| 德訓篇 |
Sirach |
| 1口不失言，又問心無愧的，是有福的人。 |
1Happy the man whose mouth brings him no grief, who is not stung by remorse for sin. |
| 2不受良心譴責，而又不失望的，是有福的人。 |
2Happy the man whose conscience does not reproach him, who has not lost hope. |
| 3財產為吝嗇的人，沒有好處；嫉妒的人雖有黃金，又有什麼用？ |
3 Wealth ill becomes the mean man; and to the miser, of what use is gold? |
| 4過於儉省的人，是替人積蓄；他的財物．必被人浪費。 |
4What he denies himself he collects for others, and in his possessions a stranger will revel. |
| 5虐待自己的，怎能善待他人？他決不會享受他自己的財物。 |
5To whom will he be generous who is stingy with himself and does not enjoy what is his own? |
| 6沒有比吝嗇而自殘的人，更為卑劣；這是他自作孽的報應。 |
6None is more stingy than he who is stingy with himself; he punishes his own miserliness. |
| 7縱使他行了善事，也是出於偶然，並非自願，最後，他的邪惡終於暴露出來。 |
7If ever he is generous, it is by mistake; and in the end he displays his greed. |
| 8吝嗇人見人就嫉妒，轉臉就輕視人。 |
8In the miser's opinion his share is too small; |
| 9貧得無厭的眼睛，看自己所得的一份，總是不夠；不義的惡毒，麻木了他的心靈。 |
9he refuses his neighbor and brings ruin on himself. |
| 10貪得無厭的人，吝惜飲食，他的餐桌上，幾乎一無所有。 |
10The miser's eye is rapacious for bread, but on his own table he sets it stale. |
| 11我兒，該按你所有，好待你自己，並向上主奉獻相稱的祭品。 |
11My son, use freely whatever you have and enjoy it as best you can; |
| 12要記往：死亡決不遲延．陰府的約期，你又無從得知。 |
12Remember that death does not tarry, nor have you been told the grave's appointed time. |
| 13未死以前，你要厚待你的朋友，按你的力量，伸手加惠於他。 |
13Before you die, be good to your friend, and give him a share in what you possess. |
| 14不應取消你佳節的喜樂，連一點好希望，也不要輕易放過。 |
14Deprive not yourself of present good things, let no choice portion escape you. |
| 15難道你把你勞碌所得的留給別人？難道把你辛苦所得的，叫別人抽籤分得？ |
15Will you not leave your riches to others, and your earnings to be divided by lot? |
| 16你要施捨，也要收受，總要使你的心靈愉快。 |
16Give, take, and treat yourself well, for in the nether world there are no joys to seek. |
| 17死前你應履行正義，因為在陰府裡，無福可尋。 |
17All flesh grows old, like a garment; the age-old law is: All must die. |
| 18凡有血肉的，有如衣服，逐漸陳舊，因為自古以來的定案是：你一定要死；又如蔥蘢的樹上發的枝葉， |
18As with the leaves that grow on a vigorous tree: one falls off and another sprouts-- So with the generations of flesh and blood: one dies and another is born. |
| 19有彫零的，有發芽的，有血肉的種類也是如此：這人死去，那人出生。 |
19All man's works will perish in decay, and his handiwork will follow after him. |
| 20各種腐敗的工程，畢竟都要被遺棄，它的作者也要隨之而去； |
20 Happy the man who meditates on wisdom, and reflects on knowledge; |
| 21但一切優良的事業，必為人所公認，它的作者也要與它共享光榮。 |
21Who ponders her ways in his heart, and understands her paths; |
| 22凡默思智慧，常注視明智，並思念天主鑒臨的是有福的人。 |
22Who pursues her like a scout, and lies in wait at her entry way; |
| 23他心中思念智慧的途徑，想暸解她的奧秘。他彷彿一個偵探，追隨在她的後邊，潛伏在她的路口， |
23Who peeps through her windows, and listens at her doors; |
| 24從她的窗外窺視，在她的門口傾聽， |
24Who encamps near her house, and fastens his tent pegs next to her walls; |
| 25貼近她的房屋休息，在她的牆上釘上木橛，以便在她旁邊，搭起自己的帳幕，而在那幸福的房舍內永久安息。 |
25Who pitches his tent beside her, and lives as her welcome neighbor; |
| 26他把自己的兒女，安置在智慧的蔭庇下，要在她的枝葉下留宿， |
26Who builds his nest in her leafage, and lodges in her branches; |
| 27在她的蔭涼下避暑，在她的光榮中安息。 |
27Who takes shelter with her from the heat, and dwells in her home. |
