约伯记 31
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
约伯最后的申辩
31 “我跟自己的眼睛立了约，
决不贪看女色。
2 天上的上帝所定的是什么？
高天的全能者赐下什么产业？
3 岂不是降灾难给不义之人，
降祸患给作恶的人？
4 上帝岂不鉴察我走的路，
数算我的脚步？
5 我何曾与虚假同行，
疾步追随诡诈？
6 愿上帝把我放在公义的天平上称量，
让祂知道我的清白。
7 倘若我的脚偏离正路，
贪图眼目之欲，
或手上粘着罪污，
8 愿我种的庄稼被别人享用，
我田中的出产被连根拔起。
9 我的心若迷恋女人，
在邻居的门口窥探，
10 愿我妻子为别人推磨，
愿别人与她同房。
11 因为这是大恶，
是当受审判的罪，
12 是烧向灭亡的火焰，
会吞噬我所有家业。
13 我的仆婢告我，
我也会讲公道，
14 否则上帝追究，我怎么办？
祂审问我，我如何回答？
15 祂创造了我，岂不也创造了他们？
岂不是同一位使我们在母腹中成胎？
16 我何曾拒绝穷人的请求，
或使寡妇眼露失望之情，
17 或独吞我的食物，
不与孤儿同享？
18 我自幼就如父亲般抚养孤儿，
我自出母胎就照顾寡妇。
19 倘若我见有人冻得要死，
或有穷人衣不蔽体，
20 却没有把我的羊毛给他们御寒，
以致他们向我道谢；
21 倘若我仗着在城门口有势力，
就动手欺负孤儿，
22 情愿我的肩膀从肩胛脱落，
我的手臂从手肘折断。
23 因为我惧怕上帝降灾祸，
我无法承担祂的威严。
24 “我若仰仗金子，
依靠纯金，
25 因财富充裕、
或家产丰足而欢喜；
26 我若见太阳发光，
明月在天上移动，
27 就暗自心生迷恋，
向它们吻手示敬，
28 就是犯了当受审判的罪恶，
因为这等于我背弃了天上的上帝。
29 “我何曾因敌人遭殃而欢喜，
因他们遇祸而快乐？
30 我从未咒诅他们丧命，
以致我的口犯罪。
31 住在我帐篷中的人，
谁没饱餐我的肉食呢？
32 我的家门向路人敞开，
从未有旅客露宿街头。
33 我何曾像亚当一样遮掩我的过犯，
将罪恶藏在怀中，
34 因惧怕群众，
被族人藐视，
就默不作声、不敢出门？
35 “但愿有人听我申诉！
看啊，我在这里画押，愿全能者回答我！
愿我的控诉者写好状词！
36 我会把状词披在肩上，
如冠冕一般戴在头上。
37 我会像王者一样到祂面前，
向祂交代我的一切所为。
38 “若我的田地向我喊冤，
条条犁沟一同哭诉；
39 若我白吃地的出产，
或使地的主人丧命，
40 愿地长出蒺藜而非麦子，
长出杂草而非大麦。”
约伯的话说完了。
Job 31
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 31
Let God Weigh Me on Honest Scales[a]
1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes
not to look with desire upon a virgin.
2 For what is man’s lot prescribed by God above,
his inheritance from the Almighty on high?
3 Is it not destruction for the wicked
and disaster for wrongdoers?
4 Does not God see my ways
and number all my steps?
5 “If I have walked in falsehood
or hastened my steps toward deceit,
6 let God weigh me on honest scales;
then he will know that I am blameless.
If My Steps Have Wandered . . .[b]
7 “If my steps have wandered from the path of righteousness,
or if my eyes have led my heart astray,
or if any stain has besmirched my hands,
8 then let someone else eat what I sow,
and let my crops be uprooted.
9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman
and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,
10 then let my wife grind grain[c] for another
and let other men enjoy her.
11 For that would be a heinous crime
and judged as a criminal offense.
