< Job 1 >
1 In the land named Uz, there was a man named Job. He was a very godly/righteous [DOU] man, who greatly respected/revered God and always avoided doing evil things.
從前在胡茲地方,有一個人名叫約伯,為人十全十美,生性正直,敬畏天主,遠離邪惡。
2 He had seven sons and three daughters.
他生了七個兒子,三個女兒。
3 He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 1,000 oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was the richest man in all the area east [of the Jordan River].
家畜有七千隻羊,三千駱駝,五百對牛,五百母驢,且有很多僕人。此人是當時東方人民中最偉大的人物。
4 Each year, Job’s sons made feasts [in their houses] to celebrate their birthdays. Whenever each one made a feast, he would invite [all his brothers and] his three sisters to come and eat together.
他的每個兒子,按日輪流在家中設宴,且派人邀請他們的三個姊妹來一同宴飲。
5 When each celebration ended, Job would summon them. He would get up early in the morning and kill animals and burn them on the altar as sacrifices, one for each of his children. He said to himself, “Perhaps [one of] my sons has sinned and said something evil about God in his heart.”
及至宴飲的日子輪流一週,約伯總是派人召集他們來聖潔他們,清早起來照子女的數目,獻上全燔祭品說:「恐怕我的兒子犯了罪,心中詛咒了天主。」約伯常常如此行事。
6 One day, the angels came and gathered together in front of Yahweh, and Satan came too.
有一天,天主的眾子都來侍立在上主面前,撒殫也夾在他們當中。
7 Yahweh asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan replied, “I have come from the earth, where I been traveling back and forth, seeing what is happening.”
上主問撒殫說:「你從那裏來﹖」撒殫回答上主說:「我走遍了世界,周遊了各地回來。」
8 Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you (noticed/thought about) my [faithful] servant Job? He is very godly/righteous [DOU], he greatly respects/reveres me, and he always avoids doing evil things. There is no one else on the earth like him.”
上主對撒殫說:「你曾留心注意到我的僕人約伯沒有﹖因為世上沒有一個像他那樣十全十美,生性正直,敬畏天主,遠避邪惡的人。」
9 Satan replied to Yahweh, “[What you say is true], but Job greatly respects you [only] because of what [you have done for him] [RHQ].
撒殫回答上主說:「約伯那裏是無緣無故敬畏天主的呢﹖
10 You have always [RHQ] protected [MET] him and his family and everything that he owns. You have made him very prosperous/rich. He has livestock all over this land.
你不是四面保護他、他的家庭和他所有的一切麼﹖並且凡是他親手做的,你都祝福了;你使他的牲畜在地上繁殖增多。
11 But if you take away [MTY] everything that he has, he will curse you openly. [IDM]”
但是你若伸手打擊他所有的一切,他必定當面詛咒你。」
12 Yahweh replied to Satan, “(All right/Okay), I will permit you to take away everything that he has. But do not harm him.” Then Satan left, [and he prepared to cause many disastrous things to happen to Job].
上主對撒殫說:「看,他所有的一切,都隨你處理,只是不要伸手加害他的身體。」撒殫遂離開天主走了。
13 One day [after that], Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the home of their oldest brother.
有一天,他的兒子同他的女兒,正在長兄家裏歡宴飲酒的時候,
14 While they were doing that, a messenger arrived at Job’s home and said to him, “While your oxen were plowing [the fields] and the donkeys were grazing nearby,
有個帶信的人跑來向約伯說:「牛正在耕田,母驢在一旁吃草的時候,
15 a group of men from [the] Sheba [area] came and attacked us. They killed all your servants [who were working in the fields] and took away all the oxen and donkeys! I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you what happened.”
舍巴人突然闖來將牲口搶了去,用刀將那些僕人殺了,只有我一人逃脫,來向你報告。」
16 While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived. He said to Job, “Lightning from the sky [MTY] struck and killed all the sheep and all the men who were taking care of the sheep! I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you [what happened].”
這人還在報告時,另一個人跑來說:「天主的火由天降下,將羊群和僕人都燒死了,只有我一人逃脫,來向你報告。」
17 While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived. He said to Job, “Three groups [of robbers/bandits] from Chaldea [land] came and attacked us. They stole all the camels and killed all the men who were taking care of them. I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you [what happened].”
這人還在報告時,另一個人跑來說:「加色丁人分成三隊闖入駱駝群,將駱駝搶走了,用刀將僕人殺了,只有我一人逃脫,來向你報告。」
18 While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived and reported this to Job: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in the home of their oldest brother.
這人還在報告時,另一個人跑來說:「你的兒女正在長兄家宴飲的時候,
19 Suddenly a (very strong wind/tornado) came from the desert and struck the house. The house collapsed on your sons and daughters and killed them all! I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you [what happened].”
忽然從曠野那邊吹來一陣颶風,颳倒了房屋的四角,壓死了你的孩子,只有我一人幸免,來向你報告。」
20 Job stood up, and tore his robe and shaved his head [because he was very sad/grieved]. Then he prostrated himself on the ground [to worship God].
約伯就起來,撕裂了自己的外氅,剃去頭髮,俯伏在地叩拜,
21 He said, “When I was born, I had no clothes on. When I die, I will not take any clothes with me. Yahweh gave me [everything that I possessed], and [now] he has taken it all away. But (we should/I will) always praise Yahweh [anyway]! [MTY]”
說「我赤身脫離母胎,也要赤身歸去;上主賜的,上主收回。願上主的名受到讚美! 」
22 In spite of all these [things that happened to] Job, [he] did not sin by saying that what God had done was wrong.
就這一切事而論,約伯並沒有犯罪,也沒有說抱怨天主的話。