约伯的回应
1约伯回答说：
2“不错，我知道你所言不虚，
但人怎能在上帝面前算为义人？
3人若想与祂辩驳，
千次也不能胜一次。
4祂充满智慧，能力无比，
谁能抗拒祂还可平安无恙？
5祂可猝然挪动群山，
在怒气中把山翻倒。
6祂震动大地，使其挪位，
以致地的支柱摇撼。
7祂一声令下，
太阳便不再升起，
众星也不再发光。
8祂独自铺展穹苍，
步行在海浪之上。
9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9:13 “海怪”希伯来文是“拉哈伯”，下同26:12。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9:28 “祂”希伯来文是“你”，下同31节。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9:33 “为我们断定是非”希伯来文是“把手按在我们身上”。。
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9:35 “但现在我却不能这样”或译“因为我知道自己的清白”。。
Job’s Reply
1Job replied,
2“I’m sure that what you have said is true.
But how can human beings prove to God they are not guilty?
3They might wish to argue with him.
But they couldn’t answer him
even once in a thousand times.
4His wisdom is deep. His power is great.
No one opposes him and comes away unharmed.
5He moves mountains, and they don’t even know it.
When he is angry, he turns them upside down.
6He shakes the earth loose from its place.
He makes its pillars tremble.
7When he tells the sun not to shine, it doesn’t.
He turns off the light of the stars.
8He’s the only one who can spread out the heavens.
He alone can walk on the waves of the ocean.
9He made the Big Dipper and Orion.
He created the Pleiades and the southern stars.
10He does wonderful things that can’t be understood.
He does miracles that can’t even be counted.
11When he passes by me, I can’t see him.
When he goes past me, I can’t recognize him.
12If he takes something, who can stop him?
Who would dare to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’
13God doesn’t hold back his anger.
Even the helpers of the sea monster Rahab
bowed in fear at his feet.
14“So how can I disagree with God?
How can I possibly argue with him?
15Even if I hadn’t done anything wrong,
I couldn’t answer him.
I could only beg my Judge to have mercy on me.
16Suppose I called out to him and he answered.
I don’t believe he’d listen to me.
17He would send a storm to crush me.
He’d increase my wounds without any reason.
18He wouldn’t let me catch my breath.
He’d make my life very bitter.
19If it’s a matter of strength, he is mighty!
And if it’s a matter of being fair,
who would dare to bring charges against him?
20Even if I hadn’t sinned, what I said would prove me guilty.
Even if I were honest, my words would show that I’m wrong.
21“Even though I’m honest,
I’m not concerned about myself.
I hate my own life.
22It all amounts to the same thing. That’s why I say,
‘God destroys honest people and sinful people alike.’
23Suppose a plague brings sudden death.
Then he laughs when those who haven’t sinned lose hope.
24Suppose a nation falls into the power of sinful people.
Then God makes its judges blind to the truth.
If he isn’t the one doing it, who is?
25“God, my days race by like a runner.
They fly away without seeing any joy.
26They speed along like papyrus boats.
They are like eagles swooping down on their food.
27Suppose I say, ‘I’ll forget about all my problems.
I’ll change my frown into a smile.’
28Then I’d still be afraid I’d go on suffering.
That’s because I know you would say
I had done something wrong.
29In fact, you have already said I’m guilty.
So why should I struggle without any reason?
30Suppose I clean myself with soap.
Suppose I wash my hands with cleanser.
31Even then you would throw me into a muddy pit.
And even my clothes would hate me.
32“God isn’t a mere human being like me. I can’t answer him.
We can’t take each other to court.
33I wish someone would settle matters between us.
I wish someone would bring us together.
34I wish someone would keep God from punishing me.
Then his terror wouldn’t frighten me anymore.
35I would speak up without being afraid of him.
But as things stand now, I can’t do that.
