Proverbs 17
1 Better a dry morsel, and peace therewith, than a house full of contentious sacrifices.
乾餅一張而平安共食，勝於滿屋佳餚而互相爭吵。
2 A prudent servant, shall rule over a son who causeth shame, and, in the midst of brothers, shall he share the inheritance.
聰明的僕人必能管治任性的兒子，且可與弟兄們共分產業。
3 Fining-pot for silver, crucible for gold, but, he that trieth hearts, is Yahweh.
鍋煉銀，爐煉金，上主煉人心。
4 Discord, giveth heed to the aggrieving lip, —Falsehood, giveth ear to the destroying tongue.
奸詐的人，愛聽胡言亂語；說謊的人，輕信是非長短。
5 He that mocketh the poor, hath reproached his Maker, He that maketh merry at distress, shall not be held innocent.
嘲笑窮人的是凌辱他的造主；幸災樂禍的，必不能脫免懲罰。
6 The crown of old men, consists of children’s children, and the adornment of children, is their fathers.
孫兒是老人的冠冕，父親是兒女的光榮。
7 Unseemly in an unworthy man, is the lip of excellence, much more, in one of noble mind, the lip of falsehood.
優雅的言詞，不適宜於愚人；虛偽的狂語，更不宜於君王。
8 A gift, in the eyes of its owner, is, a stone of beauty, whithersoever it turneth, it bringeth prosperity.
賄賂在饋贈者眼中，有如寶石；不論他要轉向何方，無往不利。
9 He that hideth a transgression, seeketh love, but, he that repeateth a matter, separateth intimate friends.
掩飾他人的過錯，可獲得友愛；屢念舊日的過惡，則離間友誼。
10 A reproof sinketh more deeply into an intelligent man than a hundred stripes, into a dullard!
對明智人一句指責，勝過對愚昧人百次杖擊。
11 Nothing less than rebellion, doth a wicked man seek, and, a relentless messenger, shall be sent out against him.
暴徒只求叛亂，但有殘酷使者，奉命前來對付。
12 Let a bereaved bear encounter man, rather than a dullard, with his folly!
寧願遇見失掉幼子的母熊，不願逢著正在發狂的愚人。
13 He that returneth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
誰以怨報德，災禍必不離開他的家。
14 A letting forth of water, is the beginning of strife, therefore, before it breaketh out, abandon, contention.
爭論的開端，如水之破堤；在激辯之前，應極加制止。
15 He that justifieth the lawless, and he that condemneth the righteous, an abomination to Yahweh, are they, both.
宣判罪人無罪，判定義人有罪：二者同為上主所憎惡。
16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a dullard? that he who is without sense, may acquire wisdom.
愚昧的人，既沒有頭腦，手執金錢買智慧，又何益之有﹖
17 At all times, doth a friend love, and, a brother for distress, must be born.
朋友平時常相愛，唯在難中見兄弟。
18 A man lacking sense, is one who striketh hands, giving security, before his neighbour.
常為人擊掌作保，實是個無知之徒。
19 A lover of transgression, is one who loveth strife, he that heighteneth his door, seeketh grievous harm.
好爭辯的人，實喜愛罪過；高舉門戶的，必自趨滅亡。
20 The crooked in heart, shall not find good, and, he that is perverse with his tongue, shall fall into wickedness.
誰存心欺詐，不會得幸福；誰搬弄是非，必陷於災禍。
21 He that begetteth a dullard, it is to his own grief, neither can the father of the base, rejoice.
生糊塗孩子的，只有悲哀；糊塗人的父親，毫無樂趣。
22 A joyful heart, worketh an excellent cure, —but, a stricken spirit, drieth up the bone.
愉快的心，是良好的治療；神志憂鬱，能使筋骨枯萎。
23 A bribe out of his bosom, doth a lawless man take, to pervert the ways of justice.
惡人在大衣下受賄賂，是為顛倒正義的判詞。
24 Before the face of the discerning, is wisdom, but, the eyes of a dullard, are in the ends of the earth.
精明的人，常面向智慧；愚者的眼，向地極呆望，
25 A vexation to his father, is the son that is a dullard, and a bitterness, to her that bare him.
愚昧的兒子，是他父親的痛苦，是他生母的憂傷。
26 Surely, to chastise the righteous, is not good, to smite the noble-minded for equity.
科罰無辜，已屬不當；杖責君子，更屬不義。
27 Sparing of his words, is one who valueth knowledge, and, of a thoughtful spirit, is a man of intelligence.
智者必沉默寡言，達人必心神鎮定。
28 Even a fool, holding his peace, is accounted, wise, —He that closeth his lips, [is thought] to have understanding.
愚人不發言，亦可充作智者；若謹口慎言，亦可視為哲人。
