| 德訓篇 |
Sirach |
| 1上主用塵土造了人，又使人歸於塵土； |
1The LORD from the earth created man, and in his own image he made him. |
| 2給他限定了日數和時期，賜給他治理世上事物的權力。 |
2Limited days of life he gives him and makes him return to earth again. |
| 3按照自己的本性，賦給他德能；依照自己的肖像，造成了他。 |
3He endows man with a strength of his own, and with power over all things else on earth. |
| 4使一切生物都畏懼他，使他能制服禽獸。 |
4He puts the fear of him in all flesh, and gives him rule over beasts and birds. |
| 5天主又從他，造了一個與他相似的伴侶，賜給他們理智、唇舌、眼目、耳朵和能思想的心，使他們充滿知識與理解力。 |
5He forms men's tongues and eyes and ears, and imparts to them an understanding heart. |
| 6給他們創造精神的知識，使他們的心富於辨別力，使他們能分別善惡。 |
6With wisdom and knowledge he fills them; good and evil he shows them. |
| 7天主又把自己的靈光放在他們的心中，為將自己偉大的工程，顯示給他們， |
7He looks with favor upon their hearts, and shows them his glorious works, |
| 8好使他們能讚美他的聖名，光榮他奇妙的化工，並傳述他偉大的工程。 |
8That they may describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name. |
| 9他賜給他們理智，又賜給他們生命的法律，作為產業； |
9He has set before them knowledge, a law of life as their inheritance; |
| 10和他們立了永久的盟約，使他們認識正義和自己的法令。 |
10 An everlasting covenant he has made with them, his commandments he has revealed to them. |
| 11他們的眼目看見了他偉大的光榮，他們的耳朵也聽見了他莊嚴的聲音。天主對他們說：「要戒避一切不義！」 |
11His majestic glory their eyes beheld, his glorious voice their ears heard. |
| 12並吩咐他們，每人要關心別人。 |
12He says to them, "Avoid all evil"; each of them he gives precepts about his fellow men. |
| 13他們的道路，時常在他面前，絲毫隱瞞不了他的眼目。 |
13Their ways are ever known to him, they cannot be hidden from his eyes. |
| 14他給每個民族，立了一個統治者； |
14 Over every nation he places a ruler, but the LORD'S own portion is Israel. |
| 15但是，以色列顯然是上主的一分子。 |
15All their actions are clear as the sun to him, his eyes are ever upon their ways. |
| 16他們所行的一切，像太陽一般，擺在他面前，他的眼目，時常注視他們的行徑。 |
16Their wickedness cannot be hidden from him; all of their sins are before the LORD. |
| 17他們的惡行，隱瞞不了他，他們一切的罪惡，都擺在上主的面前。 |
17A man's goodness God cherishes like a signet ring, a man's virtue, like the apple of his eye. |
| 18人的慈愛，為天主有如印璽；他保存人的慈愛，有如保護瞳孔。 |
18Later he will rise up and repay them, and requite each one of them as they deserve. |
| 19此後，他必起來，回報惡人，給他們施與每人應得的報應，使他們轉入地的深處。 |
19 But to the penitent he provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope! |
| 20但是，給悔改的人，指出返回正義的歸路；鼓舞那些失望的人，給他們指定真理的產業。 |
20Return to the LORD and give up sin, pray to him and make your offenses few. |
| 21你應歸向上主，離棄罪惡； |
21Turn again to the Most High and away from sin, hate intensely what he loathes; |
| 22你應在他面前祈禱，並減少你的過失。 |
22Who in the nether world can glorify the Most High in place of the living who offer their praise? |
| 23你應歸向至高者，遠離邪惡，痛恨一切可憎惡的事。 |
23No more can the dead give praise than those who have never lived; they glorify the LORD who are alive and well. |
| 24你應認識天主的正義和判斷，堅持他為你所指定的身分，及對至高者天主所應有的祈禱。 |
24How great the mercy of the LORD, his forgiveness of those who return to him! |
| 25你應往世界神聖的那一面去，與活着而頌揚天主的人在一起。因為在陰府裏，有誰代替活着而稱讚他的人，頌揚至高者呢？ |
25The like cannot be found in men, for not immortal is any son of man. |
| 26不要在不虔敬者的錯誤裏停留，你要在死前讚頌上主。從死者方面，他既然等於無，也就中止了讚頌。 |
26 Is anything brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed. How obscure then the thoughts of flesh and blood! |
| 27惟有那活着而健在的人，能讚美上主。你要稱頌天主，你就必能因他的慈惠而自豪。 |
27God watches over the hosts of highest heaven, while all men are dust and ashes. |
| 28上主的仁慈，何其偉大！對於歸依他的人的憐憫，又何其宏大！ |
28 |
| 29因為人不是一切都能的，人子也不是不死不滅的，他們喜歡邪惡虛幻的事。 |
29 |
| 30什麼比太陽更光明？但它也有晦暗的時候；血肉的人貪求的，不外邪惡，但是他們必因此而受責罰。 |
30 |
| 31天主視察高天的軍旅，但眾人卻是塵埃灰土。 |
31 |
