耶和华回答约伯

38 那时,耶和华从旋风中回答约伯说:
“是谁用无知的话蒙蔽我的旨意?
你要像勇士一样束腰备战,
我来提问,你来回答。

“我立大地根基的时候,你在哪里?
你若那么聪明,请告诉我。
你可知道谁为大地定的尺寸?
谁用准绳把它丈量?
是什么支撑大地的根基?
谁为它安放的基石?
当时晨星齐声歌唱,
众天使都发出欢呼。

“大海从母胎奔腾而出时,
谁为它划定界限?
是我为大海披上云彩,
为它裹上厚厚的幽暗。
10 是我为它划定界限,
并安上门和闩,
11 说,‘你到此为止,不可越界;
你狂傲的波涛要停在这里。’

12 “你生平可曾向晨曦发号施令,
为黎明的曙光指定岗位,
13 使阳光普照大地,
抖出藏匿的恶人?
14 日光使大地改观,如泥上盖印,
万物如衣服般显出颜色。
15 恶人得不到光明,
强横的臂膀必折断。
16 你可曾到过大海的源头,
走过深渊的底部?
17 死亡之门可曾向你显露?
你可曾见过幽冥之门?
18 你知道大地有多广阔吗?
你若知道,就告诉我吧。

19 “哪条路通往光明的居所?
哪里是黑暗的住处?
20 你能把它们带回原处吗?
你认识通往其居所的路吗?
21 你肯定知道,
因为那时你已出生,
你的寿数又很长久!

22 “你曾到过雪库,
或见过雹仓吗?
23 那是我为降灾之时,
为争战之日而预备的。
24 光从哪条路散开?
东风从哪条路吹向大地?
25 谁为豪雨开水道,
为雷电辟路径,
26 使雨水降在杳无人烟之地,
降在无人居住的旷野,
27 以滋润荒凉不毛之地,
使土地长出青草?
28 雨水有父亲吗?
谁生的露珠?
29 冰出自谁的胎?
谁生的天上的霜?
30 水变得坚硬如石,
深渊表面凝结成冰。

31 “你能系住昴星的结,
解开参星的带吗?
32 你能按季节领出星座,
引导北斗及其众星吗?
33 你知道天的定律吗?
你能使地服从天律吗?
34 你能号令云彩,
使倾盆大雨覆盖你吗?
35 你能命闪电发出,
让它听候调遣吗?
36 谁将智慧放在人胸中?
谁使人内心有聪明?
37-38 尘土结成硬团,
土块黏在一起时,
谁能凭智慧数算云彩?
谁能倾倒天上的水囊?

39-40 “狮子卧在洞中,
壮狮埋伏在隐秘处,
你能为它们猎取食物,
使它们饱餐吗?
41 乌鸦的幼雏饿得飞来飞去,
向上帝哀鸣时,
谁供应乌鸦食物?

 神发言,回答约伯

38 那时,耶和华在旋风中回答约伯,说:

“这以无知无识的言语,

使我的旨意暗晦不明的是谁呢?

现在你要如勇士束腰,

我要问你,你要告诉我。

以创造的奇妙质问约伯

我奠定大地根基的时候,你在哪里呢?

你若有聪明,就只管说吧。

你一定晓得是谁定大地的尺度,

是谁把准绳拉在大地之上?

地的基础奠在哪里,

地的角石是谁安放的?

那时晨星一起歌唱,

 神的众子也都欢呼。

海水冲出如婴孩出母胎,

那时谁用门把海水关闭呢?

是我以云彩当作海的衣服,

以幽暗当作包裹海的布;

10 我为海定界限,

又安置门闩和门户,

11 说:‘你只可到这里,不可越过,

你狂傲的波浪要在这里止住。’

12 自你有生以来,你何曾吩咐过晨光照耀,

使黎明的曙光知道自己的本位,

13 叫这光照遍大地的四极,

把恶人从那里抖掉呢?

14 因着这光,地面改变如在泥上盖上印,

万象显出如衣服一样。

15 恶人必得不到亮光,

高举的膀臂必被折断。

16 你曾到过海的泉源,

在深渊的底处行走过吗?

17 死亡的门曾向你显露吗?

死荫的门你曾见过吗?

18 地的广阔,你明白吗?

你若完全知道,就只管说吧。

19 哪条是到光明居所的道路?

黑暗的本位在哪里?

20 你能把光与暗带到它们的境地吗?

你晓得通到它们居所的路吗?

21 你是知道的,因为那时你已经出生了,

你一生的日数也很多。

22 你曾入过雪库,

或见过雹仓吗?

