約伯記 23

1 約伯回答說：

Job replied,

2 直到今天，我還是痛苦的哀訴，他沉重的手掌，使我不得不呻吟。

“Just the same, my complaints today remain bitter. In spite of my groaning he is still punishing me.

3 惟願我知道怎樣能尋到天主，能達到他的寶座前，

If only I knew where I could find him so I could go to where he sits in judgment.

4 好將我的案情向他陳訴，因為我口中滿了證詞!

There I would lay out my case before him and present all my arguments in full.

5 唯願我知道他答覆我的話，明瞭他向我說什麼!

I would discover how he would answer me and learn what he has to say to me.

6 他豈能靠強力同我爭辯﹖決不，他必留神聽我。

Would he fight against me using his mighty power? No, he would pay attention to what I have to say.

7 如此，他會分辨出同他爭論的是個正直人，也許我可永久不再受裁判!

There a good person could reason with him, and I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

8 可是我往東行，他不在那裏；我往西行，也找不到他；

If I go to the east, he's not there; if I go the west, I don't find him.

9 往北找，也看不見他；往南去，也見不到他。

If he's working in the north, I don't perceive him; if he's moving south, I don't see him.

10 他洞悉我所有的行動。他若試驗我，我必如純金出現。

Yet he always knows where I'm going. When he has proved me, I will come out shining like gold.

11 我的腳緊隨著他的足跡，謹守他的道，總沒有偏離。

I have kept in step with him; I have followed his way without turning aside.

12 他所發的命令，我總沒有違背；他口中的訓言，我常保存在心中。

I have not neglected his commands, for I value what he has told me to do more than the food I eat every day.

13 但他所決定的，誰能變更﹖他所樂意的，必要實行。

But God is unchangeable—who can turn him from his purposes? He does whatever he wants to do.

14 他為我注定的，必要完成；類似的事，還有很多。

So he will finish whatever he has planned for me—and he has many plans for me.

15 因此，為了他，我很驚慌，一想起來就害怕。

That's why I'm terrified at meeting him; when I think of him I tremble with fear.

16 天主使我的心沮喪，全能者使我恐怖。

God has made me faint-hearted; the Almighty has scared me to death.

17 因為我雖面臨黑暗，幽暗雖遮蓋我的面，我仍不喪氣。

Yet I'm still here despite the dark—even though I can't see through the utter darkness.