| 德訓篇 |
Sirach |
| 1有賢妻的丈夫，是有福的！他的壽數必要增加一倍。 |
1 Happy the husband of a good wife, twice-lengthened are his days; |
| 2有才能的婦人，是丈夫的喜樂，使他在平安中終其天年。 |
2 A worthy wife brings joy to her husband, peaceful and full is his life. |
| 3有賢婦為妻，是一種福份；但是，只有敬畏上主的人，因自己的善行，纔能得到她。 |
3A good wife is a generous gift bestowed upon him who fears the LORD; |
| 4她不論是富是貧，心神總是快樂，時常面帶笑容。 |
4Be he rich or poor, his heart is content, and a smile is ever on his face. |
| 5有三件事，我心中恐懼，對第四件事，我更害怕，那就是： |
5There are three things at which my heart quakes, a fourth before which I quail: Though false charges in public, trial before all the people, and lying testimony are harder to bear than death, |
| 6市民的控告，暴徒的集會， |
6 A jealous wife is heartache and mourning and a scourging tongue like the other three. |
| 7誣妄的誹謗：這一切比死亡更為不幸； |
7A bad wife is a chafing yoke; he who marries her seizes a scorpion. |
| 8但是，娭妒別的婦女的女人，令人心痛悲傷； |
8A drunken wife arouses great anger, for she does not hide her shame. |
| 9她向眾人傳話的舌頭，是一條鞭子。 |
9By her eyelids and her haughty stare an unchaste wife can be recognized. |
| 10惡婦有如擺動的牛軛，誰要管治她，無異是用手去捉蠍子。 |
10Keep a strict watch over an unruly wife, lest, finding an opportunity, she make use of it; |
| 11好醉酒的婦女，是大怒的原因；她的恥辱和醜態，不能隱藏。 |
11Follow close if her eyes are bold, and be not surprised if she betrays you: |
| 12眼波流動，是婦女淫蕩的表示；從她的眉毛，可以認出。 |
12As a thirsty traveler with eager mouth drinks from any water that he finds, So she settles down before every tent peg and opens her quiver for every arrow. |
| 13對無恥的女兒，你應嚴加管束，怕她有機可乘，就放縱起來。 |
13A gracious wife delights her husband, her thoughtfulness puts flesh on his bones; |
| 14你要留心，不要順從無恥的眼睛；否則，她若冒犯你，你就不用驚奇。 |
14A gift from the LORD is her governed speech, and her firm virtue is of surpassing worth. |
| 15就如渴了的旅客，一到了水旁，不管遇到的是什麼水，就張口去喝；同樣，淫婦坐在任何木樁前，向射來的箭，張開箭袋，直到她疲乏為止。 |
15Choicest of blessings is a modest wife, priceless her chaste person. |
| 16勤謹婦女的溫柔，使自己的丈夫歡樂；她的明智，使丈夫的骨骼豐滿。 |
16Like the sun rising in the LORD'S heavens, the beauty of a virtuous wife is the radiance of her home. |
| 17沉默寡言而明智的婦女，是上主的恩賜。 |
17 Like the light which shines above the holy lampstand, are her beauty of face and graceful figure. |
| 18受過好教養的人，是無價之寶。 |
18 Golden columns on silver bases are her shapely limbs and steady feet. |
| 19聖潔而知恥的婦女，乃無上的恩賜。 |
19These two bring grief to my heart, and the third arouses my horror: A wealthy man reduced to want; illustrious men held in contempt; And the man who passes from justice to sin, for whom the LORD makes ready the sword. |
| 20貞潔的靈魂，實尊貴無比。 |
20 A merchant can hardly remain upright, nor a shopkeeper free from sin; |
| 21在秩序井然的家庭裏，賢婦的美麗，有如在上主的至高之天，上升的太陽； |
21 |
| 22她那健康身材上所襯托的美貌，有如神聖燈台上發光的燈； |
22 |
| 23她那雙在結實腳跟上的美腿，有如銀座上的金柱。 |
23 |
| 24聖婦心裏的天主誡命，有如堅固磐石上的永久基礎。 |
24 |
| 25有兩件事，我心中憂傷，而對第三件事，我更憤怒，那就是： |
25 |
| 26戰士為窮苦所困，明智人被人輕視， |
26 |
| 27離棄正義而偏向罪惡的人，上主為他準備了刀劍。 |
27 |
| 28有兩件事，依我看來，又難又危險，那就是：商人很難不犯罪，店員難免不失言。 |
28 |
