Job 21
1 Then Job answered and said,
そこでヨブは答えて言った、
2 “Listen carefully to my words, and let this be the comfort you offer to me.
「あなたがたはとくと、わたしの言葉を聞き、これをもって、あなたがたの慰めとするがよい。
3 Put up with me, and I also will speak; after I have spoken, mock on.
まずわたしをゆるして語らせなさい。わたしが語ったのち、あざけるのもよかろう。
4 As for me, is my complaint to a person? Why should I not be impatient?
わたしのつぶやきは人に対してであろうか。わたしはどうして、いらだたないでいられようか。
5 Look at me and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
あなたがたはわたしを見て、驚き、手を口にあてるがよい。
6 When I think about my sufferings, I am terrified, and trembling seizes my body.
わたしはこれを思うと恐ろしくなって、からだがしきりに震えわななく。
7 Why do wicked people continue to live, become old, and grow mighty in power?
なにゆえ悪しき人が生きながらえ、老齢に達し、かつ力強くなるのか。
8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring are established before their eyes.
その子らは彼らの前に堅く立ち、その子孫もその目の前に堅く立つ。
9 Their houses are safe from fear; neither is the rod of God on them.
その家は安らかで、恐れがなく、神のつえは彼らの上に臨むことがない。
10 Their bull breeds; it does not fail to do so; their cow gives birth and does not lose her calf prematurely.
その雄牛は種を与えて、誤ることなく、その雌牛は子を産んで、そこなうことがない。
11 They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
彼らはその小さい者どもを群れのように連れ出し、その子らは舞い踊る。
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp and rejoice with the music of the flute.
彼らは手鼓と琴に合わせて歌い、笛の音によって楽しみ、
その日をさいわいに過ごし、安らかに陰府にくだる。 (Sheol h7585)
14 They say to God, 'Depart from us for we do not wish any knowledge of your ways.
彼らは神に言う、『われわれを離れよ、われわれはあなたの道を知ることを好まない。
15 What is the Almighty, that we should worship him? What advantage would we get if we prayed to him?'
全能者は何者なので、われわれはこれに仕えねばならないのか。われわれはこれに祈っても、なんの益があるか』と。
16 See, is not their prosperity in their own hands? I have nothing to do with the advice of wicked people.
見よ、彼らの繁栄は彼らの手にあるではないか。悪人の計りごとは、わたしの遠く及ぶ所でない。
17 How often is it that the lamp of wicked people is put out, or that their calamity comes upon them? How often does it happen that God distributes sorrows to them in his anger?
悪人のともしびの消されること、幾たびあるか。その災の彼らの上に臨むこと、神がその怒りをもって苦しみを与えられること、幾たびあるか。
18 How often is it that they become like stubble before the wind or like chaff that the storm carries away?
彼らが風の前のわらのようになること、あらしに吹き去られるもみがらのようになること、幾たびあるか。
19 You say, 'God lays up one's guilt for his children to pay.' Let him pay it himself, so that he might know his guilt.
あなたがたは言う、『神は彼らの罪を積みたくわえて、その子らに報いられるのだ』と。どうかそれを彼ら自身に報いて、彼らにその罪を知らせられるように。
20 Let his eyes see his own destruction, and let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
すなわち彼ら自身の目にその滅びを見させ、全能者の怒りを彼らに飲ませられるように。
21 For what does he care about his family after him when the number of his months is cut off?
その月の数のつきるとき、彼らはその後の家になんのかかわる所があろうか。
22 Can anyone teach God knowledge since he judges even those who are high?
神は天にある者たちをさえ、さばかれるのに、だれが神に知識を教えることができようか。
23 One man dies in his full strength, being completely quiet and at ease.
ある者は繁栄をきわめ、全く安らかに、かつおだやかに死に、
24 His body is full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is moist.
そのからだには脂肪が満ち、その骨の髄は潤っている。
25 Another man dies in bitterness of soul, one who has never experienced anything good.
ある者は心を苦しめて死に、なんの幸をも味わうことがない。
26 They lie down alike in the dust; the worms cover them both.
彼らはひとしくちりに伏し、うじにおおわれる。
27 See, I know your thoughts, and the ways in which you wish to wrong me.
見よ、わたしはあなたがたの思いを知り、わたしを害しようとするたくらみを知る。
28 For you say, 'Where now is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked man once lived?'
あなたがたは言う、『王侯の家はどこにあるか、悪人の住む天幕はどこにあるか』と。
29 Have you never asked traveling people? Do you not know the evidence they can tell,
あなたがたは道行く人々に問わなかったか、彼らの証言を受け入れないのか。
30 that the wicked man is kept from the day of calamity, and that he is led away from the day of wrath?
すなわち、災の日に悪人は免れ、激しい怒りの日に彼は救い出される。
31 Who will condemn the wicked man's way to his face? Who will repay him for what he has done?
だれが彼に向かって、その道を告げ知らせる者があるか、だれが彼のした事を彼に報いる者があるか。
32 Yet he will be borne to the grave; men will keep watch over his tomb.
彼はかかれて墓に行き、塚の上で見張りされ、
33 The clods of the valley will be sweet to him; all people will follow after him, as there were innumerable people before him.
谷の土くれも彼には快く、すべての人はそのあとに従う。彼の前に行った者も数えきれない。
34 How then do you comfort me with nonsense, since in your answers there is nothing but falsehood?”
それで、あなたがたはどうしてむなしい事をもって、わたしを慰めようとするのか。あなたがたの答は偽り以外の何ものでもない」。
