< Proverbs 30 >
1 The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, even his prophecy; the inspired utterance of the man to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal.
瑪薩人雅刻之子阿古爾的格言,即他給依提耳、給依提耳和烏加耳的斷語:
2 Truly I am more stupid than any man; There is not in me the understanding of a man.
我比誰都愚蠢,沒有人的才智。
3 I have not learned wisdom, Nor have I gained the knowledge of the Most Holy.
我從來沒有學得智慧,致能通曉聖者的知識。
4 Who hath gone up into heaven and come down? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound up the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what his son's name, if thou knowest?
誰曾上升過天而又降下﹖誰能將風收集在手中﹖誰能將水聚集在大衣內﹖誰為這大地立定了邊界﹖他叫什麼名字﹖其子姓甚名誰﹖你知道嗎﹖
5 Every word of God is pure; A shield is he to them that put their trust in him.
天主的每一句話,都是經火精煉的;凡托庇於他的人,他必要作其護盾。
6 Add not to his words, Lest he rebuke thee, and thou be found a liar.
對他所說的話,不可加添什麼;免得他指責你,證明你在說謊。
7 Two things do I ask of thee; Withhold them not from me, before I die!
我求你兩件事,在我未死以前,請不要拒絕我:
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food which is needful for me;
令虛偽和欺詐遠離我,貧乏或富裕勿賜與我,只供予我必需的食糧,
9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, And say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor, and steal, And violate the name of my God.
免得我吃飽了,背叛你說:「誰是上主﹖」或是過於貧乏,因而行竊,加辱我天主的名。
10 Talk not against a servant to his master, Lest he curse thee, and thou suffer for it.
別在主人前,誹謗他的奴僕,怕他咒罵你,你就不免受罰。
11 There is a class of men that curse their fathers, And do not bless their mothers.
有一種人,咒罵父親;自己母親,也不祝福。
12 There is a class who are pure in their own eyes, And yet are not washed from their filthiness.
有一種人,自視清高;自身污穢,卻不洗滌。
13 There is a class, —O how lofty are their eyes, And how are their eyelids lifted up!
有一種人,眼睛傲慢,目空一切。
14 There is a class, whose teeth are swords, And their jaw-teeth knives, To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.
有一種人,牙如利劍,齒如快刀,地上弱小,人間貧民,吞食一空。
15 The vampire hath two daughters; “Give! give!” [[is their cry.]] There are three things which are never satisfied; Yea, four which say not, “Enough!”
水蛭有兩個女兒,常說「給我! 給我! 」不知足的東西,共有三樣,總不說「夠了」的,共有四樣:
16 The underworld, and the barren womb; The earth, which is not satiated with water, And fire, which never saith, “It is enough!” (Sheol )
即陰府、荒胎、總飲不足水的地,和總不說「夠了」的火。 (Sheol )
17 The eye that mocketh at a father, And scorneth to obey a mother, The ravens of the valley shall pick it out, And the young eagles shall eat it.
誰嘲笑父親,或輕視年老的母親,願他的眼睛,被谷中的烏鴉啄去,為小鷹所食。
18 These three things are too wonderful for me; Yea, there are four which I understand not:
令我稱奇的事,共有三樣,連我不明瞭的,共有四樣:
19 The track of an eagle in the air, The track of a serpent upon a rock, The track of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the track of a man with a maid.
即鷹在天空飛翔的道,蛇在岩石爬行的道,船在海中航行的道,以及男女交合之道。
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; She eateth, and wipeth her mouth, And saith, “I have done nothing wrong.”
淫婦的作風是這樣:她吃了後,抹抹口說:「我並沒有為非作歹。」
21 Under three things is the earth disquieted; Yea, under four it cannot bear up:
使地戰慄的事,共有三樣,連不可容忍的,共有四樣:
22 Under a servant when he becometh a king, And a fool when he is filled with bread;
即奴隸為王,愚人飽食,
23 Under an odious woman when she becometh a wife, And a handmaid when she becometh heir to her mistress.
醜女出嫁,婢女當家。
24 There are four things which are small upon the earth, Yet are they wise, instructed in wisdom.
地上的小動物中,有四種極其聰明:
25 The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare in the summer their food.
螞蟻是無力的一群,卻在夏日儲備食糧;
26 The conies are a feeble people, Yet do they make their houses in the rocks.
岩貍是無能的一群,卻在岩石中築巢穴;
27 The locusts have no king, Yet do they all go forth in bands.
蝗虫雖然沒有君王,卻知一齊列隊出發;
28 The lizard seizeth with its hands, And is in king's palaces.
壁虎能用手來捕捉,卻經常出入於皇宮。
29 These three have a graceful step; Yea, four are graceful in their walk:
舉止昂然之物,共有三樣,連威儀赫赫的,共有四樣:
30 The lion, the hero among beasts, Which turneth not back for any;
即獸中稱雄的獅子,面臨一切從不退縮;
31 The loin-girded war-horse, the he-goat, And a king who cannot be withstood.
獨步雞群中的雄雞,開頭領隊的公山羊,和檢閱人民的君王。
32 If thou hast been foolish in lifting thyself up, And hast meditated evil, Put thy hand on thy mouth!
你一時糊塗,高舉了自己,當你反省時,應以手掩口;
33 For, as the pressing of milk bringeth forth cheese, And as the pressing of the nose bringeth forth blood, So the pressing of anger bringeth forth strife.
因為攪動乳汁,可出奶油;用力扭鼻,可流鮮血;激起憤怒,必生爭端。