琐法的回答

11 拿玛人琐法回答说:
“难道滔滔不绝就无人反驳?
难道唠唠叨叨就证明有理?
你喋喋不休,人们岂能缄默不言?
你嘲笑讥讽,岂不该有人使你羞愧?
你自以为信仰纯全,
在上帝眼中清白。
唯愿上帝发言,
开口驳斥你,
告诉你智慧的奥秘,
因为真智慧深奥难懂。
要知道,上帝对你的惩罚比你该受的还轻。

“你能测度上帝的深奥,
探索全能者的极限吗?
那可比诸天还高,你能做什么?
那可比阴间还深,你能知道什么?
那可比大地还宽广,
比海洋还辽阔。
10 祂若来囚禁你,
开庭审判,
谁能阻拦?
11 祂洞悉诡诈之人,
看见罪恶,
岂会不理?
12 愚蠢人若能变得聪明,
野驴驹也可生成人样。

13 “你若把心安正,
向祂举手祷告;
14 你若除去自己的罪恶,
不容帐篷里有任何不义,
15 就必能无愧地仰起脸,
站立得稳,无所畏惧。
16 你必忘记自己的苦楚,
它从你记忆中如流水逝去。
17 你的人生将比正午还光明,
生命中的黑暗也必像黎明。
18 你必充满盼望,感到安稳,
你必得到保护,安然入睡。
19 你睡觉时必无人惊扰,
许多人必求你施恩。
20 但恶人必眼目失明,无路可逃,
他们的指望只有死亡。”

Zophar Asks, Can You Find the Depths of God?

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite answered and said,

“Shall a multitude of words go unanswered,
And a (A)man of lips be in the right?
Shall your boasts silence men?
And shall you (B)mock and none rebuke?
(C)You have said, ‘My learning is pure,
And (D)I am innocent in your eyes.’
But would that God might speak,
And open His lips against you,
And tell you the secrets of wisdom!
For sound wisdom [a](E)has two sides.
Know then that God [b]forgets a part of (F)your iniquity.

(G)Can you find the depths of God?
Can you find the limits of the Almighty?
They are (H)high as [c]the heavens, what can you do?
Deeper than (I)Sheol, what can you know?
Its measure is longer than the earth
And broader than the sea.
10 If He sweeps by or shuts up,
Or calls an assembly, (J)who can turn Him around?
11 For (K)He knows worthless men,
And He (L)sees wickedness, [d]so will He not carefully consider it?
12 [e](M)Yet an empty headed man will obtain a heart of wisdom,
And the [f]foal of a (N)wild donkey is born a man.

13 (O)If you would (P)set your heart right
And (Q)spread out your hand to Him,
14 If wickedness is in your hand, (R)put it far away,
And do not let unrighteousness dwell in your tents;
15 Then, indeed, you could (S)lift up your face without moral defect,
And you would be steadfast and (T)not fear.
16 For you would (U)forget your trouble,
As (V)waters that pass by, so you would remember it.
17 And your lifetime would (W)arise brighter than noonday;
Darkness would be like the morning.
18 Then you would trust, because there is hope;
And you would search around and rest securely.
19 You would (X)lie down and none would make you tremble,
And many would (Y)entreat your [g]favor.
20 But the (Z)eyes of the wicked will come to an end,
And escape will (AA)perish from them;
And their (AB)hope is (AC)the expiring of their soul.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:6 Lit is double
  2. Job 11:6 Lit causes to be forgotten for you
  3. Job 11:8 Lit the heights of heaven
  4. Job 11:11 Or even He does not consider
  5. Job 11:12 Lit A hollow man
  6. Job 11:12 Lit donkey
  7. Job 11:19 Lit face

11 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,

Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth.

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him?

11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

12 For vain men would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

Zophar

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite(A) replied:

“Are all these words to go unanswered?(B)
    Is this talker to be vindicated?(C)
Will your idle talk(D) reduce others to silence?
    Will no one rebuke you when you mock?(E)
You say to God, ‘My beliefs are flawless(F)
    and I am pure(G) in your sight.’
Oh, how I wish that God would speak,(H)
    that he would open his lips against you
and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,(I)
    for true wisdom has two sides.
    Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.(J)

“Can you fathom(K) the mysteries of God?
    Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher(L) than the heavens(M) above—what can you do?
    They are deeper than the depths below(N)—what can you know?(O)
Their measure(P) is longer than the earth
    and wider than the sea.(Q)

10 “If he comes along and confines you in prison
    and convenes a court, who can oppose him?(R)
11 Surely he recognizes deceivers;
    and when he sees evil, does he not take note?(S)
12 But the witless can no more become wise
    than a wild donkey’s colt(T) can be born human.[a](U)

13 “Yet if you devote your heart(V) to him
    and stretch out your hands(W) to him,(X)
14 if you put away(Y) the sin that is in your hand
    and allow no evil(Z) to dwell in your tent,(AA)
15 then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;(AB)
    you will stand firm(AC) and without fear.(AD)
16 You will surely forget your trouble,(AE)
    recalling it only as waters gone by.(AF)
17 Life will be brighter than noonday,(AG)
    and darkness will become like morning.(AH)
18 You will be secure, because there is hope;
    you will look about you and take your rest(AI) in safety.(AJ)
19 You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid,(AK)
    and many will court your favor.(AL)
20 But the eyes of the wicked will fail,(AM)
    and escape will elude them;(AN)
    their hope will become a dying gasp.”(AO)

Footnotes

  1. Job 11:12 Or wild donkey can be born tame