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約伯咒詛自己的生日

後來,約伯開口咒詛自己的生日。 約伯說:

“願我生的那日泯滅,

人說懷男胎的那夜滅沒。

願那日變成黑暗,

願 神不從上面眷顧,

願光明不照耀在其上。

願黑暗與死蔭索討那日,

願密雲停留在上面,

願白天的昏黑驚嚇它。

願那夜被幽暗奪去,

不讓它連在平日之中,列入月數之內。

願那夜沒有生育,

也沒有歡樂的聲音。

那些咒詛日子、善於惹動海怪的,

願他們咒詛那夜。

願那夜黎明的星星變成黑暗,

願那夜等候發光卻不亮,見不到清晨的曙光。

10 因為那夜沒有把我母胎的門關閉,

也沒有把苦難隱藏,使我看不見。

切願夭折

11 我為甚麼不一離母胎就死去?

我為甚麼不一出母腹就斷氣?

12 為甚麼有膝承接我?

為甚麼有乳哺養我?

13 不然,我早已躺下安息,

14 與世上那些為自己建造陵墓的君王和謀士同睡,

15 或與那些擁有黃金,房屋裝滿銀子的王侯同眠。

16 我為甚麼不像暗中流產的胎,未見天日的嬰孩,歸於無有呢?

17 在那裡,惡人止息攪擾,

筋疲力盡的得安息;

18 被囚的同享安寧;

聽不見督工的聲音;

19 老少尊卑都在那裡,

奴僕脫離主人的轄制。

厭惡生存

20 為甚麼有光明賜給勞碌的人,

有生命賜給苦命的人呢?

21 他們想死卻死不了,找死勝於找寶藏;

22 他們找到墳墓就高興,非常歡喜快樂。

23 為甚麼有生命賜給前途茫茫,又被 神四面圍困的人呢?

24 我以歎息代替食物,

我唉哼的聲音如水湧出。

25 我所懼怕的臨到我,

我所驚恐的向我而來。

26 我不得安逸,不得安靜,

也不得安息,卻有攪擾來到。”

Job Curses His Birth

After seven days Job spoke. He cursed the day he had been born. Job said:

“Let the day I was born be destroyed.
    And destroy the night when it was said, ‘A boy is born!’
Let that day turn to darkness.
    Let God not even care about it.
    Don’t let light shine on that day.
Let darkness and gloom have that day.
    Let a cloud hide that day.
    Let darkness cover its light.
Let thick darkness capture that night.
    Don’t count it among the days of the year.
    Don’t put it in any of the months.
Let that night be empty.
    Let no shout of joy be heard in it.
Let the people who curse days curse that day.
    They know how to wake up the sea monster Leviathan.
Let that day’s morning stars become dark.
    Let it wait for daylight, but don’t let it come.
    Don’t let it see the first light of dawn.
10 This is because it allowed me to be born.
    That day did not hide trouble from my eyes.

11 “Why didn’t I die as soon as I was born?
    Why didn’t I die when I came out of the womb?
12 Why did my mother’s knees receive me?
    Why did my mother’s breasts feed me?
13 If they had not been there, I would be lying dead in peace.
    I would be asleep and at rest.
14 I would be asleep with kings and wise men of the earth.
    They built places for themselves that are now ruined.
15 I would be asleep with rulers who had gold.
    They filled their houses with silver!
16 Or why was I not buried like a child born dead?
    I wish I were like a baby who never saw the light of day.
17 In the grave the wicked stop causing trouble.
    And people who are tired are at rest.
18 In the grave there is rest for the captives.
    They no longer hear the shout of the slave driver.
19 People great and small are in the grave.
    And the slave is freed from his master.

20 “Why is life given to those who are in misery?
    Why is it given to those who are so unhappy?
21 Some people want to die, but death does not come.
    They search for death more than for hidden treasure.
22 They are very happy
    when they get to the grave.
23 Life shouldn’t be given to a man who doesn’t know what will happen to him.
    It shouldn’t be given to a man who feels trapped by God.
24 I make sad sounds as I eat.
    My groans pour out like water.
25 The thing I was afraid of has happened to me.
    And the thing I dreaded has happened.
26 I have no peace. I have no quietness.
    I have no rest. I only have trouble.”

After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

And Job spake, and said,

Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.

Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

12 Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?

13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, which build desolate places for themselves;

15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.

18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

19 The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

21 Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

22 Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?

23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

Job Deplores His Birth

After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. And Job [a]spoke, and said:

“May(A) the day perish on which I was born,
And the night in which it was said,
‘A male child is conceived.’
May that day be darkness;
May God above not seek it,
Nor the light shine upon it.
May darkness and (B)the shadow of death claim it;
May a cloud settle on it;
May the blackness of the day terrify it.
As for that night, may darkness seize it;
May it not [b]rejoice among the days of the year,
May it not come into the number of the months.
Oh, may that night be barren!
May no joyful shout come into it!
May those curse it who curse the day,
Those (C)who are ready to arouse Leviathan.
May the stars of its morning be dark;
May it look for light, but have none,
And not see the [c]dawning of the day;
10 Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb,
Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.

11 “Why(D) did I not die at birth?
Why did I not [d]perish when I came from the womb?
12 (E)Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?
13 For now I would have lain still and been quiet,
I would have been asleep;
Then I would have been at rest
14 With kings and counselors of the earth,
Who (F)built ruins for themselves,
15 Or with princes who had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver;
16 Or why was I not hidden (G)like a stillborn child,
Like infants who never saw light?
17 There the wicked cease from troubling,
And there the [e]weary are at (H)rest.
18 There the prisoners [f]rest together;
(I)They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and great are there,
And the servant is free from his master.

20 “Why(J) is light given to him who is in misery,
And life to the (K)bitter of soul,
21 Who (L)long[g] for death, but it does not come,
And search for it more than (M)hidden treasures;
22 Who rejoice exceedingly,
And are glad when they can find the (N)grave?
23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
(O)And whom God has hedged in?
24 For my sighing comes before [h]I eat,
And my groanings pour out like water.
25 For the thing I greatly (P)feared has come upon me,
And what I dreaded has happened to me.
26 I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest, for trouble comes.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 3:2 Lit. answered
  2. Job 3:6 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. be joined
  3. Job 3:9 eyelids of the dawn
  4. Job 3:11 expire
  5. Job 3:17 Lit. weary of strength
  6. Job 3:18 are at ease
  7. Job 3:21 Lit. wait
  8. Job 3:24 Lit. my bread