「你只管呼救吧,
誰會回應你呢?
你向哪位聖者求助呢?
憤恨害死愚昧人,
嫉妒殺死無知者。
我見愚昧人扎了根,
突然咒詛臨到他家。
他的兒女毫無安寧,
在城門口受欺壓也無人搭救。
饑餓的人吞掉他的莊稼,
連荊棘裡的也不放過;
乾渴的人吞盡他的財富。
苦難並非從土裡長出,
患難並非從地裡生出。
人生來必遇患難,
正如火花必向上飛。

「若是我,
就向上帝求助,
向祂陳明苦衷。
祂行的奇事不可測度,
祂行的神蹟不可勝數。
10 祂降下雨水澆灌大地,
賜下甘霖滋潤田園。
11 祂提拔卑微的人,
庇護哀痛的人。
12 祂挫敗狡猾人的陰謀,
使他們無法得逞。
13 祂使智者中了自己的詭計,
使奸徒的計謀迅速落空。
14 他們白天遇到黑暗,
午間摸索如在夜晚。
15 上帝拯救窮苦人脫離惡人的中傷,
脫離殘暴之徒的轄制,
16 好使貧寒之人有盼望,
使不義之徒啞口無言。

17 「被上帝責備的人有福了,
不可輕視全能者的管教。
18 因為祂打傷,祂也包紮;
祂擊傷,祂也醫治。
19 六次遭難,祂都救你;
第七次,災禍也傷不到你。
20 饑荒時,祂必救你脫離死亡;
戰爭中,祂必救你脫離刀劍。
21 你必免受惡毒的譭謗,
災難來臨也不懼怕。
22 你必笑對災殃和饑荒,
毫不懼怕地上的野獸。
23 你必與田間的石頭立約,
野獸必與你和平相處。
24 你的家必安然無恙,
察看羊圈,一隻不少。
25 你必看見子孫昌盛,
後代如遍地的青草。
26 你必壽終正寢才歸墳墓,
如同莊稼熟後才被收割。
27 看啊,我們已經查驗了,
這一切真實可靠,
你當聆聽、接受。」

世人必受苦難

“你只管呼籲吧,有誰回答你?

在眾聖者之中你轉向哪一位?

煩惱殺死愚昧人,

激情害死愚蒙人。

我看見愚昧人扎下了根,

但咒詛忽然臨到他的居所。

他的兒女遠離安穩之處,

在城門口被欺壓卻沒有人援救。

飢餓的人吃盡他的莊稼,

連在荊棘裡的也搶去;

口渴的人(按照《馬索拉文本》,“口渴的人”作“網羅”;現參照其他抄本和古譯本翻譯)吞盡他的財富。

患難不從土中生出來,

勞碌不由地裡長出來;

原來人為勞碌而生,

如同火花向上飛揚。

人的指望在乎 神

至於我,我必尋求 神,

向他陳明我的案件。

他所作的大事無法測度,

所行的奇事不可勝數。

10 降雨在地上,

遣水到田裡,

11 把低微的安置在高位,

把哀慟的高舉於安穩之處;

12 又挫敗狡猾人的計謀,

使他們的手所作的無法成全;

13 他使有智慧的人中了自己的詭計,

使奸詐人的謀算快快失敗。

14 他們白天遇見黑暗,

中午摸索如在夜間。

15 他拯救窮乏人脫離他們口中的刀劍,

脫離強暴人的手;

16 這樣,貧窮人有指望,

不義的人卻閉口無言。

受主懲治的人是有福的

17  神所責備的人是有福的,

所以你不要輕看全能者的管教。

18 因為他打傷,又纏裹;

他擊傷,又親手醫治。

19 你六次遭遇患難,他都救拔你,

就算第七次,災禍也傷不了你。

20 在饑荒中,他必救你脫離死亡;

在戰爭中,他必救你脫離刀劍的權勢。

21 你必不受人口舌之害,

災殃臨到,也不害怕。

22 對災殃和饑饉,一笑置之,

地上的野獸你也不害怕。

23 你必與田間的石頭立約,

田間的野獸必與你和平相處。

24 你必曉得你的帳棚平安無事;

你查看莊舍,也一無缺失。

25 你必曉得你的後裔眾多,

子孫像地上的青草那樣茂盛。

26 你必全壽才歸到墳墓去,

如同禾捆到時就收起來。

27 這道理我們已經查明實在是這樣,

你當聆聽,也當明白。”

Eliphaz: Job Is Chastened by God

“Call out now;
Is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
For wrath kills a foolish man,
And envy slays a simple one.
(A)I have seen the foolish taking root,
But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.
His sons are (B)far from safety,
They are crushed in the gate,
And (C)there is no deliverer.
Because the hungry eat up his harvest,
[a]Taking it even from the thorns,
[b]And a snare snatches their [c]substance.
For affliction does not come from the dust,
Nor does trouble spring from the ground;
Yet man is (D)born to [d]trouble,
As the sparks fly upward.

“But as for me, I would seek God,
And to God I would commit my cause—
Who does great things, and unsearchable,
Marvelous things without number.
10 (E)He gives rain on the earth,
And sends waters on the fields.
11 (F)He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 (G)He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.
13 He catches the (H)wise in their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime,
And grope at noontime as in the night.
15 But (I)He saves the needy from the sword,
From the mouth of the mighty,
And from their hand.
16 (J)So the poor have hope,
And injustice shuts her mouth.

17 “Behold,(K) happy is the man whom God corrects;
Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18 (L)For He bruises, but He binds up;
He wounds, but His hands make whole.
19 (M)He shall deliver you in six troubles,
Yes, in seven (N)no evil shall touch you.
20 (O)In famine He shall redeem you from death,
And in war from the [e]power of the sword.
21 (P)You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22 You shall laugh at destruction and famine,
And (Q)you shall not be afraid of the (R)beasts of the earth.
23 (S)For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24 You shall know that your tent is in peace;
You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.
25 You shall also know that (T)your descendants shall be many,
And your offspring (U)like the grass of the earth.
26 (V)You shall come to the grave at a full age,
As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
27 Behold, this we have (W)searched out;
It is true.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:5 LXX They shall not be taken from evil men; Vg. And the armed man shall take him by violence
  2. Job 5:5 LXX The might shall draw them off; Vg. And the thirsty shall drink up their riches
  3. Job 5:5 wealth
  4. Job 5:7 labor
  5. Job 5:20 Lit. hand