Proverbs 24
1 Do not be envious of evil men, And do not 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 meditates [on] destruction, And their lips speak perverseness.
因為他們的心靈，只圖謀不軌；他們的嘴唇，只講論是非。
3 A house is built by wisdom, And it establishes itself by understanding.
因著智慧，家庭得以興建；因著明智，家庭得以穩定。
4 And the inner parts are filled by knowledge, [With] all precious and pleasant wealth.
各種珍奇可愛的寶物，因著智識可儲藏滿室。
5 The wise [is] mighty in strength, And a man of knowledge is strengthening power,
智慧人勝於壯士，明智人強於勇士；
6 For you make war for yourself by plans, And deliverance [is] in a multitude of counselors.
因為作戰須有智謀，勝利在於謀士眾多。
7 Wisdom [is] high for a fool, he does 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 Whoever is devising to do evil, They call him a master of wicked thoughts.
籌劃作惡的人，可稱為陰險家。
9 The thought of folly [is] sin, And a scorner [is] an abomination to man.
愚人的計謀只是罪惡；狂妄的人為人所憎惡。
10 You have showed yourself weak in a day of adversity, Your power is restricted,
你若萎靡不振，到災難的日子，必然氣竭力盡。
11 If [from] delivering those taken to death, And you take back those slipping to the 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 When you say, “Behold, we did not know this.” Is the Ponderer of hearts not He who understands? And the Keeper of your soul He who knows? And He has rendered 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 My son, eat honey that [is] good, And the honeycomb [is] sweet to your palate.
我兒，你要吃蜜，因為蜜好；蜂房的蜜，香甜可口。
14 So [is] the knowledge of wisdom to your soul, If you have found that there is a posterity And your hope is not 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 Do not lay wait, O wicked one, At the habitation of the righteous. Do not spoil 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 fall and rise seven [times], And the wicked stumble in evil.
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 Do not rejoice in the falling of your enemy, And do not let your heart be joyful in his stumbling,
你的仇人跌倒，且不要高興；他若失足摔倒，且不要心喜；
18 Lest YHWH see, and [it be] evil in His eyes, And He has turned His anger from off him.
免得上主看見而不快，因而撤消對他的忿怒。
19 Do not fret yourself at evildoers, do not be envious at 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 is not a posterity to the evil, The lamp of the wicked is extinguished.
因為惡人終沒有好前途，惡人的燈必要熄滅。
21 Fear YHWH, my son, and the king, Do not mix yourself up with changers,
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 rises suddenly, And the ruin of them both—who knows!
因為他們的懲罰可突然而至；他們的摧殘，有誰能知曉﹖
23 These are also for the wise: [It] is not good to discern faces in judgment.
以下是智者的箴言：在判案時，顧及情面，決不公平。
24 Whoever is saying to the wicked, “You [are] righteous,” Peoples execrate him—nations abhor him.
誰對惡人說：「你是正義的。」人民必罵他，百姓必恨他。
25 And it is pleasant to those reproving, And a good blessing comes on them.
按公道加罰的，必事事順遂；美好的祝福，必臨於其身。
26 He who is returning straightforward words kisses lips.
應答適宜的人，宛如與人接吻。
27 Prepare your work in an out-place, And make it ready in the field—go afterward, Then you have built your 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 Do not be a witness against your neighbor for nothing, Or you have enticed with your 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 Do not say, “As he did to me, so I do to him, I render to each 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 passed by near the field of a slothful man, And near the vineyard of a man lacking heart.
我走過懶惰人的田地，經過愚昧人的葡萄園：
31 And behold, it has gone up—all of it—thorns! Nettles have covered its face, And its stone wall has been broken down.
看，到處是荊棘，滿地是蒺黎，石牆也倒了!
32 And I see—I set my heart, I have seen—I have 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 lie down.
再睡片刻，再假寐片刻，再抱臂躺臥片刻」──
34 And your poverty has come [as] a traveler, And your want 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。
