箴言的價值
1這是大衛的兒子以色列王所羅門的箴言。
2為使人認識智慧和教誨，
領悟真知灼見；
3為使人接受勸誡，
為人處事仁義、公平、正直；
4使愚昧人明智，
使青年有知識和明辨力；
5使智者聽了長學問，
明哲聽了得指引；
6使人領悟箴言和比喻，
明白智者的話和謎語。
7知識始於敬畏耶和華，
愚人輕視智慧和教誨。
8孩子啊，
你要聽從父親的教誨，
不可背棄母親的訓言。
9因為這要作你頭上的華冠，
頸上的項鏈。
10孩子啊，惡人若引誘你，
千萬不要聽從。
11他們若說：「跟我們來吧，
我們去埋伏殺人，
暗害無辜者取樂；
12我們要像陰間一樣生吞他們，
整個吞沒他們，
使他們如墜入墳墓的人；
13我們必得到各樣寶物，
把戰利品裝滿我們的房屋。
14跟我們一起幹吧，
大家有福同享！」
15孩子啊，
不要走他們的道，
切莫行他們的路。
16因為他們奔向罪惡，
急速地去殺人流血。
17在飛鳥眼前設網羅，徒勞無功。
18他們埋伏，卻自流己血；
他們伏擊，卻自害己命。
19這就是貪愛不義之財者的結局，
不義之財終要奪去他們的性命。
智慧的勸誡
20智慧在大街上高喊，
在廣場上揚聲，
21在熱鬧的市集宣告，
在城門口演說：
22「你們愚昧人喜愛愚昧，
嘲諷者以嘲弄為樂，
無知者厭惡知識，
要到什麼時候呢？
23你們若因我的責備而回轉，
我就向你們顯明我的旨意1·23 「我就向你們顯明我的旨意」希伯來文是「我就將我的靈澆灌你們」。，
叫你們明白我的話語。
24我呼喚你們，
你們卻充耳不聞；
我向你們招手，
你們卻視若無睹。
25你們漠視我的勸誡，
不接受我的責備。
26因此，
你們遭遇災難時，
我必發笑；
驚恐臨到你們時，
我必嗤笑——
27那時，恐懼如風暴襲擊你們，
災難如旋風臨到你們，
憂愁和苦難吞沒你們。
28你們呼求我，
我也不回答；
你們懇切地尋找我，
卻找不到。
29因為你們厭惡知識，
不願意敬畏耶和華，
30不接受我的勸誡，
又藐視我的責備。
31所以，你們必自食其果，
因自己的惡謀而吃盡苦頭。
32愚昧人背離正道，
自招滅亡；
愚頑人逍遙自在，
毀掉自己。
33然而，那聽從我的必安然居住，
得享安寧，
不怕災禍。」
Purpose
1These are the proverbs of Solomon. He was the son of David and the king of Israel.
2Proverbs teach you wisdom and instruct you.
They help you understand wise sayings.
3They provide you with instruction and help you live wisely.
They lead to what is right and honest and fair.
4They give understanding to childish people.
They give knowledge and good sense to those who are young.
5Let wise people listen and add to what they have learned.
Let those who understand what is right get guidance.
6What I’m teaching also helps you understand proverbs and stories.
It helps you understand the sayings and riddles of those who are wise.
7If you really want to gain knowledge, you must begin by having respect for the Lord.
But foolish people hate wisdom and instruction.
Think and Live Wisely
A Warning Against Sinful Men
8My son, listen to your father’s advice.
Don’t turn away from your mother’s teaching.
9What they teach you will be like a beautiful crown on your head.
It will be like a chain to decorate your neck.
10My son, if sinful men tempt you,
don’t give in to them.
11They might say, “Come along with us.
Let’s hide and wait to kill someone who hasn’t done anything wrong.
Let’s catch some harmless person in our trap.
12Let’s swallow them alive, as the grave does.
Let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down into the pit.
13We’ll get all kinds of valuable things.
We’ll fill our houses with what we steal.
14Cast lots with us for what they own.
We’ll share everything we take from them.”
15My son, don’t go along with them.
Don’t even set your feet on their paths.
16They are always in a hurry to sin.
They are quick to spill someone’s blood.
17How useless it is to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18Those who hide and wait will spill their own blood.
They will be caught in their own trap.
19That’s what happens to everyone
who goes after money in the wrong way.
That kind of money takes away
the life of those who get it.
Wisdom’s Warning
20Out in the open wisdom calls out.
She raises her voice in a public place.
21On top of the city wall she cries out.
Here is what she says near the gate of the city.
22“How long will you childish people love your childish ways?
How long will you rude people enjoy making fun of God and others?
How long will you foolish people hate knowledge?
23Pay attention to my warning!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you.
I will make known to you my teachings.
24But you refuse to listen when I call out to you.
No one pays attention when I reach out my hand.
25You turn away from all my advice.
And you do not accept my warning.
26So I will laugh at you when you are in danger.
I will make fun of you when hard times come.
27I will laugh when hard times hit you like a storm.
I will laugh when danger comes your way like a windstorm.
I will make fun of you when suffering and trouble come.
28“Then you will call to me. But I won’t answer.
You will look for me. But you won’t find me.
29You hated knowledge.
You didn’t choose to have respect for the Lord.
30You wouldn’t accept my advice.
You turned your backs on my warnings.
31So you will eat the fruit of the way you have lived.
You will choke on the fruit of what you have planned.
32“The wrong path that childish people take will kill them.
Foolish people will be destroyed by being satisfied with the way they live.
33But those who listen to me will live in safety.
They will be at ease and have no fear of being harmed.”
