Proverbs 25

1 These also are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, collected.

以下也是所羅門的箴言，是猶大王希西家的人所謄錄的。

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; But it is the glory of kings to search out a matter.

將事隱祕乃上帝的榮耀； 將事察清乃君王的榮耀。

3 As the heavens for their height, And as the earth for its depth, So is the heart of kings unsearchable!

天之高，地之厚， 君王之心也測不透。

4 Take away the dross from the silver, And there will come forth a vessel for the founder;

除去銀子的渣滓就有銀子出來， 銀匠能以做器皿。

5 Take away the wicked man from the presence of the king, And his throne will be established by righteousness.

除去王面前的惡人， 國位就靠公義堅立。

6 Put not thyself forth in the presence of the king, Nor set thyself in the place of the great;

不要在王面前妄自尊大； 不要在大人的位上站立。

7 For better is it that one should say to thee, “Come up hither!” Than that he should put thee in a lower place, In the presence of the prince whom thine eyes behold.

寧可有人說：請你上來， 強如在你覲見的王子面前叫你退下。

8 Go not forth hastily to engage in a suit, Lest thou know not what to do in the end of it, When thine adversary hath put thee to shame.

不要冒失出去與人爭競， 免得至終被他羞辱， 你就不知道怎樣行了。

9 Maintain thy cause with thine adversary, But reveal not another's secret;

你與鄰舍爭訟， 要與他一人辯論， 不可洩漏人的密事，

10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, And thy infamy depart not from thee.

恐怕聽見的人罵你， 你的臭名就難以脫離。

11 A word spoken in season Is like apples of gold in figured-work of silver.

一句話說得合宜， 就如金蘋果在銀網子裏。

12 As a ring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, So is a wise reprover to an attentive ear.

智慧人的勸戒，在順從的人耳中， 好像金耳環和精金的妝飾。

13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, So is a faithful messenger to them that send him; For he refresheth the spirit of his masters.

忠信的使者叫差他的人心裏舒暢， 就如在收割時有冰雪的涼氣。

14 As clouds and wind without rain, So is the man that boasteth falsely of giving.

空誇贈送禮物的， 好像無雨的風雲。

15 By long forbearing is a prince appeased; And a soft tongue breaketh bones.

恆常忍耐可以勸動君王； 柔和的舌頭能折斷骨頭。

16 Hast thou found honey? eat what is sufficient for thee, Lest thou be surfeited with it, and vomit it up.

你得了蜜嗎？只可吃夠而已， 恐怕你過飽就嘔吐出來。

17 Let thy foot be seldom in the house of thy friend, Lest he be surfeited with thee and hate thee.

你的腳要少進鄰舍的家， 恐怕他厭煩你，恨惡你。

18 A battle-hammer, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, Is the man who beareth false witness against his neighbor.

作假見證陷害鄰舍的， 就是大槌，是利刀，是快箭。

19 As a broken tooth, and a wavering foot, So is trust in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.

患難時倚靠不忠誠的人， 好像破壞的牙，錯骨縫的腳。

20 As he that taketh off a garment on a cold day, As vinegar upon nitre, So is he that singeth songs to a heavy heart.

對傷心的人唱歌， 就如冷天脫衣服， 又如鹼上倒醋。

21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he be thirsty, give him water to drink;

你的仇敵若餓了，就給他飯吃； 若渴了，就給他水喝；

22 For thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head, And the LORD will reward thee.

因為，你這樣行就是把炭火堆在他的頭上； 耶和華也必賞賜你。

23 As the north wind bringeth forth rain, So a backbiting tongue maketh an angry countenance.

北風生雨， 讒謗人的舌頭也生怒容。

24 Better is it to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than with a quarrelsome woman in a large house.

寧可住在房頂的角上， 不在寬闊的房屋與爭吵的婦人同住。

25 As cold water to the thirsty, So is good news from a far country.

有好消息從遠方來， 就如拿涼水給口渴的人喝。

26 As a troubled fountain, and as a corrupted spring, So is a righteous man falling before the wicked.

義人在惡人面前退縮， 好像詵渾之泉，弄濁之井。

27 To eat much honey is not good; So the search of high things is weariness.

吃蜜過多是不好的； 考究自己的榮耀也是可厭的。

28 As a city broken through and without a wall, So is he that hath no rule over his spirit.

人不制伏自己的心， 好像毀壞的城邑沒有牆垣。