約伯記新譯
第五章 神的曉諭(38:1-42:6)
I. 第一曉諭(38:1-40:2):
1 那時, 耶和華在風暴中回答約伯, 歌曰:
(I) 神的回答(38:1-3):
2 誰以無知的言語, "Who is this that darkens my counsel
使我的旨意晦暗? with words without knowledge?
3 要如勇士束腰立, Brace yourself like a man;
我一定要質問你, I will question you,
而你必需回答我. and you should answer me.
(II) 創造奇妙(38:4-41):
1. 創天立地(38:4-7):
4 "我立大地根基時, 你在那裏? "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?
告訴我若你知道? Tell me, if you understand.
5 你定知誰定地界! Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
誰拉直大地量尺? Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 並在何處奠地基, On what were its footing set,
誰來豎立房角石; or who laid its cornerstone -
7 何時晨星同聲唱, while the morning stars sang together
天使一齊大歡呼? and all the angels shouted for joy?
2. 為海定界(38:7-11):
8 "當海水從母胎湧出, "Who shut up the sea behind doors
誰把海水關在門後? when it burst forth from the womb,
9 我以雲為海作衣裳, when I made the clouds its garment
將海包裹在漆黑中. and wrapped it in thick darkness,
10 我又為大海定界限, when I fixed limit for it
裝好了海的門與閂. and set its doors and bars in place,
11 於是我說: '界限已定, 不得逾越; when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther;
狂傲波濤到此為止.' here is where your proud waves halt?
3. 光明黑暗(38:12-21):
12 "你曾否命令早晨 "Have you ever given orders to the morning,
和黃昏明其本位. or shown the dawn its place,
13 使之照遍地四邊, that it might take the earth by the edges
把惡人全都逐出? and shake the wicked out of it?
14 大地成形如坏中泥土, The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
萬物站出像人的衣裳; its features stand out like those of garment.
15 惡人不得見亮光, The wicked are denied their light,
高舉膀臂必折斷. and their upraised arm is broken.
16 你曾否遊過滄海源泉, Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
走過海洋的幽暗深處? or walked in the recesses of the deep?
17 死亡之門曾否向你顯示? Have the gates of death been shown to you?
死蔭之門你曾否眼見過? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 你知大地廣袤遼闊嗎? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
告訴我你若全都知道. Tell me, if you know all this.
19 那條路通往光明之家? What is the way to the abode of light?
黑暗住所又在那裏呢? And where darkness reside?
20 你能帶他們到那裏嗎? Can you take them to their places?
知道通其居所之路嗎? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
21 你當然知道, 因你早就出生! Surely you know, for you were already born!
而且活了很多年日! You have lived so many years!
4. 掌控天象(38:22-38):
22 "你曾否進過雪庫, "Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
或者也見過雹倉; or seen the storehouses of the hail,
23 那都是我為災難 which I reserve for the times of trouble,
及戰亂預備的嗎? for days of war and battle?
24 閃電從何處劈出, What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,
東風從那裏落地? or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
25 誰為暴雨開水道, Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
誰為雷電定行程, and a path for the thunderstorm,
26 以水灌溉無人地, to water a land where no man lives,
潤濕無人的曠野, a desert with no one in it.
27 荒涼之地得滋潤, to satisfy a desolate wasteland
野草因之遍地生? and make it sprout with grass?
28 雨有父嗎? Does the rain have a father?
露父是誰? Who fathers the drops of dew?
29 冰從何來? From whose womb comes the ice?
天霜誰生? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
30 水何時變硬如石, when the waters become hard as stone,
深淵表面全凍結? when the surface of the deep is frozen?
31 "你能夠去綁住七星嗎? "Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?
能為獵戶三星鬆綁嗎? Can you loose the cords of Orion?
32 能按時領出十二星座 Can you bring forth the constellation in their seasons
和帶出北斗的星群嗎? or lead out the Bear with the cubs?
33 你知道天上的律法嗎? Do you know the laws of the heavens?
能在地上建立神國嗎? Can you set up God's dominion over the earth?
34 你能對密雲大聲呼喊, Can you raise your voice to the clouds
令洶湧洪水淹沒你嗎? and over yourself with a flood of water?
35 你能定雷打的方向嗎? Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
並向你報告, '我們在這裏!' Do they report to you, 'Here we are'?
36 誰把智慧賜你心, Who endowed the heart with wisdom
又把理性賜你腦? or gave understanding to the mind?
37 誰有智慧數雲彩? Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
當塵土和成硬團, Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
38 地土黏結在一起, when the dust becomes hard
誰能傾倒天上壺? and the clods of earth stick together?
