< Job 33 >

1 Therefore do thou but hear, O Job, my speeches, and give ear to all my words.
約伯,請你且聽我的話,側耳靜聽我說的一切。
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my mouth.
請看,我已開口,舌頭已在口腔內發言。
3 Out of my straightforward heart [come] my sayings, and my lips utter knowledge clearly.
我的話是出於正直的心,我的唇舌要清楚說明真理。
4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.
天主的神造了我,全能者的氣息使我生活。
5 If thou canst, answer me, array thyself before me, stand forward.
你如果能夠,就回答我,請準備好,來對抗我。
6 Behold, I am in the same relation as thyself toward God: I myself also am cut out of the clay.
看,我與你在天主前都是一樣,我也是用泥土造成的。
7 Behold, dread of me cannot terrify thee, and my pressure will not be too heavy upon thee.
所以我的威嚇不會使你恐怖,我的手也不會重壓在你身上。
8 But thou hast said before my ears, and the sound of the words I still hear,
你所說的,我已耳聞,聽到了你所說的話:「
9 “I am pure without transgression, I am quite clean; and there is no iniquity in me:
我本純潔無罪,清白無瑕。
10 Yet, behold, he findeth hateful backsliding on me, he regardeth me as an enemy unto him;
但天主卻在我身上找錯,視我為他的對頭;
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he watcheth all my paths.”
他把我的腳縛在木樁上,窺察我的一切行動。」
12 Behold, In this thou art not just: I will answer thee; for God is far greater than a mortal.
我答覆你說:你這話說的不對,因為天主遠超世人。
13 Why dost thou contend against him? for with all his words will he not give an answer.
他既不答覆你說的一切話,你為何還同他爭辯﹖
14 For God speaketh once, yea twice: [yet man] regardeth it not.
原來天主用一種方法向人講話,人若不理會,他再用另一種方法:
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbers upon the couch:
天主有時藉夢和夜間的異像,當人躺在床上沉睡的時候,
16 Then doth he lay open the ear of men, and sealeth it with their warning;
開啟人的聽覺,用異像驚嚇他,
17 To remove the son of earth [from his intended] deed and he covereth up pride from man;
使人脫離惡念,使人剷除驕傲,
18 He withholdeth his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
阻攔他陷於陰府,救他的性命脫離溝壑。
19 And so is he admonished by pain upon his couch, and all his bones with violent [aches].
天主也有時懲罰人在床上受痛苦,使他的骨頭不斷的刺痛,
20 So that his inclination abhorreth bread, and his soul, the most agreeable food.
以致他討厭食物,他的心厭惡美味。
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.
他身上的肉已消逝不見,他枯瘦的骨頭,已開始外露。
22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, and his life to those that slay.
他的靈魂已臨近墓穴,他的生命已接近死亡之所。
23 If there be now about him one single angel, as defender, one out of a thousand, to tell for man his uprightness:
一千天使中,若有一個在他身傍,作他的代言人,提醒他應行的義務,
24 Then is he gracious unto him, and saith, Release him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.
且憐憫那人,為他轉求說:「求你拯救他,以免陷於陰府,因為我已找到了贖金。」
25 His flesh becometh full again as in youth: he returneth to the days of his boyhood.
他的肉身比少年人的肉身必更健美,他的青春歲月又恢復了。
26 He will offer his entreaty unto God, and he will receive him in favor, that he may see his face with joy: so doth He recompense unto the mortal his righteousness.
他祈求天主,必獲得悅納。他必歡樂得見天主的儀容,天主也必恢復他的正義。
27 He then should assemble men around, and say, “I had sinned, and perverted what is right, yet have I not received a like return.”
那時,他將在人前重述所經歷的事說:「我犯了罪,顛倒了是非,但他沒有照我的罪罰我。
28 Thus he redeemeth his soul from passing into the pit, and his life will look joyously on the light.
他救了我生命免入陰府,使我重見光明。」
29 Lo, all these things doth God two or three times with man;
這就是天主接二連三為人所做的事,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, that she may shine in the light of life.
挽救他脫離陰府,重見生命之光。
31 Listen well, O Job, hearken unto me: keep silence, and I will truly speak.
約伯啊! 請留神傾聽,靜靜地聽我說話!
32 If thou hast any words, answer me: speak, for I wish to justify thee.
你若有話說,請即回覆我,你儘管說,因為我願聽你的理。
33 If not, hearken thou unto me: keep silence, and I will teach thee wisdom.
若沒有話,且聽我說,靜聽我要教給你的智慧。

< Job 33 >