你们一向以为我们是向你们分诉，我们乃是在基督里当着神面前说话。亲爱的，一切的事都是为建造你们。
All this time you have been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. Before God in Christ we speak; but all things, beloved, are for your building up.

我怕我来的时候，或许见到你们不合我所想要的，你们见到我也不合你们所想要的；又怕有争竞、嫉妒、恼怒、私图好争、诽谤、谗言、自高自大、混乱的事；
For I fear that perhaps when I come, I may find you not such as I wish, and I may be found by you not such as you wish; that perhaps there may be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, slanders, whisperings, demonstrations of being puffed up, tumults;

且怕我再来的时候，我的神在你们面前卑屈我，我还要为那许多从前犯罪，还没有悔改他们所行污秽淫乱邪荡之事的人哀恸。
That when I come again my God may humble me before you and I may mourn over many who have sinned before and who have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and licentiousness which they have practiced.

这是我第三次要到你们那里去，凭两三个见证人的口，句句都要定准。
This third time I am coming to you; at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

我从前说过，现今不在的时候，事先又对那些从前犯了罪的，和所有其余的人说，正如我第二次同在的时候所说的；我若再来，必不宽容，
I have previously said and I say beforehand, when I was present the second time and being absent now, to those who have sinned before and to all the rest, that if I come again, I will not spare,

因为你们寻求基督在我里面说话的凭证。基督向着你们不是软弱的，在你们里面乃是有大能的。
Since you seek a proof of the Christ who is speaking in me, who is not weak unto you but is powerful in you.

祂固然由于软弱被钉十字架，却由于神的大能仍然活着。我们在祂里面也是软弱，但由于神向着你们的大能，必与祂同活。
For indeed He was crucified out of weakness, but He lives by the power of God. For indeed we are weak in Him, but we will live together with Him by the power of God directed toward you.

你们要试验自己是否在信仰中；你们要验证自己。岂不知你们有耶稣基督在你们里面么？除非你们是经不起试验的。
Test yourselves whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves. Or do you not realize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are disapproved?

我却盼望你们晓得，我们不是经不起试验的。
But I hope that you will know that we are not disapproved.

我们求神，叫你们一件恶事都不作。这不是要显明我们是经得起试验的，乃是要你们行善，让我们就像是经不起试验的吧！
Now we pray to God that you do nothing wrong, not that we may appear approved, but that you yourselves may do what is good and we may be as if disapproved.

因为我们不能作任何事抵挡真理，只能拥护真理。
For we are not able to do anything against the truth but rather for the truth.

无论何时我们软弱，你们有能力，我们就喜乐了；我们还祈求一件事，就是你们被成全。
For we rejoice whenever we are weak and you are powerful; this also we pray for, your perfecting.

所以我不在的时候，写这些事，好叫我同在的时候，不必照着主所赐给我的权柄，严厉地待你们；这权柄是为着建造人，并不是为着拆毁人。
Therefore I write these things while being absent in order that when present I would not have to use severity, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for building up and not for overthrowing.

末了，弟兄们，要喜乐，要被成全，要受安慰，要思念相同的事，要和睦，如此那爱与和平的神，必与你们同在。
Finally, brothers, rejoice, be perfected, be comforted, think the same thing, be at peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

你们要用圣别的亲嘴彼此问安。
Greet one another with a holy kiss.

众圣徒都问你们安。
All the saints greet you.

愿主耶稣基督的恩，神的爱，圣灵的交通，与你们众人同在。
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

雅基的儿子亚古珥的言语，就是谕言。这人对以铁，对以铁和乌甲说：
The words of Agur the son of Jakeh. The oracle. / The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:

我比众人更蠢笨，也没有人的聪明；
Surely I am more stupid than any man, / And do not have a man's understanding;

我没有学得智慧，也不认识至圣者。
And I have not learned wisdom, / Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One.

谁升天又降下来？谁聚风在掌握中？谁包水在衣服里？谁立定地的四极？祂名叫什么？祂儿子名叫什么，你知道么？
Who has ascended into heaven and descended? / Who has gathered the wind in His fists? / Who has wrapped up the waters in His garment? / Who has established all the ends of the earth? / What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if you know?

