< Job 40 >

1 And the Lord addressed Job, and said,
上主又接著問約伯說:
2 Will he that contendeth with the Almighty yet find fault? him that reproveth God answer this.
好辯之士,豈能同全能者辯論﹖非難天主的,請答覆這一切!
3 Then answered Job the Lord, and said,
約伯回答上主說:「
4 Behold, I am too vile: what shall I answer thee? my hand do I place on my mouth.
看,我這麼卑賤,我能回答什麼﹖只好用手掩口。
5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will not repeat it again.
我說過一次,再不敢重複;我再說一次:我不敢再說什麼! 」
6 Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the storm-wind, and said,
上主由旋風中回答約伯說:
7 Do but gird up like a mighty man thy loins: I will ask thee, and do thou inform me.
你要像勇士束好腰,我要問你,請指教我。
8 Wilt thou indeed annul my decree? wilt thou condemn me, in order that thou mayest appear righteous?
你豈能推翻我的評斷,歸罪於我,而自以為有理﹖
9 But if thou hast an arm like God, or if thou canst thunder loudly like him:
你的手臂豈能同天主的相比﹖你的聲音,那能像雷鳴﹖
10 Then do deck thyself with excellence and greatness, and clothe thyself in majesty and glory.
請你以尊貴和高雅作你的點綴,以光華美麗作你的衣裳;
11 Scatter abroad the ragings of thy wrath, and look on every proud one, and humble him.
發洩你的烈怒,貶抑一切高傲的人;
12 Look on every proud one, and bend him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
視察一切傲慢的人,且加以制服,推翻惡人所處的地位;
13 Hide them in the dust altogether: bind up their faces in concealment.
將他們一同埋在土中,把他們都關在黑暗中!
14 Then will I also myself praise thee, when thy own right hand hath helped thee.
如果你能這樣作,我也要稱讚你,因為你的右手救護了你。
15 Only behold Behemoth, which I made near thee: grass he eateth like the ox.
且看河馬,牠同你都是我造成的,牠像牛一樣吃草。
16 Only see, [how great] is his strength in his loins, and his force, in the muscles of his belly.
牠的精力全在腰部,牠的力量是在腹部的肌肉;
17 He stretcheth out his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his loins are closely wrapped together.
牠挺起尾巴好像香柏,大腿上的筋聯結在一起;
18 His bones are like pipes of brass: his frame is like bars of iron.
牠的脊骨好似銅管,牠的骨骸有如鐵杠。
19 He is the first in rank of the works of God: he that made him can alone bring his sword near unto him.
牠是天主的傑作,造牠者賜給了牠利刃。
20 But truly the mountains bear for him his food, and all the beasts of the field play there.
群山供給牠食物,百獸在那裏同牠遊戲。
21 Under shady trees he lieth down, in the covert of the reeds, and swamp.
牠臥在蓮葉之下,躺在蘆葦和沼澤深處;
22 Shady trees cover him as his shadow: willows of the brook encompass him about.
蓮葉的蔭影遮蔽著牠,溪邊的楊柳掩護著牠。
23 Behold, a river sweepeth violently along, but he hasteneth not away: he remaineth quiet, though a Jordan rusheth up to his mouth.
河水漲溢之時,牠毫不戰慄;約但河漲到牠口邊,牠仍安寧。
24 Can one catch him before his eyes? pierce his nose by means of snares?—
誰能在牠目前捕捉牠,或以木橛穿透牠的鼻孔﹖

< Job 40 >