Job 23

1 And Job answereth and saith: —

約伯回答說：

2 Also — to-day [is] my complaint bitter, My hand hath been heavy because of my sighing.

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 O that I had known — and I find Him, I come in unto His seat,

惟願我知道怎樣能尋到天主，能達到他的寶座前，

4 I arrange before Him the cause, And my mouth fill [with] arguments.

好將我的案情向他陳訴，因為我口中滿了證詞!

5 I know the words He doth answer me, And understand what He saith to me.

唯願我知道他答覆我的話，明瞭他向我說什麼!

6 In the abundance of power doth He strive with me? No! surely He putteth [it] in me.

他豈能靠強力同我爭辯﹖決不，他必留神聽我。

7 There the upright doth reason with Him, And I escape for ever from 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 Lo, forward I go — and He is not, And backward — and I perceive him not.

可是我往東行，他不在那裏；我往西行，也找不到他；

9 [To] the left in His working — and I see not, He is covered [on] the right, and I behold not.

往北找，也看不見他；往南去，也見不到他。

10 For He hath known the way with me, He hath tried me — as gold I go forth.

他洞悉我所有的行動。他若試驗我，我必如純金出現。

11 On His step hath my foot laid hold, His way I have kept, and turn not aside,

我的腳緊隨著他的足跡，謹守他的道，總沒有偏離。

12 The command of His lips, and I depart not. Above my allotted portion I have laid up The sayings of His mouth.

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 And He [is] in one [mind], And who doth turn Him back? And His soul hath desired — and He doth [it].

但他所決定的，誰能變更﹖他所樂意的，必要實行。

14 For He doth complete my portion, And many such things [are] with Him.

他為我注定的，必要完成；類似的事，還有很多。

15 Therefore, from His presence I am troubled, I consider, and am afraid of Him.

因此，為了他，我很驚慌，一想起來就害怕。

16 And God hath made my heart soft, And the Mighty hath troubled me.

天主使我的心沮喪，全能者使我恐怖。

17 For I have not been cut off before darkness, And before me He covered thick darkness.

因為我雖面臨黑暗，幽暗雖遮蓋我的面，我仍不喪氣。