今日讀經

希西家的人謄錄

¹以下也是所羅門的箴言，是猶大王希西家的人所謄錄的。These are additional proverbs of Solomon, which were copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:

君王與察清事情

²將事隱祕乃　神的榮耀；將事察清乃君王的榮耀。It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.

³天之高，地之厚，君王之心也測不透。As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings cannot be searched.

⁴除去銀子的渣滓就有銀子出來，銀匠能以做器皿。Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.

⁵除去王面前的惡人，國位就靠公義堅立。Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.

不要在王面前妄自尊大

⁶不要在王面前妄自尊大；不要在大人的位上站立。Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;

⁷寧可有人說：請你上來，強如在你覲見的王子面前叫你退下。for it is better to be told, “Come up here!” than to be demoted in the presence of the prince. Even what you have seen with your own eyes,

不要冒失爭訟

⁸不要冒失出去與人爭競，免得至終被他羞辱，你就不知道怎樣行了。do not bring hastily to court. Otherwise, what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame?

⁹你與鄰舍爭訟，要與他一人辯論，不可洩漏人的密事，Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence,

¹⁰恐怕聽見的人罵你，你的臭名就難以脫離。lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your infamy never go away.

說得合宜的話

¹¹一句話說得合宜，就如金蘋果在銀網子裡。A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

¹²智慧人的勸戒，在順從的人耳中，好像金耳環和精金的妝飾。Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.

¹³忠信的使者叫差他的人心裡舒暢，就如在收割時有冰雪的涼氣。Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters.

¹⁴空誇贈送禮物的，好像無雨的風雲。Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.

¹⁵恆常忍耐可以勸動君王；柔和的舌頭能折斷骨頭。Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

凡事要有節制

¹⁶你得了蜜嗎？只可吃夠而已，恐怕你過飽就嘔吐出來。If you find honey, eat just what you need, lest you have too much and vomit it up.

¹⁷你的腳要少進鄰舍的家，恐怕他厭煩你，恨惡你。Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he grow weary and hate you.

假見證與不忠的人

¹⁸作假見證陷害鄰舍的，就是大槌，是利刀，是快箭。Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.

¹⁹患難時倚靠不忠誠的人，好像破壞的牙，錯骨縫的腳。Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.

²⁰對傷心的人唱歌，就如冷天脫衣服，又如鹼上倒醋。Like one who removes a garment on a cold day or vinegar poured on a wound is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

善待仇敵

²¹你的仇敵若餓了，就給他飯吃；若渴了，就給他水喝；If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

²²因為，你這樣行就是把炭火堆在他的頭上；耶和華也必賞賜你。For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.

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讒謗、爭吵與好消息

²³北風生雨，讒謗人的舌頭也生怒容。As the north wind brings forth rain, so a backbiting tongue brings angry looks.

²⁴寧可住在房頂的角上，不在寬闊的房屋與爭吵的婦人同住。Better to live on a corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

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²⁵有好消息從遠方來，就如拿涼水給口渴的人喝。Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.

²⁶義人在惡人面前退縮，好像蹚渾之泉，弄濁之井。Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.

²⁷吃蜜過多是不好的；考究自己的榮耀也是可厭的。It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory.

²⁸人不制伏自己的心，好像毀壞的城邑沒有牆垣。Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.

愚昧人

¹夏天落雪，收割時下雨，都不相宜；愚昧人得尊榮也是如此。Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.

²麻雀往來，燕子翻飛；這樣，無故的咒詛也必不臨到。Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

³鞭子是為打馬，轡頭是為勒驢；刑杖是為打愚昧人的背。A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!

⁴不要照愚昧人的愚妄話回答他，恐怕你與他一樣。Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.

⁵要照愚昧人的愚妄話回答他，免得他自以為有智慧。Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.

⁶藉愚昧人手寄信的，是砍斷自己的腳，自受（原文是：喝）損害。Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.

⁷瘸子的腳空存無用；箴言在愚昧人的口中也是如此。Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

⁸將尊榮給愚昧人的，好像人把石子包在機弦裡。Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.

⁹箴言在愚昧人的口中，好像荊棘刺入醉漢的手。Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

¹⁰雇愚昧人的，與雇過路人的，就像射傷眾人的弓箭手。Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.

¹¹愚昧人行愚妄事，行了又行，就如狗轉過來吃牠所吐的。As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

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¹²你見自以為有智慧的人嗎？愚昧人比他更有指望。Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

懶惰人

¹³懶惰人說：道上有猛獅，街上有壯獅。The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”

¹⁴門在樞紐轉動，懶惰人在床上也是如此。As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.

