約伯記 20

1 納阿瑪人左法爾答覆說：

Then Zophar the Naamathite made answer and said,

2 因我的思潮起伏，叫我答覆，為此我內心十分急躁。

For this cause my thoughts are troubling me and driving me on.

3 斥責辱罵我的話，我已聽到，我的理智催迫我答覆。

I have to give ear to arguments which put me to shame, and your answers to me are wind without wisdom.

4 你豈不知道，自古以來，自從世上有人以來，

Have you knowledge of this from early times, when man was placed on the earth,

5 惡人的歡欣決不久長，無神者的喜樂瞬息即逝﹖

That the pride of the sinner is short, and the joy of the evil-doer but for a minute?

6 他的驕傲雖高頂蒼天，他的頭雖插入青雲，

Though he is lifted up to the heavens, and his head goes up to the clouds;

7 但他必像幻像，永歸無有；見過他的人必說：「他那裏去了﹖」

Like the waste from his body he comes to an end for ever: those who have seen him say, Where is he?

8 他又像夢境消散，無蹟可尋；又像夜夢，消失無蹤。

He is gone like a dream, and is not seen again; he goes in flight like a vision of the night.

9 見過他的眼，再也見不到他；他的住所，再也不認識他。

The eye which saw him sees him no longer; and his place has no more knowledge of him.

10 他的兒子要賠償窮人的損害，他要親手把財物交還。

His children are hoping that the poor will be kind to them, and his hands give back his wealth.

11 他的骨骸雖富有魄力，但要同他一起埋於塵埃。

His bones are full of young strength, but it will go down with him into the dust.

12 邪惡在他口中雖覺甘甜，藏在他的舌下，

Though evil-doing is sweet in his mouth, and he keeps it secretly under his tongue;

13 他雖愛惜不捨，久久含在口中；

Though he takes care of it, and does not let it go, but keeps it still in his mouth;

14 但那食物在他腹中要起變化，在他五內要變成蛇的毒汁。

His food becomes bitter in his stomach; the poison of snakes is inside him.

15 他併吞的財富，必要吐出，天主必使之由他腹中嘔出。

He takes down wealth as food, and sends it up again; it is forced out of his stomach by God.

16 他原吸入了蛇的毒汁，毒蛇的舌頭必將他殺死。

He takes the poison of snakes into his mouth, the tongue of the snake is the cause of his death.

17 他不得觀賞油流如溪，也看不到那流蜜流奶的小河。

Let him not see the rivers of oil, the streams of honey and milk.

18 他勞力之所得，應該退還，不得吞下；賺來的財富，不得享用。

He is forced to give back the fruit of his work, and may not take it for food; he has no joy in the profit of his trading.

19 因為它壓搾了窮人，使他們無依；強佔了人家的房屋，不得再建。

Because he has been cruel to the poor, turning away from them in their trouble; because he has taken a house by force which he did not put up;

20 因為他口腹之慾總不知足，他所喜愛之物，也救不了他。

There is no peace for him in his wealth, and no salvation for him in those things in which he took delight.

21 沒有什麼能逃脫他的吞噬，他的幸福決不久長。

He had never enough for his desire; for this cause his well-being will quickly come to an end.

22 他財產富足時，卻不免拮据，各種的困苦齊集他身。

Even when his wealth is great, he is full of care, for the hand of everyone who is in trouble is turned against him.

23 當他肚腹飽滿時，天主的怒火突然降到，箭如雨點射在他身上。

God gives him his desire, and sends the heat of his wrath on him, making it come down on him like rain.

24 他逃避過鐵器，銅矢必將他射穿。

He may go in flight from the iron spear, but the arrow from the bow of brass will go through him;

25 一箭由他的脊背穿透，光亮的箭矢由他的膽囊穿出，死亡的恐怖已落在他身上。

He is pulling it out, and it comes out of his back; and its shining point comes out of his side; he is overcome by fears.

26 層層黑暗留作他的寶藏，非人燃起的火要焚燒他，吞盡留在他帳幕的人。

All his wealth is stored up for the dark: a fire not made by man sends destruction on him, and on everything in his tent.

27 天要彰顯他的罪惡，地也起來攻擊他。

The heavens make clear his sin, and the earth gives witness against him.

28 洪水沖走他的住宅，在天主義怒之日要全被沖去。

The produce of his house is taken away into another country, like things given into the hands of others in the day of wrath.

29 這是惡人由天主所應得的一份，是天主為他所注定的產業。

This is the reward of the evil man, and the heritage given to him by God.