1 "可是, 约伯啊, 请听我的言语, 留心听我的一切话。
2 我现在开口, 用舌头发言;
3 我的话表明我心中的正直, 我所知道的, 我的嘴唇就诚诚实实地说出来。
4 神的灵创造了我, 全能者的气使我存活。
5 你若能够办得到, 就回答我, 用话语攻击我, 表明立场, 当面攻击我。
6 在 神面前我与你一样, 也是用土捏造的。
7 我的威严必不惊吓你, 我的压力也不加重在你身上。
8 你所说的, 我已经听见了, 也听到你言语的声音, 说:
9 ‘我是洁净的, 毫无过犯; 我是清白的, 没有罪孽。
10 神找机会攻击我, 把我当作仇敌;
11 他把我的两脚上了木狗, 又鉴察我一切所行的。’
12 我要告诉你, 你这话错了, 因为 神比世人大。
13 你为什么对 神争辩, 说: ‘无论世人的什么话, 他都不回答’呢?
14 原来 神用这个方法或那个方法说了, 只是, 世人没有留意。
15 世人都在床上打盹, 沉睡临到他们的时候, 神用异梦与夜间的异象,
16 告诉他们, 他坚定他们所得的训诲,
17 好叫人离开自己的恶行, 又叫人与骄傲隔绝,
18 拦阻人的性命不下在坑里, 又阻止他的生命不死在刀下。
19 人在床上被痛苦惩治, 他的骨头不住地痛苦挣扎,
20 以致他的生命厌恶食物, 他的胃口也厌恶美食,
21 他的肌肉消瘦以致看不见, 以前看不见的骨头, 现在都凸出来。
22 他的性命接近深坑, 他的生命靠近灭命的天使。
23 在一千位天使之中, 若有一位作人的中保, 指示人当行的事,
24 恩待他, 说: ‘救赎他免下深坑; 我已经得到了赎价。’
25 他的肌肉就比孩童的更嫩, 他更恢复满有青春活力的日子。
26 他向 神祈求, 神就喜悦他, 他也欢呼着朝见 神的面, 人又恢复自己的义。
27 他在人面前歌唱, 说: ‘我犯了罪, 颠倒是非, 但我没有受到应得的报应。
28 他救赎我的性命免入深坑, 我的生命必得见光明。’
29 神总是三番四次, 向人行这一切事,
30 要把人的性命从深坑里救回来, 好使活人之光光照他。
31 约伯啊, 你当留心听我, 当默不作声, 我要说话。
32 你若有话说, 就请回答我; 你只管说吧, 因为我愿意以你为义。
33 你若没有话说, 就要听我说, 你当默不作声, 我就把智慧教导你。"
1 Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech,
And hearken to all my words.
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth;
My tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
3 My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart;
And that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me,
And the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.
5 If thou canst, answer thou me;
Set thy words in order before me, stand forth.
6 Behold, I am toward God even as thou art:
I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid,
Neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.
8 Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing,
And I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
9 I am clean, without transgression;
I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me:
10 Behold, he findeth occasions against me,
He counteth me for his enemy;
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks,
He marketh all my paths.
12 Behold, I will answer thee, in this thou art not just;
For God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him,
For that he giveth not account of any of his matters?
14 For God speaketh once,
Yea twice, though man regardeth it not.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falleth upon men,
In slumberings upon the bed;
16 Then he openeth the ears of men,
And sealeth their instruction,
17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose,
And hide pride from man;
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit,
And his life from perishing by the sword.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed,
And with continual strife in his bones;
20 So that his life abhorreth bread,
And his soul dainty food.
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen;
And his bones that were not seen stick out.
22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit,
And his life to the destroyers.
23 If there be with him an angel,
An interpreter, one among a thousand,
To show unto man what is right for him;
24 Then God is gracious unto him, and saith,
Deliver him from going down to the pit,
I have found a ransom.
25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s;
He returneth to the days of his youth.
26 He prayeth unto God, and he is favorable unto him,
So that he seeth his face with joy:
And he restoreth unto man his righteousness.
27 He singeth before men, and saith,
I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,
And it profited me not:
28 He hath redeemed my soul from going into the pit,
And my life shall behold the light.
29 Lo, all these things doth God work,
Twice, yea thrice, with a man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me:
Hold thy peace, and I will speak.
32 If thou hast anything to say, answer me:
Speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33 If not, hearken thou unto me:
Hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.