1 Then Job answered,
2 "Listen diligently to my speech.
Let this be your consolation.
3 Allow me, and I also will speak.
After I have spoken, mock on.
4 As for me, is my complaint to man?
Why shouldn’t I be impatient?
5 Look at me, and be astonished.
Lay your hand on your mouth.
6 When I remember, I am troubled.
Horror takes hold of my flesh.
7 "Why do the wicked live,
become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?
8 Their child is established with them in their sight,
their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear,
neither is the rod of God upon them.
10 Their bulls breed without fail.
Their cows calve, and don’t miscarry.
11 They send out their little ones like a flock.
Their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and harp,
and rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
13 They spend their days in prosperity.
In an instant they go down to Sheol.
14 They tell God, ‘Depart from us,
for we don’t want to know about your ways.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
What profit should we have, if we pray to him?’
16 Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand.
The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
17 "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?
18 How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind,
as chaff that the storm carries away?
19 You say, ‘God lays up his iniquity for his children.’
Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction.
Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 For what does he care for his house after him,
when the number of his months is cut off?
22 "Shall any teach God knowledge,
since he judges those who are high?
23 One dies in his full strength,
being wholly at ease and quiet.
24 His pails are full of milk.
The marrow of his bones is moistened.
25 Another dies in bitterness of soul,
and never tastes of good.
26 They lie down alike in the dust.
The worm covers them.
27 "Behold, I know your thoughts,
the plans with which you would wrong me.
28 For you say, ‘Where is the house of the prince?
Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’
29 Haven’t you asked wayfaring men?
Don’t you know their evidences,
30 that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity,
that they are led out to the day of wrath?
31 Who will declare his way to his face?
Who will repay him what he has done?
32 Yet he will be borne to the grave.
Men will keep watch over the tomb.
33 The clods of the valley will be sweet to him.
All men will draw after him,
as there were innumerable before him.
34 So how can you comfort me with nonsense,
because in your answers there remains only falsehood?"
1 约伯回答说：
2 "你们要细听我的言语， 这就算是你们给我的安慰。
3 请原谅我， 我又要说话了， 说完以后， 就任凭你们嘲笑吧！
4 我岂是抱怨的人呢？我的心为什么不能忍耐呢？
5 你们注视我， 惊讶吧， 用手掩口吧。
6 我每逢想起， 就惊惶， 浑身战抖。
7 恶人为什么总可以存活， 活到老， 而且财势强大？
8 他们的后裔在他们面前坚定， 他们眼见自己的子孙在他们周围立定。
9 他们的家宅平安无惧， 神的刑杖也不加在他们身上。
10 他们的公牛交配而不落种， 他们的母牛下犊而不掉胎，
11 他们叫小孩子出去多如羊群， 他们的年轻人四处跳跃；
12 他们跟着琴鼓高歌， 又因着箫的声音欢乐。
13 他们幸福度过他们的日子， 一剎那间下阴间， 毫无病痛。
14 然而他们对 神说： ‘离开我们吧， 我们不愿意晓得你的道路。
15 全能者是谁， 竟要我们服事他呢？我们若向他恳求， 有什么益处呢？’
16 他们的福乐岂不是掌握在他们的手中？恶人的谋算离我很远。
17 恶人的灯何尝熄灭？灾难何尝临到他们身上？神何尝在忿怒中把痛苦分给他们！
18 他们何尝像风前的干草， 何尝像暴风刮去的糠秕？
19 你们说： ‘ 神为恶人的儿女积蓄罪孽’， 我却说： ‘ 神报应他本人， 好叫他自己明白。’
20 愿他亲眼看见自己败落， 愿他喝全能者的烈怒。
21 他的岁月既然断绝， 他还会看顾自己身后的家吗？
22 神既然审判那些在高位的， 谁能把什么知识教给他呢？
23 有人到死的时候仍然气力充足， 享尽平静与安逸；
24 他的奶桶充满鲜奶， 他的骨髓滋润。
25 有人到死的时候心里痛苦， 一生未尝美食；
26 他们都一起躺在尘土中， 虫子爬满他们身上。
27 我知道你们的心思， 与你们恶待我的计谋。
28 你们问： ‘霸王的房屋在哪里？恶人住过的帐棚在哪里？’
29 你们没有问问过路的人吗？不承认他们所提的证据吗？
30 就是恶人在灾难的日子得存留， 在 神发怒的时候得逃脱。
31 他所行的， 有谁敢当面指责他呢？他所作的， 有谁能报应他呢？
32 然而他被人抬到坟墓里， 并且有人看守他的墓地。
33 他以谷中的土块为甘甜， 所有的人跟在他后面， 走在他前面的不计其数。
34 你们的回话既然只存虚假， 怎样徒然安慰我呢？"