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接受精明處事的教誨,
為人處事仁義、公平、正直;
4使愚昧人明智,
使年輕人有知識和明辨力;
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,
不可背棄母親的訓誨。
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,
不要屈從。
11他們若說:「跟我們來吧,
我們去埋伏殺人,
任意暗害無辜者;
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在熱鬧的街頭宣告,
在城門口發言:
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,
決定不敬畏耶和華,
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 and Theme
1The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4for giving prudence to those who are simple,1:4 The Hebrew word rendered simple in Proverbs denotes a person who is gullible, without moral direction and inclined to evil.
knowledge and discretion to the young—
5let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
6for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
7The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools1:7 The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote a person who is morally deficient. despise wisdom and instruction.
Prologue: Exhortations to Embrace Wisdom
Warning Against the Invitation of Sinful Men
8Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.
10My son, if sinful men entice you,
do not give in to them.
11If they say, “Come along with us;
let’s lie in wait for innocent blood,
let’s ambush some harmless soul;
12let’s swallow them alive, like the grave,
and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14cast lots with us;
we will all share the loot”—
15my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;
16for their feet rush into evil,
they are swift to shed blood.
17How useless to spread a net
where every bird can see it!
18These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they ambush only themselves!
19Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the life of those who get it.
Wisdom’s Rebuke
20Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;
21on top of the wall1:21 Septuagint; Hebrew / at noisy street corners she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
23Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24But since you refuse to listen when I call
and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
25since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
27when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28“Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
29since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.
30Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
31they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
32For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”