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Hymnic praise

Job responded:

I know for certain that this is so;
    and how can anyone be innocent before God?
If one wants to contend with him,
    he won’t answer one in a thousand.
He is wise[a] and powerful;
    who can resist him and prosper?
Who removes mountains, and they are unaware;
    who overthrows them in anger?
Who shakes the earth from its place,
    and its pillars shudder?
Who commands the sun, and it does not rise,
    even seals up the stars;
    stretched out the heavens alone
    and trod on the waves of the Sea;[b]
    made the Bear and Orion, Pleiades
    and the southern constellations;
10     does great and unsearchable things,
    wonders beyond number?

A mismatch

11 If God goes by me, I can’t see him;
    he glides past, and I can’t perceive him.
12 If he seizes, who can bring back?
    Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
13 God won’t retract his anger;
    the helpers of Rahab bow beneath him.
14 Yet I myself will answer him;
    I’ll choose my words in a contest[c] with him.
15 Even if I’m innocent, I can’t answer;
    I must plead for justice.
16 If I were to call and he answered me,
    I couldn’t believe that he heard my voice.
17 Who bruises me with a tempest
    and multiplies my wounds for no reason?
18 He doesn’t let me catch my breath,
    for he fills me with bitterness.
19 If the issue is strength—behold power!
    If justice—who calls God to meet me?

There is no justice

20 If I’m innocent, my mouth condemns me;
    I have integrity; but God declares me perverse.
21 I’m blameless, yet don’t know myself;
    I reject my life.
22 It’s all the same;
    therefore, I say God destroys the blameless and the sinners.
23 If calamity suddenly kills,
    he mocks at the slaying[d] of innocents.
24 The earth is handed over to the wicked;
    he covers the faces of its judges.
    If not God, then who does?

Job wants an arbitrator

25 My days are swifter than a runner;
    they flee and don’t experience good.
26 They sweep by like ships made of reeds,
    as an eagle swoops on prey.
27 If I say, “I’ll forget my lament,
    put on a different face so I can smile,”
28     I’m still afraid of all my suffering;
        I know that you won’t declare me innocent.
29 I myself am thought guilty;
    why have I tried so hard in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow,
        purify my hands with soap,
31     then you’ll hurl me into a slimy pit
        so that my clothes detest me.
32 God is not a man like me—someone I could answer—
    so that we could come together in court.
33 Oh, that[e] there were a mediator between us;
    he would lay his hand on both of us,
34     remove his rod from me,
        so his fury wouldn’t frighten me.
35 Then I would speak—unafraid—
    for I’m not that way.

Footnotes

  1. Job 9:4 Or wise in heart; cf 37:24
  2. Job 9:8 Heb Yam, a sea god
  3. Job 9:14 Heb lacks in a contest.
  4. Job 9:23 Heb uncertain
  5. Job 9:33 Or There is no

Then Job answered,

“Truly I know that it is so,
    but how can man be just with God?
If he is pleased to contend with him,
    he can’t answer him one time in a thousand.
God is wise in heart, and mighty in strength.
    Who has hardened himself against him and prospered?
He removes the mountains, and they don’t know it,
    when he overturns them in his anger.
He shakes the earth out of its place.
    Its pillars tremble.
He commands the sun and it doesn’t rise,
    and seals up the stars.
He alone stretches out the heavens,
    and treads on the waves of the sea.
He makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades,
    and the rooms of the south.
10 He does great things past finding out;
    yes, marvelous things without number.
11 Behold, he goes by me, and I don’t see him.
    He passes on also, but I don’t perceive him.
12 Behold, he snatches away.
    Who can hinder him?
    Who will ask him, ‘What are you doing?’

13 “God will not withdraw his anger.
    The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
14 How much less will I answer him,
    and choose my words to argue with him?
15 Though I were righteous, yet I wouldn’t answer him.
    I would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me,
    yet I wouldn’t believe that he listened to my voice.
17 For he breaks me with a storm,
    and multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He will not allow me to catch my breath,
    but fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty!
    If of justice, ‘Who,’ says he, ‘will summon me?’
20 Though I am righteous, my own mouth will condemn me.
    Though I am blameless, it will prove me perverse.
21 I am blameless.
    I don’t respect myself.
    I despise my life.

22 “It is all the same.
    Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.
23 If the scourge kills suddenly,
    he will mock at the trial of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked.
    He covers the faces of its judges.
    If not he, then who is it?

25 “Now my days are swifter than a runner.
    They flee away. They see no good.
26 They have passed away as the swift ships,
    as the eagle that swoops on the prey.
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
    I will put off my sad face, and cheer up,’
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows.
    I know that you will not hold me innocent.
29 I will be condemned.
    Why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow,
    and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 yet you will plunge me in the ditch.
    My own clothes will abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him,
    that we should come together in judgment.
33 There is no umpire between us,
    that might lay his hand on us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me.
    Let his terror not make me afraid;
35 then I would speak, and not fear him,
    for I am not so in myself.

Then Job answered and said,

I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:

28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?

