約伯記 38
1 上主由旋風中向約伯發言說：
Then did the Lord address Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
2 用無知的話，使我的計劃模糊不明的是誰﹖
Who is this that casteth darkness [on my] counsel by words without knowledge?
3 你要像勇士束好你的腰，我要問你，請指教我!
Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: and I will ask thee, and do thou inform 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? tell it, if thou hast any understanding [of it].
5 你知道是誰制定了地的度量，是誰在地上拉了準繩﹖
Who fixed her measurements, if thou knowest it? or who stretched the measuring-line over her?
6 地的基礎置在何處，是誰立了地的角石﹖
Upon what are her foundation-pillars placed at rest? or who laid her corner-stone:
7 當時星辰一起歌詠，天主的眾子同聲歡呼!
When altogether sang the morning stars in gladness, and shouted for joy all the sons of God?
8 海水洶湧如出母胎時，是誰用門將海關閉﹖
And who closed up with doors the sea, when, issuing forth, it came out of the deep bosom of the earth?
9 是我用雲彩作海的衣裳，用濃霧作海的襁褓。
When I made the clouds its garment, and thick fog its swaddling-cloth,
10 是我給海劃定了界限，設立了門和閂，
And when I decreed for it my law, and set [for it] 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, Thus far mayest thou come, but no farther; and here shall be stayed [thy strength] in the pride of thy waves?
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﹖
Didst thou ever, in all thy days, command the morning; didst thou ever assign the morning-dawn its place:
13 何嘗使光握緊大地四角，將惡人從那裏抖出去﹖
That it might lay hold of the ends of the earth, so that the wicked might be shaken out therefrom?
14 曙光改變大地，如在膠泥上蓋印；使萬物出現，如著錦衣；
She is changed as the sealing-clay: and [all things] stand as though newly clad.
15 撤去惡人的光明，折斷高舉的手。
And from the wicked is their light withdrawn, and the high-raised arm is broken.
16 你曾否到過海的源流，走過深淵的底處﹖
Didst thou ever penetrate as far as the springs of the sea? or wander through the bottom of the deep?
17 死亡的門給你開啟過嗎﹖你見過死影之門嗎﹖
Were the gates of death ever laid open unto thee? or canst thou see 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 a clear understanding of the breadth of the earth? Tell it, 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 [to the spot where] the light dwelleth? and the darkness—where is its place,
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 mightest take each to its boundary, and that thou mightest mark the pathways to its house?
21 你總該知道，因為你那時已誕生了，而你的年歲已很高。
Thou [surely] knowest it; because thou wast then born, and the number of thy days is great!
22 你到過雪庫，見過雹倉嗎﹖
Didst thou ever enter into the treasuries of the snow? or canst thou see the treasuries 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 for the time of distress, for the day of fight and battle?
24 雲霧由那條路散開，東風由那條路吹往大地﹖
Where is the way [to the spot where] the light divideth itself, [where] the east wind is scattered over the earth?
25 誰為暴雨啟開閘門，誰為雷電指示道路，
Who hath divided off watercourses for the overflowing rain, and a way for the lightning [that is followed by] thunders,
26 好使雨落在無人之境，降在無人的荒野，
To bring rain on a land, void of men; on a wilderness wherein no son of earth [is found];
27 為潤澤荒野乾旱之地，好使原野中的綠草生長﹖
To satisfy waste and desolate lands; and to promote the growth of the tender grass?
28 雨有父親嗎﹖誰生了露珠﹖
Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
29 冰出自誰的胎﹖天上的霜是誰生的﹖
Out of whose womb cometh forth the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven—who giveth birth to it?
30 水怎樣凝結如石﹖深淵的表面怎樣固結﹖
[When] like a stone the waters are congealed, and the face of the deep is bound in fetters?
31 你豈能栓住昂宿的紐結，解開參星的繩索﹖
Canst thou bind together the chains of the Pleiades, or loosen 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 the constellations of the zodiac, each in its season? or canst thou guide the Bear with its young?
33 你豈知道天體的定律，立定天律以管治大地﹖
Knowest thou the laws of heaven? or dost thou appoint its rule on 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 to the clouds thy voice, that the 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 out lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here are we?
36 誰將聰明給與鸛鳥，將智慧賦與雄雞﹖
Who hath put wisdom in the dark clouds? or who hath given understanding to the bright meteors?
37 誰能憑智力數清雲彩，能傾倒天上的水囊﹖
Who ordaineth the skies with wisdom? or who emptieth out the bottles of heaven.
38 當土壤堅固，泥塊凝結之時，
When the dust is poured out as molten metal, and the clods are made to cleave fast together?
39 你是否能為牝獅獵取食物，滿足幼獅的食慾﹖
Dost thou hunt for the lioness her prey? and suppliest thou the food for the young lions,
40 當獅子伏於洞穴，臥於叢林埋伏的時候，
When they are couched in their lairs, rest in the thicket, lying 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 provision? when his young ones cry unto God, and wander about for lack of food?
