Proverbs 23
1 When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
幾時你與首長坐席，應記著，在你面前的是誰。
2 and put a knife to your throat if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
你若過於貪食，應在咽喉上，放上一把刀。
3 Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
休要羨慕他的珍饈，因那是騙人的食品。
4 Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
不要辛苦企求致富，反應放棄這種企圖。
5 Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
你向之一注目，即不再存在了：它會生出翅膀，如鷹向天飛去。
6 Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
不要與虎視眈眈的人進食，也不要羨慕他的山珍海味，
7 for he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
因為他原是只顧自己的人，他口頭雖對你說「請吃請喝! 」但他的心中並不與你友善；
8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
你吃下的那口食物，還得吐出；你婉轉悅耳的言辭，盡屬枉費。
9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
不要與愚人交耳接談，因他必輕視你的高見。
10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
不要移動孀婦的地界，不要侵佔孤兒的田地；
11 for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
因為他們的辯護者是大能的，他必為他們的案件與你爭辯。
12 Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
你應專心接受教訓，傾耳細聽益智之言。
13 Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
對孩童不可忽略懲戒；用棍打他，他不致死去。
你用棍杖打他，是救他的靈魂免下陰府。 (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
我兒，你若心懷智慧，我也誠心喜樂；
16 my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
你的唇舌若談吐正義的事，我的五衷也必會踴躍歡欣。
17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
心裏不要羨慕罪人，卻要日日敬畏上主；
18 Surely there is a future and your hope will not be cut off.
這樣你的將來必然順利，你的希望絕不落空。
19 Hear—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
我兒，你要聽話，作個明智人；且要引領你的心走上正道。
20 Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
貪嗜酒肉的人，不可與之來往；
21 for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
因為嗜酒貪食的人，必陷於窮困；貪懶好睡的人，必衣著襤褸。
22 Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your mother when she is old.
對生養你的父親，應當聽從；對你年邁的母親，不可輕視。
23 Buy the truth, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
應獲取真理，不可出賣，還有智慧、訓誨和見識。
24 The father of the righteous person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
義人的父親，必欣然喜樂；生育慧子的，必為此歡騰。
25 Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you rejoice.
應使你的父親因你而喜悅，應使你的生母因你而快樂。
26 My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways.
我兒，將你的心交給我，注目於我的道路：
27 For a prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
妓女是一個深坑，淫婦是一個陷阱；
28 She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
她潛伏著，實如強盜，使人世間，增添奸夫。
29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
是誰將哀鳴，是誰將悲嘆﹖是誰將爭吵，是誰將抱怨﹖是誰將無故受傷，是誰將雙目赤紅﹖
30 Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
是那流連於醉鄉，去搜求醇酒的人。
31 Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
你不要注視酒色怎樣紅，在杯中怎樣閃耀，飲下去怎樣痛快!
32 In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
終究它要咬人如蛇，刺人如虺。
33 Your eyes will see strange things and your heart will utter perverse things.
那時，你的眼要見到奇景，你的心要吐出狂語。
34 You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies on the top of a mast.
你宛如躺在海中心，睡在桅杆頂。「
35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
人打我，我不痛，人捶我，我不覺；我何時甦醒，好再去尋醉! 」
