< Job 21 >
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
約伯回答說:
2 Hear ye diligently my word, And this is your consolation.
你們要細聽我的言語, 就算是你們安慰我。
3 Bear with me, and I speak, And after my speaking — ye may deride.
請寬容我,我又要說話; 說了以後,任憑你們嗤笑吧!
4 I — to man [is] my complaint? and if [so], wherefore May not my temper become short?
我豈是向人訴冤? 為何不焦急呢?
5 Turn unto me, and be astonished, And put hand to mouth.
你們要看着我而驚奇, 用手摀口。
6 Yea, if I have remembered, then I have been troubled. And my flesh hath taken fright.
我每逢思想,心就驚惶, 渾身戰兢。
7 Wherefore do the wicked live? They have become old, Yea, they have been mighty in wealth.
惡人為何存活, 享大壽數,勢力強盛呢?
8 Their seed is established, Before their face with them, And their offspring before their eyes.
他們眼見兒孫, 和他們一同堅立。
9 Their houses [are] peace without fear, Nor [is] a rod of God upon them.
他們的家宅平安無懼; 上帝的杖也不加在他們身上。
10 His bullock hath eaten corn, and doth not loath. His cow bringeth forth safely, And doth not miscarry.
他們的公牛孳生而不斷絕; 母牛下犢而不掉胎。
11 They send forth as a flock their sucklings, And their children skip,
他們打發小孩子出去,多如羊群; 他們的兒女踴躍跳舞。
12 They lift [themselves] up at timbrel and harp, And rejoice at the sound of an organ.
他們隨着琴鼓歌唱, 又因簫聲歡喜。
13 They wear out in good their days, And in a moment [to] Sheol go down. (Sheol )
他們度日諸事亨通, 轉眼下入陰間。 (Sheol )
14 And they say to God, 'Turn aside from us, And the knowledge of Thy ways We have not desired.
他們對上帝說:離開我們吧! 我們不願曉得你的道。
15 What [is] the Mighty One that we serve Him? And what do we profit when we meet with Him?'
全能者是誰,我們何必事奉他呢? 求告他有甚麼益處呢?
16 Lo, not in their hand [is] their good, (The counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
看哪,他們亨通不在乎自己; 惡人所謀定的離我好遠。
17 How oft is the lamp of the wicked extinguished, And come on them doth their calamity? Pangs He apportioneth in His anger.
惡人的燈何嘗熄滅? 患難何嘗臨到他們呢? 上帝何嘗發怒,向他們分散災禍呢?
18 They are as straw before wind, And as chaff a hurricane hath stolen away,
他們何嘗像風前的碎稭, 如暴風颳去的糠詷呢?
19 God layeth up for his sons his sorrow, He giveth recompense unto him — and he knoweth.
你們說:上帝為惡人的兒女積蓄罪孽; 我說:不如本人受報,好使他親自知道。
20 His own eyes see his destruction, And of the wrath of the Mighty he drinketh.
願他親眼看見自己敗亡, 親自飲全能者的忿怒。
21 For what [is] his delight in his house after him, And the number of his months cut off?
他的歲月既盡, 他還顧他本家嗎?
22 To God doth [one] teach knowledge, And He the high doth judge?
上帝既審判那在高位的, 誰能將知識教訓他呢?
23 This [one] dieth in his perfect strength, Wholly at ease and quiet.
有人至死身體強壯, 盡得平靖安逸;
24 His breasts have been full of milk, And marrow his bones doth moisten.
他的奶桶充滿, 他的骨髓滋潤。
25 And this [one] dieth with a bitter soul, And have not eaten with gladness.
有人至死心中痛苦, 終身未嘗福樂的滋味;
26 Together — on the dust they lie down, And the worm doth cover them over.
他們一樣躺臥在塵土中, 都被蟲子遮蓋。
27 Lo, I have known your thoughts, And the devices against me ye do wrongfully.
我知道你們的意思, 並誣害我的計謀。
28 For ye say, 'Where [is] the house of the noble? And where the tent — The tabernacles of the wicked?'
你們說:霸者的房屋在哪裏? 惡人住過的帳棚在哪裏?
29 Have ye not asked those passing by the way? And their signs do ye not know?
你們豈沒有詢問過路的人嗎? 不知道他們所引的證據嗎?
30 That to a day of calamity is the wicked spared. To a day of wrath they are brought.
就是惡人在禍患的日子得存留, 在發怒的日子得逃脫。
31 Who doth declare to his face his way? And [for] that which he hath done, Who doth give recompence to him?
他所行的,有誰當面給他說明? 他所做的,有誰報應他呢?
32 And he — to the graves he is brought. And over the heap a watch is kept.
然而他要被抬到塋地; 並有人看守墳墓。
33 Sweet to him have been the clods of the valley, And after him every man he draweth, And before him there is no numbering.
他要以谷中的土塊為甘甜; 在他以先去的無數, 在他以後去的更多。
34 And how do ye comfort me [with] vanity, And in your answers hath been left trespass?
你們對答的話中既都錯謬, 怎麼徒然安慰我呢?