< Job 2 >
1 And there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, and Satan also came among them to present himself before Jehovah.
又有一天,天主的眾子都前來侍立在上主面前,撒殫也夾在他們當中,侍立在上主面前。
2 And Jehovah said to Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
上主向撒殫說:「你從那裏來﹖」撒殫回答上主說:「我走遍了世界,周遊了各地回來。」
3 And Jehovah said to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and abstaineth from evil? and still he remaineth firm in his integrity, though thou movedst me against him, to swallow him up without cause.
上主對撒殫說:「你曾留心注意到我的僕人約伯嗎﹖世上沒有一個像他那樣十全十美,生性正直,敬畏天主,遠避邪惡的人。你雖然激動我加害他,無端叫他傾家蕩產,但他依然保持自己的完善。」
4 And Satan answered Jehovah and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life;
撒殫回答上主說:「那只不過是以皮換皮罷了! 人都肯捨棄所有,去保全自己的性命。
5 but put forth thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, [and see] if he will not curse thee to thy face!
但是,你若伸手打擊他的骨和肉,他必定當面詛咒你。」
6 And Jehovah said to Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life.
上主向撒殫說:「看,任你處置他,但要保留他的性命。」
7 And Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah; and he smote Job with a grievous botch from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
撒殫從上主那裏出來,就使約伯從足踵到頭頂都長了毒瘡。
8 And he took a potsherd to scrape himself with; and he sat among the ashes.
約伯坐在灰土堆中,用瓦片刮身。
9 And his wife said to him, Dost thou still remain firm in thine integrity? curse God and die.
他的妻子向他說:「你還保持你的完善嗎﹖你倒不如詛咒天主,死了算了! 」
10 But he said to her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. We have also received good from God, and should we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
約伯向她說:「你說話,真像一個糊塗女人! 難道我們只由天主那裏接受恩惠,而不接受災禍嗎﹖」就這一切事而論,約伯沒有犯失言的過錯。
11 And three friends of Job heard of all this evil that was come upon him. And they came each one from his place: Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to condole with him and to comfort him.
約伯的三位朋友,特曼人厄里法次、叔亞人彼耳達得、納阿瑪人左法爾,聽說他遭遇了災禍,就各從本地起程,來到一起,去慰問他、勸勉他,
12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept. And they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward the heavens.
他們從遠處舉目一望,已認不得他,就放聲大哭,撕破了自己的外衣,把灰揚起,落在自己頭上。
13 And they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights; and none spoke a word to him; for they saw that [his] anguish was very great.
他們於是同他在灰土中,坐了七天七夜,因見他受苦太大,沒有人敢向他說一句話。