約伯記 38
1 上主由旋風中向約伯發言說：
Then YHWH answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 用無知的話，使我的計劃模糊不明的是誰﹖
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 你要像勇士束好你的腰，我要問你，請指教我!
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4 我奠定大地的基礎時，你在那裏﹖你若聰明，儘管說罷!
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5 你知道是誰制定了地的度量，是誰在地上拉了準繩﹖
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6 地的基礎置在何處，是誰立了地的角石﹖
Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7 當時星辰一起歌詠，天主的眾子同聲歡呼!
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy?
8 海水洶湧如出母胎時，是誰用門將海關閉﹖
Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
9 是我用雲彩作海的衣裳，用濃霧作海的襁褓。
When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
10 是我給海劃定了界限，設立了門和閂，
And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
11 並下令說：「你到此為止，不得越過；你的狂潮到此為止。」
And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12 你有生之日，何嘗給晨光出過命令，又何嘗使曙光知道它之所在﹖
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
13 何嘗使光握緊大地四角，將惡人從那裏抖出去﹖
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 曙光改變大地，如在膠泥上蓋印；使萬物出現，如著錦衣；
It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
15 撤去惡人的光明，折斷高舉的手。
And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 你曾否到過海的源流，走過深淵的底處﹖
Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?
17 死亡的門給你開啟過嗎﹖你見過死影之門嗎﹖
Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 你知道大地的廣闊嗎﹖你若知道，請你說罷!
Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.
19 赴光明之所的路是那一條，黑暗的住處在那裏﹖
Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
20 你知道如何引導黑暗到自己的境地，領黑暗回到自己居所的道路上嗎﹖
That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
21 你總該知道，因為你那時已誕生了，而你的年歲已很高。
Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?
22 你到過雪庫，見過雹倉嗎﹖
Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23 那是我為降災之時，為戰爭之日所存放的。
Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 雲霧由那條路散開，東風由那條路吹往大地﹖
By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
25 誰為暴雨啟開閘門，誰為雷電指示道路，
Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
26 好使雨落在無人之境，降在無人的荒野，
To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27 為潤澤荒野乾旱之地，好使原野中的綠草生長﹖
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
28 雨有父親嗎﹖誰生了露珠﹖
Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 冰出自誰的胎﹖天上的霜是誰生的﹖
Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
30 水怎樣凝結如石﹖深淵的表面怎樣固結﹖
The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 你豈能栓住昂宿的紐結，解開參星的繩索﹖
Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32 你豈能使晨星按時升出，引導北斗和它的星群﹖
Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
33 你豈知道天體的定律，立定天律以管治大地﹖
Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 你豈能使你的聲音上達雲霄，使雨水沛然降在你處﹖
Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 你能否一發令，閃電就發出，且向你說：「我們在這裏﹖」
Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
36 誰將聰明給與鸛鳥，將智慧賦與雄雞﹖
Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?
37 誰能憑智力數清雲彩，能傾倒天上的水囊﹖
Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
38 當土壤堅固，泥塊凝結之時，
When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 你是否能為牝獅獵取食物，滿足幼獅的食慾﹖
Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
40 當獅子伏於洞穴，臥於叢林埋伏的時候，
When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41 當雛鴉無食，往還飛翔，向天主哀鳴的時候，誰能為烏鴉備食﹖
Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto El, they wander for lack of meat.
