Job 23

1 Then Job answered and said,

約伯回答說：

2 “Even today my complaint is bitter; my hand is heavy because of my groaning.

直到今天，我還是痛苦的哀訴，他沉重的手掌，使我不得不呻吟。

3 Oh, that I knew where I might find him! Oh, that I might come to his place!

惟願我知道怎樣能尋到天主，能達到他的寶座前，

4 I would lay my case in order before him and fill my mouth with arguments.

好將我的案情向他陳訴，因為我口中滿了證詞!

5 I would learn the words with which he would answer me and would understand what he would say to me.

唯願我知道他答覆我的話，明瞭他向我說什麼!

6 Would he argue against me in the greatness of his power? No, he would pay attention to me.

他豈能靠強力同我爭辯﹖決不，他必留神聽我。

7 There the upright person might argue with him. In this way I would be acquitted forever by my judge.

如此，他會分辨出同他爭論的是個正直人，也許我可永久不再受裁判!

8 See, I go eastward, but he is not there, and westward, but I cannot perceive him.

可是我往東行，他不在那裏；我往西行，也找不到他；

9 To the north, where he is at work, but I cannot see him, and to the south, where he hides himself so that I cannot see him.

往北找，也看不見他；往南去，也見不到他。

10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come out like gold.

他洞悉我所有的行動。他若試驗我，我必如純金出現。

11 My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept to his way and turned not aside.

我的腳緊隨著他的足跡，謹守他的道，總沒有偏離。

12 I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.

他所發的命令，我總沒有違背；他口中的訓言，我常保存在心中。

13 But he is one of a kind, who can turn him back? What he desires, he does.

但他所決定的，誰能變更﹖他所樂意的，必要實行。

14 For he carries out his decree against me; there are many like them.

他為我注定的，必要完成；類似的事，還有很多。

15 Therefore, I am terrified in his presence; when I think about him, I am afraid of him.

因此，為了他，我很驚慌，一想起來就害怕。

16 For God has made my heart weak; the Almighty has terrified me.

天主使我的心沮喪，全能者使我恐怖。

17 I have not been brought to an end by darkness, because of the thick darkness that covers the gloom of my face.

因為我雖面臨黑暗，幽暗雖遮蓋我的面，我仍不喪氣。