23 这些雪雹是我为降患难的时候,

为打仗和争战的日子所存留的。

24 光从哪条路散开,

东风从哪里分散在地上?

25 谁为大雨分水道,

谁为雷电定道路?

26 使雨降在无人之地,

落在无人居住的旷野,

27 使荒废之地得着滋润,

使青草在干旱之地得以长起来呢?

28 雨有父亲吗?

露珠是谁生的呢?

29 冰出自谁的胎?

天上的霜是谁所生的呢?

30 众水坚硬如石头,

深渊的表面冻结成冰。

31 你能系住昴星的结吗?

你能解开参星的带吗?

32 你能按时领出玛查鲁夫星系吗?

你能引导北斗和随从它的众星吗?

33 你晓得天的定例吗?

你能在地上建立天的权威吗?

34 你能向密云扬声吗?

你能使洪水淹没你吗?

35 你能差派闪电,闪电就发出,

并且对你说:‘我们在这里’吗?

36 谁把智慧放在怀里,

或把聪明赐于人的心中?

37 尘土融合成团,

土块黏结在一起的时候,

38 谁能凭智慧数算云天呢?

谁能把天上的水袋倾倒呢?

39 狮子在洞中蹲伏,

在藏身之处躺卧埋伏的时候,

40 你能为母狮猎取食物吗?

你能使食欲饱足吗?

41 乌鸦雏鸟因缺乏食物飞来飞去,

向 神哀求的时候,

谁为乌鸦预备食物呢?”

The Lord Reveals His Omnipotence to Job(A)

38 Then the Lord answered Job (B)out of the whirlwind, and said:

“Who(C) is this who darkens counsel
By (D)words without knowledge?
(E)Now [a]prepare yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

“Where(F) were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched the [b]line upon it?
To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
When the morning stars sang together,
And all (G)the sons of God shouted for joy?

“Or(H) who shut in the sea with doors,
When it burst forth and issued from the womb;
When I made the clouds its garment,
And thick darkness its swaddling band;
10 When (I)I fixed My limit for it,
And set bars and doors;
11 When I said,
‘This far you may come, but no farther,
And here your proud waves (J)must stop!’

12 “Have you (K)commanded the morning since your days began,
And caused the dawn to know its place,
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And (L)the wicked be shaken out of it?
14 It takes on form like clay under a seal,
And stands out like a garment.
15 From the wicked their (M)light is withheld,
And (N)the [c]upraised arm is broken.

16 “Have you (O)entered the springs of the sea?
Or have you walked in search of the depths?
17 Have (P)the gates of death been [d]revealed to you?
Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.

19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
And darkness, where is its place,
20 That you may take it to its territory,
That you may know the paths to its home?
21 Do you know it, because you were born then,
Or because the number of your days is great?

22 “Have you entered (Q)the treasury of snow,
Or have you seen the treasury of hail,
23 (R)Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
For the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is light [e]diffused,
Or the east wind scattered over the earth?

25 “Who (S)has divided a channel for the overflowing water,
Or a path for the thunderbolt,
26 To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one,
A wilderness in which there is no man;
27 (T)To satisfy the desolate waste,
And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?
28 (U)Has the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 From whose womb comes the ice?
And the (V)frost of heaven, who gives it birth?
30 The waters harden like stone,
And the surface of the deep is (W)frozen.[f]

31 “Can you bind the cluster of the (X)Pleiades,[g]
Or loose the belt of Orion?
32 Can you bring out [h]Mazzaroth in its season?
Or can you guide [i]the Great Bear with its cubs?
33 Do you know (Y)the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you set their dominion over the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
That an abundance of water may cover you?
35 Can you send out lightnings, that they may go,
And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?
36 (Z)Who has put wisdom in [j]the mind?
Or who has given understanding to the heart?
37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust hardens in clumps,
And the clods cling together?

39 “Can(AA) you hunt the prey for the lion,
Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they crouch in their dens,
Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait?
41 (AB)Who provides food for the raven,
When its young ones cry to God,
And wander about for lack of food?

Footnotes

  1. Job 38:3 Lit. gird up your loins like
  2. Job 38:5 measuring line
  3. Job 38:15 Lit. high
  4. Job 38:17 Lit. opened
  5. Job 38:24 Lit. divided
  6. Job 38:30 Lit. imprisoned
  7. Job 38:31 Or the Seven Stars
  8. Job 38:32 Lit. Constellations
  9. Job 38:32 Or Arcturus
  10. Job 38:36 Lit. the inward parts