5. 掌控天象(38:39-41):
39-40 當獅子蹲伏穴中, Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
靜靜埋伏在叢林, and satisfy the hunger of the lions
你能為母獅獵食, when they crouch in their dens
使雄獅得飽足嗎? or lie in wait in a thicket?
41 當幼鴉缺食亂飛, Who provides food for the raven
頻向神乞討求食, when its young cry out to God
誰能賜烏鴉食物? and wander about for lack of food?
(III) 動物生態(39:1-30)
1. 山羊母鹿(39:1-4):
1 "你知道山羊何時生產嗎? "Do you know when the mountain goats give birth?
你能察覺母鹿產子期嗎? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?
2 能算出牠們懷胎月數嗎? Do you count the months till they bear?
能知道牠們的生產期嗎? Do you know the time they give birth?
3 牠們蹲下產子後, They crouch down and bring forth their young;
產痛隨即就終止. their labor pains are ended.
4 幼子在荒野壯大, Their young thrive and grow strong in the wilds;
離群而去不復返 they leave and do not return.
2. 野驢野牛(39:5-12):
5 誰把那野驢放走? "Who let the wild donkey go free?
誰解開牠的繩索? who untie his ropes?
6 我賜荒野作牠家, I gave him the wasteland as his home,
並賜鹹地作牠寓. the salt flats as his habitat.
7 牠暗笑城中喧嘩, He laughs at the commotion in the town;
不 聽趕驢人吆喝. he does not hear a driver's shout.
8 踏遍山邱找草場, He ranges the hills for his pasture
四處尋覓青草料. and searches for any green thing.
9 野牛肯否供驅使? Will the wild ox consent to serve you?
願否夜宿牛欄中? Will he stay by your manger at night?
10 能否馭牠犁田地? Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness?
願為你犁身後谷? Will he till the valleys behind you?
11 會否全靠牠力大, Will you rely on him for his great strength?
讓牠為你作苦工; Will you leave your heavy work to him?
12 靠牠為你馱五穀, Can you trust him to bring in your grain
收集送至打穀場? and gather it to your thresthing floor?
3. 駝鳥振翅(39:13-25):
13 "駝鳥歡欣拍雙翅, "The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully,
羽毛難與白鶴比. but they cannot compare with the pinions and feathers of the stork.
14 母駝下蛋地面上, She lays her eggs on the ground
沙土暖孵沙中蛋; and lets them warm in the sand,
15 大意的腳踩破蛋, unmindful that a foot may crush them,
野獸也會踐踏到. that some wild animal may trample them.
16 駝鳥粗心待雛兒, 視非己出; She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers;
她不在乎生產徒勞, she cares not that her labor was in vain,
17 因神沒有賜她智慧, for God did not endow her with wisdom
也沒給她良好知識. or give her a share of good sense.
18 然而當牠展翅奔跑, Yet when she spreads her feathers to run,
她卻嘲笑馬和騎士. she laughs at horse and rider.
19 是你把力量賜給馬, Do you give the horse his strength
把馬鬃披牠頸上嗎? or clothe his neck with a flowing mane?
20 你使馬跳躍如蝗蟲, Do you make him leap like a locust,
噴出傲氣令人驚嗎? striking terror with his proud snorting?
21 牠凶狠刨地展蹄力, He paws fiercely, rejoicing in his strength,
全力猛烈衝向敵營. and charges into the fray.
22 笑看驚恐毫不懼怕, He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;
面對刀劍更不閃避. he does not shy away from the sword.
23 箭袋在身旁嘎嘎響, The quiver rattles against his side,
閃亮槍矛擦身飛舞. along with the flashing spear and lance.
24 狂熱振奮氣吞山河, In frenzied excitement he eats up the ground;
號角聲響奮勇向前. he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.
25 號角聲響牠大嚎: '阿哈!' At the blast of the trumpet he snorts, 'Aha!'
抓住遠方戰爭氣味, He catches the scent of battle from afar,
和主將吆喝吶喊聲. the shout of commanders and the battle cry.
4. 飛鷹嗜血(39:26-30):
26 "是否你給飛鷹智慧, "Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom
讓牠展翅向南飛翔? and spread his wings toward the south?
27 老鷹是否聽你令翱翔, Does the eagle soar at your command
並讓牠在高空築窩巢? and build his nest on high?
28 牠高棲懸崖夜宿其上, He dwells on a cliff and stays there at night;
岩穴乃成為牠的堡壘. a rocky crag is his stronghold.