30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

约伯的回应

约伯回答说:

“不错,我知道你所言不虚,
但人怎能在上帝面前算为义人?
人若想与祂辩驳,
千次也不能胜一次。
祂充满智慧,能力无比,
谁能抗拒祂还可平安无恙?
祂可猝然挪动群山,
在怒气中把山翻倒。
祂震动大地,使其挪位,
以致地的支柱摇撼。
祂一声令下,
太阳便不再升起,
众星也不再发光。
祂独自铺展穹苍,
步行在海浪之上。
祂创造了北斗星、参星、昴星及南天的星座。
10 祂行的奇事不可测度,
奇迹不可胜数。
11 祂经过我身旁,我却看不见;
祂从旁边掠过,我也无法察觉。
12 祂若夺取,谁能阻挡?
谁敢问祂,‘你做什么?’
13 上帝不会忍怒不发,
海怪[a]的帮手必屈膝在祂脚前。

14 “因此,我怎敢与祂辩驳?
怎敢措辞与祂理论?
15 我纵然无辜,也无法申诉,
只能乞求我的审判者施恩。
16 即使我呼唤祂的时候,祂回应我,
我仍不相信祂会垂听我的声音。
17 祂用暴风摧毁我,
无故地使我饱受创伤。
18 祂不肯让我喘息,
祂使我尝尽苦头。
19 若论力量,祂甚强大;
若上公堂,谁敢传祂?
20 即使我清白无辜,我的口也会认罪;
即使我纯全无过,祂也会判我有罪。
21 我虽纯全无过,也已毫不在乎,
我厌恶我的生命。
22 因为,我认为都是一样,
纯全无过的人和恶人都会被祂毁灭。
23 灾祸突然夺走人命时,
祂嘲笑无辜者的遭遇。
24 大地落入恶人手中,
蒙敝审判官眼睛的不是祂是谁?

25 “我的年日比信差还快,
匆匆而过,不见幸福。
26 我的岁月疾驰如快船,
快如急降抓食的老鹰。
27 即使我说要忘掉怨恨,
抛开愁容,强颜欢笑,
28 诸多的患难仍使我惧怕,
我知道祂[b]不承认我无辜。
29 既然我被定为有罪,
又何必徒然挣扎?
30 即使我用雪水净身,
用碱水洗手,
31 祂仍会把我扔进污坑,
连我的衣服也嫌弃我。
32 祂并非我的同类,
我无法与祂争辩,一起对薄公堂。
33 我俩中间没有仲裁者,
无人为我们断定是非[c]
34 若能拿开祂责打我的刑杖,
使我不再受祂的惊吓,
35 我就会放胆发言,不必对祂心存恐惧,
但现在我却不能这样[d]

Footnotes

  1. 9:13 海怪”希伯来文是“拉哈伯”,下同26:12
  2. 9:28 ”希伯来文是“你”,下同31节。
  3. 9:33 为我们断定是非”希伯来文是“把手按在我们身上”。
  4. 9:35 但现在我却不能这样”或译“因为我知道自己的清白”。

Job

Then Job replied:

“Indeed, I know that this is true.
    But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?(A)
Though they wished to dispute with him,(B)
    they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.(C)
His wisdom(D) is profound, his power is vast.(E)
    Who has resisted(F) him and come out unscathed?(G)
He moves mountains(H) without their knowing it
    and overturns them in his anger.(I)
He shakes the earth(J) from its place
    and makes its pillars tremble.(K)
He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;(L)
    he seals off the light of the stars.(M)
He alone stretches out the heavens(N)
    and treads on the waves of the sea.(O)
He is the Maker(P) of the Bear[a] and Orion,
    the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.(Q)
10 He performs wonders(R) that cannot be fathomed,
    miracles that cannot be counted.(S)
11 When he passes me, I cannot see him;
    when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.(T)
12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?(U)
    Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’(V)
13 God does not restrain his anger;(W)
    even the cohorts of Rahab(X) cowered at his feet.

14 “How then can I dispute with him?
    How can I find words to argue with him?(Y)
15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;(Z)
    I could only plead(AA) with my Judge(AB) for mercy.(AC)
16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
    I do not believe he would give me a hearing.(AD)
17 He would crush me(AE) with a storm(AF)
    and multiply(AG) my wounds for no reason.(AH)
18 He would not let me catch my breath
    but would overwhelm me with misery.(AI)
19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!(AJ)
    And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him[b]?(AK)
20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
    if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.(AL)

21 “Although I am blameless,(AM)
    I have no concern for myself;(AN)
    I despise my own life.(AO)
22 It is all the same; that is why I say,
    ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’(AP)
23 When a scourge(AQ) brings sudden death,
    he mocks the despair of the innocent.(AR)
24 When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,(AS)
    he blindfolds its judges.(AT)
    If it is not he, then who is it?(AU)

25 “My days are swifter than a runner;(AV)
    they fly away without a glimpse of joy.(AW)
26 They skim past(AX) like boats of papyrus,(AY)
    like eagles swooping down on their prey.(AZ)
27 If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,(BA)
    I will change my expression, and smile,’
28 I still dread(BB) all my sufferings,
    for I know you will not hold me innocent.(BC)
29 Since I am already found guilty,
    why should I struggle in vain?(BD)
30 Even if I washed myself with soap(BE)
    and my hands(BF) with cleansing powder,(BG)
31 you would plunge me into a slime pit(BH)
    so that even my clothes would detest me.(BI)

32 “He is not a mere mortal(BJ) like me that I might answer him,(BK)
    that we might confront each other in court.(BL)
33 If only there were someone to mediate between us,(BM)
    someone to bring us together,(BN)
34 someone to remove God’s rod from me,(BO)
    so that his terror would frighten me no more.(BP)
35 Then I would speak up without fear of him,(BQ)
    but as it now stands with me, I cannot.(BR)

Footnotes

  1. Job 9:9 Or of Leo
  2. Job 9:19 See Septuagint; Hebrew me.