約伯記 9
1 約伯答覆說：
Job replied,
2 我確實知道事情是這樣，但人怎能同天主講理﹖
“Yes, I know all that! But how can anyone be right before God?
3 人若願意同天主辯論，千個問題中，誰也回答不出一個。
If you wanted to argue with God, God could ask a thousand questions that no-one could answer.
4 雖心中明智，力量強大，但誰能對抗天主，而保平安﹖
God is so wise and so powerful that no-one could challenge him and win.
5 他可移山，山卻不知；他一發怒，山即翻轉；
God moves the mountains suddenly; he overturns them in his anger.
6 他振搖大地，使之脫離原處，地柱隨之搖撼震動；
He shakes the earth, making its foundations quake.
7 他一下令，太陽即不昇起，星辰即封閉不動；
He is the one who can command the sun not to rise and the stars not to shine.
8 惟有他展開天空，步行海波之上；
He alone is the one who stretches out the heavens and walks on the waves of the sea.
9 他創造了北斗和參宿，昂星及南極星辰；
He made the constellations of the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the stars of the southern sky.
10 他所作的大事，不可勝數。
He is the one who does incredible things that are beyond our understanding, marvelous things that are uncountable.
11 他由我身旁經過，我卻沒有看見；他走過去，我仍沒有發覺。
But when he passes by me, I don't see him; when he moves on, he is invisible to me.
12 他若搶奪，誰能阻擋﹖誰能問他說：「你作什麼﹖」
If he takes away, who can prevent him? Who is going to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
13 天主一憤怒，決不收回。為虎作倀的，必屈伏在他以下。
God does not restrain his anger; he crushes Rahab's helpers underfoot.
14 如此我怎敢回答，我怎敢措辭與他抗辯﹖
So how much less could I answer God, or choose my words to argue with him!
15 縱然有理，也不敢回答，唯有哀求我的判官開恩。
Even though I'm right, I can't answer him. I must plead for mercy from my judge.
16 我向他呼求，縱然他答應我，我仍不相信他會聽我的呼聲。
Even if I called him to come and he responded, I don't believe he would listen to me.
17 他為了一根頭髮而折磨我，無故增加我的創傷；
He pounds me with the winds of a storm; he wounds me time and again, without giving a reason.
18 致使我不能喘一口氣，使我飽嘗苦辛。
He doesn't give me a chance even to catch my breath; instead he fills my life with bitter suffering.
19 論力量，他強而有力；論審判，誰能將他傳來﹖
If it's a question of strength, then God is the strongest. If it's a question of justice, then who will set a time for my case?
20 我雖自以為正義，他的口卻判定我有罪；我雖自覺無辜，他卻證明我有偏差。
Even though I am right, my own mouth would condemn me; even though I am innocent, he would prove me wrong.
21 我是無辜的，我已不顧及我的生命，我已厭惡生活下去。
I am innocent! I don't care what happens to me. I hate my life!
22 因此我說：都是一樣。善人惡人，他一概滅絕。
That's why I say, ‘It makes no difference to God. He destroys both the innocent and the wicked.’
23 若天災突然降下使人猝死，他便嘲笑無罪者的絕望。
When disaster strikes suddenly he mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 大地落在惡人的手裏，蒙蔽判官臉面的，不是他，是誰呢﹖
The earth has been handed over to the wicked; he blinds the eyes of the judges—if it's not him who does this, then who is it?
25 我的日月過去比跑信的還快；疾走而過，無福樂可享。
The days of my life race by like a runner, rushing past without me seeing any happiness.
26 急急駛過，似蘆葦船，如驟降攫食的鷹。
They pass by like fast sailing ships, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 我若決意忘掉我的哀怨，改變愁容，表示愉快；
If I said to myself, ‘I will forget my complaints; I will stop crying and be happy,’
28 但一想到我的痛苦，我就恐怖。我知道你決不以我為無辜。
I would still be terrified at all my suffering because you, God, will not say I'm innocent.
29 我若是有罪，又何苦白費心血﹖
Since I'm condemned, what's the point in arguing?
30 我即便用雪洗我身，用鹹水洗我手，
Even if I wash myself with pure mountain water and clean my hands with soap,
31 你卻把我浸在泥坑內，甚至我的衣服都憎惡我。
you would toss me into a slime pit so that even my own clothes would hate me!
32 因為他不像我是個人，使我能答覆他，或讓我們同去聽審。
For God is not a mortal being like me, I can't defend myself or take him to court.
33 在我們中間沒有仲裁，可按手在我們兩造之間。
If only there was an arbitrator who could bring us both together!
34 但願他的棍杖遠離我，他的威嚴不要恐嚇我，
I wish God would stop beating me with his rod and terrifying me!
35 我好能講話而不害怕；但是如今我並非如此。
Then I could speak up without being afraid—but since I am, I can't!”
