約伯記 8
1 書亞人比勒達回答說：
Then Bildad, from [the] Shuah [area], spoke to Job. He said,
2 這些話你要說到幾時？ 口中的言語如狂風要到幾時呢？
“Job, how much longer will you talk like this? What you say is [only] hot air.
3 上帝豈能偏離公平？ 全能者豈能偏離公義？
Almighty God certainly never does [RHQ] what is unfair/unjust. He always does [LIT] what is right/fair.
4 或者你的兒女得罪了他； 他使他們受報應。
So, it is evident that your children have sinned against him, therefore he has caused them to be punished for evil things that they have done.
5 你若殷勤地尋求上帝， 向全能者懇求；
But, if you will [now] earnestly request [DOU] Almighty [God] to help you,
6 你若清潔正直， 他必定為你起來， 使你公義的居所興旺。
and if you are pure and honest/righteous, he will surely do something good for you and reward you by giving your family back to you and enabling you to prosper.
7 你起初雖然微小， 終久必甚發達。
And even though you [think that you] were not very prosperous/wealthy before, during the last part of your life you will become very wealthy.
8 請你考問前代， 追念他們的列祖所查究的。
“I request you to think about what happened long ago and consider what our ancestors found out.
9 我們不過從昨日才有，一無所知； 我們在世的日子好像影兒。
[It seems as though] we were born only yesterday and we know very little [HYP]; our time here on the earth [disappears quickly, like] a shadow [MET].
10 他們豈不指教你，告訴你， 從心裏發出言語來呢？
So, why do you not allow your ancestors to teach you and tell you something? Allow them to tell you from what they learned!
11 蒲草沒有泥豈能發長？ 蘆荻沒有水豈能生發？
Papyrus can certainly not [RHQ] grow in places where there is no marsh/swamp; reeds certainly cannot [RHQ] flourish/grow where there is no water.
12 尚青的時候，還沒有割下， 比百樣的草先枯槁。
[If they do not have enough water], while they are still blossoming, they wither more quickly than other plants wither.
13 凡忘記上帝的人，景況也是這樣； 不虔敬人的指望要滅沒。
Those who do not pay attention to what God says are like those [reeds]; godless people stop confidently expecting [that good things will happen to them].
14 他所仰賴的必折斷； 他所倚靠的是蜘蛛網。
The things they confidently expect to happen do not happen; things they trust [will help them] are [as fragile as] [MET] a spider’s web.
15 他要倚靠房屋，房屋卻站立不住； 他要抓住房屋，房屋卻不能存留。
If they lean against a house (OR, trust in their wealth; OR, lean on a spider web), it does not (endure/protect them) [LIT]; they cling to things [to be protected], but those things do not remain firm.
16 他在日光之下發青， 蔓子爬滿了園子；
Godless people [are like plants] [MET] that are watered before the sun rises; their shoots spread all over the gardens.
17 他的根盤繞石堆， 扎入石地。
The roots of those plants twist around piles of stones and cling tightly to rocks.
18 他若從本地被拔出， 那地就不認識他，說： 我沒有見過你。
But if those plants are pulled out, [it is as though] the place where they were planted says ‘They were never here!’ [And that is what happens to wicked people who do not heed what God says].
19 看哪，這就是他道中之樂； 以後必另有人從地而生。
Truly, evil people [MET] are not joyful [IRO] for a long time; other people come and take their places.
20 上帝必不丟棄完全人， 也不扶助邪惡人。
:So, [I tell you, Job], God will not reject you if you are truly godly/righteous, but he does not help [IDM] evil people.
21 他還要以喜笑充滿你的口， 以歡呼充滿你的嘴。
He will enable you [MTY] to continually laugh and to always shout [joyfully].
22 恨惡你的要披戴慚愧； 惡人的帳棚必歸於無有。
But those who hate you will be very ashamed, and the homes of wicked people will disappear.”
