| 德训篇 | Sirach |
|---|
| 1谴责胜于发怒；凡承认过错的，必能保全自己不受损害。 | 1There are rebukes which are inopportune; there is the silence of a sensible man. |
| 2阉人想奸污处女， | 2Better to rebuke than nurse a grudge. He who recognizes his fault diminishes its consequences. |
| 3就如用暴力施行不公平的审判。 | 3Like a eunuch desiring to violate a girl, such is he who uses force in pretending to be just. |
| 4受责而表示悔改，是多么美好！若能如此，你便可以躲避故意的罪。 | 4One keeps silent and is thought to be wise, the other makes himself hated because of his gossiping. |
| 5有的人缄口不言，而被认为是智慧人；有的人因为多言，而为人所憎恶。 | 5One remains silent because he does not know how to reply; the other keeps quiet, waiting for the right moment. |
| 6有的人不出声，是因为他不知所答；有的人不出声，是因为他知道何时该说话。 | 6The wise man keeps silent until the right moment; the chatterer and fool speak out of turn. |
| 7明智人缄口不言，直等相宜的时候；自夸和愚昧的人，却不看时机。 | 7He who speaks too much makes himself hated; he who wishes to impose himself stirs up ill will. |
| 8多言的人，必招人厌恶；专权的人，必被人恼恨。 | 8Man can turn his troubles to his advantage; a lucky chance can turn to loss. |
| 9有的人在患难中，得到成功；有的人在顺境中，反而失败。 | 9There is a type of generosity which will not reward you and another which will repay you double. |
| 10有的餽赠，为你没有益处；有的餽赠，却获得双倍的酬报。 | 10One is humiliated for having had honors; another is humiliated, and then lifts up his head. |
| 11有的屈辱来自尊荣，但也有人从卑微中抬起了头。 | 11One buys much with little money; another pays seven times its value. |
| 12有的人用低价大批收买，然而却因此赔了七倍。 | 12The wise man makes himself lovable through his words alone, while the favors of the fool are lost. |
| 13明智人说话，叫人喜爱；愚昧的人温和，却是白费。 | 13The fool's gift is not to your advantage; he gives with greedy eyes. |
| 14愚昧人的礼物，为你没有益处，因为他不是睁著一只眼，而是睁著七只眼。 | 14He gives little but puts on a great outward appearance and exclaims for all to hear; he lends today and recovers the loan tomorrow; he is a despicable man. |
| 15他给的少，而责难的却多；他张开口，就如一个传令员。 | 15The fool says, "I have no friends, no one welcomes my favors. |
| 16今日借钱，明日就要还。像这样的人，实在可恨。 | 16Those who eat my bread have evil tongues." How often they will mock him, and by how many! |
| 17愚人说：「我没有朋友；我做好事，也得不到感谢。」 | 17Better to stumble on the ground than to make a slip with the tongue; this is how easily the wicked fall. |
| 18吃他饭的人，口舌欺人。多少次，多少人要讥笑他呢？ | 18The rough-mannered man is like an indiscreet story that ill-mannered people tell out of time. |
| 19愚昧人对自己拥有的东西，还不正经使用，对不是他所有的东西，就更漠不关心了。 | 19The proverb told by a fool will fail, since he does not speak it at an appropriate time. |
| 20跌倒地下，比失言更好；恶人的崩溃，常是忽然而来的。 | 20One keeps himself from sin because he does not have the means to act; when he gets the chance, he will have no remorse. |
| 21无礼的人，好像无知的人口中，不断重述的一个乏味的故事。 | 21One loses his soul out of false shame; he loses himself for fear of what a foolish man thinks. |
| 22出自愚人口中的比喻，不受欢迎，因为他说的不合时机。 | 22Out of false shame he wants to win a friend; he gets an enemy, in fact, for nothing. |
| 23有人因贫乏不能犯罪，所以在安静中，不感到良心的剌激。 | 23Lying is a shameful defect in a man; fools are used to it. |
| 24有人因害羞而损害自己，因愚昧的顾虑而牺牲自己，因顾及情面而使自己丧亡。 | 24Better to be a thief than a liar, yet both are heading for disaster. |
| 25有人因害羞而对朋友应许过甚，无故使他成了仇人。 | 25Habitual lying is detestable; disgrace never leaves the liar. |
| 26谎言为人是一种可恶的污点，然而常在无知人的口里。 | 26The wise man's words advance his cause; the shrewd man will gain favor with the powerful. |
| 27盗贼也比一个常说谎的人好，但是这两等人将承受的，都是灭亡。 | 27He who tills the earth increases his produce; he who pleases the great is forgiven his wickedness. |
| 28说谎人的品行，是不光彩的，耻辱常在他们身上。 | 28Presents and gifts blind a wise man's eyes; like a muzzle they silence the conscientious. |
| 29智慧人在言谈上，必增高自己的身价；明智人，会使伟人喜悦。 | 29Concealed wisdom and hidden treasure: what good are these? |
| 30耕种田地的，必使自己的收获堆积如山；行正义的，必被举扬；使伟人喜悦的，过错必蒙宽恕。 | 30The man who conceals his stupidity is better than one who conceals his wisdom. |
| 31赠品与礼物昏迷明智人的眼目，就如口罩阻止责斥。 | 31 |
| 32隐藏的智慧和埋藏的宝贝，二者究竟有什么用？ | 32 |
| 33隐瞒自己糊涂的人，比隐瞒自己智慧的人还好。 | 33 |
