Proverbs 25

1 These are more proverbs of Solomon, collected by the scribes of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

以下也是所羅門的箴言，是猶大王希西家的人所謄錄的。

2 God's greatness is in doing things that can't be known, while the greatness of kings is in revealing things.

將事隱祕乃上帝的榮耀； 將事察清乃君王的榮耀。

3 Just as the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth can't be known, the king's thinking can't be known.

天之高，地之厚， 君王之心也測不透。

4 Remove the waste from the silver, and the silversmith has pure silver to work with.

除去銀子的渣滓就有銀子出來， 銀匠能以做器皿。

5 Remove the wicked from the king's presence and the king will rule securely and justly.

除去王面前的惡人， 國位就靠公義堅立。

6 Don't try to make yourself look great before the king, and don't pretend to be among the important people,

不要在王面前妄自尊大； 不要在大人的位上站立。

7 for it's better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be humiliated before a nobleman. Even though you've seen something with your own eyes,

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 don't rush to take legal action, for what are you going to do in the end when your neighbor shows you're wrong and humiliates you?

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 Discuss the case with your neighbor himself, and don't betray someone else's secret,

你與鄰舍爭訟， 要與他一人辯論， 不可洩漏人的密事，

10 otherwise whoever hears it will make you ashamed and you'll never lose your bad reputation.

恐怕聽見的人罵你， 你的臭名就難以脫離。

11 Advice given at the right time is like golden apples set in silver.

一句話說得合宜， 就如金蘋果在銀網子裏。

12 Constructive criticism from the wise to someone who listens is like a gold ring and a necklace of fine gold.

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 Faithful messengers are as refreshing to their master as cold snow on a hot harvest day.

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 Someone who boasts about a gift they never give is like cloud and wind without rain.

空誇贈送禮物的， 好像無雨的風雲。

15 If you're patient you can persuade your superior, and soft words can break down opposition.

恆常忍耐可以勸動君王； 柔和的舌頭能折斷骨頭。

16 If you find honey, eat just enough, for if you eat too much, you'll be sick.

你得了蜜嗎？只可吃夠而已， 恐怕你過飽就嘔吐出來。

17 Don't set foot in your neighbors' homes too often, otherwise they'll get fed up with you and hate you.

你的腳要少進鄰舍的家， 恐怕他厭煩你，恨惡你。

18 Telling lies in court against a friend is like attacking them with a mace, or a sword, or an arrow.

作假見證陷害鄰舍的， 就是大槌，是利刀，是快箭。

19 Trusting in unreliable people in times of trouble is like eating with a broken tooth or walking on a bad foot.

患難時倚靠不忠誠的人， 好像破壞的牙，錯骨縫的腳。

20 Singing happy songs to someone who's broken-hearted is like taking off your coat on a cold day, or pouring vinegar onto an open wound.

對傷心的人唱歌， 就如冷天脫衣服， 又如鹼上倒醋。

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if he's thirsty, give him a drink of water.

你的仇敵若餓了，就給他飯吃； 若渴了，就給他水喝；

22 This will make him ashamed as if he had burning coals piled on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

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 In the same way that the north wind brings rain, slandering people makes them angry.

北風生雨， 讒謗人的舌頭也生怒容。

24 It's better to live in a corner of a housetop than to share a whole house with an argumentative wife.

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 Good news from a distant country is like cold water to an exhausted traveler.

有好消息從遠方來， 就如拿涼水給口渴的人喝。

26 Good people who give in to the wicked are like a muddied spring or a polluted well.

義人在惡人面前退縮， 好像詵渾之泉，弄濁之井。

27 It's not good to eat too much honey, or to want too much praise.

吃蜜過多是不好的； 考究自己的榮耀也是可厭的。

28 Someone without control is as exposed as a town whose walls have been breached.

人不制伏自己的心， 好像毀壞的城邑沒有牆垣。