約伯的回答

16 約伯回答說:

「這些話,我聽過很多,
你們安慰人,反讓人愁煩。
你們的空談無休無止嗎?
是什麼惹你們說個不停?
倘若你我易地而處,
我也能說你們那樣的話,
滔滔不絕地攻擊你們,
向你們搖頭。
我會對你們講鼓勵的話,
用勸慰之言減輕你們的痛苦。

「我若申辯,痛苦不減;
我若緘默,痛苦猶在。
上帝啊,你使我精疲力竭,
家破人亡,
你榨乾了我,
使我骨瘦如柴,
這成了我的罪證。
上帝在憤怒中撕裂我,迫害我,
向我咬牙切齒;
仇敵惡狠狠地盯著我。
10 他們嘲笑我,
輕蔑地摑我的臉,
聯合起來攻擊我。
11 上帝把我交給罪人,
把我扔到惡人手中。
12 我本來平順,祂擊垮了我,
祂抓住我的頸項將我摔碎,
把我當祂的箭靶。
13 祂的弓箭手四面圍住我,
祂毫不留情地刺透我的腎臟,
使我肝膽塗地。
14 祂一次次地擊傷我,
像勇士一樣撲向我。
15 我縫製麻衣,披在身上,
把我的榮耀埋在塵土中。
16 我哭得臉頰紅腫,
眼皮發黑。
17 但我未行殘暴之事,
我的禱告純真。

18 「大地啊!不要掩蓋我的血,
不要攔阻我的呼求。
19 此時,我的見證人在天上,
我的辯護者在高天上。
20 我的朋友譏笑我,
我在上帝面前流淚。
21 但願人與上帝之間有仲裁者,
如同人與人之間。
22 因為我的年日不多,
我快要踏上不歸路。

約伯反嘲安慰人的反叫人愁煩

16 約伯回答說:

“像這樣的話,我聽了很多;

你們都是叫人愁煩的安慰者。

虛空的言語,有窮盡嗎?

或有甚麼惹你答個不休的呢?

你們若處在我的景況,

我也能像你們那樣說話,

我也能砌辭攻擊你們,

並且能向你們搖頭。

我能用口鼓勵你們,

我嘴唇的安慰,能緩和你們的痛苦。

力陳他的痛苦

我若說話,痛苦仍不消解,

我若閉口不說,痛苦也不離開我。

現在 神使我困倦,

‘你蹂躪了我的全家,

又把我捆綁起來。’這就作為證據;

我身體的枯瘦也當面作證反對我。

他的怒氣撕裂我,攻擊我;

他向我咬牙切齒,

我的敵人以銳利的眼光看著我。

10 他們向我大大張嘴,

以蔑視的態度打我的臉頰,

聯合一起攻擊我。

11  神把我交給不義的人,

把我丟在惡人的手中。

12 我本來安逸,他卻把我壓碎;

掐著我的頸項,把我摔碎;

又把我當作他的箭靶。

13 他的弓箭手四面包圍我,

他剖開我的腰子,全不顧惜,

把我的膽傾倒在地上。

14 他把我破傷,在破口上又加破傷,

如勇士一般向我直衝。

15 我把麻布縫在我的皮膚上,

把我的角插入塵土中。

16 我的臉因哭泣而發紅,

在我的眼皮上滿是黑影。

17 然而在我的手中沒有強暴,

我的禱告也是清潔的。

向 神哭訴

18 地啊,不要遮蓋我的血;

不要讓我的哀求有停留的地方。

19 現今,在天上有我的見證,

在高天之上,有我的證人。

20 譏笑我的,就是我的朋友,

我的眼向 神流淚。

21 但願人可以為人與 神分辯,

正如世人為朋友辯白一樣。

22 因為我的年數將盡,

我快要走上那條一去不返的路。”

16 Then Job answered and said,

I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you.

But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief.

Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased?

But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company.

And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.

11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.

15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.

16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;

17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure.

18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.

20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return.