約伯記 35

1 以利戶又說：

Then Elihu also said this:

2 你以為有理， 或以為你的公義勝於上帝的公義，

“[Job, ] do you think that what you said is right/correct? You say, ‘God knows that I am innocent,’

3 才說這與我有甚麼益處？ 我不犯罪比犯罪有甚麼好處呢？

and you say [to God], ‘What good have I received for not sinning? What benefit have I received from that?’ [DOU, RHQ]

4 我要回答你和在你這裏的朋友。

[Well, ] I will answer you, and I will answer your three friends, too.

5 你要向天觀看， 瞻望那高於你的穹蒼。

“[Job], look up at the sky; look at the clouds that are high above you and realize [that God is far above everything].

6 你若犯罪，能使上帝受何害呢？ 你的過犯加增，能使上帝受何損呢？

If you have sinned, that does not [RHQ] harm God at all. If many times you do things that are wrong, that certainly does not [RHQ] affect him [DOU].

7 你若是公義，還能加增他甚麼呢？ 他從你手裏還接受甚麼呢？

And if you are righteous, does that help God? No, he is not benefited by anything that you do [DOU].

8 你的過惡或能害你這類的人； 你的公義或能叫世人得益處。

It is other people who suffer because of the wicked things that you do, but by doing good things for people, you help them.

9 人因多受欺壓就哀求， 因受能者的轄制便求救，

“People cry out because of the many things that people do to others to (oppress them/treat them cruelly); they call for help because of the things that powerful people do [MTY] to them.

10 卻無人說：造我的上帝在哪裏？ 他使人夜間歌唱，

But (no one/none of them) calls out [to God], saying ‘Why does God, my creator, [not help me]? He [should] enable me to sing [joyful] songs, [instead of very sad songs, ] during the night.

11 教訓我們勝於地上的走獸， 使我們有聰明勝於空中的飛鳥。

He [should be able to] teach us more than all the wild animals do; he [should] enable us to become wiser than [all] the birds are!’

12 他們在那裏， 因惡人的驕傲呼求，卻無人答應。

People cry out [for help], but God does not answer them, because those who cry out are proud and evil people.

13 虛妄的呼求，上帝必不垂聽； 全能者也必不眷顧。

It is useless for them to cry out, because God, the Almighty One, does not pay any attention to what they say.

14 何況你說，你不得見他； 你的案件在他面前，你等候他吧。

So, when you complain that you cannot see God, and you tell him that you are waiting for him [to decide whether or not you should be punished for what you have done], God will not listen to you, either!

15 但如今因他未曾發怒降罰， 也不甚理會狂傲，

Furthermore, [you say that] because he does not pay attention when people commit sins, he does not become angry and punish them.

16 所以約伯開口說虛妄的話， 多發無知識的言語。

You say things that are useless; you say a lot of things without knowing [what you are talking about].”