Warnings against folly
1My son, if you have put up security for your neighbour,
if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2you have been trapped by what you said,
ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3So do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbour’s hands:
go – to the point of exhaustion – 6:3 Or Go and humble yourself,
and give your neighbour no rest!
4Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.
5Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.
6Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
7It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
8yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
9How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest –
11and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.
12A troublemaker and a villain,
who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
13who winks maliciously with his eye,
signals with his feet
and motions with his fingers,
14who plots evil with deceit in his heart –
he always stirs up conflict.
15Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;
he will suddenly be destroyed – without remedy.
16There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Warning against adultery
20My son, keep your father’s command
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21Bind them always on your heart;
fasten them round your neck.
22When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.
23For this command is a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
are the way to life,
24keeping you from your neighbour’s wife,
from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.
25Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread,
but another man’s wife preys on your very life.
27Can a man scoop fire into his lap
without his clothes being burned?
28Can a man walk on hot coals
without his feet being scorched?
29So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;
no-one who touches her will go unpunished.
30People do not despise a thief if he steals
to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,
though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32But a man who commits adultery has no sense;
whoever does so destroys himself.
33Blows and disgrace are his lot,
and his shame will never be wiped away.
34For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,
and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35He will not accept any compensation;
he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.
日常警言
1孩子啊,你若為鄰人作保,
為外人擊掌立約;
2你若被自己口中的話套住,
被自己的諾言纏住,
3孩子啊,你已落入鄰人的手中,
你當如此自救:
要謙卑地向他求情。
4勿讓你的眼睛睡覺,
莫叫你的眼皮打盹。
5要救自己脫離困境,
像羚羊掙脫獵人的手,
飛鳥逃脫捕鳥人的手。
6懶惰的人啊,去看看螞蟻,
觀察牠的生活,就會有智慧。
7螞蟻沒有元帥,
沒有官長,
也沒有君王,
8卻在夏季儲備糧食,
在收割時積聚食物。
9懶惰的人啊,你要躺到何時?
要睡到何時才起床?
10再睡一會兒,再打個盹兒,
抱著手躺一會兒,
11貧窮要像盜賊一樣攻擊你,
缺乏要像武士一樣撲向你。
12無賴與惡人滿口詭詐,
13擠眉弄眼,手腳示意,
14心術不正,設下詭計,惹事生非。
15因此,災難必突然臨到,
他們頃刻之間遭到毀滅,
無可挽救。
16耶和華所憎惡的事有六樣,
連祂厭惡的事共有七樣:
17高傲的眼睛,
撒謊的舌頭,
殺害無辜的手,
18圖謀詭計的心,
奔跑作惡的腳,
19撒謊的假證人和在弟兄中挑起爭端的人。
20孩子啊,要遵守你父親的誡命,
不可背棄你母親的訓言。
21你要常常將這些刻在心坎上,
繫在頸項上。
22你行走,它們必引領你;
你躺臥,它們必護衛你;
你醒來,它們必與你交談。
23因為誡命是燈,訓言是光,
管教責備是生命之道,
24能使你遠離邪惡的女人,
避開油嘴滑舌的妓女。
25你的心不要貪戀她的美色,
也不要被她的媚眼所迷惑,
26因為娼妓會使人傾家蕩產6·26 「娼妓會使人傾家蕩產」或譯「娼妓的淫資不過是一個餅」。,
淫婦會獵殺人寶貴的生命。
27人若將火藏在懷中,
哪能不燒著衣服呢?
28人若行走在火炭上,
哪能不燙傷雙腳呢?
29與別人妻子通姦也是這樣,
凡靠近她的必難逃罪責。
30賊因充饑而偷,
沒有人藐視他;
31但若被抓到,他要償還七倍,
就是傾家蕩產也要償還。
32和有夫之婦通姦的,
實在愚不可及,
他是自尋死路。
33他必挨打,受辱,
他的恥辱永難抹去。
34那丈夫妒火燃燒,
報仇時絕不留情。
35賠他再多財物,他也不會接受;
送他再多禮物,他都不肯甘休。