Proverbs

Chapter 25

1 THESE are also profound proverbs of Solomon which the friends of Hezekiah king of Judah wrote.

2 It is the glory of God to keep secret a matter; but the glory of the king is to search it out.

3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of the king is unsearchable.

4 Purge dross from silver that it may come forth a pure vessel.

5 Let wicked men be driven from the presence of the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

6 Do not glorify yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;

7 For it is better that it be said to you, Come up higher, than that you should be put lower. In the presence of the ruler report what your eyes have seen.

8 Do not go forth hastily to bring a suit, lest when you plead your cause, at the end your neighbor shall reproach you.

9 Debate your cause with your neighbor himself; and do not disclose the secret to another,

10 Lest he who hears it reproach you and many people mock you.

11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

12 Like an earring of gold, and a precious sardius, so is the reproof of the wise men to a listening ear.

13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest, which cools the air, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

14 Like clouds and wind without rain, so is the man who boasts of false gifts.

15 By long forbearing, a ruler is persuaded; and a soft tongue breaks the bones.

16 When you find honey, eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you be filled with it and vomit it.

17 Do not visit your neighbor's house too frequently, lest he become weary of you and so hate you.

18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like an iron bar, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

19 Like a sore tooth and a foot out of joint, such is the confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.

20 As he who takes away a garment from his neighbor in cold weather, as one who drops sand on the string of a musical instrument, as he who afflicts a broken heart, as a moth on a garment, and as a boring-worm on a tree: such is the effect of sorrow on a man's heart.

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

22 For when you shall do these things for him, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD will reward you.

23 Like the north wind which brings forth rain, so are an evil countenance and a backbiting tongue.

24 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than with a quarrelsome wife and a house divided against itself.

25 Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

26 Like a stopped fountain or a polluted spring is a righteous man when he falls down before the wicked.

27 It is not good to eat much honey, nor to search for high praises for oneself.

28 Like a breached city that has no wall, so is a man who is impatient.

箴言

第25章

1 此以下所羅門之箴言,猶大王希西家之僕所摭拾者。

2 包涵萬理,上帝之奧無窮,省察百事,王公之榮丕著。

3 天高地厚,王心莫測。

4 金工去滓,兼金可得。

5 王擯惡人,國位以立。

6 王公之前,毋自尊大,毋居高位,

7 寧有人請上坐,勿於尊者前趨末席。

8 毋遽與人爭,恐受人辱,計無所施。

9 與人有隙,毋發其陰私,

10 恐聽者罪爾,貽羞靡已。

11 應對以時,猶金果置於銀筐。

12 智者忠告而善道之,使人順受,猶金耳環物飾。

13 忠盡之僕,有益乎主,猶當暑,涼以冰雪。

14 言欲予人而不予,猶風起雲布,而雨不下。

15 恒忍可以悅君,柔詞可以折骨。

16 得甘蜜,毋多食,恐過食而吐。

17 勿常造人廬,恐生厭惡。

18 妄證者若梃,若刃利鏃,

19 旣遭患難,而所恃者非忠愨之士,是猶恃折齒跛足。

20 冬時禠衣,鹼上傾醋,歌以解人之憂亦若是。

21 敵饑則飼之,敵渴則飲之,

22 猶以爇炭集厥首,而耶和華必償爾。

23 北風則致雲雨,隱刺則起忿怒。

24 寧於樓隅獨居,勿與頑婦共室。

25 嘉音來自遠方,猶以冷水與渴者。

26 義人失足,爲惡者目擊,猶混源濁井。

27 多食其蜜非善,自求其榮非榮。

28 人不制其心,猶邑已毁,四無城垣。

Proverbs

Chapter 25

箴言

第25章

1 THESE are also profound proverbs of Solomon which the friends of Hezekiah king of Judah wrote.

1 此以下所羅門之箴言,猶大王希西家之僕所摭拾者。

2 It is the glory of God to keep secret a matter; but the glory of the king is to search it out.

2 包涵萬理,上帝之奧無窮,省察百事,王公之榮丕著。

3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of the king is unsearchable.

3 天高地厚,王心莫測。

4 Purge dross from silver that it may come forth a pure vessel.

4 金工去滓,兼金可得。

5 Let wicked men be driven from the presence of the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

5 王擯惡人,國位以立。

6 Do not glorify yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;

6 王公之前,毋自尊大,毋居高位,

7 For it is better that it be said to you, Come up higher, than that you should be put lower. In the presence of the ruler report what your eyes have seen.

7 寧有人請上坐,勿於尊者前趨末席。

8 Do not go forth hastily to bring a suit, lest when you plead your cause, at the end your neighbor shall reproach you.

8 毋遽與人爭,恐受人辱,計無所施。

9 Debate your cause with your neighbor himself; and do not disclose the secret to another,

9 與人有隙,毋發其陰私,

10 Lest he who hears it reproach you and many people mock you.

10 恐聽者罪爾,貽羞靡已。

11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

11 應對以時,猶金果置於銀筐。

12 Like an earring of gold, and a precious sardius, so is the reproof of the wise men to a listening ear.

12 智者忠告而善道之,使人順受,猶金耳環物飾。

13 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest, which cools the air, so is a faithful messenger to those who send him; for he refreshes the soul of his masters.

13 忠盡之僕,有益乎主,猶當暑,涼以冰雪。

14 Like clouds and wind without rain, so is the man who boasts of false gifts.

14 言欲予人而不予,猶風起雲布,而雨不下。

15 By long forbearing, a ruler is persuaded; and a soft tongue breaks the bones.

15 恒忍可以悅君,柔詞可以折骨。

16 When you find honey, eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you be filled with it and vomit it.

16 得甘蜜,毋多食,恐過食而吐。

17 Do not visit your neighbor's house too frequently, lest he become weary of you and so hate you.

17 勿常造人廬,恐生厭惡。

18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like an iron bar, a sword, and a sharp arrow.

18 妄證者若梃,若刃利鏃,

19 Like a sore tooth and a foot out of joint, such is the confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble.

19 旣遭患難,而所恃者非忠愨之士,是猶恃折齒跛足。

20 As he who takes away a garment from his neighbor in cold weather, as one who drops sand on the string of a musical instrument, as he who afflicts a broken heart, as a moth on a garment, and as a boring-worm on a tree: such is the effect of sorrow on a man's heart.

20 冬時禠衣,鹼上傾醋,歌以解人之憂亦若是。

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

21 敵饑則飼之,敵渴則飲之,

22 For when you shall do these things for him, you will heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD will reward you.

22 猶以爇炭集厥首,而耶和華必償爾。

23 Like the north wind which brings forth rain, so are an evil countenance and a backbiting tongue.

23 北風則致雲雨,隱刺則起忿怒。

24 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than with a quarrelsome wife and a house divided against itself.

24 寧於樓隅獨居,勿與頑婦共室。

25 Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

25 嘉音來自遠方,猶以冷水與渴者。

26 Like a stopped fountain or a polluted spring is a righteous man when he falls down before the wicked.

26 義人失足,爲惡者目擊,猶混源濁井。

27 It is not good to eat much honey, nor to search for high praises for oneself.

27 多食其蜜非善,自求其榮非榮。

28 Like a breached city that has no wall, so is a man who is impatient.

28 人不制其心,猶邑已毁,四無城垣。