約伯記 12

1 約伯回答說：

And Job answered and said,

2 你們真是子民哪， 你們死亡，智慧也就滅沒了。

Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you!

3 但我也有聰明，與你們一樣， 並非不及你們。 你們所說的，誰不知道呢？

I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these?

4 我這求告上帝、蒙他應允的人 竟成了朋友所譏笑的； 公義完全人竟受了人的譏笑。

I am to be one that is a derision to his friend, I who call upon God, and whom he will answer: a derision is the just upright [man].

5 安逸的人心裏藐視災禍； 這災禍常常等待滑腳的人。

He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

6 強盜的帳棚興旺， 惹上帝的人穩固， 上帝多將財物送到他們手中。

The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth.

7 你且問走獸，走獸必指教你； 又問空中的飛鳥，飛鳥必告訴你；

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowl of the heavens, and they shall tell thee;

8 或與地說話，地必指教你； 海中的魚也必向你說明。

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

9 看這一切， 誰不知道是耶和華的手做成的呢？

Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this?

10 凡活物的生命和人類的氣息都在他手中。

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all flesh of man.

11 耳朵豈不試驗言語， 正如上膛嘗食物嗎？

Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food?

12 年老的有智慧； 壽高的有知識。

With the aged is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.

13 在上帝有智慧和能力； 他有謀略和知識。

With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding.

14 他拆毀的，就不能再建造； 他捆住人，便不得開釋。

Behold, he breaketh down, and it is not built again; he shutteth up a man, and there is no opening.

15 他把水留住，水便枯乾； 他再發出水來，水就翻地。

Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; and he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

16 在他有能力和智慧， 被誘惑的與誘惑人的都是屬他。

With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

17 他把謀士剝衣擄去， 又使審判官變成愚人。

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;

18 他放鬆君王的綁， 又用帶子捆他們的腰。

He weakeneth the government of kings, and bindeth their loins with a fetter;

19 他把祭司剝衣擄去， 又使有能的人傾敗。

He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty;

20 他廢去忠信人的講論， 又奪去老人的聰明。

He depriveth of speech the trusty, and taketh away the judgment of the elders;

21 他使君王蒙羞被辱， 放鬆有力之人的腰帶。

He poureth contempt upon nobles, and slackeneth the girdle of the mighty;

22 他將深奧的事從黑暗中彰顯， 使死蔭顯為光明。

He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out into light the shadow of death;

23 他使邦國興旺而又毀滅； 他使邦國開廣而又擄去。

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he spreadeth out the nations, and bringeth them in;

24 他將地上民中首領的聰明奪去， 使他們在荒廢無路之地漂流；

He taketh away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste.

25 他們無光，在黑暗中摸索， 又使他們東倒西歪，像醉酒的人一樣。

They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunkard.