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 神的報應:賞善罰惡

36 以利戶又接著說:

“你再等我片刻我就指示你,

因為我還有話要為 神說。

我要從遠處引來我的意見,

把公義歸給我的創造主。

我的話真的不是謊言,

有一位知識全備的與你同在。

 神大有能力,並且不藐視人,

他的智慧大有能力。

他不容惡人生存,

卻為困苦人主持公道。

他的眼目時常看顧義人,

他使他們與君王同坐寶座,

他們永遠被高舉。

他們若被鎖鍊捆住,

被苦難的繩索纏住,

他就把他們的作為和過犯都顯示,

使他們知道他們驕傲自大。

10 他開啟他們的耳朵可以領受教訓,

吩咐他們離開罪孽而悔改。

11 他們若聽從他、事奉他,

就必幸福地度盡他們的日子,

也必快樂地度過他們的歲月。

12 他們若不聽從,就必死在刀下,

毫無知識地氣絕身亡。

13 那些心裡不敬虔的人積存怒氣,

 神捆綁他們,他們竟不呼求。

14 他必早年喪命,

喪命如廟妓一樣。

15  神藉著苦難救拔困苦人,

以他們所受的壓迫開啟他們的耳朵。

16 他也誘導你脫離患難的虎口,

到寬闊不狹窄之地,

到你擺滿肥甘的席上。

17 你卻滿有惡人所當受的審判,

審斷和刑罰把你抓住。

18 你要小心不可讓忿怒激動你,以致侮慢 神,

也不要因贖價大而偏離正道。

19 你的呼求、或一切勢力,

能使你不受患難嗎?

20 你不可切慕黑夜來臨,

就是眾人在他們的住處被除滅的時候。

21 你要小心,不可轉向罪孽,

因為你選擇罪孽而不選擇患難。

勸約伯榮耀 神

22  神靠自己的能力高高在上,

有誰像 神指教人呢?

23 誰把他所行的道路派給他?

誰能說:‘你所行的不義’呢?

24 你要記得稱讚他所行的為大,

就是眾人所歌頌的。

25 他所行的,萬人都看見,

世人都從遠處觀看。

26  神為至大,我們不能了解,

他的年數,無法測度。

27 他吸收滴滴水點,

使水滴在雲霧中化成雨,

28 雲層傾下雨水,

沛然降在世人身上。

29 誰能明白雲彩的展開,

和 神行宮的雷聲呢?

30 他在自己的周圍展開電光,

又用水遮蓋海底;

31 他用這些審斷萬人,

又賜予豐盛的糧食;

32 他以電光遮蓋雙手,

然後吩咐電光去攻擊目標,

33 他以雷聲宣揚自己,

甚至牲畜也注意將有甚麼臨近。”

36 Elihu also proceeded, and said,

Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.

I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.

He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.

And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;

Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.

10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.

14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.

16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.

18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.

19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.

25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:

28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?

30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.

32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.

33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.

36 Elihu also proceeded, and said,

[a]Suffer me a little, and I will show thee;
For [b]I have yet somewhat to say on God’s behalf.
I will fetch my knowledge from afar,
And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
For truly my words are not false:
One that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any:
He is mighty in strength of [c]understanding.
He preserveth not the life of the wicked,
But giveth to the afflicted their right.
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous:
But with kings upon the throne
He setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.
And if they be bound in fetters,
And be taken in the cords of affliction;
Then he showeth them their work,
And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 He openeth also their ear to instruction,
And commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve him,
They shall spend their days in prosperity,
And their years in [d]pleasures.
12 But if they hearken not, they shall perish by [e]the sword,
And they shall die without knowledge.
13 But they that are godless in heart lay up anger:
They cry not for help when he bindeth them.
14 [f]They die in youth,
And their life perisheth [g]among the [h]unclean.
15 He delivereth the afflicted [i]by their affliction,
And openeth their ear [j]in oppression.
16 Yea, he would have allured thee [k]out of distress
Into a broad place, where there is no straitness;
And that which is set on thy table would be full of fatness.

17 But thou [l]art full of the judgment of the wicked:
Judgment and justice take hold on thee.

18 [m]For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements;
Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
19 Will thy cry avail, that thou be not in distress,
Or all the forces of thy strength?
20 Desire not the night,
When peoples [n]are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity:
For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God doeth loftily in his power:
Who is a teacher like unto him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way?
Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?

24 Remember that thou magnify his work,
Whereof men have sung.

25 All men have looked thereon;
Man beholdeth it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not;
The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he draweth up the drops of water,
Which distil in rain [o]from [p]his vapor,
28 Which the skies pour down
And drop upon man abundantly.
29 Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds,
The thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light [q]around him;
And he [r]covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these he judgeth the peoples;
He giveth food in abundance.
32 He covereth his hands with the [s]lightning,
And giveth it a charge [t]that it strike the mark.
33 The noise thereof telleth concerning [u]him,
The cattle also concerning [v]the storm that cometh up.

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:2 Hebrew Wait for.
  2. Job 36:2 Hebrew there are yet words for God.
  3. Job 36:5 Hebrew heart.
  4. Job 36:11 Or, pleasantness
  5. Job 36:12 Or, weapons
  6. Job 36:14 Hebrew Their soul dieth.
  7. Job 36:14 Or, like
  8. Job 36:14 Or, sodomites. See Dt. 23:17.
  9. Job 36:15 Or, in
  10. Job 36:15 Or, by adversity
  11. Job 36:16 Hebrew out of the mouth of.
  12. Job 36:17 Or, hast filled up
  13. Job 36:18 Or, Because there is wrath, beware lest thou be led away by thy sufficiency
  14. Job 36:20 Hebrew go up.
  15. Job 36:27 Hebrew belonging to.
  16. Job 36:27 Or, the vapor thereof
  17. Job 36:30 Or, thereon
  18. Job 36:30 Or, covereth it with the depths of the sea
  19. Job 36:32 Hebrew light.
  20. Job 36:32 Or, against the assailant
  21. Job 36:33 Or, it
  22. Job 36:33 Or, him

36 Elihu proceeded and said,

Bear with me and wait a little longer, and I will show you, for I have something still to say on God’s behalf.

