Proverbs 23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you:
幾時你與首長坐席，應記著，在你面前的是誰。
2 And put a knife to your throat, if you be a man given to appetite.
你若過於貪食，應在咽喉上，放上一把刀。
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful food.
休要羨慕他的珍饈，因那是騙人的食品。
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from your own wisdom.
不要辛苦企求致富，反應放棄這種企圖。
5 Will you set your eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
你向之一注目，即不再存在了：它會生出翅膀，如鷹向天飛去。
6 Eat you not the bread of him that has an evil eye, neither desire you his dainty meats:
不要與虎視眈眈的人進食，也不要羨慕他的山珍海味，
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, says he to you; but his heart is not with you.
因為他原是只顧自己的人，他口頭雖對你說「請吃請喝! 」但他的心中並不與你友善；
8 The morsel which you have eaten shall you vomit up, and lose your sweet words.
你吃下的那口食物，還得吐出；你婉轉悅耳的言辭，盡屬枉費。
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
不要與愚人交耳接談，因他必輕視你的高見。
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
不要移動孀婦的地界，不要侵佔孤兒的田地；
11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with you.
因為他們的辯護者是大能的，他必為他們的案件與你爭辯。
12 Apply your heart unto instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
你應專心接受教訓，傾耳細聽益智之言。
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if you beat him with the rod, he shall not die.
對孩童不可忽略懲戒；用棍打他，他不致死去。
你用棍杖打他，是救他的靈魂免下陰府。 (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
我兒，你若心懷智慧，我也誠心喜樂；
16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when your lips speak right things.
你的唇舌若談吐正義的事，我的五衷也必會踴躍歡欣。
17 Let not your heart envy sinners: but be you in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
心裏不要羨慕罪人，卻要日日敬畏上主；
18 For surely there is an end; and your expectation shall not be cut off.
這樣你的將來必然順利，你的希望絕不落空。
19 Hear you, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart in the way.
我兒，你要聽話，作個明智人；且要引領你的心走上正道。
20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
貪嗜酒肉的人，不可與之來往；
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
因為嗜酒貪食的人，必陷於窮困；貪懶好睡的人，必衣著襤褸。
22 Hearken unto your father that brings forth you, and despise not your mother when she is old.
對生養你的父親，應當聽從；對你年邁的母親，不可輕視。
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
應獲取真理，不可出賣，還有智慧、訓誨和見識。
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that bring forths a wise child shall have joy of him.
義人的父親，必欣然喜樂；生育慧子的，必為此歡騰。
25 Your father and your mother shall be glad, and she that bare you shall rejoice.
應使你的父親因你而喜悅，應使你的生母因你而快樂。
26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
我兒，將你的心交給我，注目於我的道路：
27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
妓女是一個深坑，淫婦是一個陷阱；
28 She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men.
她潛伏著，實如強盜，使人世間，增添奸夫。
29 Who has woe? who has sorrow? who has contentions? who has babbling? who has wounds without cause? who has redness of eyes?
是誰將哀鳴，是誰將悲嘆﹖是誰將爭吵，是誰將抱怨﹖是誰將無故受傷，是誰將雙目赤紅﹖
30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
是那流連於醉鄉，去搜求醇酒的人。
31 Look not you upon the wine when it is red, when it gives his colour in the cup, when it moves itself aright.
你不要注視酒色怎樣紅，在杯中怎樣閃耀，飲下去怎樣痛快!
32 At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder.
終究它要咬人如蛇，刺人如虺。
33 your eyes shall behold strange women, and your heart shall utter perverse things.
那時，你的眼要見到奇景，你的心要吐出狂語。
34 Yea, you shall be as he that lies down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lies upon the top of a mast.
你宛如躺在海中心，睡在桅杆頂。「
35 They have stricken me, shall you say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
人打我，我不痛，人捶我，我不覺；我何時甦醒，好再去尋醉! 」