¹⁵懶惰人放手在盤子裡，就是向口撤回也以為勞乏。The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

¹⁶懶惰人看自己比七個善於應對的人更有智慧。The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.

管閒事與欺凌鄰舍

¹⁷過路被事激動，管理不干己的爭競，好像人揪住狗耳。Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

^18–19人欺凌鄰舍，卻說：我豈不是戲耍嗎？他就像瘋狂的人拋擲火把、利箭，與殺人的兵器（原文是死亡）。Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows, so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

傳舌與詭詐

²⁰火缺了柴就必熄滅；無人傳舌，爭競便止息。Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.

²¹好爭競的人煽惑爭端，就如餘火加炭，火上加柴一樣。Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

²²傳舌人的言語，如同美食，深入人的心腹。The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.

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²³火熱的嘴，奸惡的心，好像銀渣包的瓦器。Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.

²⁴怨恨人的，用嘴粉飾，心裡卻藏著詭詐；A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.

²⁵他用甜言蜜語，你不可信他，因為他心中有七樣可憎惡的。When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.

²⁶他雖用詭詐遮掩自己的怨恨，他的邪惡必在會中顯露。Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

²⁷挖陷坑的，自己必掉在其中；滾石頭的，石頭必反滾在他身上。He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

²⁸虛謊的舌恨他所壓傷的人；諂媚的口敗壞人的事。A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

藉基督的溫柔勸勉

¹我－保羅，就是與你們見面的時候是謙卑的，不在你們那裡的時候向你們是勇敢的，如今親自藉著基督的溫柔、和平勸你們。Now by the mildness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am humble when face to face with you, but bold when away.

²有人以為我是憑著血氣行事，我也以為必須用勇敢待這等人；求你們不要叫我在你們那裡的時候，有這樣的勇敢。I beg you that when I come I may not need to be as bold as I expect toward those who presume that we live according to the flesh.

不憑血氣爭戰

³因為我們雖然在血氣中行事，卻不憑著血氣爭戰。For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.

⁴我們爭戰的兵器本不是屬血氣的，乃是在　神面前有能力，可以攻破堅固的營壘，The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the flesh. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

⁵將各樣的計謀，各樣攔阻人認識　神的那些自高之事，一概攻破了，又將人所有的心意奪回，使他都順服基督。We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

⁶並且我已經預備好了，等你們十分順服的時候，要責罰那一切不順服的人。And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, as soon as your obedience is complete.

權柄是為造就人

⁷你們是看眼前的嗎？倘若有人自信是屬基督的，他要再想想，他如何屬基督，我們也是如何屬基督的。You are looking at outward appearances. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should remind himself that we belong to Christ just as much as he does.

⁸主賜給我們權柄，是要造就你們，並不是要敗壞你們；我就是為這權柄稍微誇口，也不至於慚愧。For even if I boast somewhat excessively about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed.

⁹我說這話，免得你們以為我寫信是要威嚇你們；I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you by my letters.

¹⁰因為有人說：「他的信又沉重又厲害，及至見面，卻是氣貌不揚，言語粗俗的。」For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his physical presence is unimpressive, and his speaking is of no account.”

¹¹這等人當想，我們不在那裡的時候，信上的言語如何，見面的時候，行事也必如何。Such people should consider that what we are in our letters when absent, we will be in our actions when present.

不和自薦的人比較

¹²因為我們不敢將自己和那自薦的人同列相比。他們用自己度量自己，用自己比較自己，乃是不通達的。We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance.

¹³我們不願意分外誇口，只要照　神所量給我們的界限搆到你們那裡。We, however, will not boast beyond our limits, but only within the field of influence that God has assigned to us—a field that reaches even to you.

¹⁴我們並非過了自己的界限，好像搆不到你們那裡；因為我們早到你們那裡，傳了基督的福音。We are not overstepping our bounds, as if we had not come to you. Indeed, we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ.

¹⁵我們不仗著別人所勞碌的，分外誇口；但指望你們信心增長的時候，所量給我們的界限，就可以因著你們更加開展，Neither do we boast beyond our limits in the labors of others. But we hope that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you will greatly increase as well,

¹⁶得以將福音傳到你們以外的地方；並不是在別人界限之內，藉著他現成的事誇口。so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. Then we will not be boasting in the work already done in another man’s territory.

當指著主誇口

¹⁷但誇口的，當指著主誇口。Rather, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

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¹⁸因為蒙悅納的，不是自己稱許的，乃是主所稱許的。For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.