約伯記 4

1 特曼人厄里法次開始說：

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 人若和你講話，你能忍受嗎﹖但誰又能忍住不說﹖

“If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

3 看，你曾勸戒過許多人，堅固過軟弱無能的人；

Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.

4 你的話扶起了跌倒的人，堅固了膝弱無力的人；

Your words have supported him who was falling, you have made the feeble knees firm.

5 但是現今災禍一臨於你，你就萎靡不振；一接觸你，你就沮喪失意。

But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.

6 你敬畏天主之情，豈不是你的依靠﹖你完善的行為，豈不是你的希望﹖

Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?

7 請想：那有無辜者喪亡﹖那有正直者消逝﹖

“Remember, now, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

8 照我所見：那播種邪惡的，必收邪惡；散佈毒害的，必收毒害。

According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same.

9 天主一噓氣，他們即滅亡；一發怒氣，他們即消失。

By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.

10 獅吼豹嗥完全止息，幼獅的牙齒也被打碎；

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

11 壯獅因缺獵物而滅絕，牝獅幼子各自東西離散。

The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12 我竊聽到一句話，我耳聽見細語聲。

“Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.

13 當人沉睡時，夜夢多幻象；

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,

14 我恐怖戰慄，全身骨頭發抖。

fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

15 寒風掠過我面，使我毛髮悚然。

Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.

16 他停立不動，但我不能辨其形狀；我面前出現形影，我聽見細微的聲音：

It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,

17 人豈能在天主前自以為義﹖在造他者前，自以為潔﹖

‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

18 看，他的僕役，他還不信；他的使者，他還歸罪，

Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.

19 何況那以泥屋為居所，以塵土為基礎的人! 他們為人踐踏，有如蠹蟲；

How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

20 晨昏間即化為齏粉，永遠消亡而無人一顧。

Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.

21 幕索如已自斷，他們豈不是因缺少智慧而死亡﹖

Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’