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當以愚昧懶惰人為戒

26 夏天落雪,收割時下雨,都不合宜;

照樣,愚昧人獲得尊榮,也不合宜。

麻雀怎樣飛來飛去,燕子怎樣翻飛;

照樣,無故的咒詛也不會臨到人。

鞭子是為了打馬,嚼環是為了勒驢;

刑杖是為了打愚昧人的背。

不要照著愚昧人的愚妄回答他,

免得你像他一樣。

要照著愚昧人的愚妄回答他,

免得他自以為有智慧。

藉愚昧人的手傳遞信息的,

是自斷己足,自尋煩惱。

箴言在愚昧人口中,

就像瘸子的腿,虛懸無用。

把榮耀給愚昧人的,

就像人把石子繫在投石器上。

箴言在愚昧人口中,

就像荊棘在醉漢手裡。

10 雇用愚昧人和過路人的,

就像胡亂射傷眾人的弓箭手。

11 愚昧人一再重複他的愚妄,

正像狗轉過來,吃自己所吐的。

12 你見過自以為有智慧的人嗎?

愚昧人比他更有指望。

13 懶惰人說:“路上有獅子,

廣場上也有獅子。”

14 懶惰人在床上翻動,

就像門繞著門鉸轉動一樣。

15 懶惰人把手放在盤子裡,

連拿食物送回口邊也覺得勞累。

16 懶惰人看自己,

比七個善於應對的人更有智慧。

提防毀謗及詭詐的人

17 過路的人被激怒,去干涉與自己無關的爭執,

就像人揪住狗的耳朵。

18-19 人欺騙了鄰舍,

卻說:“我不過是開玩笑罷了。”

他就像瘋狂的人,

投擲火把、利箭和殺人的武器。

20 沒有柴,火就熄滅;

沒有搬弄是非的人,紛爭就平息。

21 好爭競的人,煽動爭端,

就像餘燼上加炭,火上加柴一樣。

22 搬弄是非的人的言語如同美食;

深入人的臟腑。

23 嘴唇火熱,心卻奸惡,

就像包上銀渣的瓦器。

24 憎惡人的用話語掩飾自己,

心裡卻存著詭詐。

25 他的話語雖然動聽,你不可信他,

因為他心裡有七樣可厭惡的事。

26 他的怨恨雖然以詭詐掩飾,

但他的邪惡必在大會中顯露出來。

27 挖掘陷坑的,自己必掉在其中;

輥石頭的,石頭必輥回自己身上。

28 虛謊的舌頭憎惡被它傷害的人;

諂媚的口造成敗壞。

Honor Is Not Fitting for a Fool

26 As snow in summer (A)and rain in harvest,
So honor is not fitting for a fool.

Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
So (B)a curse without cause shall not alight.

(C)A whip for the horse,
A bridle for the donkey,
And a rod for the fool’s back.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
(D)Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
Like the legs of the lame that hang limp
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like one who binds a stone in a sling
Is he who gives honor to a fool.
Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 [a]The great God who formed everything
Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
11 (E)As a dog returns to his own vomit,
(F)So a fool repeats his folly.
12 (G)Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.

13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!
A fierce lion is in the [b]streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
So does the lazy man on his bed.
15 The (H)lazy man buries his hand in the [c]bowl;
It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can answer sensibly.

17 He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
19 Is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, (I)“I was only joking!”

20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no [d]talebearer, strife ceases.
21 (J)As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a [e]talebearer are like [f]tasty trifles,
And they go down into the [g]inmost body.

23 Fervent lips with a wicked heart
Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.

24 He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself;
25 (K)When [h]he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart;
26 Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.

27 (L)Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

28 A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works (M)ruin.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:10 Heb. difficult in v. 10; ancient and modern translators differ greatly
  2. Proverbs 26:13 Or plazas, squares
  3. Proverbs 26:15 LXX, Syr. bosom; Tg., Vg. armpit
  4. Proverbs 26:20 gossip or slanderer, lit. whisperer
  5. Proverbs 26:22 gossip or slanderer
  6. Proverbs 26:22 A Jewish tradition wounds
  7. Proverbs 26:22 Lit. rooms of the belly
  8. Proverbs 26:25 Lit. his voice is gracious

26 Like snow in summer or rain(A) in harvest,
    honor is not fitting for a fool.(B)
Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
    an undeserved curse does not come to rest.(C)
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,(D)
    and a rod for the backs of fools!(E)
Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
    or you yourself will be just like him.(F)
Answer a fool according to his folly,
    or he will be wise in his own eyes.(G)
Sending a message by the hands of a fool(H)
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
Like the useless legs of one who is lame
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(I)
Like tying a stone in a sling
    is the giving of honor to a fool.(J)
Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.(K)
10 Like an archer who wounds at random
    is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,(L)
    so fools repeat their folly.(M)
12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?(N)
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.(O)

13 A sluggard says,(P) “There’s a lion in the road,
    a fierce lion roaming the streets!”(Q)
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
    so a sluggard turns on his bed.(R)
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.(S)
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
    than seven people who answer discreetly.

17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
    is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

18 Like a maniac shooting
    flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
    and says, “I was only joking!”

20 Without wood a fire goes out;
    without a gossip a quarrel dies down.(T)
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.(U)
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.(V)

23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
    are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,(W)
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.(X)
25 Though their speech is charming,(Y) do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.(Z)
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit(AA) will fall into it;(AB)
    if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.(AC)
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
    and a flattering mouth(AD) works ruin.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth

26 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.

The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.

As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouths of fools.

10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.

11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.

14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.

15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.

16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death,

19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;

25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.

26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation.

27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.

28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

26 Like snow in summer or (A)rain in harvest,
    so (B)honor is (C)not fitting for a fool.
Like (D)a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
    (E)a curse that is causeless does not alight.
(F)A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and (G)a rod for the back of fools.
(H)Answer not a fool according to his folly,
    lest you be like him yourself.
(I)Answer a fool according to his folly,
    lest he be (J)wise in his own eyes.
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
    cuts off his own feet and (K)drinks violence.
Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless,
    is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
Like one who binds the stone in the sling
    is (L)one who gives honor to a fool.
Like (M)a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard
    is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone
    is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.[a]
11 Like (N)a dog that returns to his vomit
    is (O)a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man who is (P)wise in his own eyes?
    (Q)There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 (R)The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
    There is a lion in the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
    so does a sluggard on his bed.
15 (S)The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The sluggard is (T)wiser in his own eyes
    (U)than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17 Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
    is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
18 Like a madman who throws (V)firebrands, arrows, and death
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor
    and says, “I am only joking!”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
    and where there is no (W)whisperer, (X)quarreling ceases.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
    so is (Y)a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
22 (Z)The words of (AA)a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 (AB)Like the (AC)glaze[b] covering an earthen vessel
    are fervent lips with an evil heart.
24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
    and harbors deceit in his heart;
25 (AD)when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
    for there are (AE)seven abominations in his heart;
26 though his hatred be covered with deception,
    his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 (AF)Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
    and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
28 A lying tongue hates its victims,
    and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 26:10 Or hires a fool or passersby
  2. Proverbs 26:23 By revocalization; Hebrew silver of dross