Proverbs 21
1 As a rush of water, so is the king's heart in God's hand: he turns it wherever he may desire to point out.
君王的心在上主手裏，有如水流，可隨意轉移。
2 Every man seems to himself righteous; but the Lord directs the hearts.
人對自己的行為，都自覺正直；但審察人心的，卻是上主。
3 To do justly and to speak truth, are more pleasing to God than the blood of sacrifices.
秉公行義，比獻祭獻更悅上主。
4 A high-minded man is stout-hearted in [his] pride; and the lamp of the wicked is sin.
傲慢的眼睛，驕傲的心靈，惡人的炫耀，無非是罪惡。
熟思的人，必足以致富；草率的人，必貧困纏身。
6 He that gathers treasures with a lying tongue pursues vanity [on] to the snares of death.
以謊言偽語騙得的財寶，是浮雲輕煙，死亡的羅網。
7 Destruction shall lodge with the ungodly; for they refuse to do justly.
惡人的暴戾，必殃及自身，因他們不肯去履行正義。
8 To the froward God sends froward ways; for his works are pure and right.
惡人的道路，歪曲邪僻；正人的行為，正直適中。
9 [It is] better to dwell in a corner on the house-top, than in plastered [rooms] with unrighteousness, and in an open house.
寧願住在屋頂的一角，不願與吵婦同居一室。
10 The soul of the ungodly shall not be pitied by any man.
惡人的心靈，只求邪惡；對自己友伴，毫不關懷。
11 When an intemperate man is punished the simple becomes wiser: and a wise man understanding will receive knowledge.
輕狂人遭受處罰，幼稚者將得明智；智慧人接受教訓，更增加自己知識。
12 A righteous man understands the hearts of the ungodly: and despises the ungodly for their wickedness.
正義的上主監視惡人的家，且使惡人們都陷於災禍中。
13 He that stops his ears from hearing the poor, himself also shall cry, and there shall be none to hear [him].
誰對窮人的哀求，充耳不聞，他呼求時，也不會得到應允。
14 A secret gift calms anger: but he that forbears to give stirs up strong wrath.
暗中相送的饋贈，可平息忿怒；投入懷中的禮物，可平息狂怒。
15 [It is] the joy of the righteous to do judgement: but a holy [man] is abominable with evil-doers.
秉公行義，能叫義人喜樂；但為作惡的人，卻是恐懼。
16 A man that wanders out of the way of righteousness, shall rest in the congregation of giants.
凡遠離明智道路的人，必居於幽靈的集會中。
17 A poor man loves mirth, loving wine and oil in abundance;
貪愛享樂的人，必遭受窮困；喜愛酒油的人，必不會致富。
18 and a transgressor is the abomination of a righteous man.
惡人必將為義人作贖金，敗類也將替君子作代價。
19 [It is] better to dwell in a wilderness than with a quarrelsome and talkative and passionate woman.
與好爭易怒的女人同居，倒不如獨自住在曠野裏。
20 A desirable treasure will rest on the mouth of the wise; but foolish men will swallow it up.
珍貴的寶藏和油，積藏在智者家裏；但糊塗愚昧的人，卻將之消耗淨盡。
21 The way of righteousness and mercy will find life and glory.
追求正義和仁慈的人，必將獲得生命與尊榮。
22 A wise man assaults strong cities, and demolishes the fortress in which the ungodly trusted.
智者必登上勇士的城邑，攻破城邑所憑倚的保壘。
23 He that keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from trouble.
誰謹守自己的口舌，心靈必能免受煩惱。
24 A bold and self-willed and insolent [man] is called a pest: and he that remembers injuries is a transgressor.
高傲的人名叫「狂人」，他行事必極端蠻橫。
25 Desires kill the sluggard; for his hands do not choose to do anything.
怠惰人的手不肯操作，必為他的願望所扼殺。
26 An ungodly man entertains evil desires all the day: but the righteous is unsparingly merciful and compassionate.
貪婪的人，終日貪婪；正義的人，廣施不吝。
27 The sacrifices of the ungodly are abomination to the Lord, for they offer them wickedly.
惡人的祭獻，已是可憎；若懷惡而獻，更將如何﹖
28 A false witness shall perish; but an obedient man will speak cautiously.
作假見證的人，必要滅亡；但善於聽的人，纔可常言。
29 An ungodly man impudently withstands with his face; but the upright man himself understands his ways.
邪惡的人，常裝腔作勢；正直的人，卻舉止檢點。
30 There is no wisdom, there is no courage, there is no counsel against the ungodly.
任何智慧、才略或計謀，都不能與上主相對抗。
31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle; but help is of the Lord.
招兵買馬，是為作作戰之日；但是勝利，卻由上主指使。
