約伯記 24
1 全能者為何不劃定一個期限呢﹖忠於他的人為何看不到他的日子﹖
Why are not times [of punishment] treasured up by the Almighty, and why do his adorers not see his days [of retribution]?
2 惡人挪移地界，搶去羊群自去牧放；
[The wicked] remove landmarks: they rob flocks, and feed them.
3 趕走孤兒的驢，拿去寡婦的牛作抵押；
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take in pledge the widow's ox.
4 迫使窮人離開正路，使境內的貧民隱藏不露。
They chase the needy out of the highway: altogether hide themselves the poor of the earth.
5 看啊! 他們像曠野的野驢，出來尋覓食物；他們縱使到晚操作，卻找不到養子女的食物。
Behold, as wild asses in the wilderness go they forth to their work, rising betimes after [their] prey: the desert yieldeth food for them and for their young men.
6 夜間遂到田間去收割，到惡人的葡萄園中去摘取。
In the field they reap their food; and in the vineyard of the wicked they gather the fruit.
7 赤身過宿，無衣蔽體；嚴寒之時，沒有舖蓋。
They cause [the poor] to spend the night naked, without clothing and without any covering in the cold.
8 在山中為暴雨淋透，因無處避身，而臥於磐石下。
Through the sweeping rain of the mountains are they made wet, and for want of a shelter do they embrace the rock.
9 另有些人將孤兒從母懷中搶去，剝去窮人的衣服作抵押，
The others pluck from the breast the fatherless, and the garment of the poor they take in pledge.
10 致使他們無衣赤身行走，枵腹擔荷麥捆；
They cause him to go naked without clothing, and from the hungry they take away the sheaf:
11 在石槽中搾油、踐踏，反受口渴之苦。
Within their walls do they make oil, they tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.
12 臨死者的呻吟，聲聞城外；負傷者呼求救援，天主卻不理會他們的哀求。
Out of a populous city is groaning heard, and the soul of the deadly wounded crieth out: yet God regardeth it not as an offence.
13 另有些人反抗光明，不認識光明的道路，更不走光明的途徑。
Yon men are of those that rebel against the light: they know not its ways, nor abide in its paths.
14 兇手黎明即起，去殺害困苦和貧窮的人，夜間去作盜賊。
With the earliest light riseth the murderer, he slayeth the poor and needy, and in the night he becometh like the thief.
15 姦夫的眼盼望黃昏，他心裏說：「沒有眼可看見我! 」就將自己的臉遮蔽起來。
And the eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight, saying, No eye will see me; and placeth a covering on his face.
16 竊賊夜間挖穿屋牆，白日將自己關起，不願看見光明，
They break into houses in the dark, in the daytime they lock themselves in: they know not the light.
17 因為早晨對這班人有如死影，他們已熟悉了黑暗的恐怖。
For to all of these alike is the morning as the shadow of death; for they are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 他們輕如水萍，隨波逐流，地上的家業已被詛咒，榨酒者不再走入他們的葡萄園。
Swift are such men [to flee] on the face of the water; accursed is their field on the land; none of them turneth himself to the way, of the vineyards.
Drought and heat speedily consume the snow-waters: so doth the grave those who have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 懷孕他的要忘掉他，蛆蟲要腐蝕他，人不再記念他，邪惡如樹一般被人砍倒。
The mother that bore such a one will forget him; the worm will feed sweetly on him; he will be no more remembered; and like a tree will wickedness be broken.
21 他欺壓了不生育的石女，沒有善待寡婦。
He ill-treateth the barren that heareth not; and to the widow he acteth not well.
22 然而天主將以威力擄獲強者，他必興起，使他們不能保存生命。
But he also draweth down the mighty with his power: he riseth up, no one is sure of life.
23 雖暫時讓他們平安休息，但他的眼正監視著他們的行徑。
To such [God] granteth to be in safety, that he may find support; and His eyes are upon their ways.
24 他們居於高位，不久即不見了；他們必喪亡，有如鹹草；必被剪去，猶如麥穗。
They are exalted; in but a little while they are no more; and they are brought down low: like all others are they gathered in, and like the top of the ear of corn are they cut off.
25 是否如此﹖誰能證明我說謊，誰能以我的話為荒誕﹖
But if it be not so, who will prove me a liar, and render nought my word?
