Proverbs 17
1 Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith, than a house full of feasting with strife.
乾餅一張而平安共食，勝於滿屋佳餚而互相爭吵。
2 A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that dealeth shamefully, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.
聰明的僕人必能管治任性的兒子，且可與弟兄們共分產業。
3 The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but the LORD trieth the hearts.
鍋煉銀，爐煉金，上主煉人心。
4 A evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; and a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.
奸詐的人，愛聽胡言亂語；說謊的人，輕信是非長短。
5 Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker; and he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
嘲笑窮人的是凌辱他的造主；幸災樂禍的，必不能脫免懲罰。
6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.
孫兒是老人的冠冕，父親是兒女的光榮。
7 Overbearing speech becometh not a churl; much less do lying lips a prince.
優雅的言詞，不適宜於愚人；虛偽的狂語，更不宜於君王。
8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; whithersoever he turneth, he prospereth.
賄賂在饋贈者眼中，有如寶石；不論他要轉向何方，無往不利。
9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that harpeth on a matter estrangeth a familiar friend.
掩飾他人的過錯，可獲得友愛；屢念舊日的過惡，則離間友誼。
10 A rebuke entereth deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred stripes into a fool.
對明智人一句指責，勝過對愚昧人百次杖擊。
11 A rebellious man seeketh only evil; therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
暴徒只求叛亂，但有殘酷使者，奉命前來對付。
12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
寧願遇見失掉幼子的母熊，不願逢著正在發狂的愚人。
13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
誰以怨報德，災禍必不離開他的家。
14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off contention, before the quarrel break out.
爭論的開端，如水之破堤；在激辯之前，應極加制止。
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the righteous, even they both are an abomination to the LORD.
宣判罪人無罪，判定義人有罪：二者同為上主所憎惡。
16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, seeing he hath no understanding?
愚昧的人，既沒有頭腦，手執金錢買智慧，又何益之有﹖
17 A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
朋友平時常相愛，唯在難中見兄弟。
18 A man void of understanding is he that striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his neighbour.
常為人擊掌作保，實是個無知之徒。
19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife; he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.
好爭辯的人，實喜愛罪過；高舉門戶的，必自趨滅亡。
20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good; and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into evil.
誰存心欺詐，不會得幸福；誰搬弄是非，必陷於災禍。
21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; and the father of a churl hath no joy.
生糊塗孩子的，只有悲哀；糊塗人的父親，毫無樂趣。
22 A merry heart is a good medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
愉快的心，是良好的治療；神志憂鬱，能使筋骨枯萎。
23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom, to pervert the ways of justice.
惡人在大衣下受賄賂，是為顛倒正義的判詞。
24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
精明的人，常面向智慧；愚者的眼，向地極呆望，
25 A foolish son is vexation to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.
愚昧的兒子，是他父親的痛苦，是他生母的憂傷。
26 To punish also the righteous is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.
科罰無辜，已屬不當；杖責君子，更屬不義。
27 He that spareth his words hath knowledge; and he that husbandeth his spirit is a man of discernment.
智者必沉默寡言，達人必心神鎮定。
28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed as a man of understanding.
愚人不發言，亦可充作智者；若謹口慎言，亦可視為哲人。