神的言语，句句都是炼净的；投靠祂的，祂便作他们的盾牌。
Every word of God is tried; / He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.

祂的言语，你不可加添，恐怕祂责备你，你就显为说谎言的。
Do not add to His words, / Lest He reprove you and you be found a liar.

我求你两件事，在我死前，不要不应允我：
Two things I have asked of You; / Do not refuse me before I die:

求你使虚假和谎言远离我。求你使我也不贫穷也不富足；我需用的那分饮食，求你供给我，
Remove far from me falsehood and lies. / Give me neither poverty nor riches; / Feed me with the food that is my portion,

免得我饱足了，就否认你，说，耶和华是谁？又免得我贫穷就偷窃，以致亵渎我神的名。
Lest I become full and deny You and say, Who is Jehovah? / Or lest I become poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

你不要向主人谗谤仆人，恐怕他咒诅你，你便为有罪。
Do not slander a servant to his master, / Lest he curse you, and you be held guilty.

有一代人咒诅父亲，不给母亲祝福。
There is a generation that curse their father, / And do not bless their mother.

有一代人自以为清洁，却没有洗去自己的污秽。
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, / And yet are not washed from their filthiness.

有一代人眼目何其高傲，眼皮也是傲然高抬。
There is a generation — oh how lofty are their eyes, / And their eyelids are raised arrogantly.

有一代人，牙如剑，齿如刀，要吞灭地上的困苦人，和人间的穷乏人。
There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, / And their jaw teeth like knives, / To devour the afflicted from off the earth, / And the needy from among men.

蚂蟥有两个女儿，常说，给呀，给呀。有三样不知足的，连不说够的共有四样，
The leech has two daughters, crying, Give, give. / There are three things that are never satisfied, / Indeed, four that do not say, Enough:

就是阴间，和不孕的胎，吸水不知足的地，和不说够的火。
Sheol and the barren womb, / The earth that is not satisfied with water, / And the fire that does not say, Enough.

戏笑父亲、藐视而不听从母亲的，他的眼睛必为谷中的乌鸦啄出来，为雏鹰所吃。
The eye that mocks his father / And despises to obey his mother, / The ravens of the valley will pick it out, / And the young eagles will eat it.

我所测不透的奇妙有三样，连我所不知道的共有四样，
There are three things which are too wonderful for me, / Indeed four which I do not know:

就是鹰在空中飞的道，蛇在磐石上爬的道，船在海中行的道，男与女交合的道。
The way of an eagle in the sky, / The way of a serpent upon a rock, / The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, / And the way of a man with a maiden.

淫妇的道是这样：她吃了，把嘴一抹就说，我没有行恶。
This is the way of an adulterous woman: / She eats and wipes her mouth / And says, I have done no wickedness.

使地震动的有三样，连地担不起的共有四样，
Under three things the earth quakes, / And under four, it cannot bear up:

就是仆人作王，愚顽人吃饱；
Under a servant when he is king, / And a fool when he is filled with food;

讨人厌的女子出嫁，婢女接续主母。
Under a hated woman when she gets married, / And a servant girl who is heir to her mistress.

地上有四样小物，却极有智慧：
Four things are small on the earth, / But they are exceedingly wise:

蚂蚁是无力之类，却在夏天预备粮食；
The ants are a clan without strength, / Yet they prepare their food in the summer;

石獾是软弱之类，却在磐石中造屋；
The rock badgers are a clan without might, / Yet they make their houses in the rocks;

群蝗没有君王，却分队而出；
The swarming locusts have no king, / Yet all of them go out in ranks;

守宫可给人手抓捕，却住在王宫。
The lizard can be grasped with the hands, / Yet she is in kings' palaces.

步行威武的有三样，连行走威武的共有四样，
There are three things which are stately in their step, / Indeed four which are stately in walking:

就是狮子，乃百兽中最为雄猛、面对任何野兽都不躲避的，
The lion, which is mightiest among beasts, / And does not turn back before any;

昂首阔步、束着腰的雄鸡，公山羊，和率领军兵的君王。
The strutting cock girded in the loins, or a male goat, / And a king who has a band of soldiers with him.

