38

耶和華回答約伯

1那時,耶和華從旋風中回答約伯說:
  2「誰用無知的言語使我的旨意暗昧不明?
  3你要如勇士束腰;
  我問你,你可以讓我知道。

  4「我立大地根基的時候,你在哪裏?
  你若明白事理,只管說吧!
  5你知道是誰定地的尺度,
  是誰把準繩拉在其上嗎?
  6地的根基安置在何處?
  地的角石是誰安放的?
  7那時,晨星一同歌唱;
  上帝的眾使者也都歡呼。

  8「當海水衝出,如出母胎,
  誰用門將它關閉呢?
  9是我用雲彩當海的衣服,
  用幽暗當包裹它的布,
  10為它定界限,
  又安門和閂,
  11說:『你只可到這裏,不可越過;
  你狂傲的浪要到此止住。』

  12「你有生以來,曾命定晨光,
  曾使黎明知道自己的地位,
  13抓住地的四極,
  把惡人從其中驅逐出來嗎?
  14地改變如泥上蓋印,
  萬物出現如衣服一樣。
  15亮光不照惡人,
  高舉的膀臂也必折斷。

  16「你曾進到海之源,
  或在深淵的隱密處行走嗎?
  17死亡的門曾向你顯露嗎?
  死蔭的門你曾見過嗎?
  18地的廣大,你能測透嗎?
  你若全知道,只管說吧!

  19「往光明居所的路在哪裏?
  黑暗的地方在何處?
  20你能將它帶到其領域,
  能辨明其居所之路嗎?
  21你知道的,因為那時你已出生,
  你活的日子數目也多。

  22「你曾進入雪之庫,
  或見過雹的倉嗎?
  23雪雹是我為災難的時候,
  為打仗和戰爭的日子所預備。
  24光亮從何路分開?
  東風從何路分散遍地?

  25「誰為大雨分道,
  誰為雷電開路,
  26使雨降在無人之地,
  在無人居住的曠野,
  27使荒廢淒涼之地得以豐足,
  青草得以生長?

  28「雨有父親嗎?
  露珠是誰生的呢?
  29冰出於誰的胎?
  天上的霜是誰生的呢?
  30諸水堅硬如石頭,
  深淵之面凝結成冰。

  31「你能為昴星繫結嗎?
  你能為參星解帶嗎?
  32你能按時領出星宿嗎?
  能引導北斗與其眾星嗎?
  33你知道天的定律嗎?
  你能使地歸其權下嗎?

  34「你能向密雲揚起聲來,
  使傾盆的雨遮蓋你嗎?
  35你能發出閃電,使它們行走,
  並對你說『我們在這裏』嗎?
  36誰將智慧放在朱鷺中?
  誰將聰明賜給雄雞
  37誰能用智慧數算雲彩?
  誰能傾倒天上的瓶呢?
  38那時,塵土聚集成團,
  土塊緊緊結連。

  39「你能為母獅抓取獵物,
  使少壯的獅子飽足嗎?
  40那時,牠們在洞中蹲伏,
  在隱密處埋伏。
  41誰能為烏鴉預備食物呢?
  那時,烏鴉之雛哀求上帝,
  因無食物飛來飛去。」

38

The Lord Reveals His Omnipotence to Job

1Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:
  2“Whois this who darkens counsel
   By words without knowledge?
   3Now prepare yourself like a man;
   I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
  4“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
   Tell Me, if you have understanding.
   5Who determined its measurements?
   Surely you know!
   Or who stretched the line upon it?
   6To what were its foundations fastened?
   Or who laid its cornerstone,
   7When the morning stars sang together,
   And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
  8“Orwho shut in the sea with doors,
   When it burst forth and issued from the womb;
   9When I made the clouds its garment,
   And thick darkness its swaddling band;
   10When I fixed My limit for it,
   And set bars and doors;
   11When I said,
   ‘This far you may come, but no farther,
   And here your proud waves must stop!’
  12“Have you commanded the morning since your days began,
   And caused the dawn to know its place,
   13That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
   And the wicked be shaken out of it?
   14It takes on form like clay under a seal,
   And stands out like a garment.
   15From the wicked their light is withheld,
   And the upraised arm is broken.
  16“Have you entered the springs of the sea?
   Or have you walked in search of the depths?
   17Have the gates of death been revealed to you?
   Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
   18Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
   Tell Me, if you know all this.
  19“Where is the way to the dwelling of light?
   And darkness, where is its place,
   20That you may take it to its territory,
   That you may know the paths to its home?
   21Do you know it, because you were born then,
   Or because the number of your days is great?
  22“Have you entered the treasury of snow,
   Or have you seen the treasury of hail,
   23Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
   For the day of battle and war?
   24By what way is light diffused,
   Or the east wind scattered over the earth?
  25“Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water,
   Or a path for the thunderbolt,
   26To cause it to rain on a land where there is no one,
   A wilderness in which there is no man;
   27To satisfy the desolate waste,
   And cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?
   28Has the rain a father?
   Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
   29From whose womb comes the ice?
   And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth?
   30The waters harden like stone,
   And the surface of the deep is frozen.
  31“Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades,
   Or loose the belt of Orion?
   32Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season?
   Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?
   33Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
   Can you set their dominion over the earth?
  34“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
   That an abundance of water may cover you?
   35Can you send out lightnings, that they may go,
   And say to you, ‘Here we are!’?
   36Who has put wisdom in the mind?
   Or who has given understanding to the heart?
   37Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
   Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven,
   38When the dust hardens in clumps,
   And the clods cling together?
  39“Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
   Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,
   40When they crouch in their dens,
   Or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait?
   41Who provides food for the raven,
   When its young ones cry to God,
   And wander about for lack of food?