約伯記 22
1 特曼人厄里法次接著說：
Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded and said,
2 人為天主能有什麼益處﹖明智人只能於一己有益。
“How can anyone be of help to God? Even wise people are only helpful to themselves.
3 縱然你公正，對全能者有什麼好處﹖縱然你品行齊全，對天主有什麼利益﹖
Is it any benefit to the Almighty if you're a good person? What does he gain if you do what's right?
4 他豈能因你敬畏之心而責斥你，拉你來聽審﹖
Does he correct you and bring charges against you because of your reverence?
5 豈不是因為你罪惡多端，罪過無窮﹖
No: it's because you're so wicked! Your sins are never-ending!
6 因為你無理地強取了你兄弟的抵押，剝去了人的衣服，使之赤裸；
For no reason at all you took your brother's clothing as a security for a debt, and left them stripped naked.
7 口渴的人，你沒有給他水喝；饑餓的人，你沒有給他飯吃；
You refused water to the thirsty; you denied food to the hungry.
8 讓強有力的人佔有土地，讓尊貴體面的人住在其中；
Is it because the land belongs to the powerful, and only the privileged have a right to live there?
9 卻使寡婦空手而歸，折斷孤兒的手臂；
You have sent widows away empty-handed; you have crushed the outstretched arms of orphans, begging for help.
10 因此羅網要四面圍困你，恐嚇突降，使你驚惶。
That's why you're surrounded by traps to catch you, and why you suddenly panic in terror.
11 光明變成黑暗，使你毫無所見；洪水漫漫，將你淹沒。
That's why it's so dark you cannot see, and why you feel like you're drowning.
12 天主豈不是居於高天﹖看，最高的星辰何其高遠﹖
Doesn't God live in highest heaven and looks down on even the highest stars?
13 你曾說過：「天主知道什麼﹖他豈能透過黑雲施行審判﹖
But you ask, ‘What does God know? How can he see and judge what happens in down here in darkness?
14 雲彩遮蔽著他，使他看不到什麼，而他只在天邊周圍遊行。」
Thick clouds cover him so he can't see anything as he walks around in heaven.’
15 你豈要固守惡人所蹈的故轍﹖
Why do you insist on following the traditional thinking of the wicked?
16 尚未到時，他們已被攫去，大水沖去了他們的基礎。
They were taken before their time; all they had built was washed away.
17 他們曾向天主說：「離開我們! 全能者能為我們作什麼﹖」
They had told God, ‘Get lost! What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 他原來是以福利充滿了他們的家，可是惡人的思想離他很遠。
And yet he was the one who had filled their homes with good things—but I don't accept their way of thinking.
19 義人見了就歡樂，無罪者也譏笑他們說：「
Those who do right rejoice when they see the destruction of the wicked, and the innocent mock them,
20 的確，他們的財富已被消滅，他門所剩餘的皆被火焚毀。」
saying, ‘Our enemies are destroyed, and fire has burned up all that's left of them.’
21 請你與他親善和好，藉此你的幸福必的恢復。
Come back to God and be reconciled to him, and you'll be prosperous again.
22 請你領受他口中的教訓，將他的話存在心中。
Listen to what he tells you and keep his words in mind.
23 如果你歸向全能者，你必興起；你若使邪惡離開你的帳幕，
If you return to God you will be restored. If you renounce your sinful life
24 視金子如塵埃，視敖非爾金如溪石，
and give up your love of money and desire for possessions,
25 全能者必作為你的精金，作為你的銀堆。
then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.
26 那時你必以全能者為喜樂，向天主仰起你的頭來。
Then you will find delight in the Almighty, and be able to face him without feeling ashamed.
27 那時你祈求他，他必應允你；你可向他還你的誓願。
You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will keep your promises to him.
28 你決定的事，事必成就；光明要照耀你的道路，
Whatever you decide to do will be successful, and wherever you go, light will shine on you.
29 因為他壓伏驕傲的人，拯救低首下心的人。
When others are humbled, and you say, ‘please help them,’ God will save them.
30 他必解救無罪的人；你若手中清廉，你必獲救。
God saves those who are innocent, and you will be saved if you do what is right.”
