约伯记 31
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
約伯雖然受苦仍守道不渝
31 “我與自己的眼睛立了約，
決不注視處女。
2 從至上的 神所得的分，
從至高的全能者所得的業是甚麼呢？
3 災難不是臨到不義的人嗎？
災禍不是臨到作孽的人嗎？
4 神不是察看我的道路，
數算我的一切腳步嗎？
5 我若與虛謊同行，
我的腳若急於追隨詭詐，
6 就願我被公平的天平稱度，
使 神可以知道我的完全。
7 我的腳步若偏離正道，
我的心若隨從眼目而行，
我的手掌若黏有任何污點，
8 就願我所種的，讓別人來吃，
願我田中出產的，都連根拔起來。
9 我的心若被女人迷惑，
在別人的門口埋伏，
10 就願我的妻子作別人的奴僕，
也願別人屈身與她行淫，
11 因為這是大惡，是該受審判的罪孽；
12 這是焚燒直至毀滅的火，
必把我所有的收穫都拔出來。
13 我的僕婢與我爭論的時候，
我若輕視他們的案件，
14 神若起來，我怎麼辦呢？
他若鑒察，我怎樣回答呢？
15 那造我在母腹中的，不也造他嗎？
造我們在母胎裡的，不是同一位嗎？
16 我若不給窮人所要的，
或使寡婦的眼所期待的落空；
17 我若獨吃我的一點食物，
孤兒卻沒有與我同吃；
18 自我幼年時，孤兒與我一同長大，
以我為父，
從我出母腹以來，我就善待寡婦。
19 我若見人因無衣服死亡，
或貧窮人毫無遮蓋；
20 他若不因我的羊毛得溫暖，
他的心若不向我道謝；
21 我若在城門見有支持我的，
就揮手攻擊孤兒，
22 就願我的肩頭從肩胛脫落，
願我的前臂從上臂折斷；
23 因為 神所降的災難使我恐懼，
因他的崇高我不敢妄為。
24 我若以黃金為我所信靠的，
又對精金說：‘你是我所靠賴的’；
25 我若因為財物豐裕，
或因為我多獲財利而歡喜；
26 我若見太陽（“太陽”直譯是“光”）照耀，
或明月行在空中，
27 以致心中暗暗地受到迷惑，
用自己的嘴親手；
28 那麼這也就是該受審判的罪孽，
因為我欺哄了高高在上的 神。
29 我若因恨我的人遭災禍而歡喜，
或因他遇患難而高興；
30 我並沒有容許我的口犯罪，
咒詛他的性命。
31 我家裡的人若沒有說：
‘誰能找出哪一個沒有飽吃他的肉食的呢？’
32 旅客沒有在街上過夜，
我的門向過路的人是敞開的。
33 我若像亞當遮掩我的過犯，
把我的罪孽藏在懷中，
34 因為我懼怕群眾，
宗族的藐視又使我驚恐，
以致我靜默不言，足不出門。
35 但願有一位肯聽我的，
看哪！這是我所劃的押，
願全能者回答我，
願那與我爭訟的寫好狀詞。
36 我定要把它帶到我的肩上，
綁在我的頭上為冠冕。
37 我要向他述說全部的行為，
又像王子一般進到他面前。
38 我的田地若呼冤控告我，
地的犁溝若都一同哀哭；
39 我若吃地裡的出產而不給價銀，
或使地主氣絕身亡，
40 就願蒺藜長出來代替小麥，
臭草代替大麥。”
約伯的話說完了。
Job 31
New King James Version
Job Defends His Righteousness
31 “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I [a]look upon a (A)young woman?
2 For what is the (B)allotment of God from above,
And the inheritance of the Almighty from on high?
3 Is it not destruction for the wicked,
And disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4 (C)Does He not see my ways,
And count all my steps?
5 “If I have walked with falsehood,
Or if my foot has hastened to deceit,
6 [b]Let me be weighed on honest scales,
That God may know my (D)integrity.
7 If my step has turned from the way,
Or (E)my heart walked after my eyes,
Or if any spot adheres to my hands,
8 Then (F)let me sow, and another eat;
Yes, let my harvest be [c]rooted out.
9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
Or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,
10 Then let my wife grind for (G)another,
And let others bow down over her.
11 For that would be wickedness;
Yes, (H)it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.
12 For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction,
And would root out all my increase.
13 “If I have (I)despised the cause of my male or female servant
When they complained against me,
14 What then shall I do when (J)God rises up?
When He punishes, how shall I answer Him?
15 (K)Did not He who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire,
Or caused the eyes of the widow to (L)fail,
17 Or eaten my morsel by myself,
So that the fatherless could not eat of it
18 (But from my youth I reared him as a father,
And from my mother’s womb I guided [d]the widow);
19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
Or any poor man without covering;
20 If his [e]heart has not (M)blessed me,
And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have raised my hand (N)against the fatherless,
When I saw I had help in the gate;
22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder,
Let my arm be torn from the socket.
23 For (O)destruction from God is a terror to me,
And because of His magnificence I cannot endure.
