< Job 3 >

1 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
此後約伯開口詛咒自己的生日。
2 And this is what he said:
約伯開始說:
3 “May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is conceived.’
願我誕生的那日消逝,願報告「懷了男胎」的那夜滅亡。
4 If only that day had turned to darkness! May God above disregard it; may no light shine upon it.
願那日成為黑暗,願天主從上面不再尋覓它,再沒有光燭照它。
5 May darkness and gloom reclaim it, and a cloud settle over it; may the blackness of the day overwhelm it.
願黑暗和陰影玷污它,濃雲遮蓋它,白晝失光的晦暗驚嚇它。
6 If only darkness had taken that night away! May it not appear among the days of the year; may it never be entered in any of the months.
願那夜常為黑暗所制,不讓它列入年歲中,不讓它算在月分裏。
7 Behold, may that night be barren; may no joyful voice come into it.
願那夜孤寂煢獨,毫無歡呼之聲。
8 May it be cursed by those who curse the day — those prepared to rouse Leviathan.
願那詛咒白日者,有術召喚海怪者,前來詛咒那夜。
9 May its morning stars grow dark; may it wait in vain for daylight; may it not see the breaking of dawn.
願晨星昏暗,期待光明而光明不至,也不見晨光熹微,
10 For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
因為它沒有關閉我母胎之門,遮住我眼前的愁苦。
11 Why did I not perish at birth; why did I not die as I came from the womb?
我為何一出母胎沒有立即死去﹖為何我一離母腹沒有斷氣﹖
12 Why were there knees to receive me, and breasts that I should be nursed?
為何兩膝接住我﹖為何兩乳哺養我﹖
13 For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest
不然現今我早已臥下安睡了,早已永眠獲得安息了,
14 with kings and counselors of the earth, who built for themselves cities now in ruins,
與那些為自己建陵墓的國王和百官,
15 or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver.
與那些金銀滿堂的王侯同眠;
16 Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?
或者像隱沒的流產兒,像未見光明的嬰孩;
17 There the wicked cease from raging, and there the weary find rest.
在那裏惡人停止作亂,在那裏勞悴者得享安寧;
18 The captives enjoy their ease; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
囚徒相安無事,再不聞督工的呼叱聲,
19 Both small and great are there, and the slave is freed from his master.
在那裏大小平等,奴隸脫離主人。
20 Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,
為何賜不幸者以光明,賜心中憂苦者以生命﹖
21 who long for death that does not come, and search for it like hidden treasure,
這些人渴望死,而死不至;尋求死亡勝於寶藏,
22 who rejoice and greatly exult when they can find the grave?
見到墳墓,感覺歡樂,且喜樂達於極點!
23 Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
人的道路,既如此渺茫,天主為何賜給他生命,又把他包圍﹖
24 I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water.
歎習成了我的食物,不停哀嘆有如流水。
25 For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has befallen me.
我所畏懼的,偏偏臨於我身;我所害怕的,卻迎面而來。
26 I am not at ease or quiet; I have no rest, for trouble has come.”
我沒有安寧,也沒有平靜,得不到休息,而只有煩惱。

< Job 3 >