約伯記 12
1 約伯回答說：
Then Job answered,
2 的確，只有你們是有知識的子民；那麼，你們一死，智慧也與你們一同喪亡!
“No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.
3 其實，我和你們有同樣的心理，我並不亞於你們! 誰不知道這些事﹖
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who does not know such things as these?
4 我這呼籲天主而蒙應允的人，卻被他的友人所嘲笑，無辜的義人卻成了笑柄。
I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.
5 幸運的人心想：遭難的人應受蔑視，失足的人應再予以打擊。
In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.
6 但是，強盜的帳幕竟能安全，觸怒天主的人，以勢力為神的人卻享平安。
The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their god in their hands.
7 請你詢問走獸，牠們也會開導你；詢問天上的飛鳥，牠們也會告訴你；
“But ask the animals now, and they will teach you; the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
8 地上的爬蟲也會教訓你，海中的魚族也會給你說明。
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you. The fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 牠們中有誰不知道：是天主的手創造了這一切﹖
Who does not know that in all these, the LORD’s hand has done this,
10 因為一切活物的生魂，一切血肉之人的靈魂，都握在他手中。
in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?
11 耳朵不是為明辨言語，口腔不是為辨嘗食物嗎﹖
Does not the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?
12 白髮老人是有智慧的，年紀大者是有見識的；
With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.
13 但智慧和能力同在天主內，智慧與見識是天主所有。
“With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.
14 他若拆毀，人不能再建；他若拘禁，人不得開釋。
Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
15 他若制水，水便乾涸；他若放水，水便沖毀大地。
Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 力量與才能，為他所有；受騙者與騙人者，都屬於他。
With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 他使謀士糊塗，使判官愚蠢；
He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.
18 他解除君王所繫的玉帶，將繩索捆在他們的腰間；
He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.
19 他使司祭赤足而行，推倒掌握大權者；
He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.
20 奪去忠貞者的辯才，剝去年老者的理智：
He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.
21 使貴人備受侮辱，使勇士的腰帶鬆弛；
He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.
22 使隱秘的事由暗處彰顯，使黑暗進入光明；
He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23 使邦國興起而又滅亡，使民族強大而又消散；
He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
24 剝去國君的理智，使他們漂泊於無路的荒野中，
He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25 在無光的黑暗中摸索，踉蹌猶如醉漢。
They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
