Job
Chapter 8
1 Bildad the Shuhite spoke out and said:
叔亚人彼耳达得发言说：
2 How long will you utter such things? The words from your mouth are like a mighty wind!
这些话你要讲到几时？你口中的话象狂风要到何时？
3 Does God pervert judgment, and does the Almighty distort justice?
天主岂能违背公道？全能者岂能屈枉正义？
4 If your children have sinned against him and he has left them in the grip of their guilt,
若你的子女得罪了他，他必将他们交于罪过的权势下。
5 Still, if you yourself have recourse to God and make supplication to the Almighty,
你若急切寻觅天主，哀求全能者；
6 Should you be blameless and upright, surely now he will awake for you and restore your rightful domain;
你若纯洁正直，他必亲来守护你，恢复你正义的居所。
7 Your former state will be of little moment, for in time to come you will flourish indeed.
你起初虽然微小，今后必要兴隆强大。
8 If you inquire of the former generations, and give heed to the experience of the fathers
请你查问上一代，细想祖先的经验；
9 (As we are but of yesterday and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are but a shadow),
因为我们由昨日才有，本来一无所知；我们在世上的日月，好似白驹。
10 Will they not teach you and tell you and utter their words of understanding?
他们必训诫你，指教你，向你说出内心的话：
11 1 Can the papyrus grow up without mire? Can the reed grass flourish without water?
蒲草不在池沼内，怎能长大？芦苇没有水，怎会生长？
12 While it is yet green and uncut, it withers quicker than any grass.
在茁壮中，尚未砍下，已先百草而枯萎。
13 So is the end of everyone who forgets God, and so shall the hope of the godless man perish.
凡忘记天主的，他的末路也是这样：恶人的希望必化为泡影。
14 His confidence is but a gossamer thread and his trust is a spider's web.
他的依靠好似游丝，他的凭借有如蛛网。
15 He shall rely upon his family, but it shall not last; he shall cling to it, but it shall not endure.
他倚恃自己的家，但家却站立不住；他要依附自己的住所，住所却不能久存。
16 He is full of sap before sunrise, and beyond his garden his shoots go forth;
它在日光下秀绿青葱，枝蔓爬满了园囿，
17 About a heap of stones are his roots entwined; among the rocks he takes hold.
根盘据石堆，缠绕石屋上。
18 Yet if one tears him from his place, it will disown him: ＂I have never seen you!＂
若有人从原处把它拔除，那地必否认说：＂我未曾见过它。＂
19 There he lies rotting beside the road, and out of the soil another sprouts.
看，它要腐烂在路上，从地上而另有出生。
20 Behold, God will not cast away the upright; neither will he take the hand of the wicked.
天主决不弃舍完善的人，也决不支持恶人的势力。
21 Once more will he fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with rejoicing.
你的口角必再洋溢着喜悦，你的唇边必再充满欢笑。
22 They that hate you shall be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked shall be no more.
憎恨你的必蒙受羞辱，恶人的帐幕必化为乌有。
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Footnotes（注解）
1 [11-13] As marsh plants need water, so man needs God. These verses are taken by some as a quotation from the teaching of the forefathers; cf Job 8:10.