< Job 7 >

1 Hath not man a life of labour upon earth? and are not his days like the days of a hireling?
人生在世,豈不像服兵役﹖人的歲月,豈不像傭工的時日﹖
2 As a bondman earnestly desireth the shadow, and a hireling expecteth his wages,
有如奴工切望陰涼,傭工期待工資:
3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.
這樣,我也只有承受失意的歲月,為我注定的苦痛長夜。
4 If I lie down, I say, When shall I rise up, and the darkness be gone? and I am full of tossings until the 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 clods of dust; my skin is broken, and suppurates.
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, and are spent without hope.
我的日月速於織梭,也因無希望而中斷。
7 Remember thou that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more see good.
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 of him that hath seen me shall behold me no [more]: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
注目於我的,再也見不到我;你的眼看我時、我已不在了。
9 The cloud consumeth and vanisheth away; so he that goeth down to Sheol shall not come up. (Sheol h7585)
他去了,好像雲消霧散;下到陰府的,再也不得上來, (Sheol h7585)
10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him again.
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 a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me?
我豈是海洋或海怪﹖你竟派遣警衛把守我。
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall 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 thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions;
你就以噩夢擾亂我,以異像驚嚇我。
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.
我的心靈寧願窒息,寧死不願受此苦痛。
16 I loathe it; I shall not live always: let me alone, for my days are 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 thou makest much of him? and that thou settest thy heart upon him?
人算什麼,你竟如此顯揚他,將他置諸心頭,
18 And that thou visitest him every morning, triest him every moment?
天天早晨看護他,時刻不斷考察他﹖
19 How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
你到何時纔不注視我,而讓我輕鬆咽一下唾沫﹖
20 Have I sinned, what do I unto thee, thou Observer of men? Why hast thou set me as an object of assault for thee, so that I am become a burden to myself?
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 And why dost not thou forgive my transgression and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I lie down in the dust, and thou shalt seek me early, and I shall not be.
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。

< Job 7 >