Proverbs 18

1 A man who isolates himself pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgement.

與眾寡合的，只求私意；對任何指教，都表忿恨。

2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his own opinion.

愚昧的人不喜愛受教，只愛顯露自己的心意。

3 When wickedness comes, contempt also comes, and with shame comes disgrace.

邪惡一來，輕視隨到；侮辱也隨無恥而至。

4 The words of a man’s mouth are like deep waters. The fountain of wisdom is like a flowing brook.

哲人口中的言語有如深水，又如洶湧的溪流，生命的泉源。

5 To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.

在判案時，徇惡人之私，加害於義人，實屬不公。

6 A fool’s lips come into strife, and his mouth invites beatings.

愚人的唇舌，常引起爭端；愚人的口舌，常自招責打。

7 A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

愚人的舌，使自己喪亡；他的嘴唇，是害己的陷阱。

8 The words of a gossip are like dainty morsels: they go down into a person’s innermost parts.

進讒者的話，如可口美味，能深深透入肺腑的深處。

9 One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.

懶於操勞的人，是敗子的弟兄。

10 The LORD’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.

上主的名號，是堅固保壘；義人投入內，必得享安全。

11 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, like an unscalable wall in his own imagination.

富人的財產，是他的堅城；在他意想中，像座高牆垣。

12 Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honour is humility.

心傲是滅亡的前導，心謙是光榮的前驅。

13 He who answers before he hears, that is folly and shame to him.

未聽而先答，實愚昧可恥。

14 A man’s spirit will sustain him in sickness, but a crushed spirit, who can bear?

剛毅的精神，能忍受病苦；精神萎靡，有誰能支持﹖

15 The heart of the discerning gets knowledge. The ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

明智人的心，必獲得學問；智慧人的耳，必探求知識。

16 A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

禮物能給人大開門路，引人晉謁權貴。

17 He who pleads his cause first seems right— until another comes and questions him.

先訴理者似有理，對手來時再審斷。

18 The lot settles disputes, and keeps strong ones apart.

抽籤可以使爭端平息，也能調解權貴的糾紛。

19 A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city. Disputes are like the bars of a fortress.

兄弟若不和，比堅城還難攻克；他們的爭辯，有如碉堡的門閂。

20 A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.

人必以口中果實充滿肚腹，必飽嘗自己唇舌的出產。

21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who love it will eat its fruit.

死亡和生命，全在乎唇舌；放縱唇舌的，必自食其果。

22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favour of the LORD.

誰覓得了賢妻，便覓得了幸福，得了上主恩眷。

23 The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

貧窮的人哀懇乞憐；富貴的人厲聲以對。

24 A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

交朋友過多，必會有損害；但有些朋友，遠勝親兄弟。