< Job 8 >

1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
叔亞人彼耳達得發言說：
2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?
這些話你要講到幾時﹖你口中的話像狂風要到何時﹖
3 Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
天主豈能違背公道﹖全能者豈能屈枉正義﹖
4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;
若你的子女得罪了他，他必將他們交於罪過的權勢下。
5 If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
你若急切尋覓天主，哀求全能者；
6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
你若純潔正直，他必親來守護你，恢復你正義的居所。
7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.
你起初雖然微小，今後必要興隆強大。
8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:
請你查問上一代，細想祖先的經驗；
9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow: )
因為我們由昨日纔有，本來一無所知；我們在世上的日月，好似影子。
10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?
他們必訓誡你，指教你，向你說出內心的話：
11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?
蒲草不在池沼內，怎能長大﹖蘆葦沒有水，怎會長起﹖
12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.
在茁壯中，尚未砍下，已先百草而枯萎。
13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:
凡忘記天主的，他的末路也是這樣：惡人的希望必化為泡影。
14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web.
他的依靠好似游絲，他的憑藉有如蛛網。
15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.
他倚恃自己的家，但它卻站立不住；他要依附自己的住所，住所卻不能久存。
16 He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.
它在日光下而青蔥，枝蔓爬滿了園囿，
17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.
根盤據在石堆上，纏繞在石屋上。
18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.
若有人從原處把它拔除，那地必否認說：「我未曾見過它。」
19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
看，它要腐爛在路上，必從地上生出另一棵。
20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:
天主決不棄捨完善的人，也決不支持惡人的勢力。
21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.
你的口角必再洋溢著喜悅，你的唇邊必再充滿歡笑。
22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.
憎恨你的必蒙受羞辱，惡人的帳幕必化為烏有。

< Job 8 >