12 It would be a fire that leads to Destruction[d]
until it consumes all my possessions completely.
13 “If I have ever rejected the pleas of my male or female slaves
when they lodged a complaint against me,
14 what will I do when God confronts me?
What will I answer if he calls me to account?
15 Did not he who formed me in the womb also make them?
Did not the one God create all human beings?[e]
16 “Have I ignored the needs of the poor
or caused the eyes of widows to overflow with tears?
17 Did I ever eat my bread alone
without sharing it with an orphan,
18 I whom God has reared like a father
and guided ever since I left my mother’s womb?
19 “Have I ever seen a stranger in need of clothing,
or a poor wretch with nothing to cover him,
20 whose body has not blessed me
after being warmed with the fleece of my sheep?
21 Have I ever raised my hand against the innocent,
knowing that my friends would support me?
22 “If I have done any of these things,
then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder
and let my arm be torn from its socket.
23 For then the fear of God would overcome me
and I would be unable to stand in his presence.
24 “Have I placed my faith in gold
and regarded it as my security?
25 Have I rejoiced in my great wealth
and the abundance of riches in my possession?
26 [f]Have I beheld the sun when it shone
and the moon moving in its splendor
27 and ever found my heart to be secretly enticed
so that I blew them a kiss in homage?
28 Any of these would be a serious offense,
for I would have been unfaithful to God above.
29 [g]“Have I ever rejoiced at the ruin of my enemy
or exulted when evil overtook him—
30 I who would not allow my tongue to sin
by laying his life under a curse?
31 Have not those of my household said,
‘Who has not eaten his meat and been sated?’
32 No stranger has ever had to spend the night in the street;
my door has always been open to the traveler.
33 “Have I ever concealed my transgressions as others do,
keeping my guilt buried within my breast,
34 because I feared the gossip that would ensue,
and I was terrified at the scorn of the multitude?
If so, then I would have remained silent
and not ventured out of doors.
May God Respond[h]
35 [i]“Oh, if only I had someone to hear my defense
and my accuser would write out his indictment!
36 I would wear it on my shoulder
and place it on my head as a crown.
37 I would give him an account of my entire life,
and like a prince I would present myself before him.
Concluding Oath[j]
38 “If my land has cried out against me
and its furrows have joined in the weeping,
39 if I have eaten its produce without payment
and caused the death of its owners,
40 then let thistles grow instead of wheat
and noxious weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Footnotes
- Job 31:1 If God recompenses everyone according to one’s deserts, he must render justice to Job.
- Job 31:7 Using the traditional formula for cursing (Num 5:20-22), Job examines his life in all the fundamental areas of religion and the law. In his actions, intentions, and most secret feelings, he is without fault.
- Job 31:10 Grind grain: slaves were used for grinding grain.
- Job 31:12 Destruction: literally, “Abaddon”; see note on Job 26:6.
- Job 31:15 Some scholars believe that verses 38-40 of this chapter should be placed after this verse instead of in their accustomed spot.
- Job 31:26 Job knows that to worship the sun or the moon is a sin (see Deut 4:19; 17:3; Ezek 8:16f), and he was careful not to do so. Blew them a kiss: a sign of respect that implied recognition of a divinity (the Latin word adorare [“adore”] came from ad os meaning “put the hand to the mouth”). Therefore, to blow a kiss to the stars meant to practice idolatry.
- Job 31:29 Job has never succumbed to gloating over enemies, which had been condemned by Moses (Ex 23:4f) and would later also be ruled out by Christ (Mt 5:43-47).
- Job 31:35 Job is ready to appear before God and certain to be able to refute every accusation in his presence.
- Job 31:35 The written indictment took the form of a lengthy papyrus scroll that Job would like to wear like a turban.
- Job 31:38 Job now offers a concluding oath to complete an earlier theme. He calls for a curse on his land if he has neglected social justice (see vv. 13-15). Some scholars place verses 38-40 after verse 15 in this chapter.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
