約伯記 12

1 約伯回答說：

Then Job answered,

2 你們真是子民哪， 你們死亡，智慧也就滅沒了。

"No doubt, but you 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？

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn't know 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 like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.

5 安逸的人心裏藐視災禍； 這災禍常常等待滑腳的人。

In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

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 robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their god in their hands.

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 the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.

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 you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

9 看這一切， 誰不知道是耶和華的手做成的呢？

Who doesn't know that in all these, the hand of Jehovah has done this,

10 凡活物的生命和人類的氣息都在他手中。

in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all humankind?

11 耳朵豈不試驗言語， 正如上膛嘗食物嗎？

Doesn't the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

12 年老的有智慧； 壽高的有知識。

With aged men is wisdom, 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 has counsel and understanding.

14 他拆毀的，就不能再建造； 他捆住人，便不得開釋。

Look, he breaks down, and it can't be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

15 他把水留住，水便枯乾； 他再發出水來，水就翻地。

Look, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends 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 wisdom. 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 leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

18 他放鬆君王的綁， 又用帶子捆他們的腰。

He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

19 他把祭司剝衣擄去， 又使有能的人傾敗。

He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

20 他廢去忠信人的講論， 又奪去老人的聰明。

He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

21 他使君王蒙羞被辱， 放鬆有力之人的腰帶。

He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.

22 他將深奧的事從黑暗中彰顯， 使死蔭顯為光明。

He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to 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 increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

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 takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

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. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.