11 耶和華憎惡騙人的天平,
    喜愛公平的法碼。
傲慢帶來羞辱,
    謙卑者有智慧。
正直人靠誠實引導,
    奸詐者被奸詐毀滅。
在降怒之日,財富毫無益處,
    唯有公義能救人免於死亡。
純全人行義走坦途,
    惡人作惡致沉淪。
正直人被義行所救,
    奸詐者被私慾所擄。
惡人一死,他的希望就破滅,
    他對財勢的冀望轉眼成空。
義人脫離患難,
    惡人落入苦難。
不敬虔的張口敗壞鄰舍,
    義人卻因知識獲得拯救。
10 義人亨通,全城快樂;
    惡人滅亡,人人歡呼。
11 城因正直人的祝福而興盛,
    因惡人的口舌而傾覆。
12 無知者輕視鄰舍,
    明哲人保持緘默。
13 嚼舌者洩露秘密,
    忠信者守口如瓶。
14 缺乏智謀,國必敗亡;
    謀士眾多,戰無不勝。
15 為他人作保,必受虧損;
    厭惡當保人,得享平安。
16 賢淑的女子得到尊榮,
    殘暴的男子得到資財。
17 仁慈的人造福自己,
    殘酷的人惹禍上身。
18 惡人賺來的轉眼成空,
    播種公義的必獲獎賞。
19 堅持行義,必得生命;
    追逐罪惡,終必滅亡。
20 心術不正的人令耶和華憎惡,
    純全無過的人蒙耶和華喜愛。
21 惡人終必落入法網,
    義人的子孫必得拯救。
22 女子貌美無內涵,
    如同豬鼻掛金環。
23 義人的願望結出善果,
    惡人的希望招致烈怒。
24 有人樂善好施,反倒越來越富;
    有人一毛不拔,反而越來越窮。
25 慷慨好施的必得昌盛,
    恩待他人的必蒙恩待。
26 囤糧不賣,惹人咒詛;
    樂意賣糧,必蒙祝福。
27 尋求良善得恩惠,
    追求罪惡遭禍患。
28 倚仗財勢者必衰敗,
    義人必興旺如綠葉。
29 禍害自家,必一無所有,
    愚人必做智者的僕役。
30 義人結果如生命之樹,
    智者深得人心。
31 看啊!義人在世上尚且遭報[a]
    更何況罪人和惡人呢?

Footnotes

  1. 11·31 義人在世上尚且遭報」七十士譯本為「義人尚且難以得救」,參見彼得前書4·18

11 A guileful balance is abomination with God; and an even weight is his will. (A deceitful scale is an abomination to God; and equal, or honest, weights be his desire.)

Where pride is, there also despising shall be; but where meekness is, there also is wisdom. (Where there is pride, there shall also be despising; but where there is humility, there is also wisdom.)

The simpleness of just men shall (ad)dress them; and the deceiving of wayward men shall destroy them. (The honesty, or the integrity, of the righteous shall direct them; and the deceptions of the wayward shall destroy them.)

Riches shall not profit in the day of vengeance; but rightfulness shall deliver from death. (Riches shall not profit anyone on the day of vengeance; but uprightness shall deliver one from death.)

The rightfulness of a simple man shall (ad)dress his way; and a wicked man shall fall in his wickedness. (The uprightness of an honest person shall direct his way; and a wicked person shall fall because of his wickedness.)

The rightfulness of rightful men shall deliver them; and wicked men shall be taken in their ambushings. (The uprightness of the righteous shall save them; but the wicked shall be caught in their own ambushings.)

When a wicked man is dead, none hope shall be further of him; and [the] abiding of busy men in evil shall perish. (When the wicked die, they shall have no further hope; and the abundance, or the wealth, of those busy with evil shall perish.)

A just man is delivered from anguish; and a wicked man shall be given for him. (The righteous person is delivered from all his anguish; and it is given to a wicked person instead.)

