约伯记 12

1 约伯回答说：

Then Job answered,

2 你们真是子民哪， 你们死亡，智慧也就灭没了。

"No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

3 但我也有聪明，与你们一样， 并非不及你们。 你们所说的，谁不知道呢？

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who doesn't know such things as these?

4 我这求告 神、蒙他应允的人 竟成了朋友所讥笑的； 公义完全人竟受了人的讥笑。

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 安逸的人心里藐视灾祸； 这灾祸常常等待滑脚的人。

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

6 强盗的帐棚兴旺， 惹 神的人稳固， 神多将财物送到他们手中。

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

7 你且问走兽，走兽必指教你； 又问空中的飞鸟，飞鸟必告诉你；

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

8 或与地说话，地必指教你； 海中的鱼也必向你说明。

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

9 看这一切， 谁不知道是耶和华的手做成的呢？

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

10 凡活物的生命和人类的气息都在他手中。

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

11 耳朵岂不试验言语， 正如上膛尝食物吗？

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

12 年老的有智慧； 寿高的有知识。

With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.

13 在 神有智慧和能力； 他有谋略和知识。

"With him is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

14 他拆毁的，就不能再建造； 他捆住人，便不得开释。

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，水便枯干； 他再发出水来，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， 被诱惑的与诱惑人的都是属他。

With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.

17 他把谋士剥衣掳去， 又使审判官变成愚人。

He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

18 他放松君王的绑， 又用带子捆他们的腰。

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

19 他把祭司剥衣掳去， 又使有能的人倾败。

He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

20 他废去忠信人的讲论， 又夺去老人的聪明。

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， 放松有力之人的腰带。

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

22 他将深奥的事从黑暗中彰显， 使死荫显为光明。

He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.

23 他使邦国兴旺而又毁灭； 他使邦国开广而又掳去。

He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

24 他将地上民中首领的聪明夺去， 使他们在荒废无路之地漂流；

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 他们无光，在黑暗中摸索， 又使他们东倒西歪，像醉酒的人一样。

They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.