| 德訓篇 |
Sirach |
| 1息辣之子耶穌的祈禱：上主，君王，我要感謝你；我要讚美你，天主，我的救主！ |
1 I give you thanks, O God of my father; I praise you, O God my savior! I will make known your name, refuge of my life; |
| 2我要稱揚你的名，因為你是我的保護者，我的救助者； |
2you have been my helper against my adversaries. You have saved me from death, and kept back my body from the pit, From the clutches of the nether world you have snatched my feet; |
| 3你救了我的肉身，免於喪亡，脫離誣告者唇舌的圈套，和捏造謊言的嘴唇；在圍困我的人前，你作了我的援助，拯救了我； |
3you have delivered me, in your great mercy From the scourge of a slanderous tongue, and from lips that went over to falsehood; From the snare of those who watched for my downfall, and from the power of those who sought my life; From many a danger you have saved me, |
| 4因你的大慈大悲和大名，你救我脫離了那些向我咆哮，準備吞噬我的人； |
4from flames that hemmed me in on every side; From the midst of unremitting fire, |
| 5救我脫離了謀害我生命者的手，和我所受的各種災難； |
5From the deep belly of the nether world; From deceiving lips and painters of lies, |
| 6使我脫離了環繞我的窒息熱火，我在火中，卻沒有燒傷； |
6from the arrows of dishonest tongues. I was at the point of death, my soul was nearing the depths of the nether world; |
| 7使我脫離了陰府的最深處，擺脫不潔的唇舌和謊言，就是使我在君王前，脫離誣告我的不義口舌； |
7I turned every way, but there was no one to help me, I looked for one to sustain me, but could find no one. |
| 8我的靈魂已臨近死亡， |
8But then I remembered the mercies of the LORD, his kindness through ages past; For he saves those who take refuge in him, and rescues them from every evil. |
| 9我的生命已接近地獄的邊緣，但你卻拯救了我。 |
9So I raised my voice from the very earth, from the gates of the nether world, my cry. |
| 10這些困難，從各方面包圍了我，卻沒有一個人前來援助；我期待有人來輔助，卻沒有一個人。 |
10I called out: O Lord, you are my father, you are my champion and my savior; Do not abandon me in time of trouble, in the midst of storms and dangers. |
| 11上主啊！當時我想起了你的仁慈，和你昔日的作為； |
11I will ever praise your name and be constant in my prayers to you. Thereupon the LORD heard my voice, he listened to my appeal; |
| 12上主啊！因為你救助期待你的人，救他們擺脫了仇敵的手。 |
12 He saved me from evil of every kind and preserved me in time of trouble. For this reason I thank him and I praise him; I bless the name of the LORD. |
| 13我從地上高聲懇求，求你救我脫免死亡； |
13 When I was young and innocent, I sought wisdom. |
| 14上主，你是我的父，我呼求了你；求你在我危難之日，不要離棄我；在驕傲人得勢之時，不要使我孤立無援。 |
14She came to me in her beauty, and until the end I will cultivate her. |
| 15我要時常讚美你的名號，我要知恩地歌頌你的名號，因為你俯聽了我的祈禱； |
15As the blossoms yielded to ripening grapes, the heart's joy, My feet kept to the level path because from earliest youth I was familiar with her. |
| 16因為你救我免於喪亡，在不幸之時，拯救了我。 |
16In the short time I paid heed, I met with great instruction. |
| 17因此，我要感謝你，頌揚你，讚美上主的名號。 |
17Since in this way I have profited, I will give my teacher grateful praise. |
| 18當我年輕時，在出外旅行以前，我公開以祈禱來尋求智慧。 |
18I became resolutely devoted to her-- the good I persistently strove for. |
| 19我曾在聖殿前，懇求過智慧；對智慧，我要尋求到底。因為她的花，開得有如成熟的葡萄； |
19I burned with desire for her, never turning back. I became preoccupied with her, never weary of extolling her. My hand opened her gate and I came to know her secrets. |
| 20我的心喜悅智慧。我的腳總踏在正直的路上；自我青年時，我就到處追求她。 |
20For her I purified my hands; in cleanness I attained to her. At first acquaintance with her, I gained understanding such that I will never forsake her. |
| 21我稍微側耳傾聽，就接受了她。 |
21My whole being was stirred as I learned about her; therefore I have made her my prize possession. |
| 22為我自己找到許多教訓，因了她，我得到許多利益； |
22The LORD has granted me my lips as a reward, and my tongue will declare his praises. |
| 23對那賜給我智慧的，我要光榮他。 |
23Come aside to me, you untutored, and take up lodging in the house of instruction; |
| 24因為我已決定，要實行智慧的事，熱心行善，我決不會蒙羞。 |
24How long will you be deprived of wisdom's food, how long will you endure such bitter thirst? |
| 25為着她，我的靈魂曾經奮鬥過；我在遵行法律上，無微不至。 |
25I open my mouth and speak of her: gain, at no cost, wisdom for yourselves. |
| 26我高舉我的雙手，哀哭我沒有認識她。 |
26Submit your neck to her yoke, that your mind may accept her teaching. For she is close to those who seek her, and the one who is in earnest finds her. |
| 27我曾使我的心靈嚮往着她，因了純潔，我終於找到了她。 |
27See for yourselves! I have labored only a little, but have found much. |
| 28我從開始，就專心注意她，因此，我決不會被她遺棄。 |
28Acquire but a little instruction; you will win silver and gold through her. |
| 29為尋求她，我五內不安；我現在得到了她，無異獲得了至寶。 |
29Let your spirits rejoice in the mercy of God, and be not ashamed to give him praise. |
| 30上主給了我唇舌，當作我的酬報，我要用它來讚美上主。 |
30Work at your tasks in due season, and in his own time God will give you your reward. |
| 31未受教訓的人，請你們接近我，住宿在我的學校裏。 |
31 |
| 32你們說罷，你們的靈魂既然很渴，為什麼你們還缺少這些知識？ |
32 |
| 33我已開口講學，你們可以學得智慧，而不用花錢。 |
33 |
| 34你們的頸項，要屈伏在她的管轄之下；你們的靈魂，應接受訓練，因為她為尋找她的人，原來很近，心靈嚮往她的人，必能找着她。 |
34 |
| 35你們親眼看一看罷！我勞苦不多，卻獲得了最大的安寧。 |
35 |
| 36為獲得學識，你們固然要花費許多銀錢；但有了學識以後；必獲得更多的金錢。 |
36 |
| 37你們的靈魂，要喜樂於天主的仁慈，你們決不會因讚美他而蒙羞受辱。 |
37 |
| 38你們要及時工作，到了時候，他必要給你們報酬。 |
38 |
