< 잠언 26 >

1 미련한 자에게는 영예가 적당하지 아니하니 마치 여름에 눈오는 것과 추수 때에 비오는 것 같으니라
Just [like] [SIM] [it is not appropriate for] snow [to fall] in summer time, or rain [to fall] at harvest time, it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.
2 까닭 없는 저주는 참새의 떠도는 것과 제비의 날아가는 것 같이 이르지 아니하느니라
Like [SIM] birds that fly by [and do not alight/land on anything], if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you (do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong).
3 말에게는 채찍이요 나귀에게는 자갈이요 미련한 자의 등에는 막대기니라
It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey [to force them to go where we want them to go], and similarly [SIM] [it is often necessary to strike] foolish people with a stick [to cause them to do what is right].
4 미련한 자의 어리석은 것을 따라 대답하지 말라 두렵건대 네가 그와 같을까 하노라
If a foolish person asks a foolish question, [do not answer him], because [if you answer his question], you are just as foolish as he is.
5 미련한 자의 어리석은 것을 따라 그에게 대답하라 두렵건대 그가 스스로 지혜롭게 여길까 하노라
If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
6 미련한 자 편에 기별하는 것은 자기의 발을 베어 버림이라 해를 받느니라
Anyone who asks a foolish person to take a message to someone [is himself doing something as foolish as] cutting off his own feet or drinking poison.
7 저는 자의 다리는 힘 없이 달렸나니 미련한 자의 입의 잠언도 그러하니라
A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
8 미련한 자에게 영예를 주는 것은 돌을 물매에 매는 것과 같으니라
Tying a stone in a sling [so that it cannot be thrown at a target] is [as foolish as] [SIM] honoring a foolish person.
9 미련한 자의 입의 잠언은 술 취한 자의 손에 든 가시나무 같으니라
If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand, [he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that] (OR, [he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand]); similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs, [they do not help anyone who hears them].
10 장인이 온갖 것을 만들지라도 미련한 자를 고용하는 것은 지나가는 자를 고용함과 같으니라
A man who shoots arrows [to try] to wound everybody who is near [is foolish]; similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person [who passes by is very foolish].
11 개가 그 토한 것을 도로 먹는 것 같이 미련한 자는 그 미련한 것을 거듭 행하느니라
A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time; it is [like] [SIM] a dog returning to [eat] what it has vomited.
12 네가 스스로 지혜롭게 여기는 자를 보느냐 그보다 미련한 자에게 오히려 바랄 것이 있느니라
[God] can help/bless foolish people more easily than he can help/bless people who are not wise [RHQ], but think that they are wise.
13 게으른 자는 길에 사자가 있다 거리에 사자가 있다 하느니라
Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
14 문짝이 돌쩌귀를 따라서 도는 것 같이 게으른 자는 침상에서 구으느니라
A door [continually] swings back and forth on its hinges [and does not go anywhere]; similarly [SIM], lazy people [just continually turn over] in their beds [and never do anything].
15 게으른 자는 그 손을 그릇에 넣고도 입으로 올리기를 괴로와하느니라
Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to get some food] but do not [even] lift the food up to their mouths.
16 게으른 자는 선히 대답하는 사람 일곱보다 자기를 지혜롭게 여기느니라
Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
17 길로 지나다가 자기에게 상관없는 다툼을 간섭하는 자는 개 귀를 잡는 자와 같으니라
Anyone who (meddles/involves himself) in a quarrel that does not concern him is [as foolish as] [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.
18 횃불을 던지며 살을 쏘아서 사람을 죽이는 미친 사람이 있나니
Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
19 자기 이웃을 속이고 말하기를 내가 희롱하였노라 하는 자도 그러하니라
are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
20 나무가 다하면 불이 꺼지고 말장이가 없어지면 다툼이 쉬느니라
If there is no [more] firewood [to put on the fire], the fire will go out; similarly [SIM], if there are no people who (gossip/tell people things that are not true), quarreling will end.
21 숯불 위에 숯을 더하는 것과 타는 불에 나무를 더하는 것 같이 다툼을 좋아하는 자는 시비를 일으키느니라
[Putting] charcoal on burning coals or [putting] wood on a fire [causes the fire to keep burning]; similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.
22 남의 말하기를 좋아하는 자의 말은 별식과 같아서 뱃 속 깊은 데로 내려가느니라
People [enjoy listening to what gossips say about others just like] [SIM] they enjoy tasty food; they [enjoy listening to what gossips tell them like] they enjoy swallowing tasty food.
23 온유한 입술에 악한 마음은 낮은 은을 입힌 토기니라
People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things are like a nice glaze/covering on a [cheap] clay pot.
24 감정있는 자는 입술로는 꾸미고 속에는 궤휼을 품나니
Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites; they are only planning [to harm that person].
25 그 말이 좋을지라도 믿지 말 것은 그 마음에 일곱 가지 가증한 것이 있음이라
When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
26 궤휼로 그 감정을 감출지라도 그 악이 회중 앞에 드러나리라
They try to deceive people to cause them to think that they do not hate [that person], but in a public meeting, the people will find out the evil things [that they have done].
27 함정을 파는 자는 그것에 빠질 것이요 돌을 굴리는 자는 도리어 그것에 치이리라
Those who dig a deep pit [for other people to fall into] will fall into it themselves; rocks will roll down on those who start to cause rocks to roll down [to crush someone].
28 거짓말하는 자는 자기의 해한 자를 미워하고 아첨하는 입은 패망을 일으키느니라
Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.

< 잠언 26 >