今日讀經

屢次受責仍硬著頸項

¹人屢次受責罰，仍然硬著頸項；他必頃刻敗壞，無法可治。A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.

義人增多，民就喜樂

²義人增多，民就喜樂；惡人掌權，民就歎息。When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

³愛慕智慧的，使父親喜樂；與妓女結交的，卻浪費錢財。A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

⁴王藉公平，使國堅定；索要賄賂，使國傾敗。By justice a king brings stability to the land, but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it.

諂媚與網羅

⁵諂媚鄰舍的，就是設網羅絆他的腳。A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.

⁶惡人犯罪，自陷網羅；惟獨義人歡呼喜樂。An evil man is caught by his own sin, but a righteous one sings and rejoices.

關心窮人的案件

⁷義人知道查明窮人的案；惡人沒有聰明，就不得而知。The righteous consider the cause of the poor, but the wicked have no regard for such concerns.

智慧人止息眾怒

⁸褻慢人煽惑通城；智慧人止息眾怒。Mockers inflame a city, but the wise turn away anger.

⁹智慧人與愚妄人相爭，或怒或笑，總不能使他止息。If a wise man goes to court with a fool, there will be raving and laughing with no resolution.

¹⁰好流人血的，恨惡完全人，索取正直人的性命。Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life.

¹¹愚妄人怒氣全發；智慧人忍氣含怒。A fool vents all his anger, but a wise man holds it back.

君王與臣僕

¹²君王若聽謊言，他一切臣僕都是奸惡。If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.

¹³貧窮人、強暴人在世相遇；他們的眼目都蒙耶和華光照。The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.

¹⁴君王憑誠實判斷窮人；他的國位必永遠堅立。A king who judges the poor with fairness—his throne will be established forever.

管教兒女

¹⁵杖打和責備能加增智慧；放縱的兒子使母親羞愧。A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

¹⁶惡人加多，過犯也加多，義人必看見他們跌倒。When the wicked thrive, rebellion increases; but the righteous will see their downfall.

¹⁷管教你的兒子，他就使你得安息，也必使你心裡喜樂。Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will bring delight to your soul.

沒有異象，民就放肆

¹⁸沒有異象（或譯：默示），民就放肆；惟遵守律法的，便為有福。Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the Law.

僕人與急躁的人

¹⁹只用言語，僕人不肯受管教；他雖然明白，也不留意。A servant cannot be corrected by words alone; though he understands, he will not respond.

²⁰你見言語急躁的人嗎？愚昧人比他更有指望。Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

²¹人將僕人從小嬌養，這僕人終久必成了他的兒子。A servant pampered from his youth will bring grief in the end.

²²好氣的人挑啟爭端；暴怒的人多多犯罪。An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.

高傲與謙遜

²³人的高傲必使他卑下；心裡謙遜的，必得尊榮。A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.

²⁴人與盜賊分贓，是恨惡自己的性命；他聽見叫人發誓的聲音，卻不言語。A partner to a thief hates his own soul; he receives the oath but does not testify.

懼怕人與倚靠耶和華

²⁵懼怕人的，陷入網羅；惟有倚靠耶和華的，必得安穩。The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.

²⁶求王恩的人多；定人事乃在耶和華。Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man receives justice from the LORD.

²⁷為非作歹的，被義人憎嫌；行事正直的，被惡人憎惡。An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.

被提到第三層天

¹我自誇固然無益，但我是不得已的。如今我要說到主的顯現和啟示。I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

²我認得一個在基督裡的人，他前十四年被提到第三層天上去；（或在身內，我不知道；或在身外，我也不知道；只有　神知道。）I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows.

³我認得這人；（或在身內，或在身外，我都不知道，只有　神知道。）And I know that this man—whether in the body or out of it I do not know, but God knows—

⁴他被提到樂園裡，聽見隱祕的言語，是人不可說的。was caught up to Paradise. The things he heard were inexpressible, things that man is not permitted to tell.

⁵為這人，我要誇口；但是為我自己，除了我的軟弱以外，我並不誇口。I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself, except in my weaknesses.

⁶我就是願意誇口也不算狂，因為我必說實話；只是我禁止不說，恐怕有人把我看高了，過於他在我身上所看見、所聽見的。Even if I wanted to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me,

肉體上的一根刺

⁷又恐怕我因所得的啟示甚大，就過於自高，所以有一根刺加在我肉體上，就是撒但的差役要攻擊我，免得我過於自高。or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

⁸為這事，我三次求過主，叫這刺離開我。Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

⁹他對我說：「我的恩典夠你用的，因為我的能力是在人的軟弱上顯得完全。」所以，我更喜歡誇自己的軟弱，好叫基督的能力覆庇我。But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.

¹⁰我為基督的緣故，就以軟弱、凌辱、急難、逼迫、困苦為可喜樂的；因我甚麼時候軟弱，甚麼時候就剛強了。That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

使徒的憑據

¹¹我成了愚妄人，是被你們強逼的。我本該被你們稱許才是。我雖算不了甚麼，卻沒有一件事在那些最大的使徒以下。I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.

¹²我在你們中間，用百般的忍耐，藉著神蹟、奇事、異能顯出使徒的憑據來。The marks of a true apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.

¹³除了我不累著你們這一件事，你們還有甚麼事不及別的教會呢？這不公之處，求你們饒恕我吧。In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

第三次要來，不累著你們

¹⁴如今，我打算第三次到你們那裡去，也必不累著你們；因我所求的是你們，不是你們的財物。兒女不該為父母積財，父母該為兒女積財。See, I am ready to come to you a third time, and I will not be a burden, because I am not seeking your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

¹⁵我也甘心樂意為你們的靈魂費財費力。難道我越發愛你們，就越發少得你們的愛嗎？And for the sake of your souls, I will most gladly spend my money and myself. If I love you more, will you love me less?

¹⁶罷了，我自己並沒有累著你們，你們卻有人說，我是詭詐，用心計牢籠你們。Be that as it may, I was not a burden to you; but crafty as I am, I caught you by trickery.

¹⁷我所差到你們那裡去的人，我藉著他們一個人佔過你們的便宜嗎？Did I exploit you by anyone I sent you?

¹⁸我勸了提多到你們那裡去，又差那位兄弟與他同去。提多佔過你們的便宜嗎？我們行事，不同是一個心靈（或譯：聖靈）嗎？不同是一個腳蹤嗎？I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother with him. Did Titus exploit you in any way? Did we not walk in the same Spirit and follow in the same footsteps?