| 德訓篇 |
Sirach |
| 1上主，天父，我生命的主宰！不要讓我順從任性的口舌，不要許我因口舌而跌倒。 |
1 LORD, Father and Master of my life, permit me not to fall by them! |
| 2誰能督策我的思念，誰能在我心中給與智慧的訓導，不寬容我的錯誤，不放過我的罪過， |
2Who will apply the lash to my thoughts, to my mind the rod of discipline, That my failings may not be spared, nor the sins of my heart overlooked; |
| 3免得我更加愚昧，我的罪惡加多，罪過滿盈，倒在我敵人跟前，為我的仇人所嬉笑呢？ |
3Lest my failings increase, and my sins be multiplied; Lest I succumb to my foes, and my enemy rejoice over me? |
| 4上主，天父，我生命的天主！不要把我丟棄，如他們所想望的。 |
4LORD, Father and God of my life, abandon me not into their control! |
| 5不要使我眼目高傲，使我不要順從情慾。 |
5A brazen look allow me not; ward off passion from my heart, |
| 6不要讓肚腹的食慾和肉慾的烈火統治着我，也不要讓我有一顆無恥愚昧的心。 |
6Let not the lustful cravings of the flesh master me, surrender me not to shameless desires. |
| 7孩子們，請聽有關口舌的教導；誰遵守了，就不會成為口舌的囚犯，也不會陷在極凶惡的事中。 |
7 Give heed, my children, to the instruction that I pronounce, for he who keeps it will not be enslaved. |
| 8罪人必因自己的唇舌，而陷入羅網；辱罵人的和驕傲人，必因自己的唇舌而跌倒。 |
8Through his lips is the sinner ensnared; the railer and the arrogant man fall thereby. |
| 9不要讓你的口習慣起誓，因為如此反增加許多過失， |
9Let not your mouth form the habit of swearing, or becoming too familiar with the Holy Name. |
| 10口裏不要習慣稱呼聖者的名字，也不要亂呼聖人的字，因為你若如此，就難免無罪。 |
10 Just as a slave that is constantly under scrutiny will not be without welts, So one who swears continually by the Holy Name will not remain free from sin. |
| 11猶如一個不斷受拷問的奴僕，免不了身受創傷；同樣，經常發誓和亂呼聖者名字的人，也不能清白無罪。 |
11A man who often swears heaps up obligations; the scourge will never be far from his house. If he swears in error, he incurs guilt; if he neglects his obligation, his sin is doubly great. If he swears without reason he cannot be found just, and all his house will suffer affliction. |
| 12時常起誓的人，必惡貫滿盈，他的家庭必會遭殃。 |
12There are words which merit death; may they never be heard among Jacob's heirs. For all such words are foreign to the devout, who do not wallow in sin. |
| 13他若違犯了，必然有罪；他若藐視誓願，罪更加倍。 |
13Let not your mouth become used to coarse talk, for in it lies sinful matter. |
| 14他若發了虛誓，就不能稱為義人；他的家庭也必備受懲罰。 |
14Keep your father and mother in mind when you sit among the mighty, Lest in their presence you commit a blunder and disgrace your upbringing, By wishing you had never been born or cursing the day of your birth. |
| 15還有促人早死的話，希望這樣的話，總不出現在雅各伯的家業中。 |
15A man who has the habit of abusive language will never mature in character as long as he lives. |
| 16虔敬的人，必遠離這一切事；他們不會輾轉在這些罪惡中。 |
16 Two types of men multiply sins, a third draws down wrath; For burning passion is a blazing fire, not to be quenched till it burns itself out: A man given to sins of the flesh, who never stops until the fire breaks forth; |
| 17不要習慣說粗魯的話，因為其中總有有罪的話。 |
17The rake to whom all bread is sweet and who is never through till he dies; |
| 18你坐在大人物中時，要記得你的父母， |
18And the man who dishonors his marriage bed and says to himself "Who can see me? Darkness surrounds me, walls hide me; no one sees me; why should I fear to sin?" Of the Most High he is not mindful, |
| 19怕你在他們面前，忘了父母，以致因你的習慣，做出糊塗的事來，受到凌辱，遂詛咒你的生辰，深願你沒有生在世上。 |
19fearing only the eyes of men; He does not understand that the eyes of the LORD, ten thousand times brighter than the sun, Observe every step a man takes and peer into hidden corners. |
| 20慣說責斥話的人，一生不能自律。 |
20He who knows all things before they exist still knows them all after they are made. |
| 21有兩種人，惡貫滿盈，而第三種人，更招致義怒與喪亡。 |
21 Such a man will be punished in the streets of the city; when he least expects it, he will be apprehended. |
| 22熾烈的情慾，像燃起的火，不到燒完，決不熄滅。 |
22So also with the woman who is unfaithful to her husband and offers as heir her son by a stranger. |
| 23作賤自己肉身的人，不到慾火焚盡，也決不停止。 |
23 First, she has disobeyed the law of the Most High; secondly, she has wronged her husband; Thirdly, in her wanton adultery she has borne children by another man. |
| 24縱慾的人，一切食物都是香甜的，至死不厭。 |
24 Such a woman will be dragged before the assembly, and her punishment will extend to her children; |
| 25離開自己的床，去犯姦淫，輕賤自己的人，心裏說：「誰能看見我？ |
25Her children will not take root; her branches will not bring forth fruit. |
| 26黑暗籠罩着我，牆壁遮蔽着我，沒有人能看見我，我還怕什麼？至高者決不會記念我的罪惡。」 |
26She will leave an accursed memory; her disgrace will never be blotted out. |
| 27他不明白至高者的眼目，透視一切；怕人之情，驅散了他敬畏天主的心，使他只怕人的眼目。 |
27Thus all who dwell on the earth shall know, and all who inhabit the world shall understand, That nothing is better than the fear of the LORD, nothing more salutary than to obey his commandments. |
| 28他不知道上主的眼目，比太陽還要光亮萬倍。他還視人類的一切行徑，透視深淵、人心和最隱密的幽處。 |
28 |
| 29萬物在受造以前，上主天主就認識；完成之後，也是如此。 |
29 |
| 30姦淫的人必在城市的街道上，受到懲罰；像馬駒一般被人追擊，在他不料想的地方被人捉住。 |
30 |
| 31因為他不知敬畏上主，所以人人都以他為恥。 |
31 |
| 32凡離棄丈夫，藉外人生了子嗣的女人，也是如此。 |
32 |
| 33第一、因為她不忠於至高者的法律；第二、因為她得罪自己的丈夫；第三、因為他通姦犯淫，藉外人生了孩子。 |
33 |
| 34她要被拉到集會中，審問她關於子女的事。 |
34 |
| 35她的子女不會生根，她的枝葉也不會結果實。 |
35 |
| 36她遺留下的記念是咒罵，她的恥辱不會抹去。 |
36 |
| 37幸存的人，應該知道：沒有什麼比敬畏上主更美好，也沒有什麼比遵循上主的誡命更甘飴。 |
37 |
| 38跟隨上主是人的莫大光榮，人還可因此獲享長壽。 |
38 |
