Job 34
1 Moreover Elihu answered,
厄里烏接著說：
2 “Hear my words, you wise men. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
你們有智慧的人，請聽我言；你們明白人，請側耳聽我。
3 For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes food.
原來耳朵是為辨別言語，有如口腔是為辨嘗食物。
4 Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.
讓我們來檢討一下誰為正義，讓我們看看何者為善。
5 For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, God has taken away my right.
約伯說過：「我是無罪的，但我的理，卻為天主奪去。
6 Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’
我雖無罪無辜，卻成了說謊者；我雖未行不義，卻受了不可醫治的創傷。」
7 What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,
那有一人像約伯，肆口漫罵如飲水﹖
8 who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men?
他豈不是與作惡的人結夥，同壞人交結來往﹖
9 For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.’
他豈不是說過：「盡心悅樂天主，為人能有什麼好處﹖」
10 “Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
為此，你們心地明白的人，請聽我說，天主決不行惡，全能者決無不義!
11 For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
他必照人的行為報答他，按他的品行對待他。
12 Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
天主絕對不能作惡，全能者絕對不能顛倒是非。
13 Who put him in charge of the earth? Or who has appointed him over the whole world?
誰委派他掌管大地，誰任命他治理普世﹖
14 If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
他若將自己的神魂收回，將氣息復歸於自己，
15 all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.
所有血肉的人必都消滅，世人都要歸於塵土。
16 “If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.
若你聰明，請聽這事，側耳傾聽我的話。
17 Should even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
憎恨正義的，豈能掌權﹖而你竟敢定那至公義者的罪﹖
18 who says to a king, ‘Vile!’ or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?
他能稱君王為歹徒，能稱官吏為壞人。
19 He doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respect the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of his hands.
他對權貴不顧情面，亦不重富輕貧，因為都是他一手造成的。
20 In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand.
他們猝然在半夜死去，貴族能立即氣絕逝世；他剷除權貴者，無須人手。
21 “For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings.
因為他的眼監視人的動作，觀察他的行徑。
22 There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
沒有黑暗，也沒有陰影，可將作惡的人掩蔽。
23 For he doesn’t need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.
天主不必給人指定時間，為使人到他前去受審。
24 He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.
他粉碎權勢者，無須審察，即刻能派定別人代替他們。
25 Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
他原知道他們的行為，一夜之間將他們推翻消滅。
26 He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
在眾目昭彰之下，鞭打他們有如罪犯。
27 because they turned away from following him, and wouldn’t pay attention to any of his ways,
因為他們遠離了他，不重視他一切的道，
28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard the cry of the afflicted.
致使窮人的哀號上達於他，使他聽到了受苦者的哀求。
29 When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? He is over a nation or a man alike,
他若安息，誰敢騷擾﹖他若掩面，誰敢窺視﹖他對國對人都予以監視，
30 that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
使凡欺壓人民的，不得為王。
31 “For has any said to God, ‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
如果惡人向天主說：「我受了欺騙，以後不再作惡。
32 Teach me that which I don’t see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
我所看不透的，求你指教我；我若以前作了孽，不敢再做了。」
33 Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.
他施行報應，豈應隨你的心意﹖或者你能拒絕不受嗎﹖決定的是你，而不是我! 你若知道，儘管說罷!
34 Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:
但是心地聰明，具有智慧，且聽我說話的人，必要對我說：「
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.’
約伯所講的話毫無知識，他的話全不明智。」
36 I wish that Job were tried to the end, because of his answering like wicked men.
為此，約伯還要受徹底的究察，因為他的答覆好似出自惡人之口，
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God.”
因為他在罪上又加反叛，當著我們磨拳擦掌，講出許多相反天主的話。
