1Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, with strife.
2A prudent servant will rule over a disgraceful son
and will share the inheritance as one of the family.
3The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.
4A wicked person listens to deceitful lips;
a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.
5Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;
whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
6Children’s children are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.
7Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool—
how much worse lying lips to a ruler!
8A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it;
they think success will come at every turn.
9Whoever would foster love covers over an offense,
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
10A rebuke impresses a discerning person
more than a hundred lashes a fool.
11Evildoers foster rebellion against God;
the messenger of death will be sent against them.
12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than a fool bent on folly.
13Evil will never leave the house
of one who pays back evil for good.
14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
15Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent—
the Lord detests them both.
16Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom,
when they are not able to understand it?
17A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
18One who has no sense shakes hands in pledge
and puts up security for a neighbor.
19Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin;
whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
20One whose heart is corrupt does not prosper;
one whose tongue is perverse falls into trouble.
21To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
22A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
23The wicked accept bribes in secret
to pervert the course of justice.
24A discerning person keeps wisdom in view,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
25A foolish son brings grief to his father
and bitterness to the mother who bore him.
26If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,
surely to flog honest officials is not right.
27The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint,
and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.
28Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent,
and discerning if they hold their tongues.
1粗茶淡飯但相安無事，
勝過佳餚滿桌卻勾心鬥角。
2精明的僕人必管轄主人的不肖子，
並與他們一同承受家業。
3鼎煉銀，爐煉金，
耶和華試煉人心。
4作惡者留心聽惡言，
說謊者側耳聽壞話。
5嘲笑窮人等於侮辱造物主，
幸災樂禍的人必難逃懲罰。
6子孫是老人的華冠，
父母是兒女的榮耀。
7愚人高談闊論不相稱，
統治者說謊更不合適。
8行賄者視賄賂為法寶，
可以使他無往不利。
9饒恕過犯，促進友愛；
重提舊恨，破壞友情。
10責備哲士一句，
勝過杖打愚人百下。
11惡人一心反叛，
殘忍的使者必奉命來懲罰他。
12寧願遇見丟失幼崽的母熊，
也不願碰上做蠢事的愚人。
13人若以惡報善，
家裡必禍患不斷。
14爭端爆發如洪水決堤，
當在爆發前將其制止。
15放過罪人、冤枉義人，
都為耶和華所憎惡。
16愚人無心求智慧，
手中有錢有何用？
17朋友時時彼此關愛，
手足生來患難與共。
18無知的人才會為他人作保。
19喜愛爭鬥的喜愛犯罪，
驕傲自大的自招滅亡。
20心術不正，難覓幸福；
口吐謊言，陷入禍患。
21生愚昧子帶來憂傷，
愚人之父毫無喜樂。
22喜樂的心乃是良藥，
憂傷的靈使骨枯乾。
23惡人暗中收受賄賂，
顛倒是非。
24哲士追求智慧，
愚人漫無目標。
25愚昧的孩子令父親憂慮，讓母親苦惱。
26責罰義人不妥，
杖責君子不義。
27謹言慎行的有知識，
溫和冷靜的有悟性。
28愚人緘默可算為智慧，
閉口不言可算為明智。
