約伯的回應

約伯回答說:

「不錯,我知道你所言不虛,
但人怎能在上帝面前算為義人?
人若想與祂辯駁,
千次也不能勝一次。
祂充滿智慧,能力無比,
誰能抗拒祂還可平安無恙?
祂可猝然挪動群山,
在怒氣中把山翻倒。
祂震動大地,使其挪位,
以致地的支柱搖撼。
祂一聲令下,
太陽便不再升起,
眾星也不再發光。
祂獨自鋪展穹蒼,
步行在海浪之上。
祂創造了北斗星、參星、昴星及南天的星座。
10 祂行的奇事不可測度,
奇蹟不可勝數。
11 祂經過我身旁,我卻看不見;
祂從旁邊掠過,我也無法察覺。
12 祂若奪取,誰能阻擋?
誰敢問祂,『你做什麽?』
13 上帝不會忍怒不發,
海怪[a]的幫手必屈膝在祂腳前。

14 「因此,我怎敢與祂辯駁?
怎敢措辭與祂理論?
15 我縱然無辜,也無法申訴,
只能乞求我的審判者施恩。
16 即使我呼喚祂的時候,祂回應我,
我仍不相信祂會垂聽我的聲音。
17 祂用暴風摧毀我,
無故地使我飽受創傷。
18 祂不肯讓我喘息,
祂使我嚐盡苦頭。
19 若論力量,祂甚強大;
若上公堂,誰敢傳祂?
20 即使我清白無辜,我的口也會認罪;
即使我純全無過,祂也會判我有罪。
21 我雖純全無過,也已毫不在乎,
我厭惡我的生命。
22 因為,我認為都是一樣,
純全無過的人和惡人都會被祂毀滅。
23 災禍突然奪走人命時,
祂嘲笑無辜者的遭遇。
24 大地落入惡人手中,
蒙蔽審判官眼睛的不是祂是誰?

25 「我的年日比信差還快,
匆匆而過,不見幸福。
26 我的歲月疾馳如快船,
快如急降抓食的老鷹。
27 即使我說要忘掉怨恨,
拋開愁容,強顏歡笑,
28 諸多的患難仍使我懼怕,
我知道祂[b]不承認我無辜。
29 既然我被定為有罪,
又何必徒然掙扎?
30 即使我用雪水淨身,
用鹼水洗手,
31 祂仍會把我扔進污坑,
連我的衣服也嫌棄我。
32 祂並非我的同類,
我無法與祂爭辯,一起對簿公堂。
33 我倆中間沒有仲裁者,
無人為我們斷定是非[c]
34 若能拿開祂責打我的刑杖,
使我不再受祂的驚嚇,
35 我就會放膽發言,不必對祂心存恐懼,
但現在我卻不能這樣[d]

Footnotes

  1. 9·13 海怪」希伯來文是「拉哈伯」,下同26·12
  2. 9·28 」希伯來文是「你」,下同31節。
  3. 9·33 為我們斷定是非」希伯來文是「把手按在我們身上」。
  4. 9·35 但現在我卻不能這樣」或譯「因為我知道自己的清白」。

Job Says There Is No Arbitrator between God and Mankind

Then Job responded,

“In truth I know that this is so;
But how can a (A)person be in the right with God?
If one wished to (B)dispute with Him,
He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
(C)Wise in heart and (D)mighty in strength,
Who has [a](E)defied Him [b]without harm?
(F)It is God who removes the mountains, and they do not know how,
When He overturns them in His anger.
It is He who (G)shakes the earth from its place,
And its (H)pillars tremble;
Who commands the (I)sun [c]not to shine,
And puts a seal on the stars;
Who alone (J)stretches out the heavens,
And [d](K)tramples down the waves of the sea;
Who makes the (L)Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
And the [e](M)constellations of the south.
10 It is He who (N)does great things, [f]the unfathomable,
And wondrous works without number.
11 If He were to pass by me, (O)I would not see Him;
Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.
12 If He were to snatch away, who could (P)restrain Him?
Who could say to Him, ‘(Q)What are You doing?’

13 “God will not turn back His anger;
Beneath Him the helpers of [g](R)Rahab cower.
14 How then can (S)I [h]answer Him,
And choose my words [i]before Him?
15 For (T)though I were right, I could not [j]answer;
I would have to (U)implore the mercy of my Judge.
16 If I called and He answered me,
I could not believe that He was listening to my voice.
17 For He (V)bruises me with a storm
And multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He will (W)not allow me to get my breath,
But He saturates me with (X)bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of power, (Y)behold, He is the strong one!
And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon [k]Him?
20 (Z)Though I am righteous, my mouth will (AA)condemn me;
Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.
21 I am (AB)guiltless;
I do not take notice of myself;
I (AC)reject my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I say,
‘He (AD)destroys the guiltless and the wicked.’
23 If the whip kills suddenly,
He (AE)mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth (AF)is handed over to the wicked;
He (AG)covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, then who is it?

25 “Now (AH)my days are swifter than a runner;
They flee away, (AI)they see no good.
26 They slip by like (AJ)reed boats,
Like an (AK)eagle that swoops on [l]its prey.
27 Though I say, ‘I will forget (AL)my complaint,
I will [m]put my face in order and be cheerful,’
28 I am (AM)afraid of all my pains,
I know that (AN)You will not acquit me.
29 I am (AO)guilty,
Why then should I struggle in vain?
30 If I (AP)washed myself with snow,
And cleansed (AQ)my hands with lye,
31 Then You would plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes would loathe me.
32 For (AR)He is not a man, as I am, that (AS)I may answer Him—
That we may go to [n]court together!
33 There is no (AT)arbitrator between us,
Who can place his hand upon us both.
34 Let Him (AU)remove His rod from me,
And let not the dread of Him terrify me.
35 Then I (AV)would speak and not fear Him;
But I am not like that in myself.

Footnotes

  1. Job 9:4 Lit stiffened his neck against
  2. Job 9:4 Lit and remained safe
  3. Job 9:7 Lit and it does not shine
  4. Job 9:8 Lit treads upon the heights of
  5. Job 9:9 Lit chambers
  6. Job 9:10 Lit until there is no searching out
  7. Job 9:13 I.e., a sea monster, not to be confused with Rahab in Joshua 2
  8. Job 9:14 Or plead my case
  9. Job 9:14 Lit with
  10. Job 9:15 Or plead my case
  11. Job 9:19 As in LXX; Heb me
  12. Job 9:26 Lit food
  13. Job 9:27 I.e., improve the look
  14. Job 9:32 Lit judgment