箴言 30-31
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Traditional)
亞古珥之箴言
30 雅基的兒子亞古珥的言語,就是真言。
2 這人對以鐵和烏甲說:我比眾人更蠢笨,也沒有人的聰明。 3 我沒有學好智慧,也不認識至聖者。 4 誰升天又降下來?誰聚風在掌握中?誰包水在衣服裡?誰立定地的四極?他名叫什麼?他兒子名叫什麼?你知道嗎?
5 神的言語句句都是煉淨的,投靠他的,他便做他們的盾牌。 6 他的言語你不可加添,恐怕他責備你,你就顯為說謊言的。
7 我求你兩件事,在我未死之先不要不賜給我: 8 求你使虛假和謊言遠離我;使我也不貧窮也不富足,賜給我需用的飲食。 9 恐怕我飽足不認你,說:「耶和華是誰呢?」又恐怕我貧窮就偷竊,以致褻瀆我神的名。
10 你不要向主人讒謗僕人,恐怕他咒詛你,你便算為有罪。
11 有一宗[a]人,咒詛父親,不給母親祝福。 12 有一宗人,自以為清潔,卻沒有洗去自己的汙穢。 13 有一宗人,眼目何其高傲,眼皮也是高舉。 14 有一宗人,牙如劍,齒如刀,要吞滅地上的困苦人和世間的窮乏人。
15 螞蟥有兩個女兒,常說:「給呀!給呀!」有三樣不知足的,連不說夠的共有四樣, 16 就是陰間和石胎,浸水不足的地,並火。
17 戲笑父親,藐視而不聽從母親的,他的眼睛必為谷中的烏鴉啄出來,為鷹雛所吃。
18 我所測不透的奇妙有三樣,連我所不知道的共有四樣, 19 就是鷹在空中飛的道,蛇在磐石上爬的道,船在海中行的道,男與女交合的道。 20 淫婦的道也是這樣,她吃了把嘴一擦,就說:「我沒有行惡。」
21 使地震動的有三樣,連地擔不起的共有四樣, 22 就是僕人做王,愚頑人吃飽, 23 醜惡的女子出嫁,婢女接續主母。
24 地上有四樣小物,卻甚聰明: 25 螞蟻是無力之類,卻在夏天預備糧食; 26 沙番是軟弱之類,卻在磐石中造房; 27 蝗蟲沒有君王,卻分隊而出; 28 守宮用爪抓牆,卻住在王宮。
29 步行威武的有三樣,連行走威武的共有四樣, 30 就是獅子,乃百獸中最為猛烈、無所躲避的, 31 獵狗、公山羊和無人能敵的君王。
32 你若行事愚頑自高自傲,或是懷了惡念,就當用手摀口。 33 搖牛奶必成奶油,扭鼻子必出血,照樣,激動怒氣必起爭端。
利慕伊勒母戒子之箴言
31 利慕伊勒王的言語,是他母親教訓他的真言。
2 我的兒啊,我腹中生的兒啊,我許願得的兒啊,我當怎樣教訓你呢? 3 不要將你的精力給婦女,也不要有敗壞君王的行為。 4 利慕伊勒啊,君王喝酒,君王喝酒不相宜,王子說「濃酒在哪裡」也不相宜。 5 恐怕喝了就忘記律例,顛倒一切困苦人的是非。 6 可以把濃酒給將亡的人喝,把清酒給苦心的人喝。 7 讓他喝了,就忘記他的貧窮,不再記念他的苦楚。 8 你當為啞巴[b]開口,為一切孤獨的申冤。 9 你當開口按公義判斷,為困苦和窮乏的辨屈。
論賢婦
10 才德的婦人誰能得著呢?她的價值勝過珍珠。 11 她丈夫心裡倚靠她,必不缺少利益。 12 她一生使丈夫有益無損。 13 她尋找羊絨和麻,甘心用手做工。 14 她好像商船,從遠方運糧來。 15 未到黎明她就起來,把食物分給家中的人,將當做的工分派婢女。 16 她想得田地就買來,用手所得之利栽種葡萄園。 17 她以能力束腰,使膀臂有力。 18 她覺得所經營的有利,她的燈終夜不滅。 19 她手拿撚線竿,手把紡線車。 20 她張手賙濟困苦人,伸手幫補窮乏人。 21 她不因下雪為家裡的人擔心,因為全家都穿著朱紅衣服。 22 她為自己製作繡花毯子,她的衣服是細麻和紫色布做的。 23 她丈夫在城門口與本地的長老同坐,為眾人所認識。 24 她做細麻布衣裳出賣,又將腰帶賣於商家。 25 能力和威儀是她的衣服,她想到日後的景況就喜笑。 26 她開口就發智慧,她舌上有仁慈的法則。 27 她觀察家務,並不吃閒飯。 28 她的兒女起來稱她有福,她的丈夫也稱讚她, 29 說:「才德的女子很多,唯獨你超過一切。」 30 豔麗是虛假的,美容是虛浮的,唯敬畏耶和華的婦女必得稱讚。 31 願她享受操作所得的,願她的工作在城門口榮耀她。
