Proverbs 26

1 Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor does not befit a fool.

1 夏天落雪，收割時下雨，都不相宜； 愚昧人得尊榮也是如此。

2 Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

2 麻雀往來，燕子翻飛； 這樣，無故的咒詛也必不臨到。

3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!

3 鞭子是為打馬，轡頭是為勒驢； 刑杖是為打愚昧人的背。

4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.

4 不要照愚昧人的愚妄話回答他， 恐怕你與他一樣。

5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he become wise in his own eyes.

5 要照愚昧人的愚妄話回答他， 免得他自以為有智慧。

6 Like cutting off one’s own feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool.

6 藉愚昧人手寄信的， 是砍斷自己的腳，自受 損害。

7 Like lame legs hanging limp is a proverb in the mouth 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。

8 Like binding a stone into a sling is the giving of honor to a fool.

8 將尊榮給愚昧人的， 好像人把石子包在機弦裏。

9 Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

9 箴言在愚昧人的口中， 好像荊棘刺入醉漢的手。

10 Like an archer who wounds at random is he who hires a fool or passerby.

10 雇愚昧人的，與雇過路人的， 就像射傷眾人的弓箭手。

11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

11 愚昧人行愚妄事，行了又行， 就如狗轉過來吃牠所吐的。

12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

12 你見自以為有智慧的人嗎？ 愚昧人比他更有指望。

13 The slacker says, “A lion is in the road! A fierce lion roams the public square!”

13 懶惰人說：道上有猛獅， 街上有壯獅。

14 As a door turns on its hinges, so the slacker turns on his bed.

14 門在樞紐轉動， 懶惰人在床上也是如此。

15 The slacker buries his hand in the dish; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

15 懶惰人放手在盤子裏， 就是向口撤回也以為勞乏。

16 The slacker is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly.

16 懶惰人看自己比七個善於應對的人更有智慧。

17 Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own.

17 過路被事激動，管理不干己的爭競， 好像人揪住狗耳。

18 Like a madman shooting firebrands and deadly arrows,

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 。

19 so is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”

20 Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases.

20 火缺了柴就必熄滅； 無人傳舌，爭競便止息。

21 Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

21 好爭競的人煽惑爭端， 就如餘火加炭，火上加柴一樣。

22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the inmost being.

22 傳舌人的言語，如同美食， 深入人的心腹。

23 Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart.

23 火熱的嘴，奸惡的心， 好像銀渣包的瓦器。

24 A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.

24 怨恨人的，用嘴粉飾， 心裏卻藏着詭詐；

25 When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill 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。

26 Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

26 他雖用詭詐遮掩自己的怨恨， 他的邪惡必在會中顯露。

27 He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

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。

28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

28 虛謊的舌恨他所壓傷的人； 諂媚的口敗壞人的事。