Proverbs 26

Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
    honor is not fitting for a fool.

愚人得尊榮本不合宜，
    如夏天降雪、收割時下雨。

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
    an undeserved curse does not come to rest.

麻雀翻飛，燕子翱翔，
    咒詛不會無端降臨。

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
    and a rod for the backs of fools!

鞭子打馬，韁繩勒驢，
    棍棒責打愚人的背。

Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
    or you yourself will be just like him.

別照愚人的愚昧回答他，
    免得你像他一樣。

Answer a fool according to his folly,
    or he will be wise in his own eyes.

要照愚人的愚昧回答他，
    免得他自以為有智慧。

Sending a message by the hands of a fool
    is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.

靠愚人傳信，
    如同砍斷自己的腳，
    自討苦吃。

Like the useless legs of one who is lame
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

愚人口中說箴言，
    如同跛子空有腿。

Like tying a stone in a sling
    is the giving of honor to a fool.

把尊榮給愚人，
    就像把石子綁在甩石器上。

Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

愚人口中說箴言，
    如同醉漢握荊棘。

Like an archer who wounds at random
    is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.

雇用愚人或路人，
    如同弓箭手亂箭傷人。

As a dog returns to its vomit,
    so fools repeat their folly.

愚人一再重複愚昧事，
    就像狗回頭吃所吐的。

Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.

自以為有智慧的人，
    還不如愚人有希望。

A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road,
    a fierce lion roaming the streets!”

懶惰人說：「路上有獅子，
    街上有猛獅。」

As a door turns on its hinges,
    so a sluggard turns on his bed.

懶惰人賴在床上滾來滾去，
    就像門在門軸上轉來轉去。

A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
    he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.

懶惰人手放在餐盤，
    卻懶得送食物進嘴。

A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
    than seven people who answer discreetly.

懶惰人自以為比七個善於應對的人更有智慧。

Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
    is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

插手他人的糾紛，
    猶如揪狗的耳朵。

Like a maniac shooting
    flaming arrows of death

欺騙鄰舍還說是開玩笑，
    如同瘋子亂拋火把、亂射箭。

is one who deceives their neighbor
    and says, “I was only joking!”

Without wood a fire goes out;
    without a gossip a quarrel dies down.

沒有木柴，火自然熄滅；
    沒有閒話，爭端便平息。

As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

好鬥之人煽動爭端，
    如同餘火加炭、火上加柴。

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
    they go down to the inmost parts.

閒言閒語如可口的美食，
    輕易進入人的五臟六腑。

Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
    are fervent^[a] lips with an evil heart.

火熱的嘴，邪惡的心，
    猶如瓦器鍍了層銀。

Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.

怨恨人的用美言掩飾自己，
    心中卻藏著詭詐。

Though their speech is charming, do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.

縱然他甜言蜜語，你也不可信他，
    因為他心中充滿各種可憎之事。

Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

雖然他用詭計掩飾怨恨，
    他的邪惡必被會眾揭穿。

Whoever digs a pit will fall into it;
    if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.

挖陷阱的，必自陷其中；
    滾石頭的，必自傷己身。

A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
    and a flattering mouth works ruin.