| 智慧篇 | Wisdom |
|---|
| 1我也是有死的人，同众人一样；我也是出于用土受造的原祖，在母胎中形成了肉躯， | 1I, too, am a mortal man
like others, a descendant of the first human being formed from clay. My flesh was molded in a mother's womb; |
| 2十月之久，在母血中凝结，由男精与合梦的欲乐而形成。 | 2her blood formed me for ten months from the seed of man, given in pleasure, the companion of sleep. |
| 3我一出生，便呼吸了公共的空气，落在具有同一命运的地上，哭出了第一声，与众人无异； | 3Once born, I breathed the air common to everyone; I fell on the earth, the same for all; my first cry was like that of other infants. |
| 4我在襁褓中，受了母亲的抚育和照顾。 | 4I was nourished, cared for and wrapped in swaddling clothes; |
| 5没有一位君王，另有不同的诞生， | 5indeed, no other king began life differently. |
| 6因为，人人进入生命的路，只有一条，去世亦然。 | 6For there is but one way into life for all and one way out of it. |
| 7为此，我曾祈求，天主就赐给了我聪明；我曾呼吁，智慧的神便临于我身。 | 7I prayed and understanding was given to me; I asked earnestly and the spirit of Wisdom came to me. |
| 8我宁要智慧，而不要王权和王位；财富与她相较，分文不值。 | 8I preferred her to scepters and thrones and I considered wealth as nothing compared with her. |
| 9无价的宝石也不能与她相比，因为，一切黄金在她面前，不过只是一粒细沙；白银在她跟前，无异一撮泥土。 | 9I preferred her to any jewel of inestimable value, since gold beside her is nothing but a few grains of sand, and silver but mud. |
| 10我爱她，胜过爱健康和美色，我以她比光明更为可取，因为，由她而来的光辉，从不暗淡。 | 10I loved her more than wealth and beauty and even preferred her to light, because her radiance never dies. |
| 11的确，一切美物都伴她而来，在她手中握有数不清的财富。 | 11She brought with her all other good things, untold riches in her hands. |
| 12为了这一切美物，我极其欢乐，因为，智慧是一切美物的先导；我一向还不知道，智慧竟是一切美物的母亲。 | 12I rejoiced at all that came with Wisdom without knowing she was their mother. |
| 13我诚心地学习了，我也豪爽地分施与人，我绝不隐藏智慧的财富。 | 13What I learned without self-interest I share freely and with no desire to conceal her value; |
| 14因为智慧是人用之不尽的宝藏；凡占有的人，必获得天主的友爱，赖受教而获得的恩赐，深得天主的欢心。 | 14for she is an inexhaustible treasure for man and those who possess her have gained the friendship of God, commended to him by the fruits of her discipline. |
| 15愿天主使我遵照他的意愿说话，使我的思想配合他的恩赐，因为是他领导智慧，引导智者； | 15May God grant me to speak with discernment and reflect in a way worthy of the gifts I have received, for he is the guide of Wisdom and directs wise men. |
| 16原来，我们和我们的言论，我们的一切聪明和技巧，都在他手中。 | 16For we are in God's hands, we ourselves, our words, our understanding and technical knowledge. |
| 17是他把所有事物的正确知识赐给了我，使我明了世界的构造，和元素的能量， | 17He, in fact, has given me true knowledge of what is, of the world and the properties of the elements; |
| 18时间的始末和中心，冬至夏至的转变，和季节的变更， | 18the beginning, the end and the times in between; the alternation of the solstices and the succession of the seasons; |
| 19年岁的循环与星辰的位置， | 19the cycles of the year and the position of the stars; |
| 20生物的天性，和野兽的本能，鬼神的力量，和人类的思想，植物的繁杂，和草根的效能。 | 20the natures of animal species and the ways of wild beasts; the power of spirits and human reasoning; the varieties of plants and medicinal properties of roots. |
| 21所有或隐或明的事，我都知道，因为教导我的，是造万物的技师──智慧。 | 21I have come to know everything we see and everything hidden, |
| 22在她内的神，原是聪明的，至圣的，唯一的，多样的，微妙的，敏捷的，精明的，无玷的，率直的，不受损害的，好善的，锐敏的， | 22because Wisdom, who designed them all, taught me.
In her is a spirit that is intelligent, saintly, unique, manifold, subtle, active, concise, pure and lucid. It cannot corrupt, loves what is good and nothing can restrain it; |
| 23无敌的，施惠的，爱人的，稳固的，坚决的，无虑的，无所不能的，无所不察的，又是洞察所有明达、洁净和精微心灵的。 | 23it is beneficent, loving humankind, steadfast, dependable, calm though almighty. It sees everything and penetrates all spirits, however intelligent, subtle and pure they may be. |
| 24实在智慧比一切活动更为活动；她是如此精纯，能渗透深入一切。 | 24Wisdom, in fact, surpasses in mobility all that moves, and being so pure pervades and permeates all things. |
| 25她是天主威能的气息，是全能者荣耀的真诚流露；因此，任何污秽都不能浸入她内。 | 25She is a breath of the power of God, a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; nothing impure can enter her. |
| 26她是永远光明的反映，是天主德能的明镜，是天主美善肖像。 | 26She is a reflection of eternal light, a spotless mirror of God's action and an image of his goodness. |
| 27虽是独一的，却无所不能；她虽恒存不变，却常使万物更新。她世世代代，进入圣善的灵魂，使他们成为天主的朋友和先知； | 27She is but one, yet Wisdom can do all things and, herself unchanging, she renews all things. She enters holy souls, making them prophets and friends of God, |
| 28因为，天主只爱那与智慧同居共处的人。 | 28for God loves only those who live with Wisdom. |
| 29实在，智慧比太阳还美丽，压倒一切星座；如与光明相比，她必占优势； | 29She is indeed more beautiful than the sun and surpasses all the constellations; she outrivals light, |
| 30因为，光明还要让位于黑夜，但是邪恶绝不能战胜智慧。 | 30for light gives way to night, but evil cannot prevail against Wisdom. |
