約伯的回應
1約伯回答說：
2「不錯，我知道你所言不虛，
但人怎能在上帝面前算為義人？
3人若想與祂辯駁，
千次也不能勝一次。
4祂充滿智慧，能力無比，
誰能抗拒祂還可平安無恙？
5祂可猝然挪動群山，
在怒氣中把山翻倒。
6祂震動大地，使其挪位，
以致地的支柱搖撼。
7祂一聲令下，
太陽便不再升起，
眾星也不再發光。
8祂獨自鋪展穹蒼，
步行在海浪之上。
9祂創造了北斗星、參星、昴星及南天的星座。
10祂行的奇事不可測度，
奇蹟不可勝數。
11祂經過我身旁，我卻看不見；
祂從旁邊掠過，我也無法察覺。
12祂若奪取，誰能阻擋？
誰敢問祂，『你做什麽？』
13上帝不會忍怒不發，
海怪9·13 「海怪」希伯來文是「拉哈伯」，下同26·12。的幫手必屈膝在祂腳前。
14「因此，我怎敢與祂辯駁？
怎敢措辭與祂理論？
15我縱然無辜，也無法申訴，
只能乞求我的審判者施恩。
16即使我呼喚祂的時候，祂回應我，
我仍不相信祂會垂聽我的聲音。
17祂用暴風摧毀我，
無故地使我飽受創傷。
18祂不肯讓我喘息，
祂使我嚐盡苦頭。
19若論力量，祂甚強大；
若上公堂，誰敢傳祂？
20即使我清白無辜，我的口也會認罪；
即使我純全無過，祂也會判我有罪。
21我雖純全無過，也已毫不在乎，
我厭惡我的生命。
22因為，我認為都是一樣，
純全無過的人和惡人都會被祂毀滅。
23災禍突然奪走人命時，
祂嘲笑無辜者的遭遇。
24大地落入惡人手中，
蒙蔽審判官眼睛的不是祂是誰？
25「我的年日比信差還快，
匆匆而過，不見幸福。
26我的歲月疾馳如快船，
快如急降抓食的老鷹。
27即使我說要忘掉怨恨，
拋開愁容，強顏歡笑，
28諸多的患難仍使我懼怕，
我知道祂9·28 「祂」希伯來文是「你」，下同31節。不承認我無辜。
29既然我被定為有罪，
又何必徒然掙扎？
30即使我用雪水淨身，
用鹼水洗手，
31祂仍會把我扔進污坑，
連我的衣服也嫌棄我。
32祂並非我的同類，
我無法與祂爭辯，一起對簿公堂。
33我倆中間沒有仲裁者，
無人為我們斷定是非9·33 「為我們斷定是非」希伯來文是「把手按在我們身上」。。
34若能拿開祂責打我的刑杖，
使我不再受祂的驚嚇，
35我就會放膽發言，不必對祂心存恐懼，
但現在我卻不能這樣9·35 「但現在我卻不能這樣」或譯「因為我知道自己的清白」。。
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.
