Job’s Defense

God Sets a Boundary Between Light and Darkness

26 1-4 Job answered:

“Well, you’ve certainly been a great help to a helpless man!
    You came to the rescue just in the nick of time!
What wonderful advice you’ve given to a mixed-up man!
    What amazing insights you’ve provided!
Where in the world did you learn all this?
    How did you become so inspired?

5-14 “All the buried dead are in torment,
    and all who’ve been drowned in the deep, deep sea.
Hell is ripped open before God,
    graveyards dug up and exposed.
He spreads the skies over unformed space,
    hangs the earth out in empty space.
He pours water into cumulus cloud-bags
    and the bags don’t burst.
He makes the moon wax and wane,
    putting it through its phases.
He draws the horizon out over the ocean,
    sets a boundary between light and darkness.
Thunder crashes and rumbles in the skies.
    Listen! It’s God raising his voice!
By his power he stills sea storms,
    by his wisdom he tames sea monsters.
With one breath he clears the sky,
    with one finger he crushes the sea serpent.
And this is only the beginning,
    a mere whisper of his rule.
    Whatever would we do if he really raised his voice!”

26 约伯回答说:
“无能的人蒙你何等的帮助!
膀臂无力的人蒙你何等的拯救!
无智慧的人蒙你何等的指教!
你向他显出丰富的知识。
你向谁发出言语?
谁的灵从你而出?
在大水和水族以下,
阴魂战兢。
在 神面前,阴间显露;
冥府[a]也不得遮掩。
 神将北极铺在空中,
将大地悬在虚空。
他将水包在密云中,
盛水的云却不破裂。
他遮蔽宝座的正面,
把他的云彩铺在其上。
10 他在水面上划一圆圈,
直到光明与黑暗的交界。
11 天的柱子震动,
因他的斥责惊奇。
12 他以能力搅动[b]大海
藉知识打伤拉哈伯
13 他藉自己的灵使天空晴朗;
他的手刺杀爬得快的蛇。
14 看哪,这不过是 神工作的些微;
我们听见他的话,是何等细微的声音!
他大能的雷声谁能明白呢?”

Footnotes

  1. 26.6 “冥府”:原文音译“亚巴顿”,意思是“灭亡之地”。
  2. 26.12 “搅动”或译“平静”。