| 德訓篇 |
Sirach |
| 1有三件事，我心中喜樂，這三件事也是上主與世人喜愛的，就是： |
1 With three things I am delighted, for they are pleasing to the LORD and to men: Harmony among brethren, friendship among neighbors, and the mutual love of husband and wife. |
| 2兄弟和睦，鄰人友愛，夫婦同心。 |
2Three kinds of men I hate; their manner of life I loathe indeed: A proud pauper, a rich dissembler, and an old man lecherous in his dotage. |
| 3有三種人，我心中憎恨；他們的生活，是我厭惡的，就是： |
3What you have not saved in your youth, how will you acquire in your old age? |
| 4傲慢的窮人，詭詐的富人，和淫亂無知的老人。 |
4How becoming to the gray-haired is judgment, and a knowledge of counsel to those on in years! |
| 5你青年時，沒有積蓄，到你老時，你能有什麼？ |
5How becoming to the aged is wisdom, understanding and prudence to the venerable! |
| 6白髮老人，善於判斷；年高的人，會出主意，是多麼美好！ |
6The crown of old men is wide experience; their glory, the fear of the LORD. |
| 7老年人富有智慧；有榮名的人，聰明而有智謀，何其相稱！ |
7There are nine who come to my mind as blessed, a tenth whom my tongue proclaims: The man who finds joy in his children, and he who lives to see his enemies' downfall. |
| 8閱歷豐富，是老年人的榮冠；敬畏上主，是他們的光榮。 |
8 Happy is he who dwells with a sensible wife, and he who plows not like a donkey yoked with an ox. Happy is he who sins not with his tongue, and he who serves not his inferior. |
| 9有九件事，我心中以為是幸福的；但第十件事，我的口舌更要向人講述，那就是： |
9Happy is he who finds a friend and he who speaks to attentive ears. |
| 10因子女而喜樂，在世上見到敵人失敗的人； |
10He who finds wisdom is great indeed, but not greater than he who fears the LORD. |
| 11能與明智的婦女同居，不使牛驢同軛耕作，口舌沒有過錯，及不事奉自己屬下的人，是有福的； |
11Fear of the LORD surpasses all else. its possessor is beyond compare. |
| 12發現明智，和講給聽眾的人，是有福的； |
12 Worst of all wounds is that of the heart, worst of all evils is that of a woman. |
| 13找到智慧和明智的人，是多麼偉大！但是無人能超過敬畏上主的人。 |
13Worst of all sufferings is that from one's foes, worst of all vengeance is that of one's enemies: |
| 14敬畏上主，超越一切。 |
14No poison worse than that of a serpent, no venom greater than that of a woman. |
| 15獲得敬畏上主之情的人，是有福的；懷有敬畏上主之情的人，誰能與他相比？ |
15With a dragon or a lion I would rather dwell than live with an evil woman. |
| 16敬畏上主，是愛上主的初步；信德是依附上主的起源。 |
16Wickedness changes a woman's looks, and makes her sullen as a female bear. |
| 17最有損害的，是內心的憂愁；最壞的，是婦女的醜行。 |
17When her husband sits among his neighbors, a bitter sigh escapes him unawares. |
| 18一切打擊都可忍受，但不願忍受心中的打擊； |
18There is scarce any evil like that in a woman; may she fall to the lot of the sinner! |
| 19一切惡毒都可忍耐，但不願忍耐婦人的惡毒； |
19Like a sandy hill to aged feet is a railing wife to a quiet man. |
| 20一切侵害都可接受，但不願接受仇恨者的侵害； |
20Stumble not through woman's beauty, nor be greedy for her wealth; |
| 21一切報復都可承當，但不願承當敵人的報復。 |
21The man is a slave, in disgrace and shame, when a wife supports her husband. |
| 22沒有比蛇毒更毒的，沒有比婦女發怒更暴哮的。 |
22Depressed mind, saddened face, broken heart--this from an evil wife. Feeble hands and quaking knees-- from a wife who brings no happiness to her husband. |
| 23我寧願與獅龍共處，不願與惡婦同居。 |
23 In woman was sin's beginning, and because of her we all die. |
| 24婦人的邪惡，使自己的臉面變色，變成醜黑，有如熊臉，彷彿麻袋。 |
24Allow water no outlet, and be not indulgent to an erring wife. |
| 25他的丈夫一和近人同坐，她就不由地悲傷嘆息。 |
25If she walks not by your side, cut her away from you. |
| 26一切惡毒，與婦人的惡毒相比，都算輕微；願罪人的命運，落在她身上。 |
26 |
| 27老年人的腳，難上沙坡；安靜的丈夫，難以容忍多言的妻子。 |
27 |
| 28不要因婦女的美麗，陷於罪過；也不要因她美麗，就貪戀她。 |
28 |
| 29令人感到憤怒侮辱與奇恥的事是： |
29 |
| 30婦人供養自己的丈夫。 |
30 |
| 31惡婦使人意志頹唐，面帶憂色，心受創傷。 |
31 |
| 32丈夫手弱膝軟，是因為妻子使他陷於不幸。 |
32 |
| 33罪惡的起源，來自婦女；為了她，我們都要死亡。 |
33 |
| 34不要給水留漏洞，連微小的漏洞也不要留，不要給惡婦任何自由。 |
34 |
| 35她若不隨從你的指使，在仇人前侮辱你， |
35 |
| 36就應把她從你身上割去，免得她常虐待你。 |
36 |
