約伯記 8

1 叔亞人彼耳達得發言說：

Then Baldad the Sauchite answered, and said,

2 這些話你要講到幾時﹖你口中的話像狂風要到何時﹖

How long wilt thou speak these things, [how long shall] the breath of thy mouth [be] abundant in words?

3 天主豈能違背公道﹖全能者豈能屈枉正義﹖

Will the Lord be unjust when he judges; or will he that has made all things pervert justice?

4 若你的子女得罪了他，他必將他們交於罪過的權勢下。

If thy sons have sinned before him, he has cast them away because of their transgression.

5 你若急切尋覓天主，哀求全能者；

But be thou early in prayer to the Lord Almighty.

6 你若純潔正直，他必親來守護你，恢復你正義的居所。

If thou art pure and true, he will hearken to thy supplication, and will restore to thee the habitation of righteousness.

7 你起初雖然微小，今後必要興隆強大。

Though then thy beginning should be small, yet thy end should be unspeakably great.

8 請你查問上一代，細想祖先的經驗；

For ask of the former generation, and search diligently among the race of [our] fathers:

9 因為我們由昨日纔有，本來一無所知；我們在世上的日月，好似影子。

(for we are of yesterday, and know nothing; for our life upon the earth is a shadow: )

10 他們必訓誡你，指教你，向你說出內心的話：

shall not these teach thee, and report [to thee], and bring out words from [their] heart?

11 蒲草不在池沼內，怎能長大﹖蘆葦沒有水，怎會長起﹖

Does the rush flourish without water, or shall the flag grow up without moisture?

12 在茁壯中，尚未砍下，已先百草而枯萎。

When it is yet on the root, and [though] it has not been cut down, does not any herb wither before it has received moisture?

13 凡忘記天主的，他的末路也是這樣：惡人的希望必化為泡影。

Thus then shall be the end of all that forget the Lord: for the hope of the ungodly shall perish.

14 他的依靠好似游絲，他的憑藉有如蛛網。

For his house shall be without inhabitants, and his tent shall prove a spider's web.

15 他倚恃自己的家，但它卻站立不住；他要依附自己的住所，住所卻不能久存。

If he should prop up his house, it shall not stand: and when he has taken hold of it, it shall not remain.

16 它在日光下而青蔥，枝蔓爬滿了園囿，

For it is moist under the sun, and his branch shall come forth out of his dung-heap.

17 根盤據在石堆上，纏繞在石屋上。

He lies down upon a gathering of stones, and shall live in the mist of flints.

18 若有人從原處把它拔除，那地必否認說：「我未曾見過它。」

If [God] should destroy [him], his place shall deny him. Hast thou not seen such things,

19 看，它要腐爛在路上，必從地上生出另一棵。

that such is the overthrow of the ungodly? and out of the earth another shall grow.

20 天主決不棄捨完善的人，也決不支持惡人的勢力。

For the Lord will by no means reject the harmless man; but he will not receive any gift of the ungodly.

21 你的口角必再洋溢著喜悅，你的唇邊必再充滿歡笑。

But he will fill with laughter the mouth of the sincere, and their lips with thanksgiving.

22 憎恨你的必蒙受羞辱，惡人的帳幕必化為烏有。

But their adversaries shall clothe themselves with shame; and the habitation of the ungodly shall perish.