Job 21
你们要细听我的言语， 就算是你们安慰我。
nǐ men yào xì tīng wǒ de yán yǔ ， jiù suàn shì nǐ men ān wèi wǒ 。
“Listen diligently to my speech. Let this be your consolation.
请宽容我，我又要说话； 说了以后，任凭你们嗤笑吧！
qǐng kuān róng wǒ ， wǒ yòu yào shuō huà ； shuō le yǐ hòu ， rèn píng nǐ men chī xiào ba ！
Allow me, and I also will speak. After I have spoken, mock on.
我岂是向人诉冤？ 为何不焦急呢？
wǒ qǐ shì xiàng rén sù yuān ？ wèi hé bù jiāo jí ne ？
As for me, is my complaint to man? Why shouldn’t I be impatient?
你们要看着我而惊奇， 用手捂口。
nǐ men yào kàn zhe wǒ ér jīng qí ， yòng shǒu wǔ kǒu 。
Look at me, and be astonished. Lay your hand on your mouth.
我每逢思想，心就惊惶， 浑身战兢。
wǒ měi féng sī xiǎng ， xīn jiù jīng huáng ， hún shēn zhàn jīng 。
When I remember, I am troubled. Horror takes hold of my flesh.
恶人为何存活， 享大寿数，势力强盛呢？
è rén wéi hé cún huó ， xiǎng dà shòu shù ， shì lì qiáng shèng ne ？
“Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
他们眼见儿孙， 和他们一同坚立。
tā men yǎn jiàn ér sūn ， hé tā men yì tóng jiān lì 。
Their child is established with them in their sight, their offspring before their eyes.
他们的家宅平安无惧； 神的杖也不加在他们身上。
tā men de jiā zhái píng ān wú jù ； shén de zhàng yě bù jiā zài tā men shēn shàng 。
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
他们的公牛孳生而不断绝； 母牛下犊而不掉胎。
tā men de gōng niú zī shēng ér bú duàn jué ； mǔ niú xià dú ér bú diào tāi 。
Their bulls breed without fail. Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.
他们打发小孩子出去，多如羊群； 他们的儿女踊跃跳舞。
tā men dǎ fā xiǎo hái zi chū qù ， duō rú yáng qún ； tā men de ér nǚ yǒng yuè tiào wǔ 。
They send out their little ones like a flock. Their children dance.
他们随着琴鼓歌唱， 又因箫声欢喜。
tā men suí zhe qín gǔ gē chàng ， yòu yīn xiāo shēng huān xǐ 。
They sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
他们度日诸事亨通， 转眼下入阴间。
tā men dù rì zhū shì hēng tōng ， zhuǎn yǎn xià rù yīn jiān 。
They spend their days in prosperity. In an instant they go down to Sheol.
他们对 神说：离开我们吧！ 我们不愿晓得你的道。
tā men duì shén shuō ： lí kāi wǒ men ba ！ wǒ men bú yuàn xiǎo de nǐ de dào 。
They tell God, ‘Depart from us, for we don’t want to know about your ways.
全能者是谁，我们何必事奉他呢？ 求告他有什么益处呢？
quán néng zhě shì shuí ， wǒ men hé bì shì fèng tā ne ？ qiú gào tā yǒu shén me yì chù ne ？
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
看哪，他们亨通不在乎自己； 恶人所谋定的离我好远。
kàn nǎ ， tā men hēng tōng bú zài hu zì jǐ ； è rén suǒ móu dìng de lí wǒ hǎo yuǎn 。
Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
恶人的灯何尝熄灭？ 患难何尝临到他们呢？ 神何尝发怒，向他们分散灾祸呢？
è rén de dēng hé cháng xī miè ？ huàn nán hé cháng lín dào tā men ne ？ shén hé cháng fā nù ， xiàng tā men fēn sàn zāi huò ne ？
“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?
他们何尝像风前的碎秸， 如暴风刮去的糠秕呢？
tā men hé cháng xiàng fēng qián de suì jiē ， rú bào fēng guā qù de kāng bǐ ne ？
How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?
你们说： 神为恶人的儿女积蓄罪孽； 我说：不如本人受报，好使他亲自知道。
nǐ men shuō ： shén wèi è rén de ér nǚ jī xù zuì niè ； wǒ shuō ： bù rú běn rén shòu bào ， hǎo shǐ tā qīn zì zhī dào 。
You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
愿他亲眼看见自己败亡， 亲自饮全能者的忿怒。
yuàn tā qīn yǎn kàn jiàn zì jǐ bài wáng ， qīn zì yǐn quán néng zhě de fèn nù 。
Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
他的岁月既尽， 他还顾他本家吗？
tā de suì yuè jì jìn ， tā hái gù tā běn jiā ma ？
For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?
神既审判那在高位的， 谁能将知识教训他呢？
shén jì shěn pàn nà zài gāo wèi de ， shuí néng jiāng zhī shi jiào xùn tā ne ？
“Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?
有人至死身体强壮， 尽得平靖安逸；
yǒu rén zhì sǐ shēn tǐ qiáng zhuàng ， jìn dé píng jìng ān yì ；
One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
他的奶桶充满， 他的骨髓滋润。
tā de nǎi tǒng chōng mǎn ， tā de gǔ suǐ zī rùn 。
His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.
有人至死心中痛苦， 终身未尝福乐的滋味；
yǒu rén zhì sǐ xīn zhōng tòng kǔ ， zhōng shēn wèi cháng fú lè de zī wèi ；
Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.
他们一样躺卧在尘土中， 都被虫子遮盖。
tā men yí yàng tǎng wò zài chén tǔ zhōng ， dōu bèi chóng zǐ zhē gài 。
They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.
我知道你们的意思， 并诬害我的计谋。
wǒ zhī dào nǐ men de yì sī ， bìng wū hài wǒ de jì móu 。
“Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.
你们说：霸者的房屋在哪里？ 恶人住过的帐棚在哪里？
nǐ men shuō ： bà zhě de fáng wū zài nǎ lǐ ？ è rén zhù guò de zhàng péng zài nǎ lǐ ？
For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
你们岂没有询问过路的人吗？ 不知道他们所引的证据吗？
nǐ men qǐ méi yǒu xún wèn guò lù de rén ma ？ bù zhī dào tā men suǒ yǐn de zhèng jù ma ？
Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,
就是恶人在祸患的日子得存留， 在发怒的日子得逃脱。
jiù shì è rén zài huò huàn de rì zi dé cún liú ， zài fā nù de rì zi dé táo tuō 。
that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, that they are led out to the day of wrath?
他所行的，有谁当面给他说明？ 他所做的，有谁报应他呢？
tā suǒ xíng de ， yǒu shuí dāng miàn gěi tā shuō míng ？ tā suǒ zuò de ， yǒu shuí bào yìng tā ne ？
Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?
然而他要被抬到茔地； 并有人看守坟墓。
rán ér tā yào bèi tái dào yíng dì ； bìng yǒu rén kān shǒu fén mù 。
Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.
他要以谷中的土块为甘甜； 在他以先去的无数， 在他以后去的更多。
tā yào yǐ gǔ zhōng de tǔ kuài wèi gān tián ； zài tā yǐ xiān qù de wú shù ， zài tā yǐ hòu qù de gèng duō 。
The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
你们对答的话中既都错谬， 怎么徒然安慰我呢？
nǐ men duì dá de huà zhōng jì dōu cuò miù ， zěn me tú rán ān wèi wǒ ne ？
So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”
Test yourself on this chapter
Quick quiz on 10 words.