Proverbs 24
1 Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them;
你不要妒忌作惡的人，不要希求與他們共處；
2 for their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
因為他們的心靈，只圖謀不軌；他們的嘴唇，只講論是非。
3 Through wisdom is a house built, and by understanding it is established;
因著智慧，家庭得以興建；因著明智，家庭得以穩定。
4 and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance.
各種珍奇可愛的寶物，因著智識可儲藏滿室。
5 A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
智慧人勝於壯士，明智人強於勇士；
6 For with good advice shalt thou make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
因為作戰須有智謀，勝利在於謀士眾多。
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he will not open his mouth in the gate.
為愚昧的人，智慧太高妙；他在城門口，只好不開口。
8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a master of intrigues.
籌劃作惡的人，可稱為陰險家。
9 The purpose of folly is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to men.
愚人的計謀只是罪惡；狂妄的人為人所憎惡。
10 [If] thou losest courage in the day of trouble, thy strength is small.
你若萎靡不振，到災難的日子，必然氣竭力盡。
11 Deliver them that are taken forth unto death, and withdraw not from them that stagger to slaughter.
被帶去受死的人，你應拯救他；行將被殺戮的人，你要挽救他。
12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not, will not he that weigheth the hearts consider it? And he that preserveth thy soul, he knoweth it; and he rendereth to man according to his work.
或許你要說：「看! 我全不知道! 」難道那權衡人心的能不明瞭﹖難道監察你心靈的能不知道﹖他必按每人的作為還報每人。
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; and a honeycomb is sweet to thy taste:
我兒，你要吃蜜，因為蜜好；蜂房的蜜，香甜可口。
14 so consider wisdom for thy soul; if thou hast found it, there shall be a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
對你的靈魂，智慧也是這樣：你找得了她，必有好前途；你所希望的，決不會落空。
15 Lay not wait, O wicked [man], against the dwelling of the righteous; lay not waste his resting-place.
惡惡人對義人的家，不要圖謀不軌；對他的住所，不要加以破壞；
16 For the righteous falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble into disaster.
因為義人雖七次跌倒，仍然要起來；但是惡人一失足，必陷禍患中。
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
你的仇人跌倒，且不要高興；他若失足摔倒，且不要心喜；
18 lest Jehovah see it, and it be evil in his sight, and he turn away his anger from him.
免得上主看見而不快，因而撤消對他的忿怒。
19 Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, [and] be not envious of the wicked:
對作惡的人，你不要動怒；對乖戾之徒，也不必嫉妒；
20 for there shall be no future to the evil [man]; the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
因為惡人終沒有好前途，惡人的燈必要熄滅。
21 My son, fear Jehovah and the king: meddle not with them that are given to change.
我兒，上主和君王，你都要敬畏；對他們二者，皆不可觸怒；
22 For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?
因為他們的懲罰可突然而至；他們的摧殘，有誰能知曉﹖
23 These things also come from the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
以下是智者的箴言：在判案時，顧及情面，決不公平。
24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous, peoples shall curse him, nations shall abhor him;
誰對惡人說：「你是正義的。」人民必罵他，百姓必恨他。
25 but to them that rebuke [him] shall be delight, and a good blessing cometh upon them.
按公道加罰的，必事事順遂；美好的祝福，必臨於其身。
26 He kisseth the lips who giveth a right answer.
應答適宜的人，宛如與人接吻。
27 Prepare thy work without, and put thy field in order, and afterwards build thy house.
你要先在外經營好事業，在田間將工作準備停當，然後纔可建立你的家室。
28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and wouldest thou deceive with thy lips?
不要輕易作證，反對你的近人；也不要以你的口舌，欺騙他人。
29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me, I will render to the man according to his work.
不可說：「人怎樣待我，我怎樣待人；照人之所行，我向他還報。」
30 I went by the field of a sluggard, and by the vineyard of a man void of understanding;
我走過懶惰人的田地，經過愚昧人的葡萄園：
31 and lo, it was all grown over with thistles, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and its stone wall was broken down.
看，到處是荊棘，滿地是蒺黎，石牆也倒了!
32 Then I looked, I took it to heart; I saw, I received instruction:
我看了，便心下自思；我見了，取得了教訓：「
33 — A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest!
再睡片刻，再假寐片刻，再抱臂躺臥片刻」──
34 So shall thy poverty come [as] a roving plunderer, and thy penury as an armed man.
這樣，貧窮就要如同竊賊，困乏也要如同武士，向你侵襲。
