约伯记 21
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
约伯的回答
21 约伯回答说：
2 “你们仔细听我说，
便是给我的慰藉。
3 请容忍我把话说完，
之后任凭你们嘲笑。
4 我岂是向人抱怨？
我有理由不耐烦。
5 你们看到我会大吃一惊，
吓得用手掩口。
6 我一想到自己，就心惊胆战，
浑身发抖。
7 为何恶人活着，得享长寿，
势力强大？
8 他们的儿孙围绕膝前，
他们得见后代茁壮成长。
9 他们家中平安无惧，
他们不被上帝杖打。
10 他们的公牛繁殖力强，
他们的母牛从不掉胎。
11 他们让孩童像羊群一样走到户外，
尽情地欢跳。
12 他们伴着铃鼓和竖琴歌唱，
在笛声中欢喜不已。
13 他们一生幸福，
安然下到阴间。
14 他们对上帝说，‘离开我们，
我们不想学习你的道。
15 全能者是谁，竟要我们事奉祂？
向祂祷告有何益处？’
16 看啊，他们的幸福不在他们手中；
因此，我决不苟同他们的想法。
17 “恶人的灯何曾熄灭？
灾难何曾临到他们？
上帝何曾发怒使他们受苦？
18 他们何曾像风中的碎秸，
像被暴风卷去的糠秕？
19 你们说上帝会把惩罚留给他们的儿女，
我认为不如报应在他们本人身上，
让他们亲自领教。
20 愿他们亲眼看见自己灭亡。
愿他们喝下全能者的烈怒。
21 因为他们的岁月一旦度尽，
又怎会关心身后的家人？
22 “上帝既审判身居高位者，
谁还能传授知识给祂？
23 有人至死仍充满活力，
尽享平靖安逸。
24 他营养充足，
骨骼健壮。
25 有人至死心中苦痛，
从未尝过幸福的滋味。
26 二者都埋入尘土，
被蛆虫覆盖。
27 我知道你们的想法，
并那些冤枉我的诡计。
28 你们问，‘权贵的房子如今何在？
恶人住的帐篷今在何方？’
29 难道你们没有问过旅客，
不接受他们的说法？
30 就是恶人在灾难之日得到幸免，
在上帝发怒之日得以逃脱。
31 谁会当面斥责他们的恶行，
因其所作所为而报应他们？
32 他们被抬入坟墓后，
还有人看守墓地。
33 他们在谷中的沃土安息，
送葬的人前呼后拥，不计其数。
34 你们的空谈怎能安慰我？
你们的回答纯属荒谬。”
Job 21
Common English Bible
Grant me a hearing
21 Then Job answered:
2 Listen carefully to my remarks
and let that comfort you.
3 Bear with me so I can speak, I myself;
and after my reply you can mock.
4 Are my complaints against another human;
why is my patience short?
5 Turn to me and be appalled;
lay your hand over your mouth.
6 If I recall it, I’m scared;
shaking seizes my body.
The success of the wicked
7 Why do the wicked live,
grow old, and even become strong?
8 Their children are always with them,
their offspring in their sight,
9 their houses safe from dread,
God’s punishing stick not upon them.
10 Their bull always breeds successfully;
their cows give birth and never miscarry.
11 They send forth their little ones like sheep;
their infants bounce around.
12 They raise drum and lyre,
rejoice at the sound of a flute.
13 They spend their days contentedly,
go down to the grave[a] peacefully.
14 They say to God, “Turn away from us;
we take no pleasure in knowing your ways;
15 who is the Almighty[b] that we should serve him,
and what can we gain if we meet him?”
16 Look, isn’t their well-being the work of their own hands?
A sinner’s logic is beyond me.
Desired vindication
17 How often does the lamp of the wicked flicker
or disaster come upon them,
with its fury inflicting pain on them?
18 Let them be like straw in the wind,
like dry grass stolen by a storm.
19 God stores up his punishment for his children.
Let him destroy them so they know.
20 Let their own eyes witness their doom.
Let them drink from the Almighty’s wrath.
21 What do they care about their household after they die,
when their numbered days are cut off?
A common fate
22 Will they instruct God—
he who judges the most powerful?
23 Someone dies in wonderful health,
completely comfortable and well,
24 their buckets full of milk,
their bones marrow-filled and sound.
25 Another dies in bitter spirit,
never having tasted the good things.
26 They lie together in the dust
and worms cover them.
Further disagreement
27 Look, I know your thoughts;
your plans harm me.
28 You say, “Where is the official’s house?
Where is the tent, the dwelling of the wicked?”
29 Haven’t you asked travelers
or paid attention to their reports?
30 On the day of disaster the wicked are spared;
on the day of fury they are rescued.
31 Who can criticize their behavior to their faces;
they act, and who can avenge them?
32 They are carried to their graves;
someone keeps guard over their tombs.
33 The soil near the desert streambed is sweet to them;
everyone marches after them—
those before them, beyond counting.
34 How empty is your comfort to me;
only deceit remains in your responses.
Job 21
New King James Version
Job’s Discourse on the Wicked
21 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Listen carefully to my speech,
And let this be your [a]consolation.
3 Bear with me that I may speak,
And after I have spoken, keep (A)mocking.
4 “As for me, is my complaint against man?
And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be astonished;
(B)Put your hand over your mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am terrified,
And trembling takes hold of my flesh.
7 (C)Why do the wicked live and become old,
Yes, become mighty in power?
8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight,
And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear,
(D)Neither is [b]the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without failure;
Their cow calves (E)without miscarriage.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp,
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.
13 They (F)spend their days in wealth,
And [c]in a moment go down to the [d]grave.
14 (G)Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,
For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.
15 (H)Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?
And (I)what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’
16 Indeed [e]their prosperity is not in their hand;
(J)The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?
How often does their destruction come upon them,
The sorrows God (K)distributes in His anger?
18 (L)They are like straw before the wind,
And like chaff that a storm [f]carries away.
19 They say, ‘God [g]lays up [h]one’s iniquity (M)for his children’;
Let Him recompense him, that he may know it.
20 Let his eyes see his destruction,
And (N)let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what does he care about his household after him,
When the number of his months is cut in half?
22 “Can(O) anyone teach God knowledge,
Since He judges those on high?
23 One dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and secure;
24 His [i]pails are full of milk,
And the marrow of his bones is moist.
25 Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul,
Never having eaten with pleasure.
26 They (P)lie down alike in the dust,
And worms cover them.
27 “Look, I know your thoughts,
And the schemes with which you would wrong me.
28 For you say,
‘Where is the house of the prince?
And where is [j]the tent,
The dwelling place of the wicked?’
29 Have you not asked those who travel the road?
And do you not know their signs?
30 (Q)For the wicked are reserved for the day of doom;
They shall be brought out on the day of wrath.
31 Who condemns his way to his face?
And who repays him for what he has done?
32 Yet he shall be brought to the grave,
And a vigil kept over the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him;
(R)Everyone shall follow him,
As countless have gone before him.
34 How then can you comfort me with empty words,
Since [k]falsehood remains in your answers?”
Footnotes
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
