< Proverbs 20 >

1 Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] raging: and whoever is deceived by it is not wise.
清酒令人輕狂,醇酒使人發瘋;凡沉溺於酒的,必不是明智人。
2 The fear of a king [is] as the roaring of a lion: [whoever] provoketh him to anger sinneth [against] his own soul.
君王震怒,有如獅子的咆哮;觸怒他的,危害自己的性命。
3 [It is] an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
平息爭端,是人的光榮;凡是愚人,都喜愛爭論。
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; [therefore] shall he beg in harvest, and [have] nothing.
懶惰人一寒冷,便不耕作;收獲之時,他必一無所獲。
5 Counsel in the heart of man [is like] deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.
人心的謀略,有如深水,唯有聰明人,纔能汲取。
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
自命為仁者,比比皆是;但有誰找到忠貞的人﹖
7 The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.
正義的人,必然為人正直;他的後代子孫,必然有福。
8 A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
君王高坐在判座上,所有邪惡一目了然。
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
有誰能說:「我保持了心靈的潔淨,我是純潔無罪的﹖」
10 Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.
不同的衡量,不同的升斗:二者皆為上主同樣厭惡。
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work [is] pure, and whether [it is] right.
孩童的行為,潔淨正執直與否,由他的舉動便可認出。
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.
能聽的耳朵,能看的眼睛:二者皆為上主所造。
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thy eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
不要貪睡眠,免得你受窮;兩眼睜開,纔能得飽食。
14 [It is] naught, [it is] naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone, then he boasteth.
顧客常說:「不好,不好! 」但一離去,讚不絕口。
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge [are] a precious jewel.
雖有大批黃金寶石,但最寶貴的,還是明智的唇舌。
16 Take his garment that is surety [for] a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
誰為外方人作保,拿去他的衣服;誰為異邦人作保,以他本人作質。
17 Bread of deceit [is] sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
騙來的食物頗覺香甜,事後口中卻滿是砂礫。
18 [Every] purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
運籌帷幄,必先要商討;進行戰事,必該憑智謀。
19 He that goeth about [as] a tale-bearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
遊蕩閒談的,必洩露秘密;張口饒舌的,別與他交結。
20 Whoever curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
凡是辱罵自己父母的人,他的燈必在幽暗中熄滅。
21 An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end of it shall not be blessed.
起初容易得來的財物,最後也不會得到祝福。
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
你切不可說:「我以惡報惡;」應信賴上主,他必拯救你。
23 Divers weights [are] an abomination to the LORD; and a false balance [is] not good.
不同的衡量,為上主所惡;不同的天秤,實屬不道德。
24 Man's goings [are] of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
世人的腳步,由上主支配;人那能了解自己的道路﹖
25 [It is] a snare to the man [who] devoureth [that which is] holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
人若冒然說「聖,」許願後纔反省,這是自投羅網。
26 A wise king scatterreth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
智慧的君王簸揚惡人,且用車輪來壓軋他們。
27 The spirit of man [is] the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
人的靈魂是天主的燈,探照肺腑的一切隱密。
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upheld by mercy.
仁愛和忠誠,是君王的保障;他的寶座,是賴慈愛而支撐。
29 The glory of young men [is] their strength: and the beauty of old men [is] the gray head.
少年人的光榮,在於他們的魄力;老年人的榮耀,在於他們的白髮。
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so [do] stripes the inward parts of the belly.
見傷的鞭打能清除邪惡,杖擊能觸及肺腑的深處。

< Proverbs 20 >