关于供给圣徒的事，写信给你们，于我原是多余的。
For concerning the ministry to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you;

因为我知道你们的热切，就是我常对马其顿人所夸耀你们的，说亚该亚人在一年前就预备好了；你们的热心便激动了许多人。
For I know your eagerness, of which I boast on your behalf to the Macedonians, that Achaia has been prepared since last year; and your zeal has stirred up the greater number of them.

但我打发那几位弟兄去，使我们在这方面为你们所夸耀的，不至于落空，好叫你们照我所说的预备好，
But I sent the brothers that our boasting on your behalf might not be made void in this respect, that, as I said, you might be prepared;

免得万一有马其顿人与我同去，发现你们没有预备好，就叫我们所确信的蒙羞，你们就更不用说了。
Lest, if the Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, be put to shame in this confidence.

所以，我想必须劝那几位弟兄先到你们那里去，把你们先前所应许的祝福事前安排好，使这事如此预备好了，就成为受者的祝福，而不成为施者的贪婪。
Therefore I thought it necessary to entreat the brothers to go before to you and make ready beforehand your previously promised blessing, that thus this might be ready as a blessing and not as a matter of covetousness.

还有，少种的少收，多种的多收。
But take note of this: He who sows sparingly shall also sparingly reap; and he who sows with blessings shall also with blessings reap;

各人要照心里所酌定的，不要作难，不要勉强，因为神喜爱乐意施与的人。
Each one as he has purposed in his heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.

神能使各样的恩典向你们洋溢，使你们在凡事上常常十分充足，能洋溢出各样的善工。
And God is able to make all grace abound unto you, that, in everything always having all sufficiency, you may abound unto every good work;

就如经上所记：“他分施周济贫贱，他的义存到永远。”
Even as it is written, “He has scattered abroad; he has given to the poor; his righteousness abides forever.”

那丰富供应种子给撒种者，并丰富供应粮食作食物的，必供应并繁增你们的种子，又增添你们义的果子，
Now He who bountifully supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and cause the fruits of your righteousness to increase.

使你们凡事富足，以致十分慷慨，就借着我们对神生出感谢；
You in everything are being enriched unto all liberality, which works out through us thanksgiving to God,

因为这服事的供应，不但补足圣徒的缺乏，也借着许多对神的感谢而洋溢。
Because the ministry of this service is not only filling up the lack of the saints, but is also abounding through many thanksgivings to God.

他们因着你们承认基督的福音而有的服从，以及你们对他们和众人慷慨的交通，就称许这供给的事，借以荣耀神。
They, through the approving of this ministry, are glorifying God based upon the subjection unto the gospel of Christ that issues from your confession, and upon the liberality of the fellowship to them and to all;

他们也因神在你们身上超越的恩典，切切地想念你们，为你们祈求。
While in petition on your behalf they also long after you on account of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

感谢神，为着祂难以形容的恩赐。
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

你不要嫉妒恶人，也不要想望与他们相处；
Do not be envious of evil men, / Nor desire to be with them;

因为他们的心筹划强暴，他们的口谈论奸恶。
For their heart meditates violence, / And their lips talk of mischief.

房屋凭智慧建造，又靠聪明立稳；
Through wisdom a house is built, / And by understanding it is established,

其房间因知识充满各样宝贵美好的财物。
And by knowledge the rooms are filled / With all precious and pleasant riches.

智慧人有能力，有知识的人加添能力。
A wise man is strong, / And a man of knowledge increases power.

你去打仗要凭智谋，谋士众多便可得胜。
For by sound counsel you can wage your war, / And in the multitude of counselors there is victory.

智慧极高，非愚妄人所能及，所以他在城门内不敢开口。
Wisdom is too high for a fool; / He does not open his mouth in the gate.

设计作恶的，必称为阴险之人。
He who devises to do evil, / Men will call him a mischief-maker.

愚妄人的计谋乃是罪恶，亵慢人为人所憎恶。
The devising of folly is sin, / And the scorner is an abomination to men.

你在患难之日若胆怯，你的力量就有限。
If you faint in the day of adversity, / Your strength is limited.

人被拉到死地，你要解救；人蹒跚走向被杀之地，你须拦阻。
Deliver those who are being taken away to death, / And those who are staggering to be slain, oh, hold back!

你若说，看哪，这事我们未曾知道──那衡量人心的岂不明白么？保守你性命的岂不知道么？祂岂不按各人所行的报应各人么？
If you say, Look, we did not know this — / Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? / And He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? / And will He not render to every man according to his work?

我儿，你要吃蜜，因为这是好的；吃蜂房下滴的蜜，在你上膛是甘甜的；
My son, eat honey, for it is good, / And the drippings from the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:

要知道智慧之于你的魂，也是如此。你若找着，末后必有好结局，你的指望也不至断绝。
Know that wisdom is such for your soul; / If you find it, then there will be a latter end, / And your hope will not be cut off.

恶人哪，不要埋伏攻击义人的住处，不要毁坏他安居之所；
Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous man; / Do not destroy his resting place;

因为义人虽七次跌倒，仍必兴起，恶人却被祸患倾覆。
For a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, / But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

你仇敌跌倒，你不要喜乐；他绊跌，你心不要快乐；
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, / And do not let your heart exult when he is overthrown;

恐怕耶和华看见就不喜悦，将祂怒气从仇敌身上转开。
Lest Jehovah see it, and it displease Him, / And He turn away His anger from him.

不要因作恶的人忿忿不平，也不要嫉妒恶人；
Do not be incensed because of evildoers; / Do not be envious of the wicked;

因为恶人必无前途；恶人的灯必要熄灭。
For there will be no future for the evil man; / The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

我儿，你要敬畏耶和华与君王，不要与反复无常的人结交；
My son, fear Jehovah and the king, / And do not associate with those who are given to change;

因为他们的灾难必忽然而起，耶和华与君王所施行的毁灭，谁能知道呢？
For their calamity will rise suddenly, / And who knows the misfortune of both of them?

以下也是智慧人的箴言：审判时看人情面是不好的。
These also are sayings of the wise: / It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.

对恶人说，你是义人，说这话的人必受众民咒诅，为列邦所憎恶。
He who says to the wicked man, You are righteous, / Peoples will curse him; nations will abhor him.

责备恶人的必得喜悦，美好的福也必临到他们。
But those who rebuke the wicked man will have delight, / And a good blessing will come upon them.

应对诚实的，犹如与人亲嘴。
He who gives an honest answer / Kisses the lips.

你要在外头预备你的工作，在田间为自己预备妥当，然后建造房屋。
Prepare your work outside, / And make it ready for yourself in the field, / And afterward build your house.

不可无故作见证陷害邻舍，也不可用嘴欺骗人。
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, / And do not deceive with your lips.

不可说，人怎样待我，我也怎样待他；我必照人所行的回报他。
Do not say, I will do to him as he has done to me; / I will render to the man according to his work.

我经过懒惰人的田地、无知人的葡萄园，
I passed by the field of the sluggard, / And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense;

看哪，到处长满了荆棘，刺草遮盖了田面，石墙也坍塌了。
And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; / Its surface was covered with nettles, / And its stone wall was broken down.

我看见就留心思想；我看着就领受训诲：
When I looked, I considered it; / I saw it and received instruction:

再睡片时，打盹片时，抱着手躺卧片时，
A little sleep, a little slumber, / A little folding of the hands to rest,

你的贫穷就必如强盗来临，你的缺乏就必如拿兵器的人来到。
And your poverty will come upon you like a robber, / And your want, like an armed man.