約伯記 12
1 約伯回答說：
Then Iob answered, and sayde,
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!
In deede because that ye are the people onely, wisedome must dye 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 haue vnderstanding aswel as you, and am not inferior vnto you: yea, who knoweth not such things?
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 as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth vpon God, and he heareth him: the iust and the vpright is laughed to scorne.
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。
Hee that is readie to fall, is as a lampe despised in the opinion of the riche.
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 tabernacles of robbers doe prosper, and they are in safetie, that prouoke God, whome God hath enriched with his hand.
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；
Aske now the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the foules of the heauen, and they shall tell thee:
8 地上的爬蟲也會教訓你，海中的魚族也會給你說明。
Or speake to the earth, and it shall shewe thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare vnto thee.
9 牠們中有誰不知道：是天主的手創造了這一切﹖
Who is ignorant of all these, but that the hande of the Lord hath made these?
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 hande is the soule of euery liuing thing, and the breath of all mankinde.
11 耳朵不是為明辨言語，口腔不是為辨嘗食物嗎﹖
Doeth not the eares discerne the words? and the mouth taste meate for it selfe?
12 白髮老人是有智慧的，年紀大者是有見識的；
Among the ancient is wisedome, and in the length of dayes is vnderstanding.
13 但智慧和能力同在天主內，智慧與見識是天主所有。
With him is wisedome and strength: he hath counsell and vnderstanding.
14 他若拆毀，人不能再建；他若拘禁，人不得開釋。
Beholde, he will breake downe, and it can not be built: he shutteth a man vp, and he can not be loosed.
15 他若制水，水便乾涸；他若放水，水便沖毀大地。
Beholde, he withholdeth the waters, and they drie vp: but when he sendeth them out, they destroy 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 wisedome: hee that is deceiued, and that deceiueth, are his.
17 他使謀士糊塗，使判官愚蠢；
He causeth the counsellers to goe as spoyled, and maketh the iudges fooles.
18 他解除君王所繫的玉帶，將繩索捆在他們的腰間；
He looseth the collar of Kings, and girdeth their loynes with a girdle.
19 他使司祭赤足而行，推倒掌握大權者；
He leadeth away the princes as a pray, and ouerthroweth the mightie.
20 奪去忠貞者的辯才，剝去年老者的理智：
He taketh away the speach from the faithfull counsellers, and taketh away the iudgement of the ancient.
21 使貴人備受侮辱，使勇士的腰帶鬆弛；
He powreth contempt vpon princes, and maketh the strength of the mightie weake.
22 使隱秘的事由暗處彰顯，使黑暗進入光明；
He discouereth the deepe places from their darkenesse, and bringeth foorth the shadowe of death to light.
23 使邦國興起而又滅亡，使民族強大而又消散；
He increaseth the people, and destroyeth them: he inlargeth the nations, and bringeth them in againe.
24 剝去國君的理智，使他們漂泊於無路的荒野中，
He taketh away the heartes of the that are the chiefe ouer the people of the earth, and maketh them to wander in the wildernes out of the way.
25 在無光的黑暗中摸索，踉蹌猶如醉漢。
They grope in the darke without light: and he maketh the to stagger like a drunken man.
