Job 21
Common English Bible
Grant me a hearing
21 Then Job answered:
2 Listen carefully to my remarks
and let that comfort you.
3 Bear with me so I can speak, I myself;
and after my reply you can mock.
4 Are my complaints against another human;
why is my patience short?
5 Turn to me and be appalled;
lay your hand over your mouth.
6 If I recall it, I’m scared;
shaking seizes my body.
The success of the wicked
7 Why do the wicked live,
grow old, and even become strong?
8 Their children are always with them,
their offspring in their sight,
9 their houses safe from dread,
God’s punishing stick not upon them.
10 Their bull always breeds successfully;
their cows give birth and never miscarry.
11 They send forth their little ones like sheep;
their infants bounce around.
12 They raise drum and lyre,
rejoice at the sound of a flute.
13 They spend their days contentedly,
go down to the grave[a] peacefully.
14 They say to God, “Turn away from us;
we take no pleasure in knowing your ways;
15 who is the Almighty[b] that we should serve him,
and what can we gain if we meet him?”
16 Look, isn’t their well-being the work of their own hands?
A sinner’s logic is beyond me.
Desired vindication
17 How often does the lamp of the wicked flicker
or disaster come upon them,
with its fury inflicting pain on them?
18 Let them be like straw in the wind,
like dry grass stolen by a storm.
19 God stores up his punishment for his children.
Let him destroy them so they know.
20 Let their own eyes witness their doom.
Let them drink from the Almighty’s wrath.
21 What do they care about their household after they die,
when their numbered days are cut off?
A common fate
22 Will they instruct God—
he who judges the most powerful?
23 Someone dies in wonderful health,
completely comfortable and well,
24 their buckets full of milk,
their bones marrow-filled and sound.
25 Another dies in bitter spirit,
never having tasted the good things.
26 They lie together in the dust
and worms cover them.
Further disagreement
27 Look, I know your thoughts;
your plans harm me.
28 You say, “Where is the official’s house?
Where is the tent, the dwelling of the wicked?”
29 Haven’t you asked travelers
or paid attention to their reports?
30 On the day of disaster the wicked are spared;
on the day of fury they are rescued.
31 Who can criticize their behavior to their faces;
they act, and who can avenge them?
32 They are carried to their graves;
someone keeps guard over their tombs.
33 The soil near the desert streambed is sweet to them;
everyone marches after them—
those before them, beyond counting.
34 How empty is your comfort to me;
only deceit remains in your responses.
约伯记 21
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
約伯的反駁
21 約伯回答說：
2 “你們要細聽我的言語，
這就算是你們給我的安慰。
3 請原諒我，我又要說話了，
說完以後，就任憑你們嘲笑吧！
4 我豈是抱怨的人呢？
我的心為甚麼不能忍耐呢？
5 你們注視我，驚訝吧，
用手掩口吧。
6 我每逢想起，就驚惶，
渾身戰抖。
惡人反得福樂
7 惡人為甚麼總可以存活，
活到老，而且財勢強大？
8 他們的後裔在他們面前堅定，
他們眼見自己的子孫在他們周圍立定。
9 他們的家宅平安無懼，
神的刑杖也不加在他們身上。
10 他們的公牛交配而不落種，
他們的母牛下犢而不掉胎，
11 他們叫小孩子出去多如羊群，
他們的年輕人四處跳躍；
12 他們跟著琴鼓高歌，
又因著簫的聲音歡樂。
13 他們幸福度過他們的日子，
一剎那間下陰間，毫無病痛。
14 然而他們對 神說：‘離開我們吧，
我們不願意曉得你的道路。
15 全能者是誰，竟要我們服事他呢？
我們若向他懇求，有甚麼益處呢？’
16 他們的福樂豈不是掌握在他們的手中？
惡人的謀算離我很遠。
17 惡人的燈何嘗熄滅？
災難何嘗臨到他們身上？
神何嘗在忿怒中把痛苦分給他們！
18 他們何嘗像風前的乾草，
何嘗像暴風颳去的糠秕？
19 你們說：‘ 神為惡人的兒女積蓄罪孽’，
我卻說：‘ 神報應他本人，好叫他自己明白。’
20 願他親眼看見自己敗落，
願他喝全能者的烈怒。
21 他的歲月既然斷絕，
他還會看顧自己身後的家嗎？
22 神既然審判那些在高位的，
誰能把甚麼知識教給他呢？
23 有人到死的時候仍然氣力充足，
享盡平靜與安逸；
24 他的奶桶充滿鮮奶，
他的骨髓滋潤。
25 有人到死的時候心裡痛苦，
一生未嘗美食；
26 他們都一起躺在塵土中，
蟲子爬滿他們身上。
27 我知道你們的心思，
與你們惡待我的計謀。
28 你們問：‘霸王的房屋在哪裡？
惡人住過的帳棚在哪裡？’
29 你們沒有問問過路的人嗎？
不承認他們所提的證據嗎？
30 就是惡人在災難的日子得存留，
在 神發怒的時候得逃脫。
31 他所行的，有誰敢當面指責他呢？
他所作的，有誰能報應他呢？
32 然而他被人抬到墳墓裡，
並且有人看守他的墓地。
33 他以谷中的土塊為甘甜，
所有的人跟在他後面，
走在他前面的不計其數。
34 你們的回話既然只存虛假，
怎樣徒然安慰我呢？”
Job 21
King James Version
21 But Job answered and said,
2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
16 Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.
18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,
30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
34 How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
