Proverbs 20
1 Wine [is] a scorner—strong drink [is] noisy, And any going astray in it 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] a growl as of a young lion, He who is causing him to be angry is wronging his soul.
君王震怒，有如獅子的咆哮；觸怒他的，危害自己的性命。
3 Cessation from strife is an honor to a man, And every fool interferes.
平息爭端，是人的光榮；凡是愚人，都喜愛爭論。
4 The slothful does not plow because of winter, He asks in harvest, and there is 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 a man [is] deep water, And a man of understanding draws it up.
人心的謀略，有如深水，唯有聰明人，纔能汲取。
6 A multitude of men each proclaim his kindness, And a man of steadfastness who finds?
自命為仁者，比比皆是；但有誰找到忠貞的人﹖
7 The righteous is habitually walking in his integrity, O the blessedness of his sons 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 sitting on a throne of judgment, Is scattering all evil with his eyes,
君王高坐在判座上，所有邪惡一目了然。
9 Who says, “I have purified my heart, I have been cleansed from my sin?”
有誰能說：「我保持了心靈的潔淨，我是純潔無罪的﹖」
10 A stone and a stone, an ephah and an ephah, Even both of them [are] an abomination to YHWH.
不同的衡量，不同的升斗：二者皆為上主同樣厭惡。
11 Even by his actions a youth makes himself known, Whether his work is pure or upright.
孩童的行為，潔淨正執直與否，由他的舉動便可認出。
12 A hearing ear, and a seeing eye—YHWH has even made both of them.
能聽的耳朵，能看的眼睛：二者皆為上主所造。
13 Do not love sleep, lest you become poor, Open your eyes—be satisfied [with] bread.
不要貪睡眠，免得你受窮；兩眼睜開，纔能得飽食。
14 “Bad, bad,” says the buyer, And then he boasts himself going his way.
顧客常說：「不好，不好! 」但一離去，讚不絕口。
15 Substance, gold, and a multitude of rubies, Indeed, a precious vessel, [are] lips of knowledge.
雖有大批黃金寶石，但最寶貴的，還是明智的唇舌。
16 When a stranger has been guarantor, take his garment, And pledge it for strangers.
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 The bread of falsehood [is] sweet to a man, And afterward his mouth is filled [with] gravel.
騙來的食物頗覺香甜，事後口中卻滿是砂礫。
18 You establish purposes by counsel, And with plans you make war.
運籌帷幄，必先要商討；進行戰事，必該憑智謀。
19 The busybody is a revealer of secret counsels, And do not make yourself guarantor for a deceiver [with] his lips.
遊蕩閒談的，必洩露秘密；張口饒舌的，別與他交結。
20 Whoever is vilifying his father and his mother, his lamp is extinguished in blackness of darkness.
凡是辱罵自己父母的人，他的燈必在幽暗中熄滅。
21 An inheritance gotten wrongly at first, Even its latter end is not blessed.
起初容易得來的財物，最後也不會得到祝福。
22 Do not say, “I repay evil,” Wait for YHWH, and He delivers you.
你切不可說：「我以惡報惡；」應信賴上主，他必拯救你。
23 A stone and a stone [are] an abomination to YHWH, And balances of deceit [are] not good.
不同的衡量，為上主所惡；不同的天秤，實屬不道德。
24 The steps of a man [are] from YHWH, And man—how does he understand his way?
世人的腳步，由上主支配；人那能了解自己的道路﹖
25 A snare to a man [that] he has swallowed a holy thing, And to make inquiry after vows.
人若冒然說「聖，」許願後纔反省，這是自投羅網。
26 A wise king is scattering the wicked, And turns the wheel back on them.
智慧的君王簸揚惡人，且用車輪來壓軋他們。
27 The breath of man [is] a lamp of YHWH, Searching all the inner parts of the heart.
人的靈魂是天主的燈，探照肺腑的一切隱密。
28 Kindness and truth keep a king, And he has supported his throne by kindness.
仁愛和忠誠，是君王的保障；他的寶座，是賴慈愛而支撐。
29 The beauty of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is grey hairs.
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 Blows that wound cleanse away evil, Also the scourges of the inner parts of the heart!
見傷的鞭打能清除邪惡，杖擊能觸及肺腑的深處。
