< Proverbs 20 >
1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
清酒令人輕狂,醇酒使人發瘋;凡沉溺於酒的,必不是明智人。
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provokes him to anger sins against his own soul.
君王震怒,有如獅子的咆哮;觸怒他的,危害自己的性命。
3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
平息爭端,是人的光榮;凡是愚人,都喜愛爭論。
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
懶惰人一寒冷,便不耕作;收獲之時,他必一無所獲。
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
人心的謀略,有如深水,唯有聰明人,纔能汲取。
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
自命為仁者,比比皆是;但有誰找到忠貞的人﹖
7 The just man walks in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.
正義的人,必然為人正直;他的後代子孫,必然有福。
8 A king that sits in the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes.
君王高坐在判座上,所有邪惡一目了然。
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
有誰能說:「我保持了心靈的潔淨,我是純潔無罪的﹖」
10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
不同的衡量,不同的升斗:二者皆為上主同樣厭惡。
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.
孩童的行為,潔淨正執直與否,由他的舉動便可認出。
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD has made even both of them.
能聽的耳朵,能看的眼睛:二者皆為上主所造。
13 Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread.
不要貪睡眠,免得你受窮;兩眼睜開,纔能得飽食。
14 It is nil, it is nil, says the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasts.
顧客常說:「不好,不好! 」但一離去,讚不絕口。
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
雖有大批黃金寶石,但最寶貴的,還是明智的唇舌。
16 Take his garment that is guarantor for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
誰為外方人作保,拿去他的衣服;誰為異邦人作保,以他本人作質。
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
騙來的食物頗覺香甜,事後口中卻滿是砂礫。
18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
運籌帷幄,必先要商討;進行戰事,必該憑智謀。
19 He that goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flatters with his lips.
遊蕩閒談的,必洩露秘密;張口饒舌的,別與他交結。
20 Whoso curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
凡是辱罵自己父母的人,他的燈必在幽暗中熄滅。
21 An inheritance may be got hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
起初容易得來的財物,最後也不會得到祝福。
22 Say not you, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save you.
你切不可說:「我以惡報惡;」應信賴上主,他必拯救你。
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
不同的衡量,為上主所惡;不同的天秤,實屬不道德。
24 Man's activities are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
世人的腳步,由上主支配;人那能了解自己的道路﹖
25 It is a snare to the man who devours that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
人若冒然說「聖,」許願後纔反省,這是自投羅網。
26 A wise king scatters the wicked, and brings the wheel over them.
智慧的君王簸揚惡人,且用車輪來壓軋他們。
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
人的靈魂是天主的燈,探照肺腑的一切隱密。
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne supported by mercy.
仁愛和忠誠,是君王的保障;他的寶座,是賴慈愛而支撐。
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
少年人的光榮,在於他們的魄力;老年人的榮耀,在於他們的白髮。
30 The blueness of a wound cleanses away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
見傷的鞭打能清除邪惡,杖擊能觸及肺腑的深處。