約伯記 14
1 人為婦人所生， 日子短少，多有患難；
As for man, the son of woman, his days are short and full of trouble.
2 出來如花，又被割下， 飛去如影，不能存留。
He comes out like a flower, and is cut down: he goes in flight like a shade, and is never seen again.
3 這樣的人你豈睜眼看他嗎？ 又叫我來受審嗎？
Is it on such a one as this that your eyes are fixed, with the purpose of judging him?
4 誰能使潔淨之物出於污穢之中呢？ 無論誰也不能！
If only a clean thing might come out of an unclean! But it is not possible.
5 人的日子既然限定， 他的月數在你那裏， 你也派定他的界限，使他不能越過，
If his days are ordered, and you have knowledge of the number of his months, having given him a fixed limit past which he may not go;
6 便求你轉眼不看他，使他得歇息， 直等他像雇工人完畢他的日子。
Let your eyes be turned away from him, and take your hand from him, so that he may have pleasure at the end of his day, like a servant working for payment.
7 樹若被砍下， 還可指望發芽， 嫩枝生長不息；
For there is hope of a tree; if it is cut down, it will come to life again, and its branches will not come to an end.
8 其根雖然衰老在地裏， 幹也死在土中，
Though its root may be old in the earth, and its cut-off end may be dead in the dust;
9 及至得了水氣，還要發芽， 又長枝條，像新栽的樹一樣。
Still, at the smell of water, it will make buds, and put out branches like a young plant.
10 但人死亡而消滅； 他氣絕，竟在何處呢？
But man comes to his death and is gone: he gives up his spirit, and where is he?
11 海中的水絕盡， 江河消散乾涸。
The waters go from a pool, and a river becomes waste and dry;
12 人也是如此，躺下不再起來， 等到天沒有了，仍不得復醒， 也不得從睡中喚醒。
So man goes down to his last resting-place and comes not again: till the heavens come to an end, they will not be awake or come out of their sleep.
If only you would keep me safe in the underworld, putting me in a secret place till your wrath is past, giving me a fixed time when I might come to your memory again! (Sheol h7585)
14 人若死了豈能再活呢？ 我只要在我一切爭戰的日子， 等我被釋放的時候來到。
If death takes a man, will he come to life again? All the days of my trouble I would be waiting, till the time came for me to be free.
15 你呼叫，我便回答； 你手所做的，你必羨慕。
At the sound of your voice I would give an answer, and you would have a desire for the work of your hands.
16 但如今你數點我的腳步， 豈不窺察我的罪過嗎？
For now my steps are numbered by you, and my sin is not overlooked.
17 我的過犯被你封在囊中， 也縫嚴了我的罪孽。
My wrongdoing is corded up in a bag, and my sin is shut up safe.
18 山崩變為無有； 磐石挪開原處。
But truly a mountain falling comes to dust, and a rock is moved from its place;
19 水流消磨石頭， 所流溢的洗去地上的塵土； 你也照樣滅絕人的指望。
The stones are crushed small by the force of the waters; the dust of the earth is washed away by their overflowing: and so you put an end to the hope of man.
20 你攻擊人常常得勝，使他去世； 你改變他的容貌，叫他往而不回。
You overcome him for ever, and he is gone; his face is changed in death, and you send him away.
21 他兒子得尊榮，他也不知道， 降為卑，他也不覺得。
His sons come to honour, and he has no knowledge of it; they are made low, but he is not conscious of it.
22 但知身上疼痛， 心中悲哀。
Only his flesh still has pain, and his soul is sad.
