| 德訓篇 |
Sirach |
| 1應尊敬醫生，因為他是非有不可的，也是上主造的。 |
1 Hold the physician in honor, for he is essential to you, and God it was who established his profession. |
| 2治療原是來自至高者；君王對醫生也應送禮。 |
2From God the doctor has his wisdom, and the king provides for his sustenance. |
| 3醫生的學識使他抬頭，在偉人面前，備受讚揚。 |
3His knowledge makes the doctor distinguished, and gives him access to those in authority. |
| 4上主使大地生長藥材，明智人決不輕視它們。 |
4God makes the earth yield healing herbs which the prudent man should not neglect; |
| 5天主不是用一根木頭，使苦水變甜， |
5Was not the water sweetened by a twig that men might learn his power? |
| 6為彰顯自己的大能麼？至高者給人學識，是為叫人稱讚他的奇工妙化。 |
6He endows men with the knowledge to glory in his mighty works, |
| 7醫生用藥材治病，減少人的痛苦；藥劑師用藥材配製香甜的合劑，和治療疾病的膏藥。他的工作沒有止境， |
7Through which the doctor eases pain and the druggist prepares his medicines; |
| 8直到醫好了世上的人。 |
8Thus God's creative work continues without cease in its efficacy on the surface of the earth. |
| 9我兒，你患病時，不要失望，但要祈求上主，他要賜你病癒。 |
9My son, when you are ill, delay not, but pray to God, who will heal you: |
| 10你應遠離過犯，管治你的手，洗淨你心中的一切罪惡； |
10Flee wickedness; let your hands be just, cleanse your heart of every sin; |
| 11你應奉獻馨香和上等麵粉的記念祭品，照你能備辦的，應奉獻肥美的祭品。 |
11Offer your sweet-smelling oblation and petition, a rich offering according to your means. |
| 12但是也要請醫生來診治，因為他是上主造的，不要讓他離開你，因為你需要他。 |
12Then give the doctor his place lest he leave; for you need him too. |
| 13有時他們妙手回春； |
13There are times that give him an advantage, |
| 14故此他們也應該祈求上主，為使他們能給人安樂與健康，藉此維持自己的生活。 |
14and he too beseeches God That his diagnosis may be correct and his treatment bring about a cure. |
| 15凡在造他的上主跟前犯罪的人，終會落在醫生手裏。 |
15He who is a sinner toward his Maker will be defiant toward the doctor. |
| 16我兒，對死者，你應流淚痛哭，有如受重苦的人開始痛哭；又要按死者的身分，安葬他的遺體，不可輕忽對他的喪儀。 |
16 My son, shed tears for one who is dead with wailing and bitter lament; As is only proper, prepare the body, absent not yourself from his burial: |
| 17你要悲泣慟哭，且按死者的身分，舉行喪儀。 |
17Weeping bitterly, mourning fully, pay your tribute of sorrow, as he deserves, |
| 18為避免人的非難，你要按死者的身份，追悼一天或兩天，以後便要節哀； |
18One or two days, to prevent gossip; then compose yourself after your grief, |
| 19因為悲傷令人早死，且衰敗人的體力，心中的憂苦，使人精神頹唐。 |
19For grief can bring on an extremity and heartache destroy one's health. |
| 20出殯以後不要再哀痛，悲傷的生活，是難以忍受的。 |
20Turn not your thoughts to him again; cease to recall him; think rather of the end. |
| 21不要任憑你的心憂悶；要驅散憂悶，記得你的結局。 |
21Recall him not, for there is no hope of his return; it will not help him, but will do you harm. |
| 22不要忘記：死者不能再回來；你這樣悲傷，為他沒有好處，對你自己有害。 |
22Remember that his fate will also be yours; for him it was yesterday, for you today. |
| 23死人好像對你說：「你當記得我的命運，因為你的命運，將來也是如此：昨天是我，今天是你。」 |
23With the departed dead, let memory fade; rally your courage, once the soul has left. |
| 24死者既已長眠，憂苦的懷念即應停止；他既然斷了氣，你便該因他而感到安慰。 |
24 The scribe's profession increases his wisdom; whoever is free from toil can become a wise man. |
| 25經師的智慧，是從優閒中得來的；事務不繁忙的人，方能成為明智的人。 |
25How can he become learned who guides the plow, who thrills in wielding the goad like a lance, Who guides the ox and urges on the bullock, and whose every concern is for cattle? |
| 26那執犂，自誇善用刺棒趕牛耕作，終日勞碌，言談不離牛犢的，怎能成為明智的人？ |
26His care is for plowing furrows, and he keeps a watch on the beasts in the stalls. |
| 27他專心於耕田的事，熬夜喂養母牛。 |
27So with every engraver and designer who, laboring night and day, Fashions carved seals, and whose concern is to vary the pattern. His care is to produce a vivid impression, and he keeps watch till he finishes his design. |
| 28同樣，工匠和工程師，度夜如日；彫刻匠鐫刻圖樣，常設法改變花樣，專心致志，力求酷肖，熬夜趕完自己的工作。 |
28So with the smith standing near his anvil, forging crude iron. The heat from the fire sears his flesh, yet he toils away in the furnace heat. The clang of the hammer deafens his ears, His eyes are fixed on the tool he is shaping. His care is to finish his work, and he keeps watch till he perfects it in detail. |
| 29同樣，鐵匠坐在鐵砧近旁，思量怎能把生鐵打好；火星噴射在他身上，與灼熱的爐火決鬥， |
29So with the potter sitting at his labor, revolving the wheel with his feet. He is always concerned for his products, and turns them out in quantity. |
| 30鎚聲震動他的耳鼓，他的眼注視着器具模型； |
30With his hands he molds the clay, and with his feet softens it. His care is for proper coloring, and he keeps watch on the fire of his kiln. |
| 31他專心的完成工作，完成後，又熬夜加以修飾。 |
31All these men are skilled with their hands, each one an expert at his own task; |
| 32同樣，陶工坐在自己作業的旁邊，用腳轉動機輪，心中常掛念自己的工作，他的工作全是有定數的； |
32Without them no city could be lived in, and wherever they stay, they need not hunger. |
| 33他用自己的手臂，製成陶泥，用腳把泥踹軟； |
33They do not occupy the judge's bench, nor are they prominent in the assembly; They set forth no decisions or judgments, nor are they found among the rulers; |
| 34專心去完成塗抹釉彩，熬夜清除爐灶。這些人怎能獲得智慧？ |
34Yet they maintain God's ancient handiwork, and their concern is for exercise of their skill. |
| 35這些人，他們的希望全靠自己的一雙手，各人對於自己的手藝，都很精通。 |
35 |
| 36若是沒有這等人，便不能建造城池； |
36 |
| 37人也沒有房屋住，沒有道路可行。但是，在民眾的會議中，卻沒有人推薦他們，在集會中也不是上流人物。 |
37 |
| 38他們決坐不上審判官的席位，他們不懂得進行審判的程序；不會講解律例和正義，更不會發明格言。 |
38 |
| 39他們堅持的，只在於製造世上的器具；他們祈求的，只在於技藝的工作。但是，那將自己的精神，專注於敬畏至高者，專注於認識生命的法律的人，就迥然不同。 |
39 |
