箴言 第 18 章

¹與眾寡合的，獨自尋求心願，並惱恨一切真智慧。Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

²愚昧人不喜愛明哲，只喜愛顯露心意。A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

³惡人來，藐視隨來；羞恥到，辱罵同到。When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.

⁴人口中的言語如同深水；智慧的泉源好像湧流的河水。The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.

⁵瞻徇惡人的情面，偏斷義人的案件，都為不善。It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.

⁶愚昧人張嘴啟爭端，開口招鞭打。A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

⁷愚昧人的口自取敗壞；他的嘴是他生命的網羅。A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

⁸傳舌人的言語如同美食，深入人的心腹。The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

⁹做工懈怠的，與浪費人為弟兄。He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

¹⁰耶和華的名是堅固臺；義人奔入便得安穩。The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

¹¹富足人的財物是他的堅城，在他心想，猶如高牆。The rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

¹²敗壞之先，人心驕傲；尊榮以前，必有謙卑。Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

¹³未曾聽完先回答的，便是他的愚昧和羞辱。He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

¹⁴人有疾病，心能忍耐；心靈憂傷，誰能承當呢？The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

¹⁵聰明人的心得知識；智慧人的耳求知識。The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

¹⁶人的禮物為他開路，引他到高位的人面前。A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.

¹⁷先訴情由的，似乎有理；但鄰舍來到，就察出實情。He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

¹⁸掣籤能止息爭競，也能解散強勝的人。The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.

¹⁹弟兄結怨，勸他和好，比取堅固城還難；這樣的爭競如同堅寨的門閂。A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

²⁰人口中所結的果子，必充滿肚腹；他嘴所出的，必使他飽足。A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

²¹生死在舌頭的權下，喜愛他的，必吃他所結的果子。Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

²²得著賢妻的，是得著好處，也是蒙了耶和華的恩惠。Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

²³貧窮人說哀求的話；富足人用威嚇的話回答。The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

²⁴濫交朋友的，自取敗壞；但有一朋友比弟兄更親密。A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.