Job

23 Then Job replied:

“Even today my complaint(A) is bitter;(B)
    his hand[a] is heavy in spite of[b] my groaning.(C)
If only I knew where to find him;
    if only I could go to his dwelling!(D)
I would state my case(E) before him
    and fill my mouth with arguments.(F)
I would find out what he would answer me,(G)
    and consider what he would say to me.
Would he vigorously oppose me?(H)
    No, he would not press charges against me.(I)
There the upright(J) can establish their innocence before him,(K)
    and there I would be delivered forever from my judge.(L)

“But if I go to the east, he is not there;
    if I go to the west, I do not find him.
When he is at work in the north, I do not see him;
    when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.(M)
10 But he knows the way that I take;(N)
    when he has tested me,(O) I will come forth as gold.(P)
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;(Q)
    I have kept to his way without turning aside.(R)
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;(S)
    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.(T)

13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him?(U)
    He does whatever he pleases.(V)
14 He carries out his decree against me,
    and many such plans he still has in store.(W)
15 That is why I am terrified before him;(X)
    when I think of all this, I fear him.(Y)
16 God has made my heart faint;(Z)
    the Almighty(AA) has terrified me.(AB)
17 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,(AC)
    by the thick darkness that covers my face.

Footnotes

  1. Job 23:2 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew / the hand on me
  2. Job 23:2 Or heavy on me in

Job Proclaims God’s Righteous Judgments

23 Then Job answered and said:

“Even today my (A)complaint is bitter;
[a]My hand is listless because of my groaning.
(B)Oh, that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat!
I would present my case before Him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
I would know the words which He would answer me,
And understand what He would say to me.
(C)Would He contend with me in His great power?
No! But He would take note of me.
There the upright could reason with Him,
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

“Look,(D) I go forward, but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.
10 But (E)He knows the way that I take;
When (F)He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 (G)My foot has held fast to His steps;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 I have not departed from the (H)commandment of His lips;
(I)I have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my [b]necessary food.

13 “But He is unique, and who can make Him change?
And whatever (J)His soul desires, that He does.
14 For He performs what is (K)appointed for me,
And many such things are with Him.
15 Therefore I am terrified at His presence;
When I consider this, I am afraid of Him.
16 For God (L)made my heart weak,
And the Almighty terrifies me;
17 Because I was not (M)cut off [c]from the presence of darkness,
And He did not hide deep darkness from my face.

Footnotes

  1. Job 23:2 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX, Syr. His
  2. Job 23:12 Lit. appointed portion
  3. Job 23:17 Or by or before

23 约伯回答说:
“如今我的哀告还算为悖逆;
我虽唉哼,他的手仍然重重责罚我[a]
惟愿我知道哪里可以寻见 神,
能到他的台前,
我就在他面前陈明我的案件,
满口辩诉。
我必知道他回答我的言语,
明白他向我所要说的。
他岂用大能与我争辩呢?
不!他必理会我。
在那里正直人可以与他辩论,
我就必永远脱离那审判我的。

“看哪,我往前走,他不在那里;
往后退,也没有察觉他。
他在左边行事,我却看不见他;
他转向右边[b],我也见不到他。
10 然而他知道我所走的路;
他试炼我,我就如纯金。
11 我的脚紧跟他的步伐;
我谨守他的道,并不偏离。
12 他嘴唇的命令,我未曾背弃;
我看重他口中的言语,过于我需用的饮食[c][d]
13 只是他心志已定,谁能使他转意呢?
他心里所愿的,就行出来。
14 因此,为我所定的,他必做成,
这类的事他还有许多。
15 所以我在他面前惊惶;
我思想就惧怕他。
16  神使我丧胆,
全能者使我惊惶。
17 但我并非被黑暗剪除,
只是幽暗遮盖了我的脸。

Footnotes

  1. 23.2 “他的手…责罚我”是根据七十士译本和其他古译本;原文是“我的手是重的”。
  2. 23.9 “他转向右边”或译“他在右边隐藏”。
  3. 23.12 “我需用的饮食”或译“我的原则”。
  4. 23.12 “我看重…饮食。”七十士译本是“我把他的言语珍藏在我胸怀。”