I will bring my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

For truly my words shall not be false; He Who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

Behold! God is mighty, and yet despises no one nor regards anything as trivial; He is mighty in power of understanding and heart.

He does not prolong the life of the wicked, but gives the needy and afflicted their right.

He withdraws not His eyes from the righteous (the upright in right standing with God); but He sets them forever with kings upon the throne, and they are exalted.

And if they are bound in fetters [of adversity] and held by cords of affliction,(A)

Then He shows to them [the true character of] their deeds and their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly [with presumption and self-sufficiency].

10 He also opens their ears to instruction and discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity.

11 If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness and joy.

12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword [of God’s destructive judgments], and they shall die in ignorance of true knowledge.

13 But the godless and profane in heart heap up anger [at the divine discipline]; they do not cry to Him when He binds them [with cords of affliction].(B)

14 They die in youth, and their life perishes among the unclean (those who are sodomites).

15 He delivers the afflicted in their affliction and opens their ears [to His voice] in adversity.

16 Indeed, God would have allured you out of the mouth of distress into a broad place where there is no situation of perplexity or privation; and that which would be set on your table would be full of fatness.

17 But if you [Job] are filled with the judgment of the wicked, judgment and justice will keep hold on you.

18 For let not wrath entice you into scorning chastisements; and let not the greatness of the ransom [the suffering, if rightly endured] turn you aside.

19 Will your cry be sufficient to keep you from distress, or will all the force of your strength do it?

20 Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their places;

21 Take heed, turn not to iniquity, for this [the iniquity of complaining against God] you have chosen rather than [submission in] affliction.

22 Behold, God exalts and does loftily in His power; who is a ruler or a teacher like Him?

23 Who has appointed God His way? Or who can say, You have done unrighteousness?

24 Remember that [by submission] you magnify God’s work, of which men have sung.

25 All men have looked upon God’s work; man may behold it afar off.

26 Behold, God is great, and we know Him not! The number of His years is unsearchable.(C)

27 For He draws up the drops of water, which distil as rain from His vapor,

28 Which the skies pour down and drop abundantly upon [the multitudes of] mankind.

29 Not only that, but can anyone understand the spreadings of the clouds or the thunderings of His pavilion?(D)

30 Behold, He spreads His lightning against the dark clouds and covers the roots of the sea.

31 For by [His clouds] God executes judgment upon the peoples; He gives food in abundance.

32 He covers His hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark.

33 His thunderings speak [awesomely] concerning Him; the cattle are told of His coming storm.

36 Elihu continued:

“Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
    that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
I get my knowledge from afar;(A)
    I will ascribe justice to my Maker.(B)
Be assured that my words are not false;(C)
    one who has perfect knowledge(D) is with you.(E)

“God is mighty,(F) but despises no one;(G)
    he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.(H)
He does not keep the wicked alive(I)
    but gives the afflicted their rights.(J)
He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(K)
    he enthrones them with kings(L)
    and exalts them forever.(M)
But if people are bound in chains,(N)
    held fast by cords of affliction,(O)
he tells them what they have done—
    that they have sinned arrogantly.(P)
10 He makes them listen(Q) to correction(R)
    and commands them to repent of their evil.(S)
11 If they obey and serve him,(T)
    they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity(U)
    and their years in contentment.(V)
12 But if they do not listen,
    they will perish by the sword[a](W)
    and die without knowledge.(X)

13 “The godless in heart(Y) harbor resentment;(Z)
    even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.(AA)
14 They die in their youth,(AB)
    among male prostitutes of the shrines.(AC)
15 But those who suffer(AD) he delivers in their suffering;(AE)
    he speaks(AF) to them in their affliction.(AG)

16 “He is wooing(AH) you from the jaws of distress
    to a spacious place(AI) free from restriction,(AJ)
    to the comfort of your table(AK) laden with choice food.(AL)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;(AM)
    judgment and justice have taken hold of you.(AN)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
    do not let a large bribe(AO) turn you aside.(AP)
19 Would your wealth(AQ) or even all your mighty efforts
    sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,(AR)
    to drag people away from their homes.[b]
21 Beware of turning to evil,(AS)
    which you seem to prefer to affliction.(AT)

22 “God is exalted in his power.(AU)
    Who is a teacher like him?(AV)
23 Who has prescribed his ways(AW) for him,(AX)
    or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?(AY)
24 Remember to extol his work,(AZ)
    which people have praised in song.(BA)
25 All humanity has seen it;(BB)
    mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!(BC)
    The number of his years is past finding out.(BD)

27 “He draws up the drops of water,(BE)
    which distill as rain to the streams[c];(BF)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers(BG) fall on mankind.(BH)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
    how he thunders(BI) from his pavilion?(BJ)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(BK) about him,
    bathing the depths of the sea.(BL)
31 This is the way he governs[d] the nations(BM)
    and provides food(BN) in abundance.(BO)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its mark.(BP)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(BQ)
    even the cattle make known its approach.[e](BR)

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:12 Or will cross the river
  2. Job 36:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
  3. Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
  4. Job 36:31 Or nourishes
  5. Job 36:33 Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evil