Proverbs

雅基的兒子亞古珥的言語，就是真言。這人對以田和烏甲說：

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,

我比眾人更蠢笨，也沒有人的聰明；

Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

我沒有學好智慧，也不認識至聖者。

I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

曾有誰升天，又降下來？曾有誰聚風在掌中？曾有誰用衣服裹水？曾有誰立定地的四極？他名叫甚麼？他兒子名叫甚麼？你知道嗎？

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?

神的言語，句句都是煉淨的；投靠他的，他便作他們的盾牌。

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

他的言語你不可加添，恐怕他責備你，你就顯為說謊言的。

Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

我求你兩件事，我未死之先，不要不賜給我：

Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:

求你使虛假和謊言遠離我；使我不貧窮，也不富足；賜給我需用的飲食，

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

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。

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.

你不可在主人面前讒謗奴僕，恐怕他咒詛你，你便算為有罪。

Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.

有一宗人（以下各節同）咒詛父親，不給母親祝福；

There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.

有一宗人，自以為清潔，卻沒有洗去自己的污穢；

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

有一宗人，眼目何其高傲，眼皮也是高舉；

There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.

有一宗人，牙如刀，齒如刀，要吞吃地上的困苦人和世間的窮乏人。

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.

螞蟥有兩個女兒，常說「給呀，給呀」。有三樣不知足的，連四樣都不說夠了，就是：

The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:

就是陰間，和石胎，並吃不飽的地，以及火——這三樣，不，四樣都說「夠了」。

The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

戲笑父親，藐視而不聽從母親的眼睛，必被谷中的烏鴉啄出來，被鷹雛吃了。

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.

我所測不透的奇妙有三樣，連四樣我也不明白：

There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:

就是鷹在空中飛的道，蛇在磐石上爬的道，船在海中行的道，男與女相交的道。

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.

淫婦的道也是這樣：她吃了，把嘴一擦，說：「我沒有行惡。」

Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

使地震動的有三樣，連四樣它也擔當不起：

For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:

就是奴僕作王，愚頑人吃飽，

For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;

醜女出嫁，婢女接續主母。

For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

地上有四樣小物，卻甚聰明：

There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:

螞蟻是無力之類，卻在夏天預備糧食；

The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

沙番是軟弱之類，卻在磐石中造房；

The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;

蝗蟲沒有君王，卻分隊而進；

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;

守宮（或作：蜘蛛）用爪抓牆，卻住在王宮。

The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

步行威武的有三樣，連四樣都威武善行：

There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:

就是獅子乃百獸中最強壯的，不遇見甚麼就退縮；

A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;

獵犬，公山羊，和無人能抵擋的君王。

A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.

你若作了愚昧，自尊自大，或是懷了惡意，就當用手捂口。

If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

搖牛奶，必出奶油；扭鼻子，必出血；照樣，激動怒氣，必起爭端。

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.