亞古珥的箴言
1以下是雅基的兒子亞古珥的箴言。
這人說：上帝啊，我很疲倦；
上帝啊，我很疲倦，精疲力盡。30·1 希伯來文或譯「這人對以鐵說，對以鐵和烏甲說：」
2我比眾人都愚蠢，
不具備人的悟性。
3我從未學到智慧，
也不認識至聖者。
4誰升上高天又降下來？
誰將風聚在掌中？
誰將眾水裹在衣服裡？
誰定了地的邊界？
祂叫什麼名字？
祂兒子叫什麼名字？
你知道嗎？
5上帝的話句句千真萬確，
祂作投靠祂之人的盾牌。
6你不可對祂的話有所添加，
免得祂責備你，
揭穿你的虛謊。
7上帝啊，我向你求兩件事，
求你在我未死以前賜給我。
8求你使虛偽和謊言遠離我，
求你讓我不貧窮也不富足，
賜給我需用的飲食，
9免得我因為飽足就不認你，
說：「耶和華是誰呢？」
又恐怕我因窮困而偷竊，
以致辱沒我上帝的名。
10別向主人譭謗他的僕人，
免得你受咒詛、擔當罪責。
11有一種30·11 「種」希伯來文是「世代」，11-14節也相同。人咒詛父親，
不為母親祝福。
12有一種人自以為純潔，
卻沒有洗掉自己的污穢。
13有一種人趾高氣揚，
目空一切。
14有一種人牙如劍，
齒如刀，
要吞吃世間的困苦人和貧窮人。
15水蛭有兩個女兒，
她們不停地叫：「給我！給我！」
三樣東西從不知足，
永不言「夠」的共有四樣：
16陰間、不孕的婦人、
乾旱的土地和火焰。
17嘲笑父親、藐視母親教誨的，
眼睛必被谷中的烏鴉啄出，
被禿鷹吃掉。
18我測不透的妙事有三樣，
我不明白的事共有四樣：
19鷹在空中飛翔之道，
蛇在石上爬行之道，
船在海中航行之道，
男女相愛之道。
20淫婦的道是這樣：
她吃完就擦擦嘴，
說，「我沒有做壞事。」
21使大地震動的事有三樣，
大地無法承受的事共有四樣：
22奴僕做王，
愚人吃飽，
23醜惡女子出嫁，
婢女取代主母。
24地上有四種動物，
身體雖小卻極其聰明：
25螞蟻力量雖小，
卻在夏天儲備糧食；
26石獾雖不強壯，
卻在岩石中築巢穴；
27蝗蟲雖無君王，
卻整齊地列隊前進；
28壁虎雖易捕捉，
卻居住在王宮大內。
29步履威武的有三樣，
走路雄壯的共有四樣：
30威震百獸、從不畏縮的獅子，
31昂首闊步的雄雞，
公山羊和率領軍隊的君王。
32你若行事愚昧、
妄自尊大或圖謀不軌，
就當用手掩口。
33激起憤怒會引起爭端，
正如攪牛奶會攪出奶油，
擰鼻子會擰出血。
The Sayings of Agur
1These sayings are the words of Agur, son of Jakeh. These sayings came from God.
This man said to Ithiel:
“I am weary, God.
But I can still have success.
2Surely I am only a dumb animal and not a man.
I don’t understand as other men do.
3I haven’t learned wisdom.
And I don’t know the things the Holy One knows.
4Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a coat?
Who has set in place all the boundaries of the earth?
What is his name? What is his son’s name?
Surely you know!
5“Every word of God is perfect.
He is like a shield to those who trust in him.
He keeps them safe.
6Don’t add to his words.
If you do, he will correct you.
He will prove that you are a liar.
7“Lord, I ask you for two things.
Don’t refuse me before I die.
8Keep lies far away from me.
Don’t make me either poor or rich,
but give me only the bread I need each day.
9If you don’t, I might have too much.
Then I might say I don’t know you.
I might say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I might become poor and steal.
Then I would bring shame to the name of my God.
10“Don’t tell lies about a servant when you talk to their master.
If you do, they will curse you, and you will pay for your lies.
11“Some people curse their fathers.
Others don’t bless their mothers.
12Some are pure in their own eyes.
But their dirty sins haven’t been washed away.
13Some have eyes that are very proud.
They look down on others.
14Some people have teeth like swords.
The teeth in their jaws are as sharp as knives.
They are ready to eat up the poor people of the earth.
They are ready to eat up those who are the most needy.
15“A leech has two daughters.
They cry out, ‘Give! Give!’
“Three things are never satisfied.
Four things never say, ‘Enough!’
16The first is the grave.
The second is a woman who can’t have a baby.
The third is land, which never gets enough water.
And the fourth is fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’
17“One person makes fun of their father.
Another doesn’t honor their mother when she is old.
The ravens of the valley will peck out their eyes.
Then the vultures will eat them.
18“Three things are too amazing for me.
There are four things I don’t understand.
19The first is the way of an eagle in the sky.
The second is the way of a snake on a rock.
The third is the way of a ship on the ocean.
And the fourth is the way of a man with a young woman.
20“This is the way of a woman who commits adultery.
She eats and wipes her mouth.
Then she says, ‘I haven’t done anything wrong.’
21“Under three things the earth shakes.
Under four things it can’t stand up.
22The first is a servant who becomes a king.
The second is a foolish and ungodly person who gets plenty to eat.
23The third is a mean woman who gets married.
And the fourth is a servant who takes the place of the woman she works for.
24“Four things on earth are small.
But they are very wise.
25The first are ants, which aren’t very strong.
But they store up their food in the summer.
26The second are hyraxes, which aren’t very powerful.
But they make their home among the rocks.
27The third are locusts, which don’t have a king.
But they all march forward in ranks.
28And the fourth are lizards, which your hand can catch.
But you will find them in kings’ palaces.
29“Three things walk as if they were kings.
Four things move as kings do.
30The first is a lion, which is mighty among the animals. It doesn’t back away from anything.
31The second is a rooster, which walks proudly.
The third is a billy goat.
And the fourth is a king, who is secure against any who might oppose him.
32“Do you do foolish things?
Do you think you are better than others?
Do you plan evil?
If you do, put your hand over your mouth and stop talking!
33If you churn cream, you will produce butter.
If you twist a nose, you will produce blood.
And if you stir up anger, you will produce a fight.”
