Proverbs 26
1 In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
有如夏日下雪，秋收降雨，不合時令；同樣愚昧的人獲得光榮，亦不適宜。
2 Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away.
有如麻雀逃走，燕子飛去：無端的咒罵，也一去無蹤。
3 A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.
馬需要皮鞭，驢需要轡頭，愚昧人的脊背需要棍棒。
4 Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
回答愚昧人，別照樣愚昧，免得你也像他一樣；
5 Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
回答愚昧人，有時應愚昧，免得他自以為聰明。
6 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
派遣愚昧人，去作傳話者，是自斷己足，是自尋苦惱。
7 In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.
猶如跛子的腳虛懸無力，箴言在愚人口中也是如此。
8 Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
將光榮體面授給愚昧人，無異將寶石投在石堆裏。
9 In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish.
箴言在愚人口中，猶如荊棘在醉漢手中。
10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
雇用愚人或過路人的人，無異射傷眾人的弓箭手。
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
愚人一再重複他的愚行，猶如狗再來吃牠嘔吐之物。
12 Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.
你是否見過自作聰明的人﹖寄望於愚人必寄望於他更好。
13 The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”
懶惰人常說：「路上有猛獅，街市有壯獅。」
14 Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
懶人在床榻上輾轉，猶如門扇在樞紐上旋轉。
15 The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.
懶人伸手在盤中取食，送到口邊也感到辛苦。
16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
懶惰人自認為聰明人，遠勝過七個善於應對的人。
17 Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another.
干涉與己無關的爭端，有如抓過路狗的尾巴。
18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
誰騙了人而後說：「我只開玩笑! 」
19 so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”
猶如狂人投擲火把、利箭和死亡。
20 When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
沒有木柴，火即熄滅；沒有讒言，爭端即息。
21 Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
誰惹事生非，挑撥爭端，是在火炭上加炭，火上加柴。
22 The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
進讒者的話，如可口美味，能深深透入肺腑的深處。
23 In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.
口蜜腹劍的人，有如塗上銀的陶器。
24 An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
懷恨他人的，善措詞掩飾；但在他心底，卻藏有陰險。
25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
誰聲調過柔，你不要相信；因在他心中，藏有七種惡。
26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
仇恨雖可以詭計來掩飾，但在集會中險惡必敗露。
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
挖掘陷阱的必自陷其中，滾轉石頭的必為石所壓。
28 A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.
撒謊的唇舌，必痛恨真理；諂媚的嘴臉必製造喪亡。
