< 約伯記 2 >

1 又有一天,天主的眾子都前來侍立在上主面前,撒殫也夾在他們當中,侍立在上主面前。
And the day is, that sons of God come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and there doth come also the Adversary in their midst to station himself by Jehovah.
2 上主向撒殫說:「你從那裏來﹖」撒殫回答上主說:「我走遍了世界,周遊了各地回來。」
And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Whence camest thou?' And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, 'From going to and fro in the land, and from walking up and down in it.'
3 上主對撒殫說:「你曾留心注意到我的僕人約伯嗎﹖世上沒有一個像他那樣十全十美,生性正直,敬畏天主,遠避邪惡的人。你雖然激動我加害他,無端叫他傾家蕩產,但他依然保持自己的完善。」
And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Hast thou set thy heart unto My servant Job because there is none like him in the land, a man perfect and upright, fearing God and turning aside from evil? and still he is keeping hold on his integrity, and thou dost move Me against him to swallow him up for nought!'
4 撒殫回答上主說:「那只不過是以皮換皮罷了! 人都肯捨棄所有,去保全自己的性命。
And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, 'A skin for a skin, and all that a man hath he doth give for his life.
5 但是,你若伸手打擊他的骨和肉,他必定當面詛咒你。」
Yet, put forth, I pray Thee, Thy hand, and strike unto his bone and unto his flesh — if not: unto Thy face he doth bless Thee!'
6 上主向撒殫說:「看,任你處置他,但要保留他的性命。」
And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Lo, he [is] in thy hand; only his life take care of.'
7 撒殫從上主那裏出來,就使約伯從足踵到頭頂都長了毒瘡。
And the Adversary goeth forth from the presence of Jehovah, and smiteth Job with a sore ulcer from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8 約伯坐在灰土堆中,用瓦片刮身。
And he taketh to him a potsherd to scrape himself with it, and he is sitting in the midst of the ashes.
9 他的妻子向他說:「你還保持你的完善嗎﹖你倒不如詛咒天主,死了算了! 」
And his wife saith to him, 'Still thou art keeping hold on thine integrity: bless God and die.'
10 約伯向她說:「你說話,真像一個糊塗女人! 難道我們只由天主那裏接受恩惠,而不接受災禍嗎﹖」就這一切事而論,約伯沒有犯失言的過錯。
And he saith unto her, 'As one of the foolish women speaketh, thou speakest; yea, the good we receive from God, and the evil we do not receive.' In all this Job hath not sinned with his lips.
11 約伯的三位朋友,特曼人厄里法次、叔亞人彼耳達得、納阿瑪人左法爾,聽說他遭遇了災禍,就各從本地起程,來到一起,去慰問他、勸勉他,
And three of the friends of Job hear of all this evil that hath come upon him, and they come in each from his place — Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite — and they are met together to come in to bemoan him, and to comfort him;
12 他們從遠處舉目一望,已認不得他,就放聲大哭,撕破了自己的外衣,把灰揚起,落在自己頭上。
and they lift up their eyes from afar and have not discerned him, and they lift up their voice and weep, and rend each his robe, and sprinkle dust on their heads — heavenward.
13 他們於是同他在灰土中,坐了七天七夜,因見他受苦太大,沒有人敢向他說一句話。
And they sit with him on the earth seven days and seven nights, and there is none speaking unto him a word when they have seen that the pain hath been very great.

< 約伯記 2 >