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’s reply:

“Yes, I know all that. You’re not telling me anything new. But how can a man be truly good in the eyes of God? If God decides to argue with him, can a man answer even one question of a thousand he asks? For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever opposed him successfully?

“Suddenly he moves the mountains, overturning them in his anger. He shakes the earth to its foundations. The sun won’t rise, the stars won’t shine, if he commands it so! Only he has stretched the heavens out and stalked along the seas. He made the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades, and the constellations of the southern Zodiac.

10 “He does incredible miracles, too many to count. 11 He passes by, invisible; he moves along, but I don’t see him go. 12 When he sends death to snatch a man away,[a] who can stop him? Who dares to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’

13 “And God does not abate his anger. The pride of man[b] collapses before him. 14 And who am I that I should try to argue with Almighty God, or even reason with him? 15 Even if I were sinless, I wouldn’t say a word. I would only plead for mercy. 16 And even if my prayers were answered, I could scarce believe that he had heard my cry. 17 For he is the one who destroys, and multiplies my wounds without a cause. 18 He will not let me breathe, but fills me with bitter sorrows. 19 He alone is strong and just.

20 “But I? Am I righteous? My own mouth says no. Even if I were perfect, God would prove me wicked. 21 And even if I am utterly innocent, I dare not think of it. I despise what I am. 22 Innocent or evil, it is all the same to him, for he destroys both kinds. 23 He will laugh when calamity crushes the innocent. 24 The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked. God blinds the eyes of the judges and lets them be unfair. If not he, then who?

25 “My life passes swiftly away, filled with tragedy. 26 My years disappear like swift ships, like the eagle that swoops upon its prey.

27 “If I decided to forget my complaints against God, to end my sadness and be cheerful, 28 then he would pour even greater sorrows upon me. For I know that you will not hold me innocent, O God, 29 but will condemn me. So what’s the use of trying? 30 Even if I were to wash myself with purest water and cleanse my hands with lye to make them utterly clean, 31 even so you would plunge me into the ditch and mud; and even my clothing would be less filthy than you consider me to be!

32-33 “And I cannot defend myself, for you are no mere man as I am. If you were, then we could discuss it fairly, but there is no umpire between us, no middle man, no mediator to bring us together. 34 Oh, let him stop beating me, so that I need no longer live in terror of his punishment. 35 Then I could speak without fear to him and tell him boldly that I am not guilty.

Footnotes

  1. Job 9:12 he sends death to snatch a man away, literally, “he seizes.”
  2. Job 9:13 The pride of man, or “The helpers of Rahab.”