約伯記 35

1 厄里烏又接著說：

And Elihu went on to say:

2 你說過：「我在天主前是正義的。」你想這話合理嗎﹖

“Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am more righteous than God.’

3 你還說過：「這與你何干﹖我若犯罪，我對你做了什麼﹖」

For you ask, ‘What does it profit me, and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?’

4 我今答覆你，以及和你在一起的友人。

I will reply to you and to your friends as well.

5 請你仰視上天，且要靜觀，細看高於你的蒼天。

Look to the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds high above you.

6 你若犯罪，為他有什麼害處﹖你若作惡多端，又能加害他什麼﹖

If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? If you multiply your transgressions, what do you do to Him?

7 如果你為人正義，為他又有何益﹖或者他由你手中獲得什麼﹖

If you are righteous, what do you give Him, or what does He receive from your hand?

8 你的惡行只能加害與你類似的人，你的正義也只能有益於世人。

Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only a son of man.

9 人因受暴虐過甚，必要哀號；因受強權的壓迫，必要呼籲。

Men cry out under great oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the mighty.

10 但是沒有人說：「那造成我們，使人夜間歡唱，

But no one asks, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives us songs in the night,

11 使我們比地上的走獸更聰明，使我們比天上的飛鳥更有智慧的天主在那裏﹖」

who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’

12 他們雖呼喊，天主卻不答應，這是因為惡人傲慢的原故。

There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.

13 他們空喊亂叫，天主決不俯聽，全能者決不垂視。

Surely God does not listen to empty pleas, and the Almighty does not take note of it.

14 何況你說過：「你看不見他；但你的案件已放在他面前，你應等待他!」

How much less, then, when you say that you do not see Him, that your case is before Him and you must wait for Him,

15 你還說過：「他沒有發怒施罰，似乎不很理會罪過。」

and further, that in His anger He has not punished or taken much notice of folly!

16 的確，約伯開口盡說空話；由於無知，說了許多妄言。

So Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.”