1An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends
and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.
2Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.
3When wickedness comes, so does contempt,
and with shame comes reproach.
4The words of the mouth are deep waters,
but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
5It is not good to be partial to the wicked
and so deprive the innocent of justice.
6The lips of fools bring them strife,
and their mouths invite a beating.
7The mouths of fools are their undoing,
and their lips are a snare to their very lives.
8The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.
9One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.
10The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.
11The wealth of the rich is their fortified city;
they imagine it a wall too high to scale.
12Before a downfall the heart is haughty,
but humility comes before honor.
13To answer before listening—
that is folly and shame.
14The human spirit can endure in sickness,
but a crushed spirit who can bear?
15The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge,
for the ears of the wise seek it out.
16A gift opens the way
and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.
17In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right,
until someone comes forward and cross-examines.
18Casting the lot settles disputes
and keeps strong opponents apart.
19A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city;
disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
20From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
21The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.
22He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the Lord.
23The poor plead for mercy,
but the rich answer harshly.
24One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
1孤傲者獨求己願，
他惱恨一切真知。
2愚人不喜歡悟性，
只喜歡發表意見。
3邪惡與藐視同行，
無恥與羞辱為伴。
4人口中的話如同深水，
智慧之泉像涓涓溪流。
5袒護惡人不好，
冤枉義人不善。
6愚人說話引起紛爭，
他的口招來鞭打。
7愚人的口自招滅亡，
他的嘴坑害他自己。
8閒言碎語如同美食，
深入人的五臟六腑。
9懶惰人與毀壞者意氣相投。
10耶和華的名是堅固保障，
義人投奔其中就得安穩。
11錢財是富人的堅城，
在他幻想中是高牆。
12驕傲是敗亡的前奏，
謙卑是尊榮的先鋒。
13未聽先答的人，
自顯愚昧和羞辱。
14人的心靈能忍受疾病，
誰能忍受破碎的心靈？
15哲士的心得知識，
智者的耳求知識。
16禮物為人開路，
領人晉見權貴。
17先告狀的看似有理，
一經對質真相大白。
18抽籤可以平息爭端，
調解強者間的糾紛。
19與結怨的兄弟和解比攻城還難，
爭端難破，如堅城的門閂。
20人因口中所說的話而飽足，
因嘴中所出的言語而滿足。
21口舌能夠定生死，
多嘴多言食惡果。
22得到妻子就是得到珍寶，
也是蒙了耶和華的恩惠。
23窮人哀聲懇求，
富人惡言相向。
24濫交友，自招損；
得知己，勝手足。
