Job 12
1 Then responded Job, and said: —
約伯回答說：
2 Of a truth, ye, are the people, and, with you, wisdom, will die.
的確，只有你們是有知識的子民；那麼，你們一死，智慧也與你們一同喪亡!
3 I also, have a mind like you, I, fall not short, of you, But who hath not such things as these?
其實，我和你們有同樣的心理，我並不亞於你們! 誰不知道這些事﹖
4 A laughing-stock to one’s neighbour, do I become, one who hath called upon GOD and he hath answered him! A laughing-stock—a righteous man without blame!
我這呼籲天主而蒙應允的人，卻被他的友人所嘲笑，無辜的義人卻成了笑柄。
5 For ruin, there is contempt, in the thought of the man at ease, —ready, for such as are of faltering foot!
幸運的人心想：遭難的人應受蔑視，失足的人應再予以打擊。
6 At peace are the tents that belong to the spoilers, and there is security to them who provoke GOD, To him who bringeth a god in his hand.
但是，強盜的帳幕竟能安全，觸怒天主的人，以勢力為神的人卻享平安。
7 But, in very deed, ask, I pray thee, the beasts, and they will teach thee, and the bird of the heavens, and it will tell thee;
請你詢問走獸，牠們也會開導你；詢問天上的飛鳥，牠們也會告訴你；
8 Or address the earth, and it will teach thee, and the fishes of the sea, will recount it to thee:
地上的爬蟲也會教訓你，海中的魚族也會給你說明。
9 Who knoweth not, among all these, that, the hand of Yahweh, hath done this?
牠們中有誰不知道：是天主的手創造了這一切﹖
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the flesh of men.
因為一切活物的生魂，一切血肉之人的靈魂，都握在他手中。
11 Doth not, the ear, try, words? even as, the palate, tasteth for itself, food?
耳朵不是為明辨言語，口腔不是為辨嘗食物嗎﹖
12 In the Ancient, is wisdom, and [in] Length of Days, understanding:
白髮老人是有智慧的，年紀大者是有見識的；
13 With Him, are wisdom and strength, to Him, pertain counsel and understanding.
但智慧和能力同在天主內，智慧與見識是天主所有。
14 Lo! He pulleth down, and it cannot be built, He closeth up over a man, and it cannot be opened:
他若拆毀，人不能再建；他若拘禁，人不得開釋。
15 Lo! He holdeth back the waters, and they dry up, or sendeth them out, and they transform the earth:
他若制水，水便乾涸；他若放水，水便沖毀大地。
16 With Him, is strength and effective wisdom, to Him, belong he that erreth, and he that causeth to err.
力量與才能，為他所有；受騙者與騙人者，都屬於他。
17 Who leadeth away counsellors [as] a spoil, and, judges, He befooleth:
他使謀士糊塗，使判官愚蠢；
18 The fetters of kings, He looseth, or hath bound a slave’s waistcloth about their loins:
他解除君王所繫的玉帶，將繩索捆在他們的腰間；
19 Who leadeth away priests [as] a spoil, and, men firmly seated, He overturneth:
他使司祭赤足而行，推倒掌握大權者；
20 Setting aside the speech of the trusty, and, the discernment of elders, He taketh away:
奪去忠貞者的辯才，剝去年老者的理智：
21 Pouring contempt upon nobles, and, the girdle of the mighty, hath He loosed:
使貴人備受侮辱，使勇士的腰帶鬆弛；
22 Laying open deep things, out of darkness, and bringing out to light, the death-shade:
使隱秘的事由暗處彰顯，使黑暗進入光明；
23 Who giveth greatness to nations, or destroyeth them, Who spreadeth out nations, or leadeth them into exile:
使邦國興起而又滅亡，使民族強大而又消散；
24 Who taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and hath caused them to wander in a pathless waste:
剝去國君的理智，使他們漂泊於無路的荒野中，
25 They grope about in the dark, having no light, and He hath made them to reel, like a drunken man.
在無光的黑暗中摸索，踉蹌猶如醉漢。