29 從那裏牠去尋找獵物, From there he seeks out the food;
牠明銳雙眼偵察遠方. his eyes detest it from afar.
30 雛鷹從小就飽餐鮮血, His young ones feast on blood,
展開殺戮之處就有牠. and where the slain are, there is he."
(IV) 教訓約伯(40:1-2):
耶和華曉諭約伯:
1 與主強辯者豈可糾正衪? "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
2 就讓指責神的回答衪吧! Let him who accuses God answer him!"
(V) 約伯回應(40:3-5):
約伯回稟耶和華:
3 "我卑微不配, 怎能回答你? "I am unworthy - how can I reply to you?
4 只好以手掩我口. I put my hand over my mouth.
我說過一次, 但得不到回答; I spoke once, but I have no answer -
5 說了二次, 就不再說." twice, but I will say no more."
II. 第二曉諭(40:6-41:34)
(1) 主再教訓(40:6-14)
6 於是耶和華從暴風中回答約伯:
7 "你要如勇士束腰, "Brace yourself like a man;
我會質問你, I will question you,
你要回答我. and you shall answer me.
8 你不信任我的審判嗎? Would you discredit my justice?
譴責我證明你清白嗎? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
9 你可有神那樣的臂膀, Do you have an arm like God's,
能發出像神打雷聲嗎? and can you voice thunder like his?
10 再以榮耀輝煌為裝飾, Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
又以榮譽莊嚴為衣裳. and clothe yourself in honor and majestiy.
11 將你的怒氣盡情發洩, Unleash the fury of your wrath,
盯視驕傲者使之降卑. look at every proud man and bring him low,
12 注視驕傲者使之謙卑. look at every proud man and humble him,
把惡人就地粉碎消滅. crushed the wicked where they stand.
13 把他們全都一起埋葬, Bury them all in the dust together;
在墳墓中以屍衣蓋面. shroud their faces in the grave.
14 到那時我才會接受你, Then I myself will admit to you
讓你的右手去拯救你. that your own right hand can save you.
(II) 神造河馬(40:15-24):
15 你們看看河馬吧! Look at the behemoth,
我造你們也造牠, which I made along with you
餵牠吃草如餵牛. and which feeds on grass like an ox.
16 牠的腰幹多強壯, What strength he has in his loins,
腹肌又多麼有力! what power in the muscles of his belly!
17 尾巴搖動如柏樹, His tail sways like a cedar;
大腿肌腱真結實. the sinews of his thighs are close-knit.
18 骨頭強硬如銅管, His bones are tubes of bronze,
四肢強壯似鐵棍. his limbs like rods of iron.
19 在神大工中牠居首位, He ranks first among the works of God,
造牠的主卻持劍對牠. yet his Maker can approach him with his sword.
20 山邱為牠供食物, The hills bring him their produce,
群獸在牠附近玩. and all the wild animals play nearby.
21 牠躺臥在荷葉下, under the lotus plants he lies,
隱身泥澤蘆葦間. hidden among the reeds in the marsh.
22 蓮葉陰影蔽牠身, The lotuses conceal him in their shadow;
溪畔白楊圍繞牠. the poplars by the stream surround him.
23 河川暴漲牠不驚, When the river rages, he is not alarmed;
約但洪流衝牠口, he is secure,
牠也安穩無危險. though the Jordan should surge against his mouth.
24 牠張目時誰敢抓, Can anyone capture him by the eyes,
誰敢捕牠穿牠鼻? or trap him and pierce his nose?
(III) 神造怪鱷(41:1-34):
[註] leviathan 由上下文觀之, 絕非一般鱷魚, 故改譯 "怪鱷" 較切合原意.
1 你能用魚鉤釣怪鱷嗎? Can you pull in the leviathan with a fishhook
或用繩綁住牠舌頭嗎? or tie down his tongue with a rope?
2 你能用繩索穿牠的鼻, Can you put a cord through his nose
或用鉤穿牠的下顎嗎? or pierce his jaw with a hook?
3 牠會不住求你憐憫嗎? Will he keep begging you for mercy?
牠會溫柔對你說話嗎? Will he speak to you with gentle words?
4 牠樂意跟你簽訂協議, Will he make an agreement with you
去做你終生的奴隸嗎? for you to take him as your slave for life?
5 你能把牠像鳥當寵物, Can you make a pet of him like a bird
並為女兒栓住牠玩嗎? or put him on a leash for your girls?
6 商人會把牠當物交換, Will traders barter for him?
把牠當作貨物分掉嗎? Will they divide him up among the merchants?
