| 德训篇 | Sirach |
|---|
| 1现在让我们来赞扬那些著名的伟人，和我们历代的祖先： | 1Let us now glorify illustrious men, the ancestors of our people. |
| 2上主在他们身上，作出许多光耀的事，自太古就对他们，显示了自己的伟大。 | 2The Lord gave them great glory according to his own greatness from the beginning. |
| 3他们中，有在自己国内为王的，有因自己的能干而名闻天下的；有因自己的明智而作参议的，有因自己的先知任务而明察一切的； | 3Some ruled kingdoms and were renowned for their achievements, others were wise and able to counsel, or spoke as prophets. |
| 4有因自己的决策和明智，而作当时民众领袖的；有以自己贤明的训言，教导民众的学者； | 4They led the people with their warnings or with their knowledge of the popular writings. |
| 5有因其所长，创作乐曲的，有写作叙事诗的； | 5Some cultivated music and poetry, |
| 6有的是富而有权势的人，有的爱好美术，在自己家中，过著安静的生活。 | 6others were rich and powerful men living peacefully in their homes. |
| 7这一切人，在自己的民族中，历代受人尊敬，他们在世时就被人夸赞。 | 7All were highly respected in their days and honored by the people they lived with. |
| 8他们中，有的已留名于后世，使人赞颂不已； | 8The names of some lived on and people still praise them today; |
| 9有的却没有留下纪念，他们死了，好像他们没有存在过；他们生了，好像没有生过；他们的子孙也同他们一样。 | 9others are not remembered and have disappeared as if they never existed. It is the same for their children. |
| 10但我所要称扬的人，都是宽大为怀的人，他们的义举，不会被人遗忘； | 10But now consider the godly men whose good deeds have not been forgotten. |
| 11他们的善行与子孙同存， | 11Those who came after them benefited from the rich legacy they left; |
| 12他们的后裔，保有这善行的产业；他们的子孙履行盟约， | 12their race remained faithful to the Covenant, their children followed their example. |
| 13他们的子女，因了他们，也是如此：子子孙孙，永世常存；他们的光荣，决不会泯灭； | 13Their family will endure forever and never will its glory be tarnished. |
| 14他们的遗体必被人安葬，名誉必留于永世； | 14Their bodies were buried in peace but their memory lives through generations. |
| 15民众必称述他们的智慧，集会必传扬他们的美德。 | 15Peoples will speak of their wisdom and the assembly will celebrate their praise. |
| 16哈诺客悦乐了上主，故此被提升天，成为后世悔改的模范。 | 16Enoch pleased the Lord and was taken up, calling future generations to repentance. |
| 17诺厄被共认是齐全正义的人，而在义怒时，成了人类的继承人； | 17Noah was found to be perfectly just; at the time of divine anger he was the ransom; through him a remnant was left on earth after the flood. |
| 18当洪水来临时，因了他，为世界保存了余生； | 18Eternal covenants were made with him to ensure that never again would life be destroyed by flood. |
| 19天主与他立定了一个永久的盟约：一切有肉躯的生物，再不遭受洪水的摧残。 | 19No one has been found to equal Abraham in glory, the great ancestor of many nations. |
| 20亚巴郎是万民的大父，对于光荣，没有人比得上他。他遵守了至高者的法律，又同他订立了盟约。 | 20He was faithful to the Law of the Most High who made a covenant with him, a covenant that was marked on his flesh, and on the day he was tested he was found faithful. |
| 21他在自己身上坚定了盟约，在受试探时，证明自己是忠诚的， | 21That is why God promised by oath to bless all the nations through his descendants, that he would make them as numerous as the dust of the earth and exalt his posterity like the stars. He promised that their land would stretch from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth. |
| 22因此，天主起誓许下：要在他的民族中光荣他；要使万民因他的苗裔而蒙受祝福；要使他的子孙多得像地上的尘土； | 22The Lord renewed his Covenant with Isaac for the sake of his father, Abraham. |
| 23要提拔他的后裔，如天上的繁星；要把从这海到那海，从大河直到地极之间的土地，赐给他们当作产业。 | 23This Covenant and the blessing of all mankind he made to rest on the head of Jacob.
He assured Jacob of his blessing, giving him the land that would be his and determining the portions to be shared among the twelve tribes. |
| 24至于依撒格，因他父亲亚巴郎的缘故，天主也向他确定了同样的事。 | 24 |
| 25上主将万人的祝福与盟约，寄托在雅各伯头上； | 25 |
| 26上主藉自己的祝福，承认他为长子；赐给他产业，将他的产业分给十二支派。 | 26 |
| 27上主使雅各伯的后裔中，出现了一位慈善的人，他在众人眼前，甚为得宠； | 27 |
