< 約伯記 36 >
Elihu also continued, and said,
2 你且等一會,容我教導你,因為為天主,我還有些話要說。
“Bear with me a little, and I will show you; for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
I will get my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 的確,天主寬宏大量,決不藐視任何人,並且有廣大的同情心。
“Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the afflicted.
7 他也不剝奪義人的權利。他使君王永久坐在寶座上,但是他們卻驕矜自大;
He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
8 故此,當他們一旦被鎖鏈束縛,被痛苦的繩索所繫,
If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
9 天主就向他們指明他們的惡行,和他們所誇耀的過犯,
then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 開啟他們的耳朵,以聽訓戒,囑咐他們離開邪惡。
He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 如果他們服從順命,便能幸福地度過歲月,能安樂地享受天年。
If they listen and serve him, they will spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
But if they don’t listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die without knowledge.
13 心術敗壞的人,憤怒填胸,縱被囚禁,仍不呼求救助;
“But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They don’t cry for help when he binds them.
They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
15 所以天主藉痛苦拯救受難的人,以患難開啟他們的耳鼓。
He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.
16 他也要救你擺脫災難,領你到廣闊自由之地,在你桌上常擺滿肥饌美味;
Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a wide place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
17 無如你判斷與惡人完全一樣,那麼懲罰和判案必集於你身。
“But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 小心! 不要讓忿怒引你肆口謾罵,也不要為重罰讓你離棄正道。
Don’t let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?
Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 小心! 別傾向不義,因為這正是你遭難的真正原因。
Take heed, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’?
“Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung.
All men have looked on it. Man sees it afar off.
26 天主何其偉大,我們不能理解! 他的歲數,無法考究。
Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,
which the skies pour down and which drop on man abundantly.
29 但誰能明瞭雲彩怎樣散布,天幕中怎樣發出隆隆之聲﹖
Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunderings of his pavilion?
Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.
For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.
He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.
Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.