7 你能用魚叉穿牠的皮, Can you fill his hide with harpoons
用魚槍去刺牠的頭嗎? or his head with fishing spears?
8 你若膽敢以手按住牠, If you lay a hand on him,
定會牢牢記住牠掙扎, you will remember the struggle
永遠再也不敢去碰牠! and never do it again!
9 你想把牠制住是枉然, Any hope of subduing him is false;
瞄牠一眼就心驚膽戰. the mere sight of him is overpowering.
10 沒有人夠凶狠去惹牠. No one is fierce enough to rouse him.
那麼誰能站起反抗我? Who then is able to stand against me?
11 天下萬事萬物都屬我, Who has a claim against me that I must pay?
誰的索賠我必需支付? Everything under heaven belongs to me.
12 我不能不說怪鱷四肢, I will not fail to speak of his limbs,
以及牠的力氣和美體. his strength and his graceful form.
13 誰能脫下牠的外皮呢? Who can strip off his outer coat?
誰敢拿韁繩接近牠呢? Who would approach him with a bridle?
14 誰膽敢去打開牠的口, Who dares open the doors of his mouth,
用環子套牠可怕利齒? ringed about with his fearsome teeth?
15 牠背上有一層層麟甲, His back has rows of shields
層層緊密連接在一起, tightly sealed together;
16 麟甲每層密切緊相連, each is so close to the next
緊密得連氣都透不過. that no air can pass between.
17 且麟甲彼此密切連結, They are joined fast to one another;
緊密結合一起分不開. they cling together and cannot be parted.
18 牠打噴嚏發出閃光, His snorting throws out flashes of light;
雙目發出炯炯曙光. his eyes are like the rays of dawn.
19 牠口中發出火把帶, Firebands stream from his mouth;
噴出火星閃爍四射. sparks of fire shoot out.
20 兩個鼻孔冒出濃煙 Smoke pours from his nostrils
如蘆葦燒滾沸騰鍋. as from a boiling pot over a fire of reeds.
21 牠呼氣使煤熾熱燃, His breath sets coals ablaze,
口中嘖出猛烈火燄. and flames dart from his mouth.
22 牠的頸內充滿力量, Strength resides in his neck;
在牠面前令人驚惶. dismay goes before him.
23 牠的肌肉緊密結合, The folds of his flesh are tightly joined;
異常結實很難移動. they are firm and immovable.
24 牠的胸部堅硬如石, His chest is hard as rock,
硬得像磨房的磨盤. hard as lower millstone.
25 牠一起身壯士膽戰; When he rise up, the mighty are terrified;
唰唰聲前急往後退. they retreat before his thrashing.
26 身堅體硬刀劍不入, The sword that reaches him has no effect,
長矛利戟難傷牠身. nor does the spear or the dart or the pavelin.
27 鋼鐵對牠有如茅草, Iron he treats like straw
銅器對牠一如朽木 . and bronze like rotten wood.
28 拉弓射箭牠不逃避, Arrow do not make him flee;
甩石對牠有如糠秕, Slingstones are like chaff to him.
29 木棍對牠像根稻草. A club seems to him but a piece of straw;
牠笑槍矛的呼嘯聲. he laughs at the rattling of the lance.
30 腹下盡是鋒利齒片, his undersides are jagged potsherds,
爬過泥沼留下耙痕. leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
31 牠攪動深淵如滾鍋, He makes the depth churn like a boiling caldron
攪拌海洋如鍋中膏. and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 行過路留閃亮痕蹟, Behind him he leaves a glistening wake;
使誤認深淵長白髮. one would think the deep had white hair.
33 地上無物能與匹比, Nothing on earth is his equal -
是個不知畏懼怪物. a creature without fear.
34 牠鄙視所有的狂徒, He looks down on all that are haughty;
成為狂傲之人的王. he is king over all that are proud."
(IV) 約伯認罪(42:1-6):
約伯回稟耶和華:
1 "我知你能作萬事, "I know you can do all things;
2 你的旨意難違逆. no plan of yours can be thwarted.
你問過: '誰愚昧無知 You asked, 'Who is this that obscures
3 使我旨意糢糊不清?' my counsel without knowledge?'
4 你也說過: '現聽著! 我要說話, You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak;
我要質問你, I will question you,
你要回答我.' and you shall answer me.'
5 我從前風聞有你, My ears had heard of you
現在親眼看見你. but now my eyes have seen you.
6 因此我厭惡自己, Therefore I despise myself
塵土灰燼中懺悔." and repent in dust and ashes."