章节研读
Sirach 8 — Prudence with People of Power and Danger
A collection of short maxims advising caution in dealings with the powerful, the rich, the violent, and the foolish.
经文
- 1.谨慎和常识 不要与强大的人争执，否则你会落入他的手中。Prudence and Common Sense Do not contend with a powerful man, lest you fall into his hands.
- 2.不要与富人争执，否则他的资源会超过你的，因为黄金已经毁灭了很多人，并且使君王的思想变得扭曲。Do not quarrel with a rich man, lest his resources outweigh yours; for gold has ruined many, and has perverted the minds of kings.
- 3.不要与多嘴的人争论，也不要在他的火上添加柴火。Do not argue with a chatterer, nor heap wood on his fire.
- 4.不要与无礼之人嬉笑，以免祖先蒙羞。Do not jest with an ill-bred person, lest your ancestors be disgraced.
- 5.不要责备离弃罪恶的人，记住我们都该受罚。Do not reproach a man who is turning away from sin; remember that we all deserve punishment.
- 6.不要轻视老年人，因为我们中有些人正在渐渐老去。Do not disdain a man when he is old, for some of us are growing old.
- 7.不要因任何人的死亡而欢喜，记住我们都必死。Do not rejoice over any one’s death; remember that we all must die.
- 8.不要轻视圣贤的言论，要专心研究他们的格言；因为从中你将获得教益并学会如何侍奉伟大的人。Do not slight the discourse of the sages, but busy yourself with their maxims; because from them you will gain instruction and learn how to serve great men.
- 9.不要轻视老年人的言论，因为他们是从自己的父亲那里学习的；因为从他们那里你将获得理解，并学会在需要的时候给出答案。Do not disregard the discourse of the aged, for they themselves learned from their fathers; because from them you will gain understanding and learn how to give an answer in time of need.
- 10.不要激怒罪人，否则你会被他烈火般的愤怒所烧伤。Do not kindle the coals of a sinner, lest you be burned in his flaming fire.
- 11.不要起来离开这个狂妄的人，否则他会埋伏在你的言语中。Do not get up and leave an insolent fellow, lest he lie in ambush against your words.
- 12.不要借钱给比你强大的人，但如果你借出了，就当作已经失去了它一样。Do not lend to a man who is stronger than you; but if you do lend anything, be as one who has lost it.
- 13.不要为他人作保超过自己的能力，如果作保，就要像自己要偿还一样担心。Do not give surety beyond your means, but if you give surety, be concerned as one who must pay.
- 14.不要与官员打官司，因为判决会因为他的地位而偏向于他。Do not go to law against a judge, for the decision will favor him because of his standing.
- 15.不要与愚蠢的人同行，否则他会成为你的负担；因为他会按照自己的心意行事，通过他的愚蠢，你也会与他同归于尽。Do not travel on the road with a foolhardy fellow, lest he be burdensome to you; for he will act as he pleases, and through his folly you will perish with him.
- 16.不要与愤怒的人争斗，也不要与他同行于荒野，因为在他眼中，血是微不足道的，当没有人能够帮助你的时候，他会击倒你。Do not fight with a wrathful man, and do not cross the wilderness with him; because blood is as nothing in his sight, and where no help is at hand, he will strike you down.
- 17.不要与愚人商议，因为他不能保守秘密。Do not consult with a fool, for he will not be able to keep a secret.
- 18.在陌生人面前不要做任何秘密的事情，因为你不知道他会透露什么。In the presence of a stranger do nothing that is to be kept secret, for you do not know what he will divulge.
- 19.不要向每个人透露你的想法，否则你会驱走你的好运。Do not reveal your thoughts to every one, lest you drive away your good luck.
这段经文的意思
The chapter is structured as a series of terse, formulaic warnings, each beginning with the pattern 'Do not' and each identifying a category of person or situation that poses a threat. The list covers judges, the rich, the powerful, the wrathful, the fool, and the stranger, grouping quite different dangers into a single catalogue of prudent avoidance.
Several recurring concerns shape the maxims: the asymmetry between the weak speaker and a powerful opponent (vv. 1–2, 14), the corrupting pull of gold and status (v. 2), the care of one's words so that they are not used against oneself (vv. 3, 11, 17–19), and the recognition of shared mortality as a check on pride and schadenfreude (vv. 5–7). Lending and going surety are singled out (vv. 12–13) as financial commitments that can quickly exceed the lender's ability to bear them.
Alongside the warnings, the chapter also sets out two positive instructions: attend to the words of the sages and the aged (vv. 8–9), because from them the reader gains 'instruction' and 'understanding' and the ability to answer 'in time of need.' Wisdom here is therefore not only avoidance but a deliberate habit of listening to those who have gone before.
背景
The provided material situates this chapter as part of the larger book of Sirach, a wisdom writing whose chapters follow the standard sapiential pattern of short, two-line maxims grouped by topic. Chapter 8 continues that pattern without any narrative framing, and the curated note classifies it among 'remaining chapters' backfilled outside the P0/P1 priority set, meaning no extra chapter-level commentary is supplied.
Because no cross references, original-language notes, or surrounding chapters are supplied, the chapter can only be read on its own terms: as a self-contained list of 'Do not' instructions that presuppose a reader navigating courts, marketplaces, and social hierarchy where words, loans, and alliances carry lasting consequences.
常见问题
Is Sirach 8 a single argument or a list?
The chapter is a list. Nineteen verses each follow the same 'Do not' pattern, and the only positive material is the praise of sages' and elders' words in verses 8–9. The unity is topical — caution in handling dangerous people — rather than argumentative.
Why does the chapter say not to argue with a judge or a rich man?
Verses 2 and 14 give the reason: gold 'has ruined many' and a judge's 'standing' will favor his side. The maxim assumes an unequal setting where a poorer litigant cannot realistically win against entrenched power.
What does the chapter say about elders?
Verses 6, 8, and 9 together forbid despising the old and command the reader to busy himself with the maxims of sages and elders, because from them one gains 'instruction' and 'understanding' and learns to give an answer in time of need.