(箴言 18:17)
,,,,,,,,“先訴情由的，似乎有理．但鄰舍來到，就察出實情。”
這是一個非常有趣的法律場景。在希伯來文的原意中，「先訴情由」的人表現得像個義人，因為他先聲奪人，講述了一套對自己有利的說法。當我們只聽他的一面之詞時，往往會覺得他很有道理，甚至同情他的遭遇。
然而，經文隨後指出，當他的鄰舍——也就是認識他的朋友或相關人士——出現時，就能察出實情。這裡的「察出」在原文中含有深入鑽探、像開採礦產一樣仔細探尋的意思。這意味著當另一方帶著證據和不同的觀點進一步解釋時，真相就會大白，這時我們才發現，原來第一個說話的人未必說了真話。
這段經文給了我們兩個很重要的提醒。首先，如果你在職場或生活中遇到被人反咬一口、惡人先告狀的情況，請不要過於擔心。讓對方先說無妨，真相終究會水落石出，做過的就是做過，沒做的就是沒做，只要堅持把事實講清楚就可以了，
其次，這也是對我們判斷事情的一個警示。我們絕對不能只聽片面之詞，不能因為某人先訴苦、先抱怨就完全相信他。我們必須保持公平與中立，多方考證，聽取不同方的陳述。當我們能從更多角度去觀察一件事時，才能看得更加透徹，避免產生偏見。
(Proverbs 18:17)
“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.”
This is a very interesting legal scenario. In the original Hebrew meaning, the person who is first in his own cause appears like a righteous man because he takes the initiative to speak first, presenting a narrative that is entirely in his own favor. When we hear only one side of the story, we often feel that the person is very reasonable and may even sympathize with their situation.
However, the scripture then points out that when his neighbor—that is, a friend or a relevant person who knows him—appears, the truth can be searched out. The word searched in the original text contains the meaning of deep drilling or searching as thoroughly as if one were mining for minerals. This means that when the other party provides further explanation with evidence and a different perspective, the truth will come to light. At that moment, we discover that the first person to speak may not have been telling the whole truth.
This passage gives us two very important reminders. First, if you encounter a situation in the workplace or in life where you are being falsely accused or where the guilty party sues first, please do not worry too much. Let the other party speak first; the truth will eventually surface. What has been done is done, and what has not been done remains so. It is enough to simply persist in clarifying the facts.
Secondly, this is also a warning for our judgment of matters. We must never listen to only one side of a story; we cannot fully believe someone just because they are the first to complain or air their grievances. We must maintain fairness and neutrality, verify facts from multiple sources, and listen to the statements of different parties. Only when we can observe a matter from more angles can we see it more clearly and avoid developing prejudices.
