Proverbs

我兒，要遵守我的言語，將我的命令存記在心。

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

遵守我的命令，就得存活；保守我的法則（或作：指教），如同保守眼中的瞳仁；

Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

繫在你指頭上，刻在你心版上。

Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

對智慧說：「你是我的姐妹」；稱呼聰明為你的親人；

Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

她就能保守你遠離淫婦，遠離說諂媚話的外女。

That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

我曾在我房屋的窗戶內，從我窗棱之間往外觀看，

For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,

見愚蒙人內，少年人中，有一個無知的少年人，

And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

從街角經過，走近她的房角，

Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

在黃昏，或晚暮的時分，在黑夜昏暗中走過；

In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

看哪，一個婦人來迎接他，她是妓女的打扮，有詭詐的心思。

And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

她喧嚷，執拗，在家裡停不住腳；

(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

有時在街市上，有時在寬闊處，或在各城門口蹲伏，

Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

拉住那少年人，與他親嘴，臉無羞恥地說：

So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

「我今天已還了平安祭的願，

I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

所以出來迎接你，懇切地求見你，我已經找到你了。

Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

我已用繡花毯子，和埃及線織的花紋布，鋪了我的床，

I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

又用沒藥、沉香、桂皮薰了我的榻。

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

你來，我們可以飽享愛情，直到早晨，我們可以彼此親愛歡樂；

Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

因為我丈夫不在家，出去行遠路，

For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

他手拿銀袋，到了定期纔回來。」

He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

她以許多巧言引他，用諂媚的嘴唇誘他。

With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

少年人立刻跟從她，好像牛往宰殺之地，又像愚昧人戴上鐐銬去受刑罰，

He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

直等箭穿他的肝，如同鳥急入網羅，卻不知是自害己命。

Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

眾子啊，現在要聽從我，留心聽我口中的話。

Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

你的心，不可偏向她的道路；不要入她的迷途。

Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

因為被她傷的，不計其數；被她殺的，都是大有能力的人。

For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

她的家是陰間之路，下到死亡的宮中。

Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.