Proverbs 30-31
New International Version
Sayings of Agur
30 The sayings(A) of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance.
This man’s utterance to Ithiel:
“I am weary, God,
but I can prevail.[a]
2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man;
I do not have human understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.(B)
4 Who has gone up(C) to heaven and come down?
Whose hands(D) have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters(E) in a cloak?(F)
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name,(G) and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!
5 “Every word of God is flawless;(H)
he is a shield(I) to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add(J) to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
7 “Two things I ask of you, Lord;
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.(K)
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown(L) you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’(M)
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.(N)
10 “Do not slander a servant to their master,
or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.
11 “There are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers;(O)
12 those who are pure in their own eyes(P)
and yet are not cleansed of their filth;(Q)
13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty,(R)
whose glances are so disdainful;
14 those whose teeth(S) are swords
and whose jaws are set with knives(T)
to devour(U) the poor(V) from the earth
and the needy from among mankind.(W)
15 “The leech has two daughters.
‘Give! Give!’ they cry.
“There are three things that are never satisfied,(X)
four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16 the grave,(Y) the barren womb,
land, which is never satisfied with water,
and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
17 “The eye that mocks(Z) a father,
that scorns an aged mother,
will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley,
will be eaten by the vultures.(AA)
18 “There are three things that are too amazing for me,
four that I do not understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a young woman.
20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth
and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’(AB)
21 “Under three things the earth trembles,
under four it cannot bear up:
22 a servant who becomes king,(AC)
a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
23 a contemptible woman who gets married,
and a servant who displaces her mistress.
24 “Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:
25 Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;(AD)
26 hyraxes(AE) are creatures of little power,
yet they make their home in the crags;
27 locusts(AF) have no king,
yet they advance together in ranks;
28 a lizard can be caught with the hand,
yet it is found in kings’ palaces.
29 “There are three things that are stately in their stride,
four that move with stately bearing:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts,
who retreats before nothing;
31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat,
and a king secure against revolt.[b]
32 “If you play the fool and exalt yourself,
or if you plan evil,
clap your hand over your mouth!(AG)
33 For as churning cream produces butter,
and as twisting the nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger produces strife.”
Sayings of King Lemuel
31 The sayings(AH) of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.
2 Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!(AI)
3 Do not spend your strength[c] on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.(AJ)
4 It is not for kings, Lemuel—
it is not for kings to drink wine,(AK)
not for rulers to crave beer,
5 lest they drink(AL) and forget what has been decreed,(AM)
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6 Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine(AN) for those who are in anguish!
7 Let them drink(AO) and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
8 Speak(AP) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.(AQ)
Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 [d]A wife of noble character(AR) who can find?(AS)
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband(AT) has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.(AU)
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.(AV)
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.(AW)
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders(AX) of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.(AY)
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise(AZ) at the city gate.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 30:1 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text utterance to Ithiel, / to Ithiel and Ukal:
- Proverbs 30:31 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
- Proverbs 31:3 Or wealth
- Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Proverbs 30-31
King James Version
30 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
31 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of my vows?
3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
5 Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.
8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.