The lot is cast into the lap; But the whole disposing thereof is of Jehovah.
人儘可在懷中抽籤,但決斷卻在乎上主。