< Proverbs 25 >
1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed:
以下也是所羅門的箴言,是猶大王希西家的人所謄錄的。
2 The glory of God [is] to hide a thing, And the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.
將事隱祕乃上帝的榮耀; 將事察清乃君王的榮耀。
3 The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings—[are] unsearchable.
天之高,地之厚, 君王之心也測不透。
4 Take away dross from silver, And a vessel goes forth for the refiner,
除去銀子的渣滓就有銀子出來, 銀匠能以做器皿。
5 Take away the wicked before a king, And his throne is established in righteousness.
除去王面前的惡人, 國位就靠公義堅立。
6 Do not honor yourself before a king, And do not stand in the place of the great.
不要在王面前妄自尊大; 不要在大人的位上站立。
7 For better [that] he has said to you, “Come up here,” Than [that] he humbles you before a noble, Whom your eyes have seen.
寧可有人說:請你上來, 強如在你覲見的王子面前叫你退下。
8 Do not go forth to strive, hurry, turn, What do you do in its latter end, When your neighbor causes you to blush?
不要冒失出去與人爭競, 免得至終被他羞辱, 你就不知道怎樣行了。
9 Plead your cause with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret counsel of another,
你與鄰舍爭訟, 要與他一人辯論, 不可洩漏人的密事,
10 Lest the hearer put you to shame, And your evil report not turn back.
恐怕聽見的人罵你, 你的臭名就難以脫離。
11 Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
一句話說得合宜, 就如金蘋果在銀網子裏。
12 A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
智慧人的勸戒,在順從的人耳中, 好像金耳環和精金的妝飾。
13 As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And he refreshes the soul of his masters.
忠信的使者叫差他的人心裏舒暢, 就如在收割時有冰雪的涼氣。
14 Clouds and wind without rain, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
空誇贈送禮物的, 好像無雨的風雲。
15 A ruler is persuaded by long-suffering, And a soft tongue breaks a bone.
恆常忍耐可以勸動君王; 柔和的舌頭能折斷骨頭。
16 You have found honey—eat your sufficiency, Lest you are satiated [with] it, and have vomited it.
你得了蜜嗎?只可吃夠而已, 恐怕你過飽就嘔吐出來。
17 Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house, Lest he is satiated [with] you, and has hated you.
你的腳要少進鄰舍的家, 恐怕他厭煩你,恨惡你。
18 A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying a false testimony against his neighbor.
作假見證陷害鄰舍的, 就是大槌,是利刀,是快箭。
19 A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
患難時倚靠不忠誠的人, 好像破壞的牙,錯骨縫的腳。
20 Whoever is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on natron, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
對傷心的人唱歌, 就如冷天脫衣服, 又如鹼上倒醋。
21 If he who is hating you hungers, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirsts, cause him to drink water.
你的仇敵若餓了,就給他飯吃; 若渴了,就給他水喝;
22 For you are putting coals on his head, And YHWH gives repayment to you.
因為,你這樣行就是把炭火堆在他的頭上; 耶和華也必賞賜你。
23 A north wind brings forth rain, And a secret tongue—indignant faces.
北風生雨, 讒謗人的舌頭也生怒容。
24 Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
寧可住在房頂的角上, 不在寬闊的房屋與爭吵的婦人同住。
25 [As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
有好消息從遠方來, 就如拿涼水給口渴的人喝。
26 A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
義人在惡人面前退縮, 好像詵渾之泉,弄濁之井。
27 The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one’s own honor—honor.
吃蜜過多是不好的; 考究自己的榮耀也是可厭的。
28 A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
人不制伏自己的心, 好像毀壞的城邑沒有牆垣。