24 “If(P) I have made gold my hope,
Or said to fine gold, ‘You are my confidence’;
25 (Q)If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,
And because my hand had gained much;
26 (R)If I have observed the [f]sun when it shines,
Or the moon moving in brightness,
27 So that my heart has been secretly enticed,
And my mouth has kissed my hand;
28 This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment,
For I would have denied God who is above.
29 “If(S) I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me,
Or lifted myself up when evil found him
30 (T)(Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By asking for a curse on his [g]soul);
31 If the men of my tent have not said,
‘Who is there that has not been satisfied with his meat?’
32 (U)(But no sojourner had to lodge in the street,
For I have opened my doors to the [h]traveler);
33 If I have covered my transgressions (V)as[i] Adam,
By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,
34 Because I feared the great (W)multitude,
And dreaded the contempt of families,
So that I kept silence
And did not go out of the door—
35 (X)Oh, that I had one to hear me!
Here is my mark.
Oh, (Y)that the Almighty would answer me,
That my [j]Prosecutor had written a book!
36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
And bind it on me like a crown;
37 I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.
38 “If my land cries out against me,
And its furrows weep together;
39 If (Z)I have eaten its [k]fruit without money,
Or (AA)caused its owners to lose their lives;
40 Then let (AB)thistles grow instead of wheat,
And weeds instead of barley.”
The words of Job are ended.
Job 31
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 31
1 I made a covenant with my eyes
not to gaze upon a virgin.
2 What portion comes from God above,
what heritage from the Almighty on high?
3 Is it not calamity for the unrighteous,
and woe for evildoers?
4 Does he not see my ways,
and number all my steps?(A)
5 If I have walked in falsehood[a]
and my foot has hastened to deceit,
6 Let God weigh me in the scales of justice;
thus will he know my innocence!(B)
7 If my steps have turned out of the way,
and my heart has followed my eyes,
or any stain clings to my hands,
8 Then may I sow, but another eat,
and may my produce be rooted up!
9 If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door;
10 Then may my wife grind for another,
and may others kneel over her!
11 For that would be heinous,
a crime to be condemned,(C)
12 A fire that would consume down to Abaddon[b]
till it uprooted all my crops.(D)
13 Had I refused justice to my manservant
or to my maidservant, when they had a complaint against me,
14 What then should I do when God rises up?
What could I answer when he demands an account?
15 Did not he who made me in the belly make him?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?
16 If I have denied anything that the poor desired,(E)
or allowed the eyes of the widow to languish
17 While I ate my portion alone,
with no share in it for the fatherless,
18 Though like a father he[c] has reared me from my youth,
guiding me even from my mother’s womb—
19 If I have seen a wanderer without clothing,
or a poor man without covering,
20 Whose limbs have not blessed me
when warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have raised my hand against the innocent
because I saw that I had supporters at the gate—[d]
22 Then may my arm fall from the shoulder,
my forearm be broken at the elbow!
23 For I dread calamity from God,
and his majesty will overpower me.
24 Had I put my trust in gold
or called fine gold my security;
25 Or had I rejoiced that my wealth was great,
or that my hand had acquired abundance—
26 Had I looked upon the light[e] as it shone,(F)
or the moon in the splendor of its progress,
27 And had my heart been secretly enticed
to blow them a kiss with my hand,
28 This too would be a crime for condemnation,
for I should have denied God above.(G)
29 Had I rejoiced at the destruction of my enemy
or exulted when evil came upon him,(H)
30 Even though I had not allowed my mouth to sin
by invoking a curse against his life—
31 Had not the men of my tent exclaimed,
“Who has not been filled with his meat!”[f]
32 No stranger lodged in the street,
for I opened my door to wayfarers—
33 [g]Had I, all too human, hidden my sins
and buried my guilt in my bosom
34 Because I feared the great multitude
and the scorn of the clans terrified me—
then I should have remained silent, and not come out of doors!
35 [h]Oh, that I had one to hear my case:
here is my signature:[i] let the Almighty answer me!
Let my accuser write out his indictment!(I)
36 Surely, I should wear it on my shoulder[j]
or put it on me like a diadem;
37 Of all my steps I should give him an account;
like a prince[k] I should present myself before him.
38 If my land has cried out against me
till its furrows wept together;
39 If I have eaten its strength without payment
and grieved the hearts of its tenants;
40 Then let the thorns grow instead of wheat
and stinkweed instead of barley!
The words of Job are ended.
Footnotes
- 31:5–34 In a series of purificatory oaths, Job protests his innocence.
- 31:12 Abaddon: see note on 26:6.
- 31:18 He: presumably God.
- 31:21 Gate: cf. notes on 5:4; Ru 4:1.
- 31:26–28 Light: of the sun. Job never sinned by worshiping the sun or the moon. Blow them a kiss: an act of idolatrous worship.
- 31:31 The members of his extended family will testify to his hospitality.
- 31:33–34 Job’s present protest is made, not in spite of hidden sins which he had been unwilling to disclose, but out of genuine innocence. All too human: can also be translated “like Adam.”
- 31:35–37 This concluding bravado fits better after v. 40a.
- 31:35 My signature: lit., “tau,” the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, shaped like a cross. Job issues a subpoena to God, and challenges him to follow proper legal procedure as well.
- 31:36 On my shoulder: i.e., boldly, proudly.
- 31:37 Like a prince: not as a frightened criminal.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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