< Job 4 >

1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
特曼人厄里法次開始說:
2 If one venture a word unto thee, wilt thou be weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
人若和你講話,你能忍受嗎﹖但誰又能忍住不說﹖
3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
看,你曾勸戒過許多人,堅固過軟弱無能的人;
4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
你的話扶起了跌倒的人,堅固了膝弱無力的人;
5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou art weary; it toucheth thee, and thou art affrighted.
但是現今災禍一臨於你,你就萎靡不振;一接觸你,你就沮喪失意。
6 Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, and thy hope the integrity of thy ways?
你敬畏天主之情,豈不是你的依靠﹖你完善的行為,豈不是你的希望﹖
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
請想:那有無辜者喪亡﹖那有正直者消逝﹖
8 According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow mischief, reap the same.
照我所見:那播種邪惡的,必收邪惡;散佈毒害的,必收毒害。
9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger are they consumed.
天主一噓氣,他們即滅亡;一發怒氣,他們即消失。
10 The lion roareth, and the fierce lion howleth — yet the teeth of the young lions are broken.
獅吼豹嗥完全止息,幼獅的牙齒也被打碎;
11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.
壯獅因缺獵物而滅絕,牝獅幼子各自東西離散。
12 Now a word was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a whisper thereof.
我竊聽到一句話,我耳聽見細語聲。
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
當人沉睡時,夜夢多幻象;
14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, and all my bones were made to shake.
我恐怖戰慄,全身骨頭發抖。
15 Then a spirit passed before my face, that made the hair of my flesh to stand up.
寒風掠過我面,使我毛髮悚然。
16 It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; a form was before mine eyes; I heard a still voice:
他停立不動,但我不能辨其形狀;我面前出現形影,我聽見細微的聲音:
17 'Shall mortal man be just before God? Shall a man be pure before his Maker?
人豈能在天主前自以為義﹖在造他者前,自以為潔﹖
18 Behold, He putteth no trust in His servants, and His angels He chargeth with folly;
看,他的僕役,他還不信;他的使者,他還歸罪,
19 How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!
何況那以泥屋為居所,以塵土為基礎的人! 他們為人踐踏,有如蠹蟲;
20 Betwixt morning and evening they are shattered; they perish for ever without any regarding it.
晨昏間即化為齏粉,永遠消亡而無人一顧。
21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.'
幕索如已自斷,他們豈不是因缺少智慧而死亡﹖

< Job 4 >