Job
Chapter 12
1 Then Job replied and said:
约伯回答说：
2 No doubt you are the intelligent folk, and with you wisdom shall die!
的确，只有你们是有知识的子民；那么，你们一死，智慧也与你们一同丧亡！
3 But I have intelligence as well as you; for who does not know such things as these?
其实，我和你们有同样的心理，我并不亚于你们！谁不知道这些事？
4 1 I have become the sport of my neighbors: "The one whom God answers when he calls upon him, The just, the perfect man," is a laughing-stock;
我这呼吁天主而蒙应允的人，却被他的友人所嘲笑，无辜的义人却成了笑柄。
5 The undisturbed esteem my downfall a disgrace such as awaits unsteady feet;
幸运的人心想：遭难的人应受蔑视，失足的人应再予以打击。
6 Yet the tents of robbers are prosperous, and those who provoke God are secure.
但是，强盗的帐幕竟能安全，触怒天主的人，以势力为神的人却享平安。
7 But now ask the beasts to teach you, and the birds of the air to tell you;
请你询问走兽，它们也会开导你；询问天上的飞鸟，它们也会告诉你；
8 Or the reptiles on earth to instruct you, and the fish of the sea to inform you.
地上的爬虫也会教训你，海中的鱼族也会给你说明。
9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of God has done this?
它们中有谁不知道：是天主的手创造了这一切？
10 In his hand is the soul of every living thing, and the life breath of all mankind.
因为一切活物的生魂，一切血肉之人的灵魂，都握在他手中。
11 Does not the ear judge words as the mouth tastes food?
耳朵不是为明辨言语，口腔不是为辨尝食物吗？
12 So with old age is wisdom, and with length of days understanding.
白发老人是有智慧的，年纪大者是有见识的；
13 With him are wisdom and might; his are counsel and understanding.
但智慧和能力同在天主内，智慧与见识是天主所有。
14 If he breaks a thing down, there is no rebuilding; if he imprisons a man, there is no release.
他若拆毁，人不能再建；他若拘禁，人不得开释。
15 He holds back the waters and there is drought; he sends them forth and they overwhelm the land.
他若制水，水便干涸；他若放水，水便冲毁大地。
16 With him are strength and prudence; the misled and the misleaders are his.
力量与才能，为他所有；受骗者与骗人者，都属于他。
17 He sends counselors away barefoot, and of judges he makes fools.
他使谋士胡涂，使判官愚蠢；
18 2 He loosens the bonds imposed by kings and leaves but a waistcloth to bind the king's own loins.
他解除君王所系的玉带，将绳索捆在他们的腰间；
19 and lets their never-failing waters flow away.
他使司祭赤足而行，推倒掌握大权者；
20 He silences the trusted adviser, and takes discretion from the aged.
夺去忠贞者的辩才，剥去年老者的理智：
21 He breaks down the barriers of the streams
使贵人备受侮辱，使勇士的腰带松弛；
22 The recesses of the darkness he discloses, and brings the gloom forth to the light.
使隐秘的事由暗处彰显，使黑暗进入光明；
23 He makes nations great and he destroys them; he spreads peoples abroad and he abandons them.
使邦国兴起而又灭亡，使民族强大而又消散；
24 He takes understanding from the leaders of the land,
剥去国君的理智，使他们漂泊于无路的荒野，
25 till they grope in the darkness without light; he makes them stagger like drunken men.
在无光的黑暗中摸索，踉跄得犹如醉汉。
Previous Chapter Next Chapter
Footnotes（注解）
1 [4-5] The Hebrew is somewhat obscure, but the general sense is that the wicked mock at the pious when the latter appear to be abandoned by God; cf Psalm 22:7-9; Matthew 27:39-43.
2 [18] (18)Waistcloth . . . loins: he reduces kings to the condition of slaves, who wear only a cloth wrapped about the waist.