約伯的回答

19 約伯回答說:

「你們要折磨我多久?
用言語壓碎我到何時?
你們侮辱我已有十次之多,
苦待我也不以為恥。
即使我真有過錯,
也由我獨自承擔。
你們若真要妄自尊大,
利用我的恥辱來指責我,
也該知道是上帝冤枉了我,
用網羅套住我。
我喊冤,卻無人回應;
我呼救,卻不見公道。
上帝築起牆壘,阻斷我的路,
祂使黑暗籠罩我的路途。
祂剝去我的榮耀,
摘走我頭上的冠冕。
10 祂從四面攻擊我,直到我消逝;
祂把我的希望像樹一樣連根拔除。
11 祂向我發烈怒,
視我為仇敵。
12 祂的大軍蜂擁而來,
在我帳篷四周紮營,
將我團團圍住。

13 「祂使我的弟兄遠離我,
我的熟人完全背棄我。
14 我的親屬離開我,
我的摯友忘記我。
15 我的客人和婢女都視我如陌路,
把我當作外族人。
16 我呼喚僕人,他卻不回應;
我哀求他,他也不理睬。
17 我妻子厭惡我的氣息,
我的手足都嫌棄我。
18 連小孩子都鄙視我;
我一出現,他們就嘲笑我。
19 我的密友都憎惡我,
我愛的人也反對我。
20 我瘦得只剩下皮包骨,
我離死亡僅一線之隔[a]

21 「我的朋友啊,可憐我吧!可憐我吧!
因為上帝的手擊打我。
22 你們為何像上帝一樣逼我?
為何吃了我的肉還不滿足?
23 但願把我的話寫下來,
記錄在書卷上,
24 用鐵筆和鉛鐫刻在磐石上,
直存到永遠。
25 我知道我的救贖主活著,
最後祂必站在地上。
26 我的皮肉雖然要朽爛,
但我必活著[b]見上帝。
27 我要親自見祂,
我要親眼見祂。
我心中充滿渴望!
28 你們說禍根在我身上,
還想繼續迫害我。
29 你們自己應當畏懼刀劍,
因為烈怒會帶來刀劍的懲罰,
那時你們將知道有審判。」

Footnotes

  1. 19·20 我離死亡僅一線之隔」希伯來文是「我只剩牙皮逃脫」。
  2. 19·26 活著」或譯「在肉體之外」。

Job Answers Bildad

19 Then Job answered:

“How long will you hurt me
    and crush me with your words?
You have insulted me ten times now.
    You attack me without shame.
If I have sinned,
    it is my worry alone.
Maybe you want to make yourselves look better than I do
    so you can blame me for my suffering.
Then know that God has wronged me.
    He has pulled his net around me.

“I shout, ‘I have been wronged!’
    But I get no answer.
I call loudly for help,
    but I receive no justice.
God has blocked my way so I cannot pass.
    He has covered my paths with darkness.
He has taken away my honor.
    He has removed the crown from my head.
10 He beats me down on every side until I am gone.
    He pulls up my hope as a tree is pulled up by its roots.
11 His anger burns against me.
    And he treats me as one of his enemies.
12 His armies gather.
    They prepare a way to attack me.
    They camp around my tent.

13 “God has made my brothers my enemies.
    My friends have become complete strangers.
14 My relatives have gone away.
    My friends have forgotten me.
15 My guests and my women servants think of me as a stranger.
    They look at me as if I were a foreigner.
16 I call for my servant, but he does not answer.
    I even beg him with my own mouth.
17 My wife hates my breath.
    My own family hates me.
18 Even the little boys hate me.
    When I leave, they talk about me.
19 All my close friends hate me.
    Even those I love have turned against me.
20 I am nothing but skin and bones.
    I have escaped with only the skin of my teeth.
21 Pity me, my friends. Pity me!
    The hand of God has hit me.
22 Why do you chase me as God does?
    Haven’t you had enough of hurting my body?

23 “How I wish my words were written down.
    I wish they were written on a scroll.
24 I wish they were carved with an iron pen into lead,
    or carved into stone forever!
25 I know that my Defender lives.
    And in the end he will come to show that I am right.
26 Even after my skin has been destroyed,
    in my flesh I will still see God.
27 I will see him myself.
    I myself will see him with my own eyes.
    How my heart wants that to happen!

28 “You may say, ‘We will continue to trouble Job.
    The problem lies with him.’
29 But you should be afraid of the sword yourselves.
    God’s anger will bring punishment by the sword.
    Then you will know that there is judgment.”