< Job 7 >
1 “Is not man consigned to labor on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired hand?
人生在世,豈不像服兵役﹖人的歲月,豈不像傭工的時日﹖
2 Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hireling he waits for his wages.
有如奴工切望陰涼,傭工期待工資:
3 So I am allotted months of futility, and nights of misery are appointed me.
這樣,我也只有承受失意的歲月,為我注定的苦痛長夜。
4 When I lie down I think: ‘When will I get up?’ But the night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn.
我臥下時說:「幾時天亮﹖」我起來時又說:「黑夜何時到﹖」我整夜輾轉反側,直到天亮。
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and encrusted with dirt; my skin is cracked and festering.
我的肉身以蛆蟲與泥皮為衣,我的皮膚破裂流膿。
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
我的日月速於織梭,也因無希望而中斷。
7 Remember that my life is but a breath. My eyes will never again see happiness.
請你記住:我的生命無非像一口氣,我的眼再也見不到幸福。
8 The eye that beholds me will no longer see me. You will look for me, but I will be no more.
注目於我的,再也見不到我;你的眼看我時、我已不在了。
9 As a cloud vanishes and is gone, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come back up. (Sheol )
他去了,好像雲消霧散;下到陰府的,再也不得上來, (Sheol )
10 He never returns to his house; his place remembers him no more.
不再回家,本鄉也不認識他。
11 Therefore I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
為此,我不能再閉口不言,我要吐露我心靈的憂愁,陳述我靈魂的苦楚。
12 Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep, that You must keep me under guard?
我豈是海洋或海怪﹖你竟派遣警衛把守我。
13 When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint,
我若想:「我的床榻會寬慰我,我的臥舖會減輕我的痛苦。」
14 then You frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions,
你就以噩夢擾亂我,以異像驚嚇我。
15 so that I would prefer strangling and death over my life in this body.
我的心靈寧願窒息,寧死不願受此苦痛。
16 I loathe my life! I would not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
我已筋疲力盡,活不下去。任憑我去罷! 因為我的日月僅是一口氣。
17 What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,
人算什麼,你竟如此顯揚他,將他置諸心頭,
18 that You attend to him every morning, and test him every moment?
天天早晨看護他,時刻不斷考察他﹖
19 Will You never look away from me, or leave me alone to swallow my spittle?
你到何時纔不注視我,而讓我輕鬆咽一下唾沫﹖
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?
監察人者啊! 我犯罪與你何干﹖為何叫我當你的箭靶,使我成為你的重擔﹖
21 Why do You not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For soon I will lie down in the dust; You will seek me, but I will be no more.”
為何你不肯容忍我的過錯,寬赦我的罪惡﹖不久我將臥在塵土中,任你尋找我,我已不在了。