A feigner by mouth deceiveth his friend; but just men shall be delivered by knowing. (A faker, or a hypocrite, deceiveth his friend with his mouth; but the righteous rescue others with their wisdom.)

10 A city shall be enhanced in the goods of just men; and praising shall be in the perdition of wicked men. (A city shall rejoice for the prosperity of the righteous; and praising shall be in the perdition, or in the perishing, of the wicked.)

11 A city shall be enhanced by [the] blessing of just men; and it shall be destroyed by the mouth of wicked men. (A city shall be enhanced by the blessing of the righteous; and it shall be destroyed by the words of the wicked.)

12 He that despiseth his friend, is needy in heart; but a prudent man shall be still. (He who despiseth his friend is foolish; but a man of understanding shall be silent.)

13 He that goeth guilefully, showeth privates (He who goeth deceitfully, telleth secrets); but he that is faithful, covereth the private (matter) of a friend.

14 Where a governor is not, the people shall fall; but health is, where be many counsels. (Without a leader, or good governance, the people shall fall; but there is victory/but there is salvation, or deliverance, where there be many counsellors, or much planning, or good advice.)

15 He that maketh faith, that is, (an) obligation, for a stranger, shall be tormented with evil; but he that escheweth snares, shall be secure.

16 A gracious woman shall find glory (A gracious woman shall receive honour); and strong men shall have riches.

17 A merciful man doeth well to his soul (A merciful person doeth good to his own soul); but he that is cruel, casteth away, yea, (even his own) kinsmen.

18 A wicked man maketh unstable work; but faithful meed is to him, that soweth rightfulness. (There is no surety with the work of the wicked; but there is a sure reward for those who sow goodness.)

19 Mercy shall make ready life; and the following of evil, death. (Mercy bringeth forth life; but death followeth after evil.)

20 A shrewd heart is abominable to the Lord; and his will is in them, that go simply. (A depraved heart is abominable to the Lord; but his delight is in those who do things honestly, or with integrity.)

21 Though hand be in hand, an evil man shall not be innocent; but the seed of just men shall be saved. (Be assured, that the evil shall be punished; but the children, or the descendants, of the righteous shall be saved.)

22 A golden ring in the nostrils of a sow, (is like) a woman fair and fool. (A gold ring in the nostrils of a pig, is like a woman who is comely, but foolish.)

23 The desire of just men is all good; (but the) abiding of wicked men is strong vengeance. (The desire of the righteous is only for good; but the longing of the wicked is for strong vengeance.)

24 Some men part their own things, and be made richer; other men ravish things, that be not theirs, and they be ever in neediness. (Some people share their own things, and grow richer; other people steal things, that be not theirs, and still they always be in need.)

25 A soul that blesseth, shall be made fat; and he that filleth, shall be filled also. (A person who blesseth, or who shareth, shall be made prosperous; and he who filleth, shall also be filled.)

26 He that hideth wheat, shall be cursed among the peoples; but blessing shall come [up]on the head(s) of sellers. (He who hideth corn, shall be cursed by the people; but blessing, or praise, shall come to the sellers.)

27 Well (be) he (who) riseth early, that seeketh good things; but he that is a searcher of evils, shall be oppressed of those. (He who riseth early, to seek out the good, shall find favour; but he who searcheth out evils, shall be oppressed by them.)

28 He that trusteth in his riches, shall fall; but just men shall burgeon as a green leaf (but the righteous shall flourish like the green leaves).

29 He that troubleth his house, shall have (the) winds in possession; and he that is a fool, shall serve a wise man.

30 The fruit of a rightful man is the tree of life; and he that taketh souls, is a wise man. (The fruit of righteousness is the tree of life; and he who winneth souls, is wise.)

31 If a just man receiveth in [the] earth, how much more an unfaithful man, and a sinner. (If the righteous receive recompense here on earth, how much more shall the unfaithful, and the sinners!)