你若行事愚顽，高抬自己，或是筹思恶计，就当用手捂口。
If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, / Or if you have thought an evil scheme, / Put your hand upon your mouth.

搅动牛奶必出奶油，挤压鼻子必出血；照样，激动怒气必起争端。
For the churning of milk produces butter, / And the wringing of the nose brings forth blood, / So the pressing of wrath brings forth strife.

利慕伊勒王的言语，是他母亲教训他的谕言：
The words of King Lemuel. The oracle which his mother taught him.

我儿啊，我腹中生的儿啊，我许愿所得的儿啊！我当说什么呢？
What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? / And what, O son of my vows?

不要将你的精力给妇女，也不要有那使君王毁灭的行径。
Do not give your strength to women, / Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

利慕伊勒啊，君王不可喝淡酒，绝对不可；首领也不可说，浓酒在哪里？
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; / Nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink?

恐怕喝了就忘记所立的律例，颠倒一切困苦人的公理。
Lest they drink and forget what is decreed, / And pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

可以把浓酒给将亡的人喝，把淡酒给魂里愁苦的人喝，
Give strong drink rather to one who is perishing, / And wine to the bitter in soul;

让他喝了就忘记他的贫穷，不再记念他的苦恼。
Let him drink and forget his poverty, / And remember his misery no more.

你当为哑巴开口，为一切将过去的人伸冤。
Open your mouth for the dumb, / And for the rights of all those who are passing away.

你当开口按公义审判，为困苦和穷乏人秉持公理。
Open your mouth; judge righteously, / And minister justice to the poor and needy.

才德的妇人谁能得着呢？她的价值远胜过珠宝。
Who can find a worthy woman? / For her price is far above corals.

她丈夫心里倚靠她，必不缺少利益。
The heart of her husband trusts in her, / And he will have no lack of gain.

她一生的日子使丈夫有益无损。
She does him good and not evil / All the days of her life.

她寻找羊毛和麻，乐意亲手作工。
She seeks wool and flax, / And delights to work with her hands.

她好像商船从远方运粮来，
She is like the merchant ships; / She brings her food from afar.

天还黑她就起来，把食物分给家中的人，将当作的工分派婢女。
She rises also while it is still night / And gives food to her household, / And their task to her serving girls.

她想得田地就买来；用手所得的成果，栽种葡萄园。
She considers a field and buys it; / With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

她以能力束腰，使膀臂有力。
She girds her loins with strength / And makes strong her arms.

她检试自作的商品，确定都是好的；她的灯终夜不灭。
She samples her merchandise to be sure it is good; / Her lamp does not go out by night.

她手拿捻线竿，手握纺线锤。
She lays her hands to the distaff, / And her hands hold on to the spindle.

她张手周济困苦人，伸手帮补穷乏人。
She stretches out her hand to the afflicted, / And she reaches out her hands to the needy.

她不因下雪为家里的人担心，因为全家都穿着朱红衣服。
She does not fear for her household when it snows, / For all her household are clothed with scarlet.

她为自己制作毯子；她的衣服是细麻和紫色布作的。
She makes coverings for herself; / Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

她丈夫在城门口与本地的长老同坐，为众人所认识。
Her husband is known in the gates, / When he sits among the elders of the land.

她作细麻布衣裳出卖，又将腰带供给商家。
She makes linen garments and sells them / And delivers girdles to the merchant.

能力和威仪是她的衣服，她想到日后的景况就喜笑。
Strength and dignity are her clothing, / And she happily looks forward to the time to come.

她开口就发智慧，她舌上有慈爱的法则。
She opens her mouth with wisdom, / And the law of kindness is on her tongue.

她观察家务，并不吃闲饭。
She watches closely over the ways of her household / And does not eat the bread of idleness.

她的儿女起来称她有福；她的丈夫也称赞她，说，
Her children rise up and call her blessed; / Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:

行事有才德的女子很多，惟独你超过众人。
Many daughters have done worthily, / But you surpass them all.

艳丽是虚假的，美容是虚浮的；惟敬畏耶和华的妇女，必得称赞。
Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; / But a woman who fears Jehovah, she will be praised.

愿她得着亲手操劳的果效，愿她的工作使她在城门口得称赞。
Give her of the fruit of her hands, / And let her works praise her in the gates.