| 德訓篇 |
Sirach |
| 1聰明的長官，必教導自己的百姓；賢明者的施政，必然有條理。 |
1A wise magistrate lends stability to his people, and the government of a prudent man is well ordered. |
| 2人民的首領怎樣，他的屬下也怎樣；市長如何，所有市民也如何。 |
2As the people's judge, so are his ministers; as the head of a city, its inhabitants. |
| 3品行不良的君王，必使人民喪亡；因首領的明智，市民必然增多。 |
3A wanton king destroys his people, but a city grows through the wisdom of its princes. |
| 4統治大地的權柄，是在上主手裏，萬邦的一切不義，是可咒罵的，到了指定的時刻，天主必給大地興起一位有才的人君。 |
4Sovereignty over the earth is in the hand of God, who raises up on it the man of the hour; |
| 5民眾的福利，是在上主手裏，他必將自己的尊榮賜給立法者。 |
5Sovereignty over every man is in the hand of God, who imparts his majesty to the ruler. |
| 6不要因任何非理之事懷恨於人，也不要作出任何強橫的事。 |
6 No matter the wrong, do no violence to your neighbor, and do not walk the path of arrogance. |
| 7驕傲在上主及人前是可憎恨的，不義為上主及人是可厭惡的。 |
7Odious to the LORD and to men is arrogance, and the sin of oppression they both hate. |
| 8因着不義、驕橫和貪財，以及各種欺詐，統治權由這一民族，轉移到另一民族。 |
8Dominion is transferred from one people to another because of the violence of the arrogant. |
| 9沒有什麼比貪財的人，更可憎惡；塵埃灰土的人，有什麼可驕傲的？ |
9 Why are dust and ashes proud? even during life man's body decays; |
| 10沒有什麼比愛錢更邪惡的，因為這樣的人，出賣自己的性命，他雖然還活着，他的五臟郤已逐漸腐爛。 |
10A slight illness--the doctor jests, a king today--tomorrow he is dead. |
| 11一切政權的壽命，都是短促的。 |
11When a man dies, he inherits corruption; worms and gnats and maggots. |
| 12長久的疾病，令醫生生厭。今日是君王，明日即死去，就如醫生治療小病一樣的快速。 |
12The beginning of pride is man's stubbornness in withdrawing his heart from his Maker; |
| 13人死之後,要得到的產業，是蛇、蛆、蟲。 |
13For pride is the reservoir of sin, a source which runs over with vice; Because of it God sends unheard-of afflictions and brings men to utter ruin. |
| 14驕傲的開端，始於人背離上主， |
14The thrones of the arrogant God overturns and establishes the lowly in their stead. |
| 15始於人心遠離自己的創造者，因為驕傲是一切罪惡的起源；固執於驕傲的人，散佈可憎惡的事．有如雨點；最後必使他喪亡。 |
15The roots of the proud God plucks up, to plant the humble in their place: |
| 16為此，上主降下奇災異禍，把他們完全消滅。 |
16He breaks down their stem to the level of the ground, then digs their roots from the earth. |
| 17上主推翻傲慢君主的寶座，使謙遜的人坐上他們的寶座。 |
17The traces of the proud God sweeps away and effaces the memory of them from the earth. |
| 18上主拔除傲慢民族的根苗，在他們的地方，卻培植謙虛的人。 |
18Insolence is not allotted to a man, nor stubborn anger to one born of woman. |
| 19上主推翻了異民的國家，將它們毀滅，直到地基； |
19 Whose offspring can be in honor? Those of men. Which offspring are in honor? Those who fear God. Whose offspring can be in disgrace? Those of men. Which offspring are in disgrace? Those who transgress the commandments. |
| 20將他們由本國逐出，盡行消滅，並將他們的紀念，從世上除去。 |
20Among brethren their leader is in honor; he who fears God is in honor among his people. |
| 21天主消滅傲慢人的紀念；心地謙遜人的紀念，反被保留。 |
21Be it tenant or wayfarer, alien or pauper, his glory is the fear of the LORD. |
| 22為人，不應生驕傲；婦女所生的，也不應發憤怒。 |
22It is not just to despise a man who is wise but poor, nor proper to honor any sinner. |
| 23甚麼種族是可尊敬的？是人類的種族；甚麼種族是可尊敬的？是敬畏上主的人們；甚麼種族是可輕視的？是人類的種族；甚麼種族是可輕視的？是違犯誡命的人們。 |
23The prince, the ruler, the judge are in honor; but none is greater than he who fears God. |
| 24在兄弟們中，自己的領袖是可敬重的；敬畏上主的人們，在天主眼中，也是如此。 |
24When free men serve a prudent slave, the wise man does not complain. |
| 25富貴人、有名譽的人和貧窮人的光榮，就是在乎敬畏上主。 |
25Flaunt not your wisdom in managing your affairs, and boast not in your time of need. |
| 26不可藐視有智慧的窮人，也不可稱讚富有的罪人。 |
26Better the worker who has plenty of everything than the boaster who is without bread. |
| 27偉人、判官、權貴，都應受敬重；但是他們之中，沒有比敬畏上主的人更偉大。 |
27My son, with humility have self-esteem; prize yourself as you deserve. |
| 28自由的人服事明智的奴僕，明智而有紀律的人，雖受責備，仍不出怨言；不知敬畏天主的人，決不會受人敬重。 |
28Who will acquit him who condemns himself? who will honor him who discredits himself? |
| 29工作時，不要投機取巧；貧窮時，不要誇張。 |
29The poor man is honored for his wisdom as the rich man is honored for his wealth; |
| 30勞而致富的人，勝於自大，而無以果腹的人。 |
30Honored in poverty, how much more so in wealth! Dishonored in wealth, in poverty how much the more! |
| 31我兒，你要端莊，自重自愛，對自己應保持相稱的尊重。 |
31 |
| 32犯罪加害自己的人，誰能當他是義人？侮辱自己的人，誰又能尊重他？ |
32 |
| 33貧苦人受人敬重，是因他的智慧，和敬畏天主之心；富貴人受人敬重，是因他的財富。 |
33 |
| 34在窮苦中受尊敬的人，富有時，豈不更受尊敬？在富有時，還受輕視，在貧窮時，更將如